Dead ball... Ball!
 

I made a very unpopular call this afternoon. Dead ball... Ball! I'm interested in your feedback. Two good teams playing. Top of 6th. Bases loaded. 2 outs. 2-1 game. Tying run on 3rd. Batter gets hit by pitch. Doesn't move at all. He might have been frozen. Pitcher was throwing a lot of sweeping curves. I just felt that he stood and waited for it to hit him. I also thought he was pretty quick to drop his bat and begin running to first. Fans were cheering. I probably waited a little too long to call it and it didn't help that the coach from the defensive team was yelling about him not trying to get out of the way. I'm sure that it looked like he talked me into it, but he certainly didn't. I was planning to call it a dead ball, ball, from the start, but for some reason I hesitated for a second or two. Very unpopular call. Of course, the kid popped out for the 3rd out on the next pitch. He was really angry. He pitched the bottom of the 6th and gave up about 4 runs on several wild pitches. He also hit a couple batters (who did try to get out of the way... naturally I heard about that by the fans.) Finally, I told the catcher to go out and settle him down. I'm interested in your feedback.

Hard to say without seeing it. But if he had been waiting out a lot of sweeping curves, I'd probably have given him the benefit of the doubt.

My default goes to the batter.

You made the call...forget about the fans! If you took a second or two to review the play in your mind and feel he made no attempt to move then you made the correct call. Don't second quess yourself after that. A slow call that is correct is better than a fast call that is wrong. We are not going to be popular with a lot of know nothing fans. It's those same fans that would be saying good call blue if the other team was batting. As far as being frozen... I doubt it! Good call!

Interesting sequence in the ACC tourney yesterday. Wake Forest/Clemson. There had already been 2 or 3 Wake hitters that got beaned earlier in the game. Inside pitch to a Wake batter who drops bat and heads to first like it hit him. Ump calls him back, having judged it did not hit him. Next pitch clearly hits the batter. PU comes up and points to the box and tells the batter to stay, having judged the batter leaned into the pitch. Next pitch hits the batter again, and this time the PU awards first. One of the craziest three pitch sequences I have seen in D1 ball.

So, don't worry about making the call. It is a call that is really gut instinct, if you felt that was the propper call forget about it and move on.

This is one of those "had to be there" type situations. This is also one of these plays that takes place a lot but unless you have seen it a lot you might have some doubt if you did the right thing. This is also a play that no matter what you call someone is likely going to complain about the call. So I would not worry about it that much. I have made this call several times and usually it is a lot easier to call when the batter moves into the pitch. If the batter froze, then it comes down to your best judgment.

As Al said, fans are idiots. Ignore what they have to say.

Peace

By the book
 

OBR 6.08 (2) The batter makes no attempt to avoid being touched by the ball; ...

You did what you had to do. Depends how it happened.

I had a slow sweeping curve hit the bill of a batter's helmet. The pitcher had been throwing them four innings straight. I also told the batter to hold it right there. I figured he was stupid for not backing out of the way. He may have learned a very valuable lesson had the ball then bounded into his face. OC calls time to discuss the call and for me to ask my partner for help. Says it happened too fast for the batter to react. It may have curved in for a strike and the batter was trying to process this info.

I asked my partner for help and he agrees with the coach's version. I award the batter first and then hear it from the other coach for reversing a judgement call. Placed in this no win situation, I wished I would have never went to my partner for help. Dah. It played a role in the outcome of the game and it looked bad in front of both teams.

Thanks so much for your sincere and qualified responses. I forgot to mention that my assigner just happened to be there watching the game. Between innings, I asked him and my partner about the call. Both said it was right. I wasn't fishing for comfort from them. I really wanted to know their opinions. I haven't done this for long and I really want to do the best I can.

