Ump HBP - Players Ejected

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May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal


Some context...

This happened yesterday during a ASA/USA tournament elimination game (14U travel ball). Near the end of the previous half-inning before this clip, the umpire had ruled that a batter hit by a pitch did not make an effort to move out of the way, and therefore was not awarded 1B. The batter's coach objected immediately and strongly, but the ump shut him down quickly, and was clearly unwavering in his decision. The ump's demeanor was firm, but not adversarial. Coach was pretty upset. The video was the first batter in the top half of the next inning, second pitch. On the first pitch to this batter, the catcher was set up exactly the same, but the pitch was in the dirt, down near the ump's left foot.

Although I don't see anything conclusive that this was intentional, the clues were certainly there. This pitcher didn't have pinpoint accuracy, but she wasn't bad. To miss that far inside - twice - when the catcher is set up in the outside box I would consider suspicious. The catcher had missed a couple of blocks on pitches in the dirt, but I don't recall any missed catches before this - also suspicious. She was a pretty decent catcher, skill-wise. These factors, on top of the previous conflict between ump and coach, starts smelling a lot like it was intentional. No place for that in this game.
 
Last edited:
Apr 5, 2013
2,130
83
Back on the dirt...
Man it’s hard to tell from that shot. Catcher appears to go for the ball. HTBT deal I’m sure.

And absolutely no part of it needs to be in the game if intentional.
 
Last edited:
Aug 29, 2011
2,581
83
NorCal
From the clip, looks like the catcher was set up low and away and pitcher missed spot inside.

For Eric's back story it was probably intentional with catcher trying to "make it look good"

But since I wasn't there I don't know for sure. That said agree with those who said if it was intentional no place for that and ejection was totally warranted.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
Man it’s hard to tell from that shot. Catcher appears to go for the ball. HTBT deal I’m sure.

And absolutely no part of it needs to be in the game if intentional.

I agree. Without context it looks like it was just a bad miss on location, and an attempt and miss by the catcher. That said, I have little doubt my DD could do a pretty good fake attempt, too.
 
Jul 29, 2016
231
43
Do you think the coach instructed them to do that? That is some bush league crap right there. I'm sure he'll remember forever which team it was when he officiates one of their games the next time.

Not just bush-league. That's criminal. You've got a conspiracy to commit battery forming with the coach there on the mound. I hope they were kicked out of the tournament, and the team was disbanded. The coach should've been arrested. And not a single one of those girls who participated in that meeting on the mound should ever play another game of softball.

I'd like to think my daughter would walk off the field.
 
Mar 28, 2016
164
18
I think the pitcher should be tossed, but there is a good chance the catcher had no idea what was going on. Watching it frame by frame, the catcher had no chance of getting to that ball. I'm not sure if the pitcher was trying to knock the batter down or hit the ump.

Isn't the coach automatically ejected on something like this.
 

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