I see a few HTBTs and a couple insisting that the player has to vacate. I still haven't seen anyone post a rule that says a runner who just scored cannot pick up the bat or must turn a specific way. Look at the OP again:
Quote:
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Throw comes to the plate wide on the first base side. Runner who scored from second, crosses the plate and veers left to pick up the bat on the way to the dugout. The throw bounces and hits him in the back, preventing the catcher from getting the throw when he most likely had a play at second on the BR.
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The throw comes wide...that is a defensive mistake.
I have never seen a runner score on a play like this and stop at the plate. Maybe I have been fortunate but most runners I see are in full stride when a throw is headed their way on a chance to score. A step or two beyond the dish is usually needed. In the OP there was no indication of a slide.
Unless the bat was in fair territory, he was hit in the back after scoring but before he picked up the bat...on the way to the dugout! If the bat was in fair territory then I look at this play differently. However, it was not described that way. As I stated in the first reply to the OP, do you penalize a player for doing nothing wrong? I don't.