Catcher hurt......do you kill the play?

[umpduck11]

Originally posted by kylejt
Put me in the "it all depends" column.

If the catcher takes a breath, play on. If not, kill it, and deal it.

But that's just me, sitting a keyboard. Definitely HTBT.

Neck shots are spooky. My son took a foul ball off his neck in an 18u game. He stood up and proceeded to take off all his catchers gear, and placed it all right on the plate. He walked back to the dugout, and I asked if he was all right. His only reply was "I'm done". Yes, I did have him checked out, and he was fine. Spooky though.

Glad to hear he was ok,Kyle. Did ya'll
go for popsicles afterward?

[kylejt]

Slurpees and beef jerky! (the kids choice)

And this ended his catching career. He's still a good PU though.

[RPatrino]

Not to beat a dead horse, but my take on Rut's sitch is you can never error on the side of safety. Not being an EMT or medically trained much beyond advanced first aid, I don't want to have to answer to anyone about why I let further injury occur to a player. I'll place runners, take the protest, and sleep that night just fine.

I had this happen to me, F1 takes a screamer off the bat that hits him dead square in the forehead. He does a 360 and falls flat on his face, ON TOP OF THE BALL. Does anyone here contend the play should remain live in this situation?
F2 laying in a heap at the plate, hurt/unconcious, following runners bearing down. You don't kill the play?

Bob

[Edited by RPatrino on Jan 21st, 2006 at 10:40 AM]

[WhatWuzThatBlue]

Bob,

If you are working an American Legion Game or above you won't kill either of those plays. Yes, it is horrific and gut instinct demands that we protect the player. However, we've witnessed dozens of highlight reel plays showng athletes knocked loopy or out cold. The play continues for those few seconds until someone picks up the ball and holds it long enough for the umpire to call 'Time'.

In professional rules ball, even if the play was maliciously intended, 'Time' is not called. If you're examples were on a high school field, then you have every right to kill the play if the injury is serious or life threatening.

On the other side of the coin, I was working the infield with a runner on second and third (two man mechanics). I had cheated in because I knew the pitcher liked to pick guys off of third and had a great move. The batter hit a BB that took aim at my right quadriceps. Sure enough it caught me flush while I was in mid pirouette and I landed facing the centerfielder. My hands went up while I was on the ground. I put the batter on first and kept the other runners in place. The offensive coach went nuts as I was still trying to get to my feet. He said that just because I'm injured, I can't kill the play. I would have laughed had it not been for a bruise the size of Montana forming on an old man's thigh. I explained that no infielder could have played on it because of my 'interference'. He started *****ing that I cost his team a run or two and I grimaced that I had no intention of stopping that shot with my body, but things happen. His team wound up losing by a run and he still blames my big thigh for being n the way. So, here's another sitch, the umpire get's injured (collision with player, mask in the face, errant throw, etc). Do you kill the play?

[Edited by WhatWuzThatBlue on Jan 21st, 2006 at 06:21 PM]