[chapmaja]

This was a big issue so far for a couple middle school games I've umpired. My shin guards, as well as the catcher's shin guards have taken a beating as a result of improperly handled bats after swings.

I finally got to the point in one of my games, after the same batter carelessly released her bat, that I warned her personally, as well as the coach, that the next player who carelessly released her bat would be restricted to the dugout for the remainder of the game. Luckily she never came up again and we never had another issue. After the game, the coach came up to me in the parking lot and said "Tomorrow practice will be all dropping the bat after we hit it."

I try to be as nice as possible, even more so with middle school players who have only done Wreck League before, but at some point even I have to draw that line, and when the bat barely misses me, and goes in the air to the backstop, it is a little too much even for me.