ejection

[ggk]

i'd like some opinions on an ejection I had today.
i was on the plate today doing a semi-pro summer wood bat league game. they play american league rules. no safety rules. mostly college players, a few guys in their mid to late 20's mixed in.
#20 hit a ground ball and as he took off for first he threw his bat back behind him right into the catchers chest/neck area ( catcher was standing to see the play). BR was thrown out at first. as he jogged back to his dugout I warned him to be careful with the bat and that he just threw it into the catcher. he seemed oblivious - listened to me for a second and then cont'd to his bench. his next time up, he hits another grounder and throws the bat back and this time he hits me solidly on the forearm. huge bruise, instant lump and blood. BR is safe at first on a fielder's choice. i then inform him that he is ejected for throwing the bat again - after he had already been warned. coach takes umbrage to the ejection and my partner even comes in and begins questioning the validity of the ejection. ejection stands - all ejections in this league are supposed to carry a one game suspension and $25 fine. we were doing a DH and the coach asked about the suspension. my partner (who is oblivious to the league rules) instantly chimes in that he can play the 2nd game. i let it go at that rather than cause any more problems.
opinions????

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by ggk

i'd like some opinions on an ejection I had today.
i was on the plate today doing a semi-pro summer wood bat league game. they play american league rules. no safety rules. mostly college players, a few guys in their mid to late 20's mixed in.
#20 hit a ground ball and as he took off for first he threw his bat back behind him right into the catchers chest/neck area ( catcher was standing to see the play). BR was thrown out at first. as he jogged back to his dugout I warned him to be careful with the bat and that he just threw it into the catcher. he seemed oblivious - listened to me for a second and then cont'd to his bench. his next time up, he hits another grounder and throws the bat back and this time he hits me solidly on the forearm. huge bruise, instant lump and blood. BR is safe at first on a fielder's choice. i then inform him that he is ejected for throwing the bat again - after he had already been warned. coach takes umbrage to the ejection and my partner even comes in and begins questioning the validity of the ejection. ejection stands - all ejections in this league are supposed to carry a one game suspension and $25 fine. we were doing a DH and the coach asked about the suspension. my partner (who is oblivious to the league rules) instantly chimes in that he can play the 2nd game. i let it go at that rather than cause any more problems.
opinions????

Yes, never work with this so called partner ever again. He should have backed your call up, and if he disagreed with you, he should have saved it for after the game. If he was unfamiliar with league rules, he should have kept his yap shut too. Good ejection. You warned him about slinging the bat, so he deserved what he got. He should not have been allowed to play the 2nd game.

[mcrowder]

Why, what did this partner do to piss you off, SD? He didn't fail to support partner. Administrative removal (which is what an automatic suspension from a future game for an ejection in a prior game is) is not an umpire-handled function. It is a league function. We (umpires) generally don't have the authority to disqualify a player from future games.

Had I been asked the question, I'd have simply said that I don't know - not my decision. I would suggest he find a way to clear up the issue with league admin prior to the game, or risk the other team protesting the team's possible use of an ineligible player ... and then if necessary inform the other team of the possibility. But then leave it alone.

Most leagues that have penalties for ejections like this one have appeals procedures in place, and many will not keep the automatic suspension for ejections like this one (the auto suspension is more for the egregious ejections like arguing with umpires, etc, and not really meant to apply to ejections for unintentional acts (like this one) - but to each league their own). In any case, this is a LEAGUE issue, not an UMPIRE issue, and his eligibiility for the next game should be handled OUTSIDE the field.

[gsf23]

Originally Posted by mcrowder

Why, what did this partner do to piss you off, SD?

Originally Posted by ggk

coach takes umbrage to the ejection and my partner even comes in and begins questioning the validity of the ejection.

I think the part in Red is the problem that SD had with the partner, not the letting him play the second game.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Yes, my problem is with the partner questioning the ejection, and then when it is clear that ggk is familiar with this league and its rules, the partner again contradicts him. I said that the player "shouldn't" be allowed to play. ggk should have immediately contacted the League President or his representative to find out whether or not the offending player could participate in the next game. But in no way should his partner interject his opinion when he has no knowledge of exactly what the rule is. In fact, his partner should have contacted the President, as he is now the UIC for the second game of the DH.

[DG]

Straight American League rules - no penalty, just as barreling over a catcher at the plate would be no penalty, which I personally find to be stupid.

Partner should provide feedback to me as needed, but should not discuss with others.

[ggk]

thanks for the input.
i'm still uncertain about the ejection at this level of play. there are no safety rules - you can run over a catcher. is there anything in OBR that allows for this ejection. i was really pissed off that this ***hole almost broke my arm after he was warned. but i'm not really sure if i should have tossed him.
my partner was no help. this is the same guy who refused to have a pre-game with me the first time we worked together this year. he told me that he has been working for 30 yrs, blah, blah, blah.

i also agree that it is up to the league to enforce a suspension. but it is also incumbent upon the coach to know the league rules. by allowing his player to play he risked a protested game. (they lost anyhow)

[SanDiegoSteve]

a) Good ejection. What were you supposed to do, let him bat again and break your other arm?

b) Partner useless. 30 years of what, JV tiddlywinks? Hopscotch?

c) I'm glad they lost anyhow!

[Durham]

Originally Posted by ggk

thanks for the input.
i'm still uncertain about the ejection at this level of play. there are no safety rules - you can run over a catcher. is there anything in OBR that allows for this ejection. i was really pissed off that this ***hole almost broke my arm after he was warned. but i'm not really sure if i should have tossed him.
my partner was no help. this is the same guy who refused to have a pre-game with me the first time we worked together this year. he told me that he has been working for 30 yrs, blah, blah, blah.

i also agree that it is up to the league to enforce a suspension. but it is also incumbent upon the coach to know the league rules. by allowing his player to play he risked a protested game. (they lost anyhow)

I am not sure that an ejection is the way to go, but I am not going to argue it b/c I wasn't there. I will say that if he had not been ejected and the pitcher smoked him during his next at bat, I would only issue warnings and not immediatly eject.

[big]

Originally Posted by ggk

i was on the plate today doing a semi-pro summer wood bat league game. they play american league rules. no safety rules. mostly college players, a few guys in their mid to late 20's mixed in. partner even comes in and begins questioning the validity of the ejection. ejection stands - all ejections in this league are supposed to carry a one game suspension and $25 fine.

Sounds to me like we work the same league. Are you working NBC ball? If so, what part of the country? If working NBC, 1st- talk to your scheduler & let him know about your partners actions. 2nd- if it is NBC the 1 game DQ stands for 2nd 1/2 of DH & ejected person must pay $25 before he's reinstated.

There's quite a few umps, at least in our area, eager to work @ this level and finding someone to replace the jerk you worked with should be no problem. All of the NBC commisioners that I've worked with back their umps pretty good espicially when the ump is right.