Moving the bat...who is responsible?

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Oct 4, 2018
4,611
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I was taught not to touch the bat - and that has been reinforced at every clinic I have attended when the subject came up.

Not just because of playing reasons, but mainly because the umpire is meant to be doing other things. On a deep fly ball you already should be out towards the circle to get a view of the catch, and then you are moving into position to ready for possible plays at third or home (depending on the situation) - all while keeping track of where the ball, and where the runners are so you can predict what could happen and be ready to move. Not stopping that to move a bat.

Exactly. Some of the umps we get are a bit... err... portly... and I could see them bending down to move a bat and not recovering in time and getting plowed over as part of the play at the plate.
 
Nov 20, 2020
995
93
SW Missouri
At DD’s game today I paid attention after reading this thread earlier. No one touched any dropped bats. The other team’s catcher tried to kick one away (unsuccessfully) but that was the extent of it.
 
May 16, 2012
97
18
Missouri
Let me ask you marriad brother, say there was a play where you had time to move a bat but didn’t, and a runner from third ran into it and broke her leg, you’d be good with that?....”Oh well not my job to move it”. Like I said before, if I could move it I would, if I miss something by doing that, so be it, not sure what kind of coach would argue that over player safety.
I would be sad for the player but, that's life. Sorry if that bother's you but, as an umpire you NEVER, NEVER move the bat, period.
 
Sep 5, 2012
53
8
By rule, it is NOT the umpire's responsibility to move a discarded bat. Only player involved in the ongoing play can touch that bat. Generally, that means the catcher or any incoming runners. Not even the on deck batter is allowed to touch a discarded bat. They are not part of any ongoing play. Only defensive players & runners are involved. I've long lost count of how many on deck batters I've had to chastise about this. Some coaches too! It's no fun having to avoid an over zealous on deck batter who thinks that it's their job to retrieve a discarded bat! I've had more than one collision with an on deck batter. Fortunately it hasn't cost me to miss a call, yet..........
 
Oct 11, 2018
231
43
By rule, it is NOT the umpire's responsibility to move a discarded bat. Only player involved in the ongoing play can touch that bat. Generally, that means the catcher or any incoming runners. Not even the on deck batter is allowed to touch a discarded bat. They are not part of any ongoing play. Only defensive players & runners are involved. I've long lost count of how many on deck batters I've had to chastise about this. Some coaches too! It's no fun having to avoid an over zealous on deck batter who thinks that it's their job to retrieve a discarded bat! I've had more than one collision with an on deck batter. Fortunately it hasn't cost me to miss a call, yet..........
Just curious what rule you are referring to.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Hmmm i do remember a couple of times moving an umpire.
Pushing them out of the way on pops they were under.
It helped!
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
By rule, it is NOT the umpire's responsibility to move a discarded bat. Only player involved in the ongoing play can touch that bat. Generally, that means the catcher or any incoming runners. Not even the on deck batter is allowed to touch a discarded bat. They are not part of any ongoing play. Only defensive players & runners are involved. I've long lost count of how many on deck batters I've had to chastise about this. Some coaches too! It's no fun having to avoid an over zealous on deck batter who thinks that it's their job to retrieve a discarded bat! I've had more than one collision with an on deck batter. Fortunately it hasn't cost me to miss a call, yet..........

What are you chastising the on-deck batter for???
There is no rule that they can't do this as long as they don't interfere with the defense's ability to make a play (penalty: fielding play: baserunner closest to home is out/ catchable ball: batter out)
Should they be careful when they do it - of course - but it isn't an actual rule. If they interfere with the defense make the call; otherwise, there is no call (except telling them to be careful if they are going to do it).

There is also no rule in the rule book that umpires says cannot move the bat; that is in the mechanics/umpire manuals as directions of how we should be umpiring.
 
Mar 6, 2016
383
63
Watched a couple MLB games the past few days... saw home plate umps pick up bat during play and before potential possible play at plate 2x. It seems to make logical sense for ump to do it if it does not interfere with his/her calls. But, then again, MLB umps have 3 other umps in field and 3 more sets of eyes. 🤪
 
Jun 22, 2008
3,731
113
Baseball is also 90' bases, takes a lot longer for runners to get around the bases and as you stated usually many more sets of eyes on the field. All find and dandy until the umpire takes their eyes off the play and miss something. Umpires are taught to leave the bat alone, it becomes part of the field. If the catcher wants to move the bat, let them move the bat. What if the catcher knows exactly where the bat is, then the umpire moves it out of the way and now the catcher steps on it?

I was told 15 years ago, leave the bat alone. We also had a case here where the umpire kicked the bat out of the way over by the fence and the parents filed a claim against the umpire for cracking the bat. It is no ones responsibility to move the bat, by rule it is part of the field after being discarded by the batter, same goes for the catchers helmet, it is part of the field after being discarded.
 

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