Batter throwing bat

[canadaump6]

How do you guys deal with a batter who tosses his bat after making contact with the ball? Do you eject the unsafe player immediately, or give him a warning? My procedure has been to wait till the inning is over, then write the offending player's number on my lineup card, and tell the coach "player number xx is getting his warning for throwing the bat". If he does it again, player is ejected.

I had a coach challenge my way of handling this situation, who stated that there was no rule about not throwing the bat. I feel rule 9.01a is sufficient to cover the handling of an unsafe player- part of the umpire's job is to maintain order and discipline on the field.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by canadaump6

How do you guys deal with a batter who tosses his bat after making contact with the ball? Do you eject the unsafe player immediately, or give him a warning? My procedure has been to wait till the inning is over, then write the offending player's number on my lineup card, and tell the coach "player number xx is getting his warning for throwing the bat". If he does it again, player is ejected.

I had a coach challenge my way of handling this situation, who stated that there was no rule about not throwing the bat. I feel rule 9.01a is sufficient to cover the handling of an unsafe player- part of the umpire's job is to maintain order and discipline on the field.

I take it that you are talking about a "carelessly" thrown bat. Tossing the bat after hitting the ball is never against the rules in OBR, which is the rule set under which you work, I believe. (unless you have a local or league rule prohibiting a "carelessly" thrown bat). Only under FED rules is there a proscribed penalty for a bat throwing infraction.

Since OBR makes no provision for throwing a bat, carelessly or otherwise, my question to you is why you are trying to enforce a non-existent rule? The coach who challenged you was correct to do so. If he said that there is no rule against tossing the bat away after hitting the ball, then he is right.

By the way, citing any 9.01 rule as justification of an on-field ruling is extremely weak, and shows a lack of understanding of the playing rules.

[mattmets]

The only time this is an issue is when I'm working kids under age 10 or so. A lot of them either a) don't realize they're throwing the bat or b) are so excited that they just chuck the thing. If I notice it's a problem, I'll just ask the coach to remind his guys not to throw the bat, because I have been hit many times and I've seen catchers get nailed in the legs and arms. Unless it's a safety issue I don't make a big deal out of it, which is why I've never said it to anyone older than maybe 14. Coaches understand the safety issue, so I've never had to talk to a coach more than once in a game.

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Since OBR makes no provision for throwing a bat, carelessly or otherwise, my question to you is why you are trying to enforce a non-existent rule? The coach who challenged you was correct to do so. If he said that there is no rule against tossing the bat away after hitting the ball, then he is right.

By the way, citing any 9.01 rule as justification of an on-field ruling is extremely weak, and shows a lack of understanding of the playing rules.

In his defense, Steve, OBR is written for professional leagues where this almost never happens. In youth leagues that use modified OBR that don't address a carelessly discarded bat, in my opinion, it should be addressed by us. If I or the catcher gets hit by a thrown bat the offender receives a warning, and only one warning. Next time I see it, he's gone.


Tim.

[SanDiegoSteve]

I was under the possibly incorrect idea that he was working big boy ball, and not kiddie ball. I usually just tell the kid and the coach to stop throwing the bat. It sometimes takes more than one warning to get the kid to break the habit of slinging the bat backwards. I really hate ejecting little kids for this.

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

I was under the possibly incorrect idea that he was working big boy ball, and not kiddie ball. I usually just tell the kid and the coach to stop throwing the bat. It sometimes takes more than one warning to get the kid to break the habit of slinging the bat backwards. I really hate ejecting little kids for this.

An option I used to use in LL small diamond games it to give the manager the option of sitting the player himself as opposed to me issuing an ejection where the player has to sit a one game suspension.


Tim.

[canadaump6]

You would be amazed how old kids can be when they're still throwing the bat. I have had kids as old as 14 not knowing how to simply drop it. I don't want anybody getting hurt, myself included. A player who cannot play safely should not be in the game IMO. I haven't had to eject for it yet, but if I did it would be a "okay coach, your player can stay on the bench for the rest of the game but he cannot play".

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by canadaump6

How do you guys deal with a batter who tosses his bat after making contact with the ball? Do you eject the unsafe player immediately, or give him a warning? My procedure has been to wait till the inning is over, then write the offending player's number on my lineup card, and tell the coach "player number xx is getting his warning for throwing the bat". If he does it again, player is ejected.

I had a coach challenge my way of handling this situation, who stated that there was no rule about not throwing the bat. I feel rule 9.01a is sufficient to cover the handling of an unsafe player- part of the umpire's job is to maintain order and discipline on the field.

If the coach is right and there is no rule, then you have to let it go, imo.

If there is a rule, then enforce it -- and the enforcement will vary by the specific organization, whether "national" or local.

Since it's alocal issue, you mght get better feedback by asking others in those leagues.

If a warning is required by rule, I would give it immediately (at the end of the play during which it happens) rather than at the end of the (half-) inning.