This kid played varsity and has umpired for several years. I know him. I taught him in Sunday School. I took ump classes with him. That's probably why I hesitated. Very good kid. Very good ball player. I talked to him prior to the game. He caught about half the game before they brought him in to pitch. He's going to Purdue in the Fall. But he should have known that you must at least make a pretense of spinning out of the way. I had to make a call. Somebody was definitely going to be unhappy in this situation. I'll get over it. I hope he does, too.

Now you are an umpire. :D

Peace

how much effort do you require the batter to make to avoid getting hit? i've only denied a HBP if the batter actually did something to encourage getting hit - or if the pitch was actually in the strike zone and it struck a batter hanging out over the plate. i'm giving him the base even if he freezes and lets the pitch hit him. how can you expect a kid to hang in there against a curve ball if he has to worry about bailing out so the pitch doesn't hit him?

Any amount of effort works for me. But if he stands there like a statue or leans into a pitch he stays, and it doesn't much matter to me what kind of pitch it was.

I have had two this year. This first was in an early season game and he just stood there and let a hanger hit him. The manager argued with me that he didn't have time to get out of the way. I told him that he an I both know this pitcher is not throwing hard and he should be able to get out of the way of a pitch that slow. At the end of the half inning the manager approached me again, and said he had to argue the point because the boy's dad was here and he would be on his butt if he didn't.

The second happened last Saturday. Batter stood there like a statue and I kept him in the box. This time the argument from the manager was the pitch was so slow he couldn't avoid it. I said if it was so slow he should have had plenty of time to move. At the end of the half inning he approached me again, and was arguing his point, and I finally said, "OK you have argued enough to satisfy the parents now you can go on to the dugout". He just smiled and said "you must know me". I didn't but I know a lot of similar managers.

I had one earlier this year that I didn't call. (i.e., I gave the batter 1st base.) 0-2 count on 2 called strikes. Both strikes surprised me. Sweeping curves... very impressive... The batter hung in there on the third one, but it didn't break. Catcher asked me (quietly & respectfully) if the batter has to try to get out of the way. I said that he does, but he was likely faked out of his socks... like he had been on the previous 2 pitches. The catcher chuckled.

I don't know. I judge that as long as the batter didn't move into the pitch, if the ball is in the batter's box, the batter goes to first. Any thing else is kind of rewarding the pitcher. The box belongs to the batter as long as they don't cause themselves to be hit. JMHO.

The purpose of the rule in question is so batter's don't intentionally lean into the pitch.

Like Garth said, if you thought he froze, give him first. But if you thought he was waiting on it and got hit, keep him there. Benefit of the doubt goes to the batter.

I don't try to read the batter's mind. If he made no effort to move he stays in the box, regardless of the reason. If he leans into one I will see that.

Personally, I don't care if he doesn't move or not as long as he doesn't lean into it. The batter's box belongs to the batter and the pitcher should throw the ball over the plate or avoid the batter. I'm not going to punish a batter that is HBP unless he causes himself to be hit.

The rules (OBR) say he should make an attempt to avoid getting hit, so what other rules do you not like and will not enforce? What you are doing is rewarding the batter for breaking the rules.

And many other umpires do the same. It may only be the NCAA rule, but it's the best such rule out there.

To avoid a name calling episode, I won't name the particular ML umpire involved, but I was taught that the unwritten rule was to balance the need for the batter to avoid being hit with his right to not expect a pitch in the batter's box. The suggested criteria was that if he "prepared" for the hit or moved into it in any way, keep him in the box. Anything else...send him to first.

Does standing still, not making any effort qualify as "preparing" for the hit?

College aged pitcher throwing 85-88, throws fastball that hits batter in the middle of his back, batter turns his back to ball, is this trying to avoid being hit? Absolutely not. Turning his back on a ball coming right at him is not an attempt to avoid being hit. Do you give him 1st?

I do HS and Jr. College and I call it the way I've described before. You call it the way you want to.

