Critique, Please

[CraigD]

Background: Senior amateur league whose players are aged 17-50+. We have an evolving rule set, which is based on MLB. There are only 4 teams in this league so everybody knows everybody. For the most part, it is a fairly easy going bunch, depending on who is umpiring.

About two weeks ago team A's pitcher hit a couple of Team B's batters whose manager complained to the umpire that the pitcher should be removed because he was dangerously wild. When the teams were changing sides, Team A's coach spoke to the plate umpire about the possibility of retaliation, but was rebuffed by the umpire as nothing to worry about.

As B's coach had feared, the first pitch landed in the middle of the batter's back. While the batter was recovering, B's coach made a few comments to A's pitcher who offered his own comments in return. B's coach who was in the 3rd base box, turned to his dugout and asked "when is this guy [the pitcher] up again?" The pitcher bolted from the mound toward the coach and was tackled by his third baseman. Shortly after A got their pitcher to the dugout, he ran back onto the field with a bat, but fortunately, was restrained by several of his teammates. At that point, the president of the league ran onto the field issuing suspensions for both A's pitcher and B's coach. Both served a one game suspension.

Last night, I had the plate with the same teams in the second game of a best of 3 league finals. I wasn't present at the previous game, but I did know the story well. This time, different pitchers, but all the characters were the same. Team A's (previously suspended) player was hit by pitch in 3 consecutive at bats by 3 different pitchers. No other batters on either side were hit by pitch.

After the second time his player was hit, Team A's manager approached me and suggested that his batter appears to be targeted. I didn't think that Team B was intentionally throwing at the batter and told him that the pitches were just a little in, but nothing obvious. In fact, I think the 2nd one was the result of the pitcher trying hard not to hit the batter and losing control of his nerves.

On the first two occasions, the batter clearly stared down the pitcher as he slowly went to first. I moved out in front of the plate and shadowed the batter toward first - and was very happy when he finally dropped his bat. (I wasn't at the previous game, but I was very familiar wih the details what happened.) He never gave any indication that he was going to go toward the mound, but the recent history gave me concern, which is why I shadowed him toward first.

On his third at bat, he was hit by pitch again and I was even quicker to get out front and more obviously escorted him toward first. By this point, I was overwhelmingly surprised the batter didn't go "postal," but he continued on to first without anything more than an angry toss of the bat. At that point I issued a warning that the next hit batter (on either side) would result in an ejection of the pitcher and his manager/coach.

Team B's manager, who had previously been suspended for his unhappy interaction with the batter who had just been plunked for the third consecutive time, came rushing out to object to my heavy handed response. I told him that I had the responsibility to manage the game, and given the recent history between these teams, I had a concern for safety. He argued that none of the errant pitches were intentional, the game was not close to being out of control and that I was questioning his integrity. I stood by my decision. We had another few words of explanation of the technical details of who would be ejected and then we continued the game. After my warning, no more batters were hit by pitch over the remaining 4 innings.

I still don't believe any of the pitchers were intentionally throwing at the batter, but after the same batter is hit by pitch in 3 consecutive at bats, it seemed like I needed to do something to keep things from exploding. My question: Does it sound like I was heavy handed in issuing a warning to both teams? Also, should both teams have received the warning?