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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Virginia Umpire
[B]Again I say we are not umpires for the Major Leagues.
Official Baseball Rules charge the umpire with judging intent. The OBR casebook cautions about throwing at a head in the same section as the rule.
Pete, your question that asks "are we to try to judge what a pitcher's intent is" seemed argumentative. Intent is part of the rule. We have to live with it.
As I said these are not professional players and the great majority of hit batters are accidents. So of course that isn't going to cause us to dump anyone who throws one up there as Pete argues.
Virginia Umpire - Football has gone to great lengths to protect the QB. The QB can now (if he is out of the pocket area) intentionally ground the ball. Also, any hit to the head area is an automatic 15. Run into the QB after he has released the ball - Personal Foul 15 yard penalty.
Why should baseball be different? Why allow F1 to throw at one's head in the first place. I think we all know (just a matter of time) when teams retaliate. It will be very interesting to see if Clemens pitches at Shea in the upcoming Subway Series.
The point: If there was a rule to begin with - the retaliation factor wouldn't come into play at all. Baseball, although not like football or Hockey is a contact sport if played the correct way - ie; breaking up a DP, busting a player inside (shoulders on down). I just can't see throwing at the head area.
During the interview with Piazza - he himself said he wouldn't have been that upset if Clemens "plunked" him in the chest area on down, but he was very upset at being "beaned". As I said earlier, the rule WILL change when someone's career (who is also a markee player such as Piazza) is jeopardized.
JMO
Pete Booth
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Peter M. Booth
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