Would you have dumped him?
 

Speaking only at the youth level...........


Thrown Helmet


Tim.

Not a Chance.

Just frustration because it looked like he MAY have been safe.

Naah.

(Assuming no other negative circumstances, such as an earlier warning. And what kind of playing surface was that?)

The throw must have been soft, because in one frame it appears that the ball is going to beat the runner, but he did look safe.

That clip is what is wrong with youth sports.

When I played, the coach would not be slapping me on the back congratulating me etc. for throwing both my helmet and hat. I would be sitting the bench and running laps after the game. The umpire would not have to do anything.

Coaches wonder why they get the name "rat" and the aforementioned clip is a prime example.

In youth sports the kid should be "dumped" in a heartbeat. After you dump him then for all practical purposes you will dump the coach who is condoing such behavior.

I am not one for "following" kids etc. so if he goes in the dugout and puts on a "tantrum" I couldn't care less but when he does what this kid did in front of "the whole world" to see then you need to dump him otherwise the umpiring crew could start to lose control over the game.

Pete Booth

No it's more than frustration.

You cannot see the BU on the video, but look at the clip again. The kid turns around, sees the BU make the OUT call and then goes ballistic and you are going to "take that" The kid was showing up the BU.

It's similar to a batter drawing a line after the PU calls a strike on the outside corner.

Pete Booth

Question, Pete......or anyone....

In the sports that I do...football and basketball....we are allowed to penalize crap like that from participants through walking off 15 yards or handing out technical fouls. These are basically also a warning that someone better clean up their act...or else. Is there anything similar that could be adapted to <i>beisbol</i>?

I remember Gary Sheffield getting tossed for throwing his helmet down in "frustration" when CB Buckner called him out at first base when he was still with the yankees...I'm sure some "grown up" words were involved as well, but regardless, this is youth ball, unacceptable, launched helmet and hat against the screen. Done.

*edited for a typo*

The nature of baseball doesn't seem to lend itself well to intermediate penalties such as football or basketball. Fed has the dugout restriction but that's about it.

I think any other devised penalties would change to game too much.

I still don't think I'd have tossed that kid, but it may be because I'm from the era when the coaches took care of those things. I remember well at age 13 hitting a line drive that an infielder speared and subsequently throwing my bat in frustration, and I was chewed out by the coach (and my parents that evening). But it wasn't an issue for the umpire.

So the coaches in the clip did not handle it well. Did the kid learn anything? Yes—throw your helmet again when you don't like the call.

IIRC, MLB has issued a statement saying actions such as Sheffield's would warrant an automatic ejection. You've got to be looking hard to eject people for that little action. JMHO.

<a href="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fwww.smileycentral.com%252F%253F partner%253DZSzeb008%255FZK%2526i%253D23%252F23%25 5F33%255F16%2526feat%253Dprof/page.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_33_16.gif" alt="SmileyCentral.com" border="0"><img border="0" src="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fimgfarm%252Ecom%252Fimages%252F nocache%252Ftr%252Ffw%252Fsmiley%252Fsocial%252Egi f%253Fi%253D23%252F23_33_16/image.gif"></a>

I probably would not eject a player if that was the first action of that type by that player or a teammate. I might have a word with a coach but not if that is all the kid the first time. His reaction was spontaneous and he did not continue to complain. Ejections should be "no doubters" if that is the first action.

Also as a multiple sports official, I try not to just eject on the first bad action anyway.

Peace

In a heartbeat, and without hesitation.


What's wrong with you guys, getting soft in your old age?

In my area we are instructed that this is a mandatory ejection. This includes throwing any equipment.

there's a big diffeerence between throwing your bat in frustration, and throwing your bat in frustration over an umpire's call.

Yep.

Not only did he throw his helmet agains the fence in an obvious reaction to the umpire's call, he f0llwed that with throwing his hat.

I don't work little boy ball, but I always see those who do post that this is a "learning league." In that regard, this young man has something to learn: his behavior is unacceptable and the proper consequence is an ejection.