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Reply to "Batters as Artists"

cabbagedad posted:

So Matt, I pretty much agree with you and definitely feel the "get off my lawn" days coming up on me.  But I got to thinking about the clip example...  I know you do mostly college and some HS so my comment doesn't necessarily hit directly home but you posted the clip so...  

The kid is what, 12 y.o.?  He is told never to argue with or talk back to an umpire.  AB's are few and precious in a ballgame.  Unfortunately, in this instance, his "artwork" is very accurate.  The ball was well into the RH hitters box exactly as he drew his line.  He just got one of his precious AB's taken away.  Assuming he is the typical competitive kid, what is his progression of emotions/actions likely to be?  I don't know the background of the particular circumstance of the game (blowout, announced stretched zone, etc. ).  But I can see where that would be a very hard call to take with zero reaction.  I know what we preach to young kids in that situation but what do we really expect and how realistic when the call is this blatant?

If a HS or college kid is that demonstrative with his artistic brush strokes, then yes, of course he needs to get the immediate boot from the classroom.  But, I would hope that a college or HS umpire wouldn't be so abstract in his interpretation of the strike zone.  

I agree with you. I would have no idea how I would handle this at the kiddie-ball level, and any time someone who works that asks me advice on game management, I tell them as such. I'll give them some tools to consider, but I really would be at a loss for how to conduct a game like that. I accidentally ended up on a 13-year-old fall game last year, but there weren't any attitudes and the home HC's two older kids both play (one C) at the nearest D1 I work. He was somewhat surprised (as I was) to see me there.


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