And as far as..."so what other rules do you not like and will not enforce?", by standing in the BATTER'S BOX, away from the area the pitcher is supposed to throw the ball, the batter is already attempting to avoid getting hit. I will not reward a pitcher for hitting a batter unless the batter causes himself to be hit.

If an 88 mph fastball is thrown directly at a batter who is trying to hit said ball, there is little if any time to get out of the way. There is barely time to get out of the way on close pitches, never mind those right at you. About the only thing you can do, once you as the batter realize that the ball is coming right at you is to try and turn and take the ball on the meaty part of the back so as to not risk exposing your face, ribs or the bones in your arms. You really can't get out of the way even if you wanted to, the best you can do on that pitch is to avoid taking it in a place that will do serious damage.

I really can't believe you would keep a batter in the box in that situation. Common sense says he moved, that is enough to send him to first. You are really being a **** if you keep him in the box.

It depends on the pitch. If it's a 90 mph fastball, well, how can he prepare for one in the back?

I don't want batters feeling they need to bail on curveballs, so unless it's clear that the batter knew it was coming and he turned into it, give him the base.

I had one yesterday like this and I would've kept the batter at the plate, but it was Ball 4. Stupid batter.

I would count turning his back to the pitch as "moving". If he stands there like a statue is what I believe I mentioned earlier warranted a stay in the box. In college the rules are different and he doesn't have to move to be awarded 1B.

What do you tell the defensive coach (OBR or FED game) when he complains that the batter did not try to get out of the way of the pitch, when he doesn't move at all? "Uh, that's a rule I am not going to enforce because I don't like it."

"Tell your pitcher not to throw it there and we wouldn't be having this conversation."

I'm serious -- I use this line at least once a year.

Thanks, Garth.
That sounds useable. :)

Just don't bail out the pitcher for making a bad pitch...if the hitter doesn't lean into the pitch...he's going down to 1B...each sitch is different though and it certainly helps to see the situation.

DG, you need to make up your mind. Your first statement says the batter should make an attempt to avoid getting hit. Your second statement says basically all the batter has to do is "move". Make up your mind.

Try this:

Bottom line is, if the pitcher throws it in the batter's box and hits the batter, the batter gets first unless the batter causes himself to be hit.

JMHO

I move we eliminate the use of this red herring from the board. It is tiresome, pedantic and contributes nothing to debate.

In reality, everyone, everyone chooses at one time or another to not exercise text book enforcement of one rule or another. That has nothing to do with specific, at hand, disucssions.

Second, anyone?

Second. All in favor?

Helpful Hints
 

That is a judgemnt call, and someone will not be happy. You mentioned there had been a number of sweeping curves thrown. I will give the batter the benefit of the doubt when hanging in against curveballs. But I wasn't there, you made the call. Here are a couple of ideas to help you in these situations:
1)Whenever a batter is hbp, call " time, time" instead of deadball.
2) If you are going to hold a batter from first, Be very emphatic about it. Leave no doubt you are 100% positive. " Time, Time, Batter stays right here" You have to sell this. Call it right away also.
3) Never got to your partner, or to someone in the stands and talk about a crucial or controversial call. It will leave the impression you are having second thoughts, or are unsure. Discuss these after the game. This will prevent any uncalled for challenges in the future.

I have wrestled with this call too much during the past 2 days & nights. The discussion on this board helped a lot. I'm starting to draw the following conclusion:

According to the NFHS rule book, I believe that the call was "technically" correct. He didn't move. He seemed to be prepared for the impact. It nailed him squarely on his upper arm or shoulder. No doubt about that. But he also didn't do anything to try to get hit (and he probably could not have avoided getting hit, even if he had dove (dived?) head first into the dirt). What has caused me so much consternation is that I directly affected the outcome of what had been a great game up to that point. Two good rival teams in a very well-played game. 2-1 game... deciding moment... bases loaded, the meat of their order batting, 2 outs, late in the game. In such a situation, maybe this is the kind of borderline call that should be ignored unless it's blatant. It's not one of those calls that always has to be made (like a close play at a base, or a close pitch... You have no choice but to make those calls.)

