Batter throwing bat

[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.

[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.