Quote:
Originally posted by kellerumps
I glance back at the plate and he is signaling Ground Rule Double. I agree and tell the player "Hey Ground Rule Double stay at 2nd please". Remember his team is WINNING 6-2 bottom of 6.
His face gets beat red and screams at the top of his lungs "Your F@#(*$&(*& @#(&$ #*&$ Kidding me".
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But you said "please"?
My easiest was in Plant City last July. I'm on the plate, runner on 2B with two outs. A batter from Great Britain pops up and lifts the bat above his head. Anticipating his actions, I stepped toward him and said, "Don't do it!" just loud enough for him and the catcher to hear me.
Sure enough, he whips the bat underhanded toward the backstop. Two points here. One, I have a policy on throwing the bat. If it hits the ground first and not near anyone, I'll offer a warning loud enough for the team to hear. If it lands near a person or hits the fence or anything other than the ground, the batter is done.
Second, the backstops at this complex are about 25-30 feet from the lines and the batter was about three steps toward 1B already.
So this bat never gets waist-high and rattles the backstop in the air. I calmly told him when the play is over, he is was done. The ball is caught by the SS from one of the Bahama teams.
As the manager (coaching 1B) heads toward the dugout, I inform him of the ejection and that I needed a substitute. He smiled and said, "Thank you, very much, sir. I'll have you one shortly." Nice as could be, the batter, nor anyone else, said word one to me.
When I received the sub, I walked over to the scorer and informed him that the one guy was ejected and offered the replacement.
About an inning later, my partner asked me what the scorekeeper had to say and I said nothing. He says how can he have nothing to say when you were over there last inning talking to him. Told my partner that I had to give him the substitute for the player I ejected. He goes, "You ejected someone? Where was I?"
It turns out that the only folks who knew I ejected the guy was him, his coach, the scorekeeper and myself.
Now, if they could all be like that!