If this were a minor league game, this is how I would have handled it:
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Originally Posted by Blue37
HS varsity between district rivals with no history of bad blood. I'm on the bases, top of 1st, runners on 1st and 2nd, two out, ground ball to third, easy throw to 1st for the third out. Suddenly there was contact between the runner and 1st baseman. I thought the 1st baseman had come off of the base far enough for there to have been no contact, but could not tell for sure. I immediately looked at my partner to see if he had anything, but he was looking at R2's touch of 3rd (don't digress into discussing that aspect). There were some hard looks, but no words, and I moved to my position in short right field.
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Depending on how severe the contact was, and whether I was absolutely sure the B/R went out of his way to drill F3...I probably would have done nothing other than make a mental note.
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Originally Posted by Blue37
Top of 3rd, same situation. Two on, two out, same batter at the plate. The pitcher came set, looked at R2, winked at the SS, and plunked the batter in the back. The batter made no reaction other than trotting to 1st.
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The mental note I made above, is now triggered and I issue warnings to both teams (and basically let everyone know, "o.k. now you're both even...no more.")
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Originally Posted by Blue37
The pitcher was the first batter in the bottom of the 3rd, and he was hit with the 1st pitch.
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Bye-bye visiting team pitcher and manager.
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Originally Posted by Blue37
As the base ump, can I issue warnings?
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Not unless (1) You want me (the plate umpire) to kick your *** after the game or (2) you're the crew chief (and even then I'd be mad).
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Originally Posted by Blue37
If no, should I have immediately gone in and told my partner about the wink so he could decide on whether to issue a warning?
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No, meet between innings, IMO. Keep the game moving.
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Originally Posted by Blue37
Should the warning be done openly so there is no doubt a warning has been given? Can the home pitcher be warned after the fact (after the visiting pitcher hit him)?
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All warnings must be done openly. (And yes the managers will likely whine) On the professional level any warning given(about pitchers throwing at batters) is given to BOTH teams at the same time. You don't warn one team, and then wait to warn the other team after they've hit another batter to "even up the score". BOTH teams are always warned at the same time.
As an aside: Even on the professional level, if you know that a pitcher intentionally threw at a batter, you can toss him immediately without having given him a warning. (The manager would not be tossed, however.) Immediately, after the ejection (and before play resumes) you would then "issue warnings" so that the next time, the manager goes too.