Video: Kill the umpire
posted at 9:27 pm on June 11, 2008 by Allahpundit
To set the stage: State championship game, Stephens County down 8-1 and feeling humiliated after its last nine hitters struck out, the ninth of whom was All-American Ethan Martin. Martin’s brother Cody takes the mound in the bottom half of the inning, puts the first man he faces on base, and then… Quote: “Scott, who received all of $80 (including mileage) for his efforts that day, said he has been bothered by neck pains and headaches in the days since. He is considering his legal options.”
Neither the pitcher nor the catcher will discuss it but Ethan Martin says he’s sure it wasn’t intentional.
Dude, it’s obviously intentional.
Blowback
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Intentional.
No doubt.
The catcher didn’t even try to block the pitch, for crissakes.
SteveMG on June 11, 2008 at 9:29 PM
Intentional. No doubt.
lorien1973 on June 11, 2008 at 9:30 PM
This isn’t sports.
Mr Catcher and Mr Pitcher need a life long lesson, like flipping hamburgers in the concession stand. But who am I kidding? They’ll be wined and dined and payed on time.
Limerick on June 11, 2008 at 9:35 PM
Heh. How bad were the calls?
Theworldisnotenough on June 11, 2008 at 9:37 PM
That’s what he gets for being so judgmental.
TheSitRep on June 11, 2008 at 9:40 PM
Talk about unsportsmanlike conduct.
gzelmiami on June 11, 2008 at 9:41 PM
Holy crap. Unbelievable. Has anything like this ever happened before?
robblefarian on June 11, 2008 at 9:41 PM
Assault and battery.
mikeyboss on June 11, 2008 at 9:42 PM
Intentional.
amerpundit on June 11, 2008 at 9:42 PM
Low class move made by trashy people.
Hog Wild on June 11, 2008 at 9:45 PM
I’m sure the pitcher and catcher would have slept well that night if the ump would have had a broken nose, contusion,or a broken throat as his family stands bedside at the hospital.
gzelmiami on June 11, 2008 at 9:46 PM
It’s an old trick. An old dirty trick.
stonemeister on June 11, 2008 at 9:47 PM
A legal-gal on FoxNews this morning suggested that it appears the ball caromed off the batter’s helmet. If that had happened he would have taken first base.
Obviously intentional. Pitcher & catcher should be disqualified from future games.
ManlyDad on June 11, 2008 at 9:48 PM
That pitcher is going to have a strike zone about the size of a Kleenex for the rest of his high school career, as well he should. It was obviously intentional. The Ump should have just thrown them all out.
gridlock2 on June 11, 2008 at 9:49 PM
Classless. If the pitcher wants to hit the umpire, he should have the b@lls to just let it fly. High and hard and make the ump dance. Unless it was the catcher’s intent. He didn’t even try to act like he was crossed up. Bush league all the way. Throw them both out of the league.
Mallard T. Drake on June 11, 2008 at 9:50 PM
That was awesome! I love pitchers. But if that ump has been calling balls when they should have been strikes, I’d have to back the pitcher. That was some pretty good control he had there in the late innings. I’d say he could put the ball where he wanted.
No legal action, but I know I would want to do that if I was a pitcher and the ump was being ridiculous. I love sports. They should let pitchers throw at batters too. They have all sorts of padding and they crowd the plate. How else are you going to get some working room if you can’t play a little chin music?
ThackerAgency on June 11, 2008 at 9:52 PM
Look at the crowd–they’re cheering as well. Sad.
robblefarian on June 11, 2008 at 9:53 PM
Upon further review, I guess the pitcher did just let it fly. The ump did what they are trained to do: don’t flinch or turn away, but let the mask take the blow. He showed more guts and class than the two punks.
Mallard T. Drake on June 11, 2008 at 9:53 PM
O’Reilly showed this last night on the Blond Lawyer segment.
The hot one (Kelly) said it was obviously intentional. Wiehl rationalized it because she has years of experience as a Little League Mom.
Credibility permanently forfeited.
JammieWearingFool on June 11, 2008 at 9:53 PM
Aren’t they both hot?
freakagriep on June 11, 2008 at 9:56 PM
They’re like Republican McCain-haters–sore losers.
jgapinoy on June 11, 2008 at 10:00 PM
Maybe he’s just blind as a bat and didn’t see it in time to duck.