I don't know. That's they way I'm leaning. I'm interested in your views. Should the game situation ever affect borderline calls such as this one? In football & basketball, it appears (to me) that there are certain non-critical calls (especially infractions that didn't affect the outcome of the play) are sometimes ignored in certain game situations. Is this true? Is it appropriate?

The rules are the rules. There's no time to go over the game situation before making a call. Call it as you see it, or the next crew may pay for your "missed" call.

tribefan1952,
So, you feel the call was technically correct. Then quit beatin' yerself up.

Let's play some "What if".

You have a tight game, good rivals and the batter stays in and takes one. He ends up scoring the winning run, and then jokes with the entire baseball community that he got away with one.

Now how much sleep you losing?

Be well.

DIK,

Please elaborate on how the next crew may pay for what is perceived to be a "missed" call.

ST

The only one I had this year (other than a couple at 10U) was on a batter who tossed her bat back to her dugout as the pitch hit her. It was so slow that she had time to see it, decide to let it hit her, and ditch the bat before it got there. No one complained at all.

Which, of course, is different from NCAA...

I was working the CCIW Tournament a couple weeks ago and had the elimination game (a.k.a. padded room game)--those are always fun, NOT--between Augustana College and Elmhurst College. Elmhurst is trailing 16-10 in the bottom of the 9th and they're up to bat. Augustana walks the first guy then hits the second guy, and now we've got runners on first and second with no outs. Great. The game's already past 3 hours.

The next guy comes up and on the first pitch he gets plunked. The pitch was clearly well inside and he just stood there and watched as it glanced off his left upper arm. I award him first and the bases are loaded with nobody out. Augustana's head coach comes out and yells at me, "He's gotta make an attempt to get out of the way of that pitch! He can't stand there and let it hit him!" Of course, I calmly explained to him that when the pitched ball is within the lines of the batter's box, which it was, he does not have to avoid the pitch; he just can't lean into it.

Elmhurst scored 4 runs and wound up short as I rang up a batter for the final out--SOMEone had to end that damn game--final score 16-14.

I try not to think about how a call will affect the game, tribefan. I think one sets oneself up for trouble if he or she considers the situation before making a call. Let me tell you what situation I was faced with a couple of weeks ago. 11/U F/P softball. It was the last inning and the score was 4 to 3. The home team was up with bases loaded and two outs. This game will determine who plays in the championship game the following week. The girl batting was my next-door neighbor for about 8 years. I watched her grow up. Her dad and I were her coaches in T-ball and coach-pitch. Now here she stands at the plate with perhaps the most important at bat of her life. The count went full. I hear her dad (who is also her coach) say "Protect the plate Emily". Here comes the pitch. A walk ties the game, a hit could win it, and a strike ends it. Emily did not swing at the pitch. It was close to being high and close to being outside but I judged it to be a strike. It was close enough that I could have sold the call either way. Emily turned to look at me and as I looked her in the eye I called out... Strike three!

Game over. And her Dad went right over to the other coach and said "Wow, what a game!

I don't ever let the situation determine my call. If I did that and the other team ends up winning I wouldn't like myself very much. Yeah, I could have called a ball and Emily's team may have won the game after that but would that have been the appropriate thing to have done as one who is to be impartial?

Wow! Great story. Tough situation. Thanks for sharing that. Like you, I could have very easily said that, in my judgement, he had made an effort. It would have been an easy sell. There would not have been any lasting controversy. Most people just figure that you are nearly always entitled to the base.

But I guess calling games to minimize controversy isn't really what we are paid to do.

I wasted no time leaving the field. While I was taking my pads off in the parking lot, a guy walking past sort of grinned at me. I mumbled something about it being an unpopular call. He said, "Well, it sure was a gutsy call!" I guess I nodded and quickly got out of there.