Ejection Report:

I don't think that would go over well in any well-run league.

+1

My point exactly.

OK, you're kind of making my point now. If you've been "banging on" them - and they've not done it... maybe they DON'T sanction what you're proposing.

I REALLY don't think some semi-anonymous commentary on Facebook is going to hold water when my assignor asks me what I was thinking when I ejected a coach for a legal reentry after I failed to properly administer the rules of the game - especially when that ejection gets protested and starts heading up the chain.

Well - it was first suggested by their at-the-time UIC. In writing. Before Facebook. It's still being pushed by the rank and file. Time will tell.

The real problem from a rules perspective is that it should probably be treated differently for an 8 yr old who hasn't learned yet and a 15 year old who should definitely know better. That's why the AR option should be there.

It seems to me it's not the ejection that's the issue; it's the automatic one-game suspensions. Get rid of the automatic suspension and get a disciplinary committee instead.

I know leagues using OBR usually have some sort of supplemental rule regarding throwing bats, but do the OBR rules themselves mention it?

Not in the sense it's used in this thread

No.

I ended a LL tournament game last season when a team with 9 players helicoptered his bat to the fence after striking out. (Umpires suspend in LL, the powers that be decide on the forfeit.)

I know this is a different situation, but I've never let the number of players or the consequences to the player guide my decision on ejecting or not ejecting. If most people think a suspension is unfair, they'll change that rule. If not, then players and coaches must be mindful that actions have consequences.

Josh, I fought this problem back in the 1970's when I actually officiated LL. Somewhere in the early 1980's, Williamsport decreed the exact same thing that they say now, warn then eject. The ejection is under Unsportsmanlike Conduct which is a valid rule that an official is supposed to use when it is needed.

My beef with some people on this board is that they put on the uniform and follow the rules until it requires the official to have the balls to do what has to be done. Many of these officials pussy-foot around so that when these little tykes get on the big diamond, they don't understand why they have been allowed to do this stuff for 12 years and suddenly, here comes Ozzy, kicking the twerp's a$$ out of the game for the very thing that should have been stopped years ago!

Oz, maybe we're talking about two different things here.

If a player flings a bat in anger, he's gone. No warning. Adios.

But I'm talking about an involuntary release of the bat. Kinda like a helmet that's too big flying off a runners head. That lid may fly off a couple times a game, and you can tell a manager to get a better fitting helmet, you surely wouldn't eject a player over it, and have him sit out another game to boot.

I don't do a lot of youth leagues anymore because I seem like the a$$hole half the time because I do enforce the rules as intended.

IE. I had a situation my first weekend out with 10 y/o's. The little tike came barreling home and attempted to run through the catcher to dislodge the ball. Unfortunately, for the runner, he was the smallest guy on the field and the catcher was the biggest. I called time when the MC occurred, ruled the runner was out, and (without showing anyone up) disqualified the player (no words, just a calm signal). The play ended the inning and I walked over to the offenders bench. "Coach, 12 has been disqualified for the play at home." Coaches response, "Ok I understand why. Can you explain to him what he did and what he should have done?" "Absolutely, I need to go inform the other coach and I'll do it at the next half inning, ok?" "No problem" Went over after the next half inning and explained the options to the player and coaches. They appreciated it a lot and hope it minimized damage in the future.

If it were a HS Var game I would let the coach explain to his players but since it was asked nicely and everyone was learning, it wasn't a problem.

In basketball, some of the youth assigners have chosen in the past to not assign me for tourney's (which I respect their right to do that). Usually it's a result of me giving a technical (or two) to a coach or asking a coach/administrator to have a parent leave after they've made a fool of themselves. The subsequent complaint precipitate me not getting a call. Ironically enough it takes a few tourneys without me and they realize that if there isn't that discipline, their tourney turn into a gong show.

If it's not acceptable in high school, then it's not acceptable in youth leagues either.

-Josh

Yeah, makes sense. I'm thinking of a situation in youth basketball where I might suggest a coach pull a kid rather than deal with it myself.

1. I can't force him to do it.

2. If he does and later puts him back in, I'm not going to eject a kid in the 3rd quarter for an inadvertently hard foul in the 2nd. If I didn't pull the trigger then, I've given him a 2nd chance.

I worked some youth football like that when I moved here about 10 years ago. Threw some USC flags on coaches that were out of control and was told that they'd rather have officials that let coaches alone. Hey, they can enjoy their clown car and I can enjoy my Saturdays.

"Involuntary release of the bat"

Can someone please explain what this term means? I think the batter is purposely releasing the bat. It didn't slip out of his hands, he intentionally released the bat. What he did was carelessly release the bat not involuntarily release.

Sorry, it's my grippe of the day

-Josh

1+

-Josh