Player ejected

[softgabby]

As a former catcher ... don’t get me started. May be why I have a low tolerance for that chicanery now that I’m an umpire.

Gabby, how do you get hit in the chest with a butt?

It happened earlier this summer. A ball was hit out to right field and the baserunner was starting from second. There was a runner that had scored from third, but the runner that started from second was trucking it around third trying to score as well. Throw came in from first. I was positioned with my left knee on home plate with my toes behind the plate. I just caught the ball and was turning when the runner was attempting to get around me, she swung around and hit me solidly in the chest with her butt and hip. I got knocked down but managed to hold onto the ball getting the out. I had the breath knocked out of me but the baserunner helped me up. My teammates and I laugh about it.

 

[Wahini]

Hi! It's great to see a new member on here as well as a player! I'll give my perspective as a catcher.

I think both the catcher and the baserunner are wrong in this situation.

As a catcher, we're taught that we should stand in the area around home plate and wait for the ball to come in from the outfield. We cannot interfere with the baserunner as long as we don't have possession of the ball. Once we have the ball, we may impede the runner in a reasonable fashion. The catcher was in the wrong because she laid on the runner impeding her progress without having possession of the softball. Now granted, I have been knocked into by baserunners with and without possession of the softball. I have been knocked down on top of baserunners while trying to catch the ball. I've fallen on top of baserunners. But I have never intentionally laid on a baserunner.

The baserunner was in the wrong because of how her pushing and shoving the catcher to get her off of her could be construed as intentional or malicious. As a catcher, I've been caught with knees, elbows, feet, and hands from baserunners. I've been kicked and stomped as well. But, I have never been meanly been shoved. I have been clotheslined. I've been shoulder-tackled. Heck, I've even been rammed in the chest by another girl's butt. I think baserunners, however, are allowed some leeway from umpires when it comes to physical contact because umpires understand that catchers and runners are going to do whatever they need to, to either score the run or keep the runner from scoring.

I think there either had to be more to the shove or the baserunner cussed or something to get ejected from the game. I don't think a simple push to try to get the catcher off of her.

But, what do I know.

Hi softgabby. Thanks for your response. The baserunner is a catcher and weve seen her plowed into many a time as well. Thats why shes so puzzeled. We can see now that anything reasonable to get to the base should be excused but a push is something extra. We all now know if this ever happeds to lie and wait for the catcher to be called on obstruction. Even though it may be hard as a push when someone is on you can be just an involuntary reflex. My teammates and i all think she mustve sworn or something too but she says no. Maybe she doesnt remember or said "fffff" or something.

But another question if we were to do that, just lie there and wait for catchers obstruction call ,and dont touch home, will we be awarded the RUN? (not point, my bad )

 

[The Man In Blue]

You are still obligated to touch home plate, even on a base award.

 

[Mike Hurd]

makes you almost want to be an Umpire, right

Hi softgabby. Thanks for your response. The baserunner is a catcher and weve seen her plowed into many a time as well. Thats why shes so puzzeled. We can see now that anything reasonable to get to the base should be excused but a push is something extra. We all now know if this ever happeds to lie and wait for the catcher to be called on obstruction. Even though it may be hard as a push when someone is on you can be just an involuntary reflex. My teammates and i all think she mustve sworn or something too but she says no. Maybe she doesnt remember or said "fffff" or something.

But another question if we were to do that, just lie there and wait for catchers obstruction call ,and dont touch home, will we be awarded the RUN? (not point, my bad )

?

 

[The Man In Blue]

 

[OCpitching]

In my experience with players getting thrown out of a game, it's about safety. Its takes a split second for something to turn dangerous and result in a player(s) getting hurt.

When I was a second year 16U, we were in a really intense, back and forth, bracket play game. I was pitching (so I saw what happened up close) when there was a play at the plate. This was right when the rule where catchers have to maintain a lane until they get the ball was enforced (we worked with her a lot so we wouldn't get called on that). The catcher waited until she got the ball to drop and block the plate. The runner slid into the catcher which caused her to fall on top of the runner. They both struggled to get up for a while until the runner shoved the catcher off and started kicking. She got up and kicked our catcher. The runner was ejected from the game. It's just goes to show that things can turn so fast and maybe the umpire was just trying to protect the players before it could turn ugly. The umpire doesn't know who's a hot head and who's not. They also don't know that the player won't try to retaliate the next time they're on base.

But I get it, no one wants to be that close to someone else especially when they have a bunch of gear on haha. Wanting to get them off asap is understandable. But next time (hopefully not a next time), she should just stay where she is at and struggle a bit, but not push the other player off. It's like when your advancing or rounding a base, if a fielder is in the way, make it look clumsy. Don't push, but take a little stuble and go to the next base even if you're going to get out. You're going to get the next base and the fielder will get called for interference.

Side note: might not be fair but it happens, umpires tend to side with the catchers. If they're good, they'll protect the umpire from wild pitches. An ump might want to protect the catcher too. I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine. Not saying that was the case but that could also be a factor. Not trying to defend the catcher either because that was a little unnecessary.

Those are just my two cents. Take or leave whatever you want from it

 

[ILcoach]

Did this happen in Elgin, IL? I happened to be watching as I was waiting for our games to be played and a similar thing happened.