Fake Tag = Ejection

[kylejt]

Forcing a player to slide by way of a fake tag, when there's no need to, would be unsportsmanlike in my book. How an umpire wants to deal with UC in dependant on each individual situation. (i.e. it's a judgement call). It can range from a "Hey, knock it off", to an EJ.

You won't find "warn and eject" in any rule book.

Good infielders can hold up runners by way of a fake catch and throw, as the ball goes by them. You see it all the time. If that forces a player to slow up, or even hit the deck, that's fine. What isn't fine is putting a glove down at the base, knowiingly, without the ball. Players at the upper levels get one in the ribs for doing this, and a word from the catcher. In a game played by kids, the umpires need to deal with it.

Maybe in the orginal situation, that player had been previously warned about doing this, and went ahead and did it again. The EJ report should reveal that, if there is one. I agree that if that report stated the sole reason the player was ejected was for the fake tag, that wouldn't fly. But, if it stated he was run for UC, there's no way to back out of that one.