You make the call

[gordon30307]

Originally Posted by BigUmp56

In HS or HS age level game, I have the runner safe and then ejected. His intent wasn't to just reach the plate safely. He wanted to take someone out.


Tim.

How can you possibly justify an ejection. He slid between the catchers legs and hardly made contact. Looks to me he was trying to avoid contact. I've got nothing.

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by gordon30307

How can you possibly justify an ejection. He slid between the catchers legs and hardly made contact. Looks to me he was trying to avoid contact. I've got nothing.

The runner didn't slide at all, and that's the problem. He tried to make a flying jump kick at the play in order to break up the possibility of being tagged. It was only out of luck that the pitcher, not the catcher, wasn't injured on the play. I never once mentioned that I would eject the runner for MC. But for unsportsmanlike conduct, he's done for the day in a game I'm working. I don't understand how you would allow such crap in a game. If you leave this alone, there's bound to be an amount of retaliation coming.


Tim.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by BigUmp56

The runner didn't slide at all, and that's the problem. He tried to make a flying jump kick at the play in order to break up the possibility of being tagged. It was only out of luck that the pitcher, not the catcher, wasn't injured on the play. I never once mentioned that I would eject the runner for MC. But for unsportsmanlike conduct, he's done for the day in a game I'm working. I don't understand how you would allow such crap in a game. If you leave this alone, there's bound to be an amount of retaliation coming.


Tim.

I have come around completely.

I think that you touched on an important aspect of a play like that.

The guy does a Ty Cobb on a guy trying to make a play--he goes. Malicious intent is unsportsmanlike whether it yields contact or not.

The closest thing I ever had to a borderline EJ for peace purposes was a R2 whose hard slide into the plate on a single dumped the catcher on top of him--perfectly fine. But as they lay there for a second, R2 gives the catcher a two-arm GTF off me kind of shove (without saying GTF off me). In the split-second before he gave him a second shove, I had decided to warn the guy and leave him in the game. But he gave the catcher a second two-hand shove (harder than the first) and I tossed him on the spot for the very reason that I could not allow the other club to retaliate for my failure to act.

[gordon30307]

Originally Posted by BigUmp56

The runner didn't slide at all, and that's the problem. He tried to make a flying jump kick at the play in order to break up the possibility of being tagged. It was only out of luck that the pitcher, not the catcher, wasn't injured on the play. I never once mentioned that I would eject the runner for MC. But for unsportsmanlike conduct, he's done for the day in a game I'm working. I don't understand how you would allow such crap in a game. If you leave this alone, there's bound to be an amount of retaliation coming.


Tim.

e

I've got nothing. Where's the malicious contact? If you eject for intent be ready to eject the head coach as well.

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by gordon30307

e

I've got nothing. Where's the malicious contact? If you eject for intent be ready to eject the head coach as well.

If you'll look earlier in the thread you'll see that I made mention that I wouldn't eject him for MC. I would eject him for unsportsmanlike conduct. If the manager doesn't like it, he can join the player in the parking lot. If you look closely at the clip and pause it just as the runner is over the plate, you'll see that the only thing that kept the pitcher from getting spiked is the toss from F2 forcing him to lift his glove at the last second. A runner doesn't jump two foot in the air, ten feet from the plate, and try to land on a fielders glove without malicious intent.


Tim.

[Dave Reed]

Originally Posted by BigUmp56

If you look closely at the clip and pause it just as the runner is over the plate, you'll see that the only thing that kept the pitcher from getting spiked is the toss from F2 forcing him to lift his glove at the last second. A runner doesn't jump two foot in the air, ten feet from the plate, and try to land on a fielders glove without malicious intent.

If you're going to judge intent, the point in the clip that matters is the situation at the point the runner jumped. At the time of the jump, the ball is on the ground, the pitcher has just arrived at the plate, straddling it with his heels in the LH batter's box, and his glove is at waist height. The runner's landing point is short of the pitcher, and is actually on the third base half of the plate (front leg).

I see nothing more than youthful exuberance here. I do think the jump should be discouraged, because the runner has no control once he leaves the ground, but no rule is being broken.