Throwing the ball back
 

I see Russell Martin is upset that Laz Diaz wouldn't let him throw the ball back to the pitcher because he was complaining about ball and strikes. And I thought that I had seen it all. :confused:

Yanks catcher Russell Martin lodges an unusual complaint about umpire Laz Diaz | Big League Stew - Yahoo! Sports

It is a weird story.

Weird and so many holes in the story too. Something tells me there is a little more to this story and conversation that actually took place.

Peace

I am sure there is.

Diaz should talk about it and I bet he won't.

Something happened...that is for sure.

He might not be authorized to talk about it to the media. It was not a call or something the media would have normal access to the umpires for. I doubt we will ever find out the real story unless MLB takes some action and even then we will not know the entire story.

Peace

I might tune in to MLB TV to see what Laz does in his next game.

I watch a lot of Tigers game with my son who is a HUGE fan....Avila and Laird always put the hand up and get the ball...I do not recall them ever not getting the ball...

OK? And that means what? You have never had a catcher suggest you have said something or misrepresent your words? I know many umpires, including myself this has happened to. I am sure something was said, but I kind of doubt it was exactly the way the catcher is stating it was said. I am sure there was a little more to it than what was in the article. That really is all I am saying.

Peace

That means that maybe I have not seen a Laz Diaz game...Just my observation that these particular catchers seem to always throw the ball back.

I have no idea what Laz Diaz said. I know this, if a guy lied about me to the media, I would find a way to offer a response.

I do not know if he lied or not, but just know that many times these are multiple sides to the story. I am sure some of what he said was partially true, but might not be entirely true. I could see where Diaz made some flippant statement and the player took it to heart. I am just not going to take the catcher's word for it without some response from the umpire or other action taken.

The lesson is watch what you say and to who you say it to.

Peace

I don't throw the ball back unless the catcher isn't around, e.g., grabbing his mask after chasing down a foul ball. Unless I'm warmed up that ball is going to end up burning grass or in center field.

Amen. If the catcher's there, I'm letting him do the tossing.

When I am behind the Plate (baseball or fastpitch softball) there is only one person that throws the ball back to the Pitcher, and that is the Catcher. I do not want to embarrass Mark, Jr., by throwing a 3 bouncer (espcially in a softball game) back to the Pitcher, :p.

MTD, Jr.

Throw underhand.............:D

Or, as Shady says:

"Say what you say how you say it whenever you saying it
Just remember how you said it when you was spraying it."

Something like that.

Peace

Oh brother. This quite definitely has the feel of a simple misunderstanding.

But, no, according to the author, Diaz might be in for a reprimand.

It was probably nothing to start with.

Rita

There is definitely something not being said in this story. One of my favorite sayings regarding dealing with the press is, " they can't use what you don't say against you".

My final answer, 'no comment'.

Then I might as well bowl the ball back to the Pitcher. LOL

MTD, Sr.

The catcher claimed in his interview that throwing the ball back to the pitcher kept his arm loose for attempted steals. (I don't buy it because he has every other pitch he catches to throw back) I think though an manager may have an argument here. He'd get tossed for sure, but I think the umpire was obviously trying to show up the catcher in this case.

There is nothing in the rules that determines who throws the ball back to the pitcher...do you think we may have another rule soon?

I'm the umpire here, you haven't earned that right to tell me who's throwing this ball back:eek:

Show him up how? Because he decides to throw the ball back after a ball is in the dirt or after a foul ball. Baseball people in general worry waaaaaaayyyyyy tooo much about being shown up. And not only would this not be shown up, no one would have known about it if the catcher did not go to the media and tell what was said or not said.

Peace

Only in Majors Games!
 

I only throw it back to the pitcher for the small diamond LOL! Don't want to look bad by not getting the ball there or overthrowing! :)

Naw, just get one of those bowling ball returns..............;)

This is one division I learned you don't want to throw the ball back!

Yeh, it's called a catcher:o

You mean a person who retrieves the ball after it stops rolling?

Yeah, him, or her! You were talking about softball, which I caught regarding throwing it back underhand;)

With my right arm, my throwing arm, needing post-season surgery according to my orthopedic doctor, there's no way I'm throwing the ball anywhere. I don't need further embarrassment or pain. :p

I developed this habit during little league (7-9 y.o.) games:
During warm-ups between innings, I will stand near a batters box. When the pitch gets by the catcher, I will bounce a spare ball back to pitcher essentially bowling it towards the mound, just hard enough for it to get back to the rubber. Bowling it like this also prevents the catcher from chasing the ball and on his subsequent throw, sending it into the outfield because he thought that the additional twenty feet meant he had to heave it as hard as he could.

Maybe I just don't have patience to wait for the catcher to run after 5 passed balls, and I would spend more time arguing with the coaches about why Jimmy only got two warmup throws in his "one-minute warmup" between innings, so its a nice preventative compromise that keeps things moving.