[WhatWuzThatBlue]

1. "Catch - he might be coming, kick that bat outta there."

2. "Catch - Get that bat out of your way."

3. Watch the on deck batter clear it.

4. Use the side of your foot and PUSH it out of the way - that way you aren't bending down and can keep your head up. (The way I was taught in school.)

5. Forget about it - it's not your job to clear the bat! R3 and a high hopper to F4 - runner is off on contact and he is going to have to slide through the bat to get to the plate. Do you have time? No way, Jose...
Coach - Hey, Blue you gotta get that bat outta the way.
Me - Why?
Coach - Ain't no way he can be safe with it laying there.
Me - Okay.
Coach - So, what are you gonna do about it?
Me - (as I'm dusting the dish off)
I'll show up at your next practice and teach your batters where to
toss their bats. I get $60 an hour and I only take cash.

If you want to bend over, go ahead, but even the Big Dogs don't pick up bats any more. They use the foot wedge when the on-deck or bat boy is sleeping or when time demands. That is another reason we wear steel toed shoes.

By the way, if a catcher tosses his mask/HSM up the baseline, ignore it the first time. When he gets back to his position and there is no batter around, tell him to knock it off. If he does it again and you have time (and the inclination to piss off the guy protecting you from that fastball) kick it out of the way, but do it hard. He'll get the picture and enough people will see what is happening to prevent a s-storm from occurring.