He had to be pretty bad or pretty biased to get two people to determine, independently, he deserved one off the face mask.
TheBigOldDog on June 11, 2008 at 10:00 PM
I know a guy from the area who is familiar with this family, and he says they have done this before.
tdau1997 on June 11, 2008 at 10:03 PM
i played catcher in little league back in the day, ive seen similar stuff happen.
the ball was thrown around the batter’s back, it was intentional.
ernesto on June 11, 2008 at 10:03 PM
I don’t know, I may have to go against the grain here. Watch the slo-mo, it hit the BATTER’S helmet first. I’m thinking the catcher just misjudged the carom.
If it was the pitcher’s intention to hit the ump with a bank-shot off the batter’s noggin, well, sign ‘im up now.
Rhinoboy on June 11, 2008 at 10:05 PM
That’s pretty telling.
mikeyboss on June 11, 2008 at 10:07 PM
I watched a few times looking for that, and I don’t think so. The batter certainly didn’t act like he’d been hit.
mikeyboss on June 11, 2008 at 10:08 PM
Ya, it tells me that whether it was intentional or accidental that they are smart not to discuss it with the guy threatening legal action.
TheBigOldDog on June 11, 2008 at 10:09 PM
I was a pitcher for 14 years and I think that’s a tough one to call. The pitcher may have misread the catcher’s sign and the catcher, expecting something else, reacted poorly.
I hit five people in one game in high-school… My catcher, the umpire and the batter while on the mound. Then, while in the batters box, I accidentally hit my coach with the bat. Then the opposing catcher’s glove wandered too close to my bat while at the plate. True story. The ump stop the game for 2 minute so everyone could stop laughing.
Claypigeon on June 11, 2008 at 10:09 PM
the pitch was hardly out of the box… and what do you think the mask is for? looks? someone is looking for a lawsuit, any suit will do in America’s ever more litigious habits… you don’t want to be hit by a baseball? don’t line your face up behind the plate.
-
as far as the catcher, I don’t know how many of you play baseball but the reason he is on his knees or close to it, is so the bat doesn’t clean his clock, only idiots would stick there money arm up there and try to grab a wild pitch, where the batter may swing… especially to save an umpire’s feelings.
-
the mask did it’s job and if he says he’s hurt, he’s full of it.
Kaptain Amerika on June 11, 2008 at 10:13 PM
I think you’ve got it right, Mikey. The batter doesn’t flinch at all, and turns to direct his player, who’s stealing third. Never touched the batter.
Intentional, and pretty nasty. It cost the catcher a place on a college team.
Jaibones on June 11, 2008 at 10:16 PM
after further review…
it hits the batters helmet, then the Umpire’s mask, then the catchers helmet… then rolls away from the plate to the right. someone should be stealing home…
Kaptain Amerika on June 11, 2008 at 10:18 PM
Hey, what’s the beef? They are simply getting ready for the pro’s.
csdeven on June 11, 2008 at 10:21 PM
Oh Please! It was intentional. And whether it is in the ball park or the street corner it is still assault. Lock the dirt bags up.
sweeper on June 11, 2008 at 10:22 PM
That ball wasn’t wild. It was a bit high and inside. If you pause the video as soon as the pitcher throws the ball, look at how high the catcher is squatting. Then when the ball is about a 1/4 way from the batter, the catcher suddenly drops to his knees–AND throws his glove between his knees AS WELL as lowers his chin to his chest
. And remember–this is the state championship, this catcher should have enough skill to EASILY grab that pitch.
robblefarian on June 11, 2008 at 10:29 PM
Don’t judge these kids to fast. If this ump was anything like the refs in the NBA finals last night trying to get the Lakers back into the series then he deserved it.
eski502 on June 11, 2008 at 10:32 PM
I guess you, me and Liz Weihl are the only people in America seeing it like we did. Boy, we suck.
If we’re going to assign nefarious reasons as to why the boys aren’t talking, one may be is that his intention was to hit the batter. Is that sportsmanship? No, but it’s undeniably part of the game. Nobody admits intentionally doing it.
Rhinoboy on June 11, 2008 at 10:34 PM
well I have 3+ feet of monitors and video editing software so I know what I saw…
now people being hit on purpose? I can’t tell you what’s inside their heads, no matter how far I zoom in…
Kaptain Amerika on June 11, 2008 at 10:37 PM
It’s not that clear whether it’s intentional or not. They ain’t pros- wild pitches do happen, and if it hit the ump in the face, it was higher than the catcher could’ve easily caught- the ump was standing almost straight up and not crouching much.
Might’ve been intentional, might not have been. I don’t see anything obvious either way. How many college pitchers are good enough to hit an ump square in the face if they tried?
Hollowpoint on June 11, 2008 at 10:38 PM
Sorry. This was intentional. Watch the catcher closely. He drops to his knees, throws his glove hand down to the ground, with the glove facing down, and ducks his head down. He makes absolutely no attempt whatsoever to catch the ball. None of his actions are geared towards even attempting to stop the ball, his primary concern with a runner on base.
As bad as the umpire may have been, and believe me, I’ve run into some doozies, that does not warrant intentionally throwing a 90 mile an hour fastball right at his head. If the ump had flinched, he could have turned to the side, and taken it straight off of his temple. That could have killed him on the spot.
Those punks should be banned for the rest of their careers from high school baseball and suspended from school indefinitely. They’ll be lucky if they’re not brought up on charges. If I were a juror, I’d ring them up without a second thought.
Anyone who condones this is screwed in the head. You should be ashamed.
nukemhill on June 11, 2008 at 10:40 PM
Duh. Not only did the catcher made no attempt to catch the ball, but he ducked his head expecting a ricochet. If this was the country it used to be, these guys would have to have an assumed name to ever play baseball again.
peacenprosperity on June 11, 2008 at 10:44 PM
The camera angle makes it look like it hit the batter, but he didn’t react that way at all. He stayed in the box, bat in hand, never moved towards first.
The catcher gave it away though, he didn’t sell it well at all.
I have to wonder about the “neck pains” though. I’ve seen umps take harder shots from foul tips.
As always, need more info though. Was there a trip to the mound prior to the pitch? Do we have a tape of the catcher’s signs before the pitch, or worse, signs from the bench? If they did it on purpose, someone on the team will talk.
reaganaut on June 11, 2008 at 10:47 PM
I agree. The ball hit his lower mask on the way down and didn’t hit any other part of him. There was probably a lawyer waiting in the parking lot for him after the game. I’d like to know what the third base umpire thought about it.
peacenprosperity on June 11, 2008 at 10:50 PM
Even if the ball did crease the batter’s helmet, the catcher was ducking the pitch.
Intentional and moronic.
desertdweller on June 11, 2008 at 10:57 PM
This isn’t the game of baseball I know
Beto Ochoa on June 11, 2008 at 11:01 PM
Pitcher’s already been drafted by the Doyers.
IMHO it was intentional, and there’s not a lot (except a lot of things that I suggest below) that can be done about it because it is “part of the game”.
What can be done?
Father of both boys could punish them in some intelligent, measured and fatherly way (as they probably have never done before now).
Their coaches could do the same.
Teams could do the same.
Schools could do the same.
MLB could sanction schools/leagues in a similar way.
Umpire union could take “guerrilla” action – ban together to retaliate against players who behave in this way.
Will any of this happen?
Na.
peski on June 11, 2008 at 11:02 PM
Guilty as Charged.
Zaire67 on June 11, 2008 at 11:07 PM
That catcher took a friggin flop. Intentional all the way. It may have been “lucky” that it hit the ump square in the mask, but they were going to hit him somewhere with that pitch, and the catcher made double sure to get out of the way.
The proof would be tape of this catcher for the last, say, three seasons. Has he ever ducked and gone to his knees for a waist-high pitch before? If not, he’d be hard pressed to say it was his normal reaction to a ball placed where this one was.
TexasDan on June 11, 2008 at 11:08 PM
Gotta wonder if they told the kids to do it.
peacenprosperity on June 11, 2008 at 11:09 PM
With a runner on first base, no catcher anywhere is instructed to do what Hill did. You’re told by your coaches to block the ball any way possible, to prevent the runner from advancing. So whether or not the ball grazed the batter and hit the ump is completely immaterial — if the pitcher throws one high and inside, the catcher should be leaping up to try and keep the ball from going to the backstop, not ducking his head and dropping his glove, as if there’s an RPG about to land in the compound.
If this had been a major league, or even a minor league game, the catcher, pitcher and the head coach would be looking at 5-10 game suspensions. However, since both Hill and Martin are both seniors, this is a freebee, since there’s nothing the Georgia High School Athletic Assoication can do to them; they can only punish the coach and the school, which might make the pitcher and catcher feel a little bit bad, but that’s about it.
jon1979 on June 11, 2008 at 11:22 PM
Those two give a bad name to baseball. I say sue their ass into the ground.
indythinker on June 11, 2008 at 11:23 PM
Oh for crying out load, did any of you ever even play any sports before? It may have been bush league but it’s not the end of the freak’n world. I couldn’t even begin to count the times a pitcher went for my head or have a runner go for my ankle with his spikes if I was playing first and don’t even get me started on what happens in a slide. Guess what? Players play dirty all the time, especially young players that are frustrated, this just happened to get taped. I’m sure all your morally pure sons or daughters who play sports have done things like this and worse.
lowandslow on June 11, 2008 at 11:23 PM
I’ve seen worse hits to an umpire’s face, honestly. Can anyone here prove it was intentional? Do you have some insight into the kid’s minds?
I used to pitch, and I’ve thrown some wild stuff before. I also was a catcher for two seasons (hated it), no way was I going to stick my hand up where I knew it didn’t belong. I like all the bones in my hand RIGHT where they are.
We did scare the crap out of a high school football referee once though. Purely unintentionally, so I can see how some might interpret this incident.
john1schn on June 11, 2008 at 11:26 PM
I’ve watched this one several times now. It clearly hit the batter’s helmet. That’s the reason for the reaction from the catcher. This wasn’t intentional(at least against the ump. Maybe he wanted to brush back the batter…).
john1schn on June 11, 2008 at 11:29 PM
Nope, not by a long shot.
I’m looking for the post that said it was the end of the world, though…
reaganaut on June 11, 2008 at 11:36 PM
There’s a base runner. All catchers are taught to keep the ball in front of you and always to protect below the glove as that is where most errant balls get away from you. The pitcher throws what looked like a hanging curve and the catcher thought it was coming down.
Besides if the pitcher could hit his spots all day like he hit the ump in face, he shouldn’t have been down 8-1.
Non-story.
Tokyo Times on June 11, 2008 at 11:37 PM
As soon as I watched it I thought it hit it was deflected off the batter’s helmet. It looked like he threw a breaking ball. I think the catcher was expecting it to break down, but after it hit the batter’s helmet it stayed up and hit the ump. This doesn’t seem intentional to me.
greggish on June 11, 2008 at 11:40 PM
A very old and dirty trick.
I know guys who have done this same thing.
It did not hit the batter’s helmet. As the ball bounds away, he gestures to his teammates on base, which he of course would not do if it had hit him.
It is obviously intentional when you consider that this is something pitchers and catchers have done for decades.
SlimyBill on June 11, 2008 at 11:42 PM
I’m sure you kids are as pure as the driven snow, right. As for the screeching, this place isn’t a whole lot different then the knee jerk reactions at the DU or the Daily Kos.
lowandslow on June 11, 2008 at 11:44 PM
I’ve seen this done before. I was at the mound meeting when the plan was devised by one of the best players that I have ever seen.
It is a dirty trick, but you can get by with it. The idea is to hit the umpire with a fastball, while seeming that the catcher was expecting a curve ball. The catcher gave it away with that terrible acting job; he shouldn’t have moved at all. The catcher over-sold it, and the umpire will get paid more than $80.
sandman on June 11, 2008 at 11:47 PM
It obviously hit his helmet; his head recoiled from the strike, but he recovered (not like it hit him straight on the head anyway) to wave runners on.
Watch the batter’s head; not the ball. You’ll see what I mean.
john1schn on June 11, 2008 at 11:52 PM
You know something? It does look like it hit the batter in the helmet. The batter might have thought his head hit the bat instead of the ball. The angle makes it difficult to see definitively.
It looks like the catcher made a move to catch the pitch until it hit the batter and he ducked.
I just think doing that would be very difficult even if he tried. That’s a hell of a pitch if he tried to hit the umpire and did. He threw the ball with the ump still crouching, and didn’t even look at the target.
I don’t think it was intentional. Too many moving parts. These guys probably aren’t well liked and this is a ‘gotcha’ moment for them.
ThackerAgency on June 12, 2008 at 12:14 AM
The pitch definitely hit the batter’s helmet. It’s plain as day.
Redhead Infidel on June 12, 2008 at 12:15 AM
Catcher is horrible liar.
Intentional. Prepare to be judged.
ChipDWood on June 12, 2008 at 12:29 AM
OK, watch the video again and pause it on the slow motion replay right as the ball gets to the batter’s helmet. The catcher is still trying to catch the ball. Definitely not intentional. And nearly impossible to coordinate unless you are a professional.
Another case of being judged guilty until proven innocent. What a wonderful community we have here. Yeah, throw these kids in jail for a wild pitch. . . good idea. It’s a good thing all you people vote.
ThackerAgency on June 12, 2008 at 12:36 AM
What the heck video are you people watching? It didn’t come CLOSE to hitting the batter’s helmet.
playblu on June 12, 2008 at 12:37 AM
If it didn’t come CLOSE, then why did the batter DUCK. Did you see the batter DUCK?! The video angle makes things look different. You can’t see it because of the video angle. It must have been close because the batter ducked.
ThackerAgency on June 12, 2008 at 12:40 AM
So are you prepared to state that the ball of it’s own intent altered course when it flew past the batter’s helmet to hit the umpire?
No pitch can move like that. Watch it again in slo-mo, you’ll see the change in direction and the batter’s reaction.
john1schn on June 12, 2008 at 12:41 AM
I say, “Good Going Boys“….
Give them an award for having an American Spine…
I would like to see this extrapolated to the Judiciary who think they can create laws from the bench……
I LOVE IT…………
Seven Percent Solution on June 12, 2008 at 12:43 AM
Allahpundit, you forgot to add all of the bad calls Blue was making that day, ………. nice piece of “truth”……….. pathetic.
Seven Percent Solution on June 12, 2008 at 12:48 AM
Intentional. Clearly.
Congratulations on being an couple of asses.
Spirit of 1776 on June 12, 2008 at 12:49 AM
Hopefully America can get to the point where the losing team sues the winning team – just for beating them (there should be a law ya know).
ThackerAgency on June 12, 2008 at 12:53 AM
By the way, did any of you actually watch the series?
Seven Percent Solution on June 12, 2008 at 1:09 AM
I think it hit the batter’s helmet as well.
.
But give the pitcher a few years – he’ll probably be bragging that he intentionally banked one off the batter’s helmet and into the mask of the SOB ump whose bad calls had him down 8-1.
Occasus on June 12, 2008 at 1:23 AM
Ok, so it was intentional. But I’ve seen umps get hit with a foul ball that literally ripped off their mask so this wasn’t all that bad in that regards. Still, I wouldn’t condone it.
VinnyL on June 12, 2008 at 1:34 AM
I am not convinced it was on purpose, that is not to say I am convinced it was not on purpose.
It was not a fastball as some have said. You can tell it was an offspeed pitch.
Now, when it nears the helmet, it does dip, but was it from the pitch rotation, or a deflection?
3rd base coach seems to ask the 3rd base ump something, maybe questioning if it hit him?
Was the intent to hit the batter?
Did the catcher block his view of the ball, knowing it was an offspeed pitch, he then dropped to his knees to block the ball?
It looks fishy, but I am not convinced it was on purpose to hit the umpire.
WoosterOh on June 12, 2008 at 1:40 AM
I wanna know what Johnny Bench has to say about it.
- The Cat
MirCat on June 12, 2008 at 2:17 AM
Pffft. The ball hits the batter’s helmet. He jerks his head down diagonally for a reason (and the reason is not because he was curious and watching the ball).
Not to mention the pitch is high.
Y’all are too quick to judgment.
geckomon on June 12, 2008 at 2:25 AM
The opposite of that ‘best game ever’ video from a while ago..
Reaps on June 12, 2008 at 6:16 AM
NOT INTENTIONAL!!!
Watch and pause the slo-mo. You will see the ball nick the helmet of the batter, and the flight of the ball altered. When that happened, the catcher flinches.
And, if you do your google research, you will find from the coach that the pitcher crossed the catcher up: the catcher was expecting a low curve, and got a high fast ball.
pelajus on June 12, 2008 at 6:17 AM
The umpire did not flinch. Obviously, he was in on the conspiracy.
percysunshine on June 12, 2008 at 7:30 AM
Wiehl? “hot”? you’re not serious??? what are you? 80 years old?
eplain on June 12, 2008 at 7:36 AM
I have to agree with the “not an eeevil conspiracy” crowd – the ball pretty clearly hits the batter. I think it’s also very telling that
Not a story, but makes for a fun discussion. I think it’s interesting how quick everyone is to assume a conspiracy and to assume that someone is doing something sinister…
Moonbat_Hunter on June 12, 2008 at 7:58 AM
Ethan Martin is the pitcher’s brother, and he had argued with the umpire over his last strikeout. The batter was the other team’s catcher, a kid named Taylor Hightower. Here’s what he said about the incident:
He doesn’t mention getting hit with the ball himself.
Quisp on June 12, 2008 at 8:18 AM
I’d think that, if it weren’t intentional, the pitcher and catcher would have been screaming that fact for all the world to hear. They’re in trouble and they know it.
It looks like the pitch grazed the other batter’s helmet and ended up doing exactly what they wanted it to do. The only explanation I can make for the catcher’s actions is maybe he figured that it was about to bean the batter, in which case who knows where his bat is going to go in self defense.
flutejpl on June 12, 2008 at 9:14 AM
Looks as if it may have hit the tip of the batters helmet. Why would he throw a breaking ball at the ump? I think the catcher thought it was going to break into the dirt and it just didn’t.
I’ve had pitcher throw a fastball instead of a curve and had similar results but mostly the ball hitting me in the mask.
roux on June 12, 2008 at 9:26 AM
The team was fined and put on severe warning status (whatever that means). The coach voiced his disappointment in his players’ behavior. The catcher lost his opportunity to play college ball. Obviously, the people that mattered determined it to be intentional and worthy of punishment.
Zaire67 on June 12, 2008 at 10:18 AM
Back in the day, I was a pretty good shortstop and very good at scooping up groundballs and making the play at first.
But one time, as I scooped, the ball left my hand early, and I beaned the baserunner directly in the helmet, sending him tumbling.
The other team though I had done it on purpose, but honestly, I had not. I mean, that would have been a HELL of a throw, to bean a fast-moving baserunner while throwing off my back foot going the opposite direction.
In short, sometimes what LOOKS intentional isn’t. I’m sure the guy I beaned still thinks I did it on purpose. And if there was video of it, I’m sure it would LOOK like I aimed for the guy’s noggin.
But… there’s no crying in baseball. And no “I’m sorry,” either.
wccawa on June 12, 2008 at 10:30 AM
Holy crap. Unbelievable. Has anything like this ever happened before?
Yes. I’ve seen hockey players fire the puck at the ref. I assure you that a frozen puck hitting a relatively unarmored person at any rate of speed fracking hurts.
But before you get too bent out of shape, the officals are considered part of the ice surface…
I R A Darth Aggie on June 12, 2008 at 11:17 AM
the pitch was hardly out of the box… and what do you think the mask is for? looks? someone is looking for a lawsuit, any suit will do in America’s ever more litigious habits… you don’t want to be hit by a baseball? don’t line your face up behind the plate.
KaptainAmerica
Ditto. I’m not going to lose any sleep over this.
connertown on June 12, 2008 at 11:22 AM
“He is considering his legal options”
Why was he wearing a mask to begin with?
Is it reasonable to assume that the mask might be hit with a ball or a bat?
Is it reasonable to assume that the mask being hit by a ball or a bat is a risk consistent with what one might normally take when they stand behind the plate at a baseball game?
crosspatch on June 12, 2008 at 11:23 AM
I was both a pitcher and a catcher through my High School years, and I can tell you that either this catcher is HORRIBLE, or it was intentional. I’m leaning towards intentional.
Even when signs were misread and I was expecting something else, even on a huge amount of wild pitches, I was able to get leather on the ball, or was at LEAST reaching in the right direction.
That said, I think this can all be dealt with in the league. Suspensions for the 2 involved and the coach, maybe even barring them from playing for the following year, but I don’t think this is “criminal”.
beefytee on June 12, 2008 at 11:40 AM
I don’t think it hit the batter’s helmet,because after he say where the ball went he motioned to the runner to go to 3rd, and in the video, the runner stays at 3rd, if it had hit him the ball would be dead and the runner wouