Carelessly Thrown Bat

[Smiley]

Is there any penalty in any code for a carelessly thrown bat?

[TxUmp]

Of course there is - FED 3-3-1b "A player ... shall not: b) carelessly throw a bat. Penalty: Team warning - ejections for further violations.

[Smiley]

Thanks, I'm just getting into baseball at the Dixie Youth level. Apparently it isn't addressed in their rules. Are there any other codes that address it.

[TxUmp]

According to the BRD, Section 93, only FED addresses the problem of a carelessly thrown bat.

Incidentally, I HIGHLY reccommend that all umpires (wheter they umpire at multiple levels or not), purchase and actively use the Baseball Rule Differences (BRD), by my friend, Carl Childress. It has helped resolve many, many rules discussions, and I consider it an invaluable part of my baseball equipment. I have nearly every edition of this venerable item, going all the way back to when it was mimeographed. (That's before Xerox, for all you kids).

You can purchase this great item from officiating.com by clicking on the BRD icon.

[Edited by TxUmp on Mar 26th, 2004 at 08:43 AM]

[GarthB]

PONY Rule 16, Section E, Paragraph 4

"Players who intentionally, in the judgement of the umpire, throw bats or protective headgear, or discard protective headgear while batting or on the bases, shall be ejected from the game following completion of any play in progress at the time the violation occurs. Such action does not constitute an out and such players shall be replaced as batters or baserunners if appropriate.""


Most youth leaques have something similar.

[Ump20]

Here is another vote for the Baseball Rules Differences by senior umpire Mr. Childress. It has come in especially handy for me as I have moved from New York to Florida and returned to doing FED ball after a three year absence from that level. - Jim Simms Tampa Resident

[3appleshigh]

it is not delt with in OBR, but use the rule that "deal with all things not covered by the rulebook are at the Umpire's discretion", which means if the bat is thrown carelessly, you handle it the way you want to. I personally would give a warning or two then remove the offender and call them out.

[Ump20]

If anyone recalls NY Yankees' Mr. May, i.e. Dave Winfield, he launched more bats into stands than probably anyone. Since it was not done in disgust or to show up the umpire no call was ever made. However, at lower levels there may be club rules that legislates loss of control of bats. I think just the threat of an ejection can help regardless of whether or not you intend to toss someone. Jim of Tampa