I said what I said. I did not say what you said I believe.

The batter was completely wrong and should be suspended. The fact that the batter's actions were completely wrong does not negate the fact that the umpire's action set up the situation.

If I missed pitches that badly, I wouldn't be doing high school or college games. Why MLB allows that, I have no clue. These umpires need to be held to a higher standard. Disgraceful !!!

Does your HS/college group have a union?

I think you hit the nail on the head. I'd like to work with a wise man such as yourself, assuming you could carry me !!! :D:D:D

Give me a break. If you did not call the 5th pitch a strike at some point, your games will take much longer at the HS level I can guarantee you that one. That might be the closest you would get in many HS games to the outside corner.

Peace

I will give the pitcher the corner. I will not give a pitcher 5 - 6 inches off the plate. It sounds like you're a good, quality official who works at a high level. I'm guessing that you don't either.

I have never had a game with a computer tracking my calls either. And that pitch by all accounts was what gets called at the HS and college levels all the time. Half the time in HS if a pitcher can get the ball around the plate you call as many strikes as you can. Let us not get ridiculous and think that we are so good or have so much talent that we would not call that pitch a strike under the right circumstances. If you do, then you are lying to yourself and your ability. Even with my ability, whatever that might be, I still have to do what I can to call strikes or my games will never end.

Peace

Jrutledge, you actually do not think it was likely that the umpire did an FU on that pitch? Of course, none of us know for sure...but, come onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.

Jwash,

I did not comment on what the umpire did or did not do. I am commenting only on the actions and I do not care what the umpire did, that did not justify his actions to throw a helmet. Would have been OK for the umpire to punch him in his grill? And unlike some I cannot get into guys heads and know why they do anything unless they tell me or comment on the issue. I have not heard from the umpire or even seen other pitches in that game. I love how guys want to complain about someone, but only show part of the story and then we have to accept your version of what happened.

Peace

Love how that chart shows pitches coming in at a pinpoint. Let's ignore that the ball has width. Let's also ignore that the ball is not moving on a straight line perferctly parallel to the ground. Let's even further draw a line at the top that is identical for every batter.
That chart isn't worth the kB required to create it.

LAWS ON ASSAULT OF A SPORTS OFFICIAL

LAWS ON ASSAULT OF A SPORTS OFFICIAL

By: Christopher Reinhart, Senior Attorney

You asked how many other states have specific crimes regarding assault of a sports official.

SUMMARY

We found 18 states with criminal laws regarding assault of a sports official. These states are: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia.

These laws provide specific penalties either by creating a new crime or raising the penalty for one or more existing crimes when they are committed against a sports official. The laws vary in terms of what officials are covered and what levels of sports activities are covered. Some of these laws also cover coaches and other participants but we have not included that information in this report.

In addition to these criminal provisions, two states have civil statutes. Minnesota authorizes the Minnesota State High School League or a school board to ban someone from attending interscholastic activity for up to 12 months for assaulting a sports official. Oregon has a provision for liquidated damages of $500 to $1,000, in addition to any other damages, in civil cases for injuries suffered by a sports official.

Cheater. :D

The interesting (that is, head-scratching) thing about MN is that the MSHSL can ban anyone that has assaulted an official, except for a head varsity coach--only the school board can ban them.

That, to me, is bass-ackwards at a minimum--I'd want a non-interested party making disciplinary decisions of the one person at a contest who is the most responsible for conduct.

Even at the college level (I only work small college), I aggressively call strikes. I work with some umpires who call coffee can-sized zones (pitches outside corner called balls and forget about the ones at the hollow of the knee -- too much work to get those) and those are the 3+ hour games where everyone gets pissy and the gripes start out low with a gradual crescendo.

Do I go into the other batter's box? Hell, no. But a pitch just off the corner is going to be a strike all day. Inside and outside. Both ways. If you bought coaches a beer and asked them about it, they'd tell you they would rather have an umpire call strikes from the first pitch, I'm sure. I know one or two have said that to me away from the field.

Hey even rookies need to get dirty and show a little respect once in a while. I have had that situation and the batter at any good level of ball will always come back and say,"Hey Blue, sorry I wasn't trying to show you up",

Not the rookie.

Very nice FU call, Mr Miller.