If a batter throws his bat (after a hit, not in anger) and it hits the catcher, is the batter automatically out or is it the umpire's discretion ?
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He is never out for that. I would have a talk with him, however. It is up to the umpire to determine if he should continue participating in the game if he keeps throwing the bat, but an out is never the penalty.
Thanks, that's not at all what the parents were yelling ;o)
That's why they don't get to call a game
Originally Posted by dash_riprock:
He is never out for that. I would have a talk with him, however. It is up to the umpire to determine if he should continue participating in the game if he keeps throwing the bat, but an out is never the penalty.
Shouldn't say "Never". I have umpired at parks where the local rules called for it after a warning.
Originally Posted by dash_riprock:
He is never out for that. I would have a talk with him, however. It is up to the umpire to determine if he should continue participating in the game if he keeps throwing the bat, but an out is never the penalty.
Its too bad you weren’t umpiring our last game. 
Runner on 3rd, 1 out. Batter shows bunt, pitcher throws the ball right at his head. Batter manages to get the bat up and put the ball in play, then drops the bat, hitting F2 as he goes to field the ball. Runner scores, F1 throws batter out at 1st. I mark a run, a sac bunt, and an asst to F1 with a putout to F3.
Opposing coach calls time and complains to the PU. After a discussion, PU talks to BU. Call changed to offensive interference on the batter, ball’s dead. He’s out with the PO given to F2, runner sent back to 3rd.
Mr.Umpire, how about no national rulebook has an out for for a carelessly thrown bat. We all know that local rules are made by fools.
Originally Posted by Stats4Gnats:
Originally Posted by dash_riprock:
He is never out for that. I would have a talk with him, however. It is up to the umpire to determine if he should continue participating in the game if he keeps throwing the bat, but an out is never the penalty.
Its too bad you weren’t umpiring our last game.
Runner on 3rd, 1 out. Batter shows bunt, pitcher throws the ball right at his head. Batter manages to get the bat up and put the ball in play, then drops the bat, hitting F2 as he goes to field the ball. Runner scores, F1 throws batter out at 1st. I mark a run, a sac bunt, and an asst to F1 with a putout to F3.
Opposing coach calls time and complains to the PU. After a discussion, PU talks to BU. Call changed to offensive interference on the batter, ball’s dead. He’s out with the PO given to F2, runner sent back to 3rd.
seems like the right call to me. Note that the out isn't for throwing the bat (3-3 or something) but for interference (7-3 or something). Just like if it had been a grounder to F1 and the whole bat went out and interfered with F1.
Note that in your play if F2 wasn't trying to field the ball, it wouldn't have been an out (it might then fall under 3-3)
He dropped the bat. That is not the same as throwing it. Unless he dropped it in a way to interfere intentionally, it's nothing.
Originally Posted by dash_riprock:
He dropped the bat. That is not the same as throwing it. Unless he dropped it in a way to interfere intentionally, it's nothing.
Yes, sorry I do see the word dropped in that play now. Since the whole thread was on throwing the bat I just read that part into it.
It's still a possible ruling (that is to say its possible it really was carelessly thrown) but unlikely in most games
Originally Posted by Stats4Gnats:
Originally Posted by dash_riprock:
He is never out for that. I would have a talk with him, however. It is up to the umpire to determine if he should continue participating in the game if he keeps throwing the bat, but an out is never the penalty.
Its too bad you weren’t umpiring our last game.
Runner on 3rd, 1 out. Batter shows bunt, pitcher throws the ball right at his head. Batter manages to get the bat up and put the ball in play, then drops the bat, hitting F2 as he goes to field the ball. Runner scores, F1 throws batter out at 1st. I mark a run, a sac bunt, and an asst to F1 with a putout to F3.
Opposing coach calls time and complains to the PU. After a discussion, PU talks to BU. Call changed to offensive interference on the batter, ball’s dead. He’s out with the PO given to F2, runner sent back to 3rd.
How is this interference? He got an out. It is similar to BI on a steal. If you record an out the Interference didn't happen.
Originally Posted by NavyUmp:
How is this interference? He got an out. It is similar to BI on a steal. If you record an out the Interference didn't happen.
Interference is immediately dead when caused by a runner (or batter-runner in this case).
I posted this elsewhere a month or so ago ... it belongs here:
My son suddenly, out of nowhere, starts letting the bat fly behind him after hitting the ball in a game last week. He's warned by the umpire ... then does it AGAIN on a triple. Ump calls him out. Coach had no argument, and I certainly wasn't bothered ... the call seemed right. Then after the game the ump was in the parking lot, and I told him thanks for calling my kid out ... he needs to nip the sudden bad habit in the bud ... and the ump tells me he actually made a mistake. He shouldn't have called him out because that's not the rule. He realized it after he made the call, but we were way up, so decided to stay with it. I still think it's a teaching moment for a freshman, but interesting to hear the ump say there's no rule against inadvertent bat throwing -- even when it bounced back and hit the ump in the shin guard ... which this did. I'd have thought there WAS such a rule.
Originally Posted by jp24:
I posted this elsewhere a month or so ago ... it belongs here:
My son suddenly, out of nowhere, starts letting the bat fly behind him after hitting the ball in a game last week. He's warned by the umpire ... then does it AGAIN on a triple. Ump calls him out. Coach had no argument, and I certainly wasn't bothered ... the call seemed right. Then after the game the ump was in the parking lot, and I told him thanks for calling my kid out ... he needs to nip the sudden bad habit in the bud ... and the ump tells me he actually made a mistake. He shouldn't have called him out because that's not the rule. He realized it after he made the call, but we were way up, so decided to stay with it. I still think it's a teaching moment for a freshman, but interesting to hear the ump say there's no rule against inadvertent bat throwing -- even when it bounced back and hit the ump in the shin guard ... which this did. I'd have thought there WAS such a rule.
There is a rule against carelessly thrown bats, it just wasn't what he called. It should have been a warning the first time, ejection the second time.
The federation has 12 team warnings such as a fake tag or taking your helmet off; carelessly letting loose your bat and striking a catcher and , or, a man umpire is a team warning and the next player on the offending team that does it is ejected. He’s not out, ever.