What's the Call?

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

No, but it's engaging in a potentially and highly unsafe behavior on the field.

Mind you, I wouldn't use the same "knock that crap off" phrase to the player or coach.

Highly unsafe? Probably less unsafe than a regular base hit... who in the world is the batter going to hurt throwing his bat toward a pitch so bad he couldn't hit it otherwise? And the ball's not going to come off very hard. Why in the world would you consider this unsafe.

Let me take it a step further and remove the opinion out of it... don't you believe that if TPTB wanted such an action to be against the rules or considered it unsafe (especially considering some of the other safety rules out there), that TPTB would have put a prohibition of this action in the rulebook? What do you read from them not doing so?

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

Highly unsafe? Probably less unsafe than a regular base hit... who in the world is the batter going to hurt throwing his bat toward a pitch so bad he couldn't hit it otherwise? And the ball's not going to come off very hard. Why in the world would you consider this unsafe.

Let me take it a step further and remove the opinion out of it... don't you believe that if TPTB wanted such an action to be against the rules or considered it unsafe (especially considering some of the other safety rules out there), that TPTB would have put a prohibition of this action in the rulebook? What do you read from them not doing so?

Hey, ease up off the recent SP-to-FP convert here.

Again, I've not seen it happen, and maybe what I have pictured in my mind is not exactly how it'd go down. What I'm picturing is a pitch-out striking the bat in mid-air, causing it to tumble around, probably in the catcher's direction.

I'd have to see it with my own eyes.

[pob14]

I know, it's not a baseball board, but I'm surprised nobody's brought up Bill Buckner yet. He used to do this All. The. Time. to protect the runner on a pitchout. He was really good at it, too; the pitchout would be two and a half feet outside, he'd throw the bat at it, and hit the damn thing. Too bad he couldn't hit normal pitches that well . . .

Anyway, for those who've never seen it, it's not all that uncommon in my opinion.

[BretMan]

Originally Posted by pob14

I know, it's not a baseball board, but I'm surprised nobody's brought up Bill Buckner yet. He used to do this All. The. Time. to protect the runner on a pitchout. He was really good at it, too; the pitchout would be two and a half feet outside, he'd throw the bat at it, and hit the damn thing. Too bad he couldn't hit normal pitches that well . . .

Buckner played 22 seasons and amassed a .289 batting average, led the league in B.A. one year and hit nearly 500 doubles. It think that he could hit the normal pitches fairly well.

It was his fielding for which Billy Bucks will be forever remembered!

[HugoTafurst]

Originally Posted by BretMan

(snip)

It was his fielding for which Billy Bucks will be forever remembered!

and high top cleats

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by BretMan

Buckner played 22 seasons and amassed a .289 batting average, led the league in B.A. one year and hit nearly 500 doubles. It think that he could hit the normal pitches fairly well.

It was his fielding for which Billy Bucks will be forever remembered!

Buckner played 22 seasons and amassed a .991 fielding percentage. One error in every 101 (approximate) opportunites is a pretty respectable fielding stat.

It was THE ONE ERROR for which he will be forever remembered.

[MNBlue]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

Buckner played 22 seasons and amassed a .991 fielding percentage. One error in every 101 (approximate) opportunites is a pretty respectable fielding stat.

It was THE ONE ERROR for which he will be forever remembered.

Timing is everything.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by MNBlue

Timing is everything.

Just to be fair...

Originally Posted by wikipedia

In September 1986, Buckner hit .340 with eight home runs and 22 RBIs, while missing just three games in spite of chronic ankle soreness. Stapleton began seeing more playing time as a late inning defensive replacement for Buckner in September and October. Buckner, meanwhile, became the first major league player to wear Nike high-top baseball cleats professionally in an effort to relieve pressure from his ankles....When the Sox scored two runs in the top of the tenth, Boston manager John McNamara chose to have Buckner take the field in the bottom of the inning instead of bringing Stapleton in as a defensive replacement for the ailing Buckner as he had in games one, two and five.

Buckner was injured, and been playing through the injury, but was a known defensive liability due to the injury. The real blame belongs with the manager, John McNamara, for leaving a defensive liability (due to injury) in the game in the bottom of the 10th after his team had the lead.

[jr131981]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

Buckner played 22 seasons and amassed a .991 fielding percentage. One error in every 101 (approximate) opportunites is a pretty respectable fielding stat.

It was THE ONE ERROR for which he will be forever remembered.

.991 FP for a 1B is well below average. this year, there are 23 qualified 1B, the lowest has a .990 FP

pulling up a random buckner year, in 86 he was 13/16 qualified 1B in FP.

people forget there was a good chance mookie beats out the play at first even with a clean catch by buckner.

[JefferMC]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

Again, I've not seen it happen, and maybe what I have pictured in my mind is not exactly how it'd go down. What I'm picturing is a pitch-out striking the bat in mid-air, causing it to tumble around, probably in the catcher's direction.

Do keep in mind: 6 oz ball, 20+ oz bat. Yes, the ball is travelling fast, but it has 1/3 to 1/4 the mass. Tumble maybe, spin, not so much.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

Hey, ease up off the recent SP-to-FP convert here.

Sorry bout that!!

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

Sorry bout that!!

No worries, man.

But seriously. Winged monkey? C'mon, man...

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

No worries, man.

But seriously. Winged monkey? C'mon, man...

Just following directions. Not a conscious decision on my part - just where you landed. (6 points to whoever has the slightest idea what we're talking about - excluding Monty).