One from another umpire (ASA SP)
 

R1 on 2b. 2 outs. B4 hits a line drive single to LF. Throw comes in to the SS (cutoff) who sees a non-player from the bench come onto the field to pick up the bat which is in the baseline. The SS throws, and supposedly as a result of where the non-player is, throws the ball high and wide of the catcher allowing the GW run to score. What do you have?

A few things to consider. The SS was in the outfield grass when he made the throw home.

The non-player was a team member not in the current line-up when they come onto the field to remove the bat from just inside fair territory..

Umm, a bad throw? :p

So ... shortstop threw at someone in foul ground wearing the other team's jersey? It seems I'm missing something.

I agree with esq... bad throw, game over.

Just to be clear...
I think he is trying to say that F6 threw to F2 (poorly) due to the fact that the offensive team's player was picking up the bat in or near the 3rd base to home basepath and may have appeared to be a runner which prompted F6's throw. Looking for a possible interference call.

Not that he would get it, but I think that's the point.

Thanks - that does help. Need more coffee this morning, apparently.

That said... still - just a bad throw.

This was a question posed to an experienced umpire by a league coordinator the day after the game.

The SS's argument was that the throw home was supposedly off line because he wanted to avoid hitting the "bat-boy" (actually an adult team member).

The "bat-boy" did not interfere with the catchers attempt to catch the ball, just supposedly with the SS's throw because he "changed his throw" to avoid hitting the "bat-boy."

The umpires ruling on the play was the same as mine would have been. Bad throw, that's the ball game folks.

How large did F6's nose grow as he was offering this explaination?

I suspect the next game he wouldn't need a bat, he could hit the ball with his nose and there wouldn't be a difference.