Comments about warning the pitcher

[Jay R]

Under 21 game. Well pitched close game.

Througout the game, Visitors pitcher is not giving up many hits or walks but he is fighting his control regularly with pitches that are getting away. Four or five players from home team are ducking pitches but nobody was ever hit. At different times, I was expecting the Home pitcher to maybe retaliate with an inside pitch. I had told myself that if that did happen I would issue warnings to both teams. There had been some trash talking between the teams but nothing to warrant ejections. (I had talked to both managers about dealing with the trash talking). The home pitcher (2 of them actulally) never did come close to hitting anyone all night.

In the bottom of the seventh with the Visitors up 2-1, the leadoff hitter was hit in the ribs with a fastball. I imediately issued warnings to both teams. I regretted issuing the warnings as soon as I did it. I think the previous inside pitches as well as the trash talking had put me in a position where I jumped the gun. Obviously in hindsight, he was not throwing at the batter on purpose in the bottom of the seventh in a one run game.The game ended with a 2-1 score.

Having said that, do any of you decide to issue warnings if there is one more pitch that is questionable? Or, do you wait and see what is going to happen and then make up your minds on the possible intent of the pitcher?

[SanDiegoSteve]

No warnings unless I feel that the HBP was intentional, and if I judge that, I'm ejecting, not warning. I'm not warning someone because a pitch got away from them. That's just baseball.

When you warn the pitchers, they can no longer effectively pitch inside, which hamstrings the pitchers into laying the ball over the plate. It also paints you into a corner in that the next batter hit you have to eject the pitcher and manager, even if it was accidental.

[Rcichon]

HTBT but, if Visitors F1 has control issues and happens to ding a batter late in the game, it's probably not intentional.

If I see what you saw in the OP, and home team has NO control problems then hits a batter, I'd warn them.

Others may warn both sides as you did, calling it Preventive Umpiring.

Truly HTBT.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

It also paints you into a corner in that the next batter hit you have to eject the pitcher and manager, even if it was accidental.

No you don't.

[tcarilli]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

When you warn the pitchers, they can no longer effectively pitch inside, which hamstrings the pitchers into laying the ball over the plate.

I don't agree. The warning has to do with intentionally pitching at a batter not hitting a batter. Furthermore such warnings, at least in theory, elicit the help of the manager to prevent such pitching at because they are also penalized.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by tcarilli

I don't agree. The warning has to do with intentionally pitching at a batter not hitting a batter. Furthermore such warnings, at least in theory, elicit the help of the manager to prevent such pitching at because they are also penalized.

My point is that I've seen (at all levels, including MLB) pitchers get warned and then suddenly they can't find the plate, then end up grooving one that gets knocked into the next county. It doesn't happen all the time, but it happens frequently enough.

I've issued warnings to both managers in the past, but I'm not sure it did much good. And at least at a psychological level, it put the thought in the pitchers' minds to be really careful. That little edge can mean everything to a good hitter.

[tcarilli]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

My point is that I've seen (at all levels, including MLB) pitchers get warned and then suddenly they can't find the plate, then end up grooving one that gets knocked into the next county. It doesn't happen all the time, but it happens frequently enough.

I've issued warnings to both managers in the past, but I'm not sure it did much good. And at least at a psychological level, it put the thought in the pitchers' minds to be really careful. That little edge can mean everything to a good hitter.

Fair enough.