Player Ejection

[Baseball_North]

I am interested in hearing some reaction from the following situation.

B3 at the plate. There are 2 outs and the runners are irrelevant in this situation. There are 2 strikes on the batter. The pitch comes in very low, and the batter swings over it as the catcher short-hops the ball. The BR could have run down to first, but he just started back to the third base dugout. F2 wanted to make sure he was out, so he jogged about 5 steps toward the dugout, chasing down the BR, and placed a tag on him. The batter was pissed that he struck out, and as F2 tagged him, they both gave each other a small shove. There wasn't really a clear instigator and no one fell over. It was just a little shove back and forth. The batter then told the catcher where to go (or something... it wasn't heard from the dugout or the stands), and the catcher said something back to him.

Suddenly the PU comes up, points at the BR and says "you're gone!". Everyone was in shock, as the situation really developed into nothing. Our coach asked the PU why he threw him out of the game. The umpire replied, "because he swore."

Is it just me, or is this a really weak ejection? He wasn't swearing loudly... both players were somewhat guilty... and he wasn't even talking to the umpire. Is this a case of "rabbit ears"?

[JRutledge]

Yes, it sounds like a weak ejection. But there are some umpires that like throwing out people more than handling situations quietly.

Peace

[WindyCityBlue]

I wasn't there and I didn't hear what was said in the exchange, so I'm not supposed to have an opinion...

I know a lot of guys who will not tolerate non-playing contact between players (you used the word "shove"). The catcher was doing his job, the batter had not reached the dugout...why allow a player to push another. If he did that on the street, he could be arrested for battery.

Organized baseball doesn't allow it, even when the guy is upset. That said, unless the catcher tagged him hard (read: pushed him) or did it in a provocative manner (read: in the face), I'd dump the batter, too. It may have been a non- event in your eyes, but if you allow that, what happens next?

[Baseball_North]

OK, maybe I mislead you guys a bit. It wasn't even a shove really. It was more like what you would do if someone annoying grabbed your arm and you just squirmed away. Neither player even moved back when there was a shove... it was more like "don't f**king touch me" type of thing....

Plus, the PU ejected him for "swearing", and made no reference to the touching.

[His High Holiness]

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue


I know a lot of guys who will not tolerate non-playing contact between players (you used the word "shove"). The catcher was doing his job, the batter had not reached the dugout...why allow a player to push another. If he did that on the street, he could be arrested for battery.

Organized baseball doesn't allow it, even when the guy is upset. That said, unless the catcher tagged him hard (read: pushed him) or did it in a provocative manner (read: in the face), I'd dump the batter, too. It may have been a non- event in your eyes, but if you allow that, what happens next?

Agreed, at a minimum, the batter has to go. Failure to take care of the small stuff is what leads to big stuff.

Too many umpires fail to do their job all in the name of "keeping them in the game."

Here is what failure to eject the batter can lead to:

Most of the time, the game continues normally without any problem. The umpires congratulate themselves for "handling the situation" and keeping everyone in the game.

However, 25-50% of the time, something bad happens later, a bean ball, a collision, or some random event. Everyone traces it back to the little shove that the umpires "did nothing about" and now you have a big mess that an assignor has to clean up. Believe me when I say that those umpires are not on the assignor's preferred list any more.

An ejection after a "little" shove can always be defended by the umpires. A "s$$$house" later on cannot be defended and your career takes a hit. You will be held at fault for any further incidents EVEN IF the incident had nothing to do with the "little" shove. The cause and effect will be firmly planted in everyone's mind. Perception becomes reality. It's far better to have the perception of an OOO than the perception of an umpire who does not take care of business.

Peter

[jumpmaster]

1) Depends on the age. Legion, HS Varsity - "hey, knock it off". If either player continues, they get dumped. Younger players (JV, Babe Ruth) will get dumped. Don't let this kind of stuff start.

[mcrowder]

I'm pretty sure I toss the guy too.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by Baseball_North
Neither player even moved back when there was a shove... it was more like "don't f**king touch me" type of thing....

Well that does change things. It does matter what is said and who it is said to. But I still might not consider it an "automatic" without hearing how loud the words were said. If they said it to each other and no one but me heard them, I might just have a "talk to." But that is me. But I would not hesitate to eject if it was clear just players getting out of control, instead of just a misunderstanding.

Peace

[mcrowder]

Good - Rut disagrees. Now I KNOW the ejection is correct.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by mcrowder
Good - Rut disagrees. Now I KNOW the ejection is correct.

Thank you for reassuring my point of view. I do not need to eject people to prove I can umpire. Unlike most here.

Peace

[David B]

Originally posted by JRutledge

Thank you for reassuring my point of view. I do not need to eject people to prove I can umpire. Unlike most here.

Peace

I dont' eject players they eject themselves.

Ejected a player last night in tourney. F2 is talking smack and BR talks back and then F2 sweares at BR as ball is hit.

I tell him knock it off and quickly let coach know what is going on. As I return to plate F2 wants to continue and swears at the now retired BR and then tells me I can't talk to him. I call coach out and tell him I want another player.

No one really even knows what's going on and Fans want to know what's going on - that's not my problem. As HHH said, stop it before it starts.

Coach tells me later he has had lots of problems with the kid.

I prefer the unknown ejection style instead of the "big finger."

Thanks
David

[jumpmaster]

Originally posted by David B
Ejected a player last night in tourney. F2 is talking smack and BR talks back and then F2 sweares at BR as ball is hit.

I tell him knock it off and quickly let coach know what is going on. As I return to plate F2 wants to continue and swears at the now retired BR and then tells me I can't talk to him. I call coach out and tell him I want another player.
[/B]

That's a good one.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by David B

I dont' eject players they eject themselves.

That is a great slogan, but often there are umpires that go out of their way to have players "eject themselves."

Originally posted by David B
Ejected a player last night in tourney. F2 is talking smack and BR talks back and then F2 sweares at BR as ball is hit.

I tell him knock it off and quickly let coach know what is going on. As I return to plate F2 wants to continue and swears at the now retired BR and then tells me I can't talk to him. I call coach out and tell him I want another player.

I have no problem with an ejection right there. You warned and he proceeded to behave out of control.

Originally posted by David B
No one really even knows what's going on and Fans want to know what's going on - that's not my problem. As HHH said, stop it before it starts.

Coach tells me later he has had lots of problems with the kid.

I prefer the unknown ejection style instead of the "big finger."

Thanks
David

You did good.

Peace