Batter throwing bat

[jdmara]

I hate to throw myself in the fire but I view a batter that consistently throws his bat as an unsportsmanlike act if the bat ends up near a defender (or myself). Just my two cents. I have not had a problem with it recently as I nip it immediately with a conference with the coach. "Coach, your last batter threw his bat backwards in the vicinity of the plate. It could have easily injured the catcher or myself. We need to get that taken care of immediately. Thank you for talking with him about it."

-Josh

[danreeves1973]

Only rules sets I have ever seen dealing with bat throwing are in Dixie at the T-Ball and machine pitch levels. The batter is warned the first time, is an out every time after that for bat slinging, but is based on the umpires judgement and applies ONLY to those two levels of play.

Now at levels above that, if the batter releases it backwards somehow and it hits me or F2, I'm going to have to determine was it an accident or was it malicious. Either way he's being warned to control his bat and may be tossed if he does it again. Why would I toss? It's a safety issue and if warned and he does it again, he should go.

I say all this theoretically though because in 6 years of calling I've never had a batter release it or swing back and hit me or the catcher. Just lucky I guess.

[charliej47]

Three time this sumer I have been hit by bats because the batter did not control it. I wear a HSM and one time the bat hit me at the extended throat junction.

I give a warning every time and have not had to toss anyone for this in years.

[CO ump]

Originally Posted by MrUmpire

Or better yet, 22 throws the bat and cripples the catcher at his first at bat, and at his second at bat, throws his bat which bounces off the back-up catcher, killing him instantly, and hits the pitcher causing a compound fracture of his left elbow, splintering and putting out his right eye.

That ought to get you a couple of "votes."

It's apparent that you again have misunderstood my point and I apologize for not communicating very well.
I'll rephrase it so that you may better understand the point, apparently unsuccessfully, I was trying to make.

1. I wasn't looking for votes.

Mbyron(whom I quoted on the post you are referring) was emphatic about NOT using 9.01c in a bat throwing sitch during an OBR game.

I don't necessarily agree that it is so black and white and feel that most umps will at some point draw a line on this issue.
(Draw a line means that at some point we will all put a stop to the bat throwing, however some will tolerate more than others. Where you draw the line is up to you)
Perhaps it would have to be as drastic as your above sitch for you to draw the line I don't know.
So yes, my sitch was third world but would probably not be tolerated by many umps, which helps make my point.

The intent of using this form of argument is to switch the debate from 'Do you stop this type of behavior' to 'When do you stop this type of behavior'?
I'm hoping that is not to subtle for you.
And if the question is When do you stop it, the next question has to be How do you stop it? Using 9.01c is obviously one way.

PS
Are you by chance from Rio Linda?

[HokieUmp]

Originally Posted by danreeves1973

I say all this theoretically though because in 6 years of calling I've never had a batter release it or swing back and hit me or the catcher. Just lucky I guess.

Well, I'll go ahead and draw sniper fire....

Last year, working the Pony age group of PONY, Inc. (13-14?), I dumped a kid for that. I actually "restricted him to the bench," so I actually used a rule from another code, but he was as good as out of the game.

First at bat, the bat clanged off the catcher AND me - thankfully, mostly shin guards. Spoke to 3B coach "hey coach, he needs to control that bat, please talk to him." Second at bat, the bat hit the backstop with a short hop. Now, the fences at this place are reeeeeall close, but then, so are the openings where players come from the dugout, and that's where that bat was heading (his own bench, even). Again, spoke to the coach "Can't keep doing that, or I'm going to sit him." And I made sure the player knew he had to control the bat. So he and the coach have had two warnings.

Third time up - swings for a base hit. "Clang" does the bat off the backstop. I don't know if the bat hit the ground first, and I didn't care. I waited for the play to end - he was safe at 1B - then I called time, and said to the coach "you need a runner at first. he's restricted to the bench." (Of course, the other coaches wanted an out. Nice try, fellas.)

Is that in the rules? No, it isn't. Is that really a 9.01(c)? No, although I may have referenced it when I wrote it up. I used more the logic that it's a safety issue - a big deal in youth ball - and more importantly, it's a failure to comply with an umpire's directive. So out he went.

Is that a 'righteous' EJ, or correct action? Some here would say no. I was okay with it. The coach didn't have a problem with it, since a) he knew I'd said something twice already, b) he's coached the kid all year, and c) we were near the time limit, so it didn't cost him much.

I told that mostly because you'd mentioned never getting hit, but also to see what the group would say. Fire away, then.....

[canadaump6]

There's a line somewhere, it's just a matter of where you draw it.
#22 swings hard, makes contact releases bat late, bat hits F2 in elbow. F2 has to leave game with possible broken bone.
Next time 22 is up similar scenario but this time bat hits you in the neck.
Defensive coach tells you he does not have a third catcher.
Your neck is already hurting and now you're risking being behind a novice catcher the rest of the day
Are you giving 22 a third at bat

Or better yet, 22 throws the bat and cripples the catcher at his first at bat, and at his second at bat, throws his bat which bounces off the back-up catcher, killing him instantly, and hits the pitcher causing a compound fracture of his left elbow, splintering and putting out his right eye.

These situations are proof of why I think an umpire should deal with the problem and eliminate any gray areas.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by CO ump

PS
Are you by chance from Rio Linda?

Uh-oh, somebody's been listening to too much Rush!