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Back to the article that sparked this debate...
In the article, the author describes the batter as sticking out his elbow to intentionally allow the ball to hit him. He did this before the pitch had a chance to enter the strike zone.
I see that as a distinctly different act than simply turning away from an inside pitch heading right at you and taking one for the team. Sticking out an elbow would, to me, be analogous to sticking out a hand. Without the chosen body part being purposely extended, the ball doesn't touch the batter.
We're talking about two distinct actions that most seasoned umpires on this board would have no trouble distinguishing.
The fine line being skirted here is the difference between a batter allowing himself to be hit on a pitch where you would normally give him the benefit of the doubt and a batter purposely reaching toward the pitch to intentionally contact it.
The author of the article appears to be a seasoned umpire, based on the brief biography there. This seasoned umpire judged that the batter's actions were willful, intentional and, in his own words, "an unsportsmanlike act".
In summary: We have a 3-2 count. The next pitch heads right for the strike zone. We have a batter intentionally contacting the ball before it has a chance to reach the plate. And we have an umpire judging the batter's actions to be unsportsmanlike conduct.
That is the EXACT play offered in the article.
What's your call.
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