Umpire Hit By Bat
 

BR singles to right field. His bat hits the umpire. Umpire calls him out for "throwing the bat." High school game.

I don't see anything in OBR about this. Does FED allow for this? I rarely see a high school player "throw the bat" so its new to me.

It's not an out. It's an EJ. you can warn the team first, then the next player to do it gets dumped. If it hit you hard enough to make that much of an impression, EJ w/o warning.

Spence,

No. FED rules do not provide an out on a carelessly released bat unless it interferes with a fielder's attempt to make a play.

There are provisions for removal from the game, but you don't get outs.

JM

And I assume "intent" does not come into play, correct?

Not by my understanding. I'll defer to others to be sure.

Intent = ejection. Report as appropriate so proper penalties are assessed.

Nothing in the rules to get an out.

OBR has a thrown bat provision as well if it affects a play and the bat is not broken...you can get an out there.

If there's intent, then it's an immediate ejection.

If there's no intent, the it's a team warning and the next carelessly thorwn bat is an ejection.

This is one of the rules I learned the hard way my first year by kicking it in an eval game. Won't do that again...:o

This is how I deal with a unintentionally thrown bat: If the batter is called out (thrown out at first, caught fly ball, etc., not because of the thrown bat), I pick the bat up and hand it to him. When he grabs it, I don't let go. When he turns back around to see what the bat is caught on, I calmly tell him that the bat hit me (or the catcher, or the backstop, etc.), and next time he needs to hang on to it.

Merry-go Round
 

This is one of the rules I learned about the hard way my first year too {ala BU56}.
I picked up a bat and flung it into the backstop.
That was where the batter would have thrown it had I not been in the way.
I think the kids mother even commented about the cost of the bat.
Nobody blamed the kid. I shouldn't have done that either.
Finally, I came around.

if you picked up a bat and threw it against a fence, that would be pretty unprofessional

Unless you're Roger Clemens!

still unprofessional

I agree 2B, this does work - and don't let a bat boy come and get it, make the retired batter do it. I usually hold onto it and remark "see, it isn't that hard to hold onto it is it?" and then he will let go and I then drop the bat on the ground and say "and see, you CAN drop it in place and not hurt anyone either." point gets across.

Now if the b-r is safe, then I call time, pick up the bat myself and walk it over to the dugout where I explain the sitch to the coach and suggest he might want to have the kid hold onto the bat clear until he takes the field next time (to borrow an old football fumbling trick) so the batter gets the message.