Ump HBP - Players Ejected

[grmerrill]

The catcher steps out as the pitcher is moving, so far that she is centered on the far box with her right foot on the far line. That's a pretty big miss. It would be a very difficult set of actions to explain away. The sniff test says intentional.

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[ArmyStrong]

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.

Chaz, it's possible the catcher didn't know (and I'm hoping that's the case), but to me it looks like the C is setting up conspicuously outside for the first and second pitch of the AB. If this is the first time the C has set up like that in the game, I'd be thinking something is up if I were the ump. I'm thinking the coach is trying to send a message to the ump and in the process putting both the batter and ump at risk.

 

[BuckeyeBW]

If I am the ump in the Cruiser game, that would be my last game because I would probably beat the piss out of that coach. LOL.

 

[Eric F]

Chaz, it's possible the catcher didn't know (and I'm hoping that's the case), but to me it looks like the C is setting up conspicuously outside for the first and second pitch of the AB. If this is the first time the C has set up like that in the game, I'd be thinking something is up if I were the ump. I'm thinking the coach is trying to send a message to the ump and in the process putting both the batter and ump at risk.

IIRC, the C did set up like that a few other times, but it was with runners on base (pitch out) and/or deeper in a count trying to get a hitter to chase outside. This was the first batter of the inning, on 0-0 and 1-0 counts. No a lot of sense in that. At this point, the batter's team was winning, but the game wasn't out of reach, nor had this hitter shown herself as being extra dangerous.

 

[CoreSoftball20]

Ever notice what a catchers glove does on video of a hit? And what doesn’t this catchers glove do? She had no intention of catching that ball, she stuck her glove out and waved it at the ball.

I agree with ya WW...there was a stab but almost like it was a slow motion "show me" attempt. Even the stab was slower and looks like her wrist isn't straight thru the glove
like if you were throwing your glove out there to really catch it. The glove is kinda bent back to make sure it doesn't reach.

 

[matt]

I not sure why she was set up so outside. But it looked like a pretty convincing attempt to me. The ball was up in the zone so her mit was turned more up.

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[chardrok]

I will say that if the catcher knew, then she's got her acting job down.

 

[Eric F]

I not sure why she was set up so outside. But it looked like a pretty convincing attempt to me. The ball was up in the zone so her mit was turned more up.

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This was the first batter of a new inning. The catcher was set up like this on both the first and second pitches of the at bat. This makes zero sense for the situation. In a game that is still within reach, you try to get outs. This is not a setup for getting the batter out. It adds to the suspicion of the situation.

As Westwind pointed out, her mitt never closes in anticipation of catching the ball, as you would expect to see. More suspicion.

I'm about 90% convinced it was a good fake job by the catcher.

Ump was 100% convinced, without hesitation.

 

[CoachJD]

As Westwind pointed out, her mitt never closes in anticipation of catching the ball, as you would expect to see. More suspicion.

I'm not sure about this. Why would a catcher (or anybody else) close the glove before the ball is in the glove? If anything, you're opening the glove wider just before attempting to catch the ball.

I don't think I'd expect to see a player close a glove on a ball she's reaching for and doesn't even touch.

None of that is to say this wasn't all intentional, but I'm not buying the glove closing evidence.

 

[Eric F]

I'm not sure about this. Why would a catcher (or anybody else) close the glove before the ball is in the glove? If anything, you're opening the glove wider just before attempting to catch the ball.

I don't think I'd expect to see a player close a glove on a ball she's reaching for and doesn't even touch.

None of that is to say this wasn't all intentional, but I'm not buying the glove closing evidence.

Watch what happens with a catcher's mitt when a batter hits the ball. Catcher is anticipating the timing of the ball hitting the mitt, even if the ball isn't there.

Here's an example...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDvoGk20dYw

Slow it down to 1/4 speed, and you can clearly see the catcher's mitt close.

There isn't one piece of damning evidence that we can point to, but there are multiple things that certainly smell funny. Also - as noted earlier in the thread - this ump is very well regarded and known as someone who will only throw you out if you fully deserve it. He clearly felt that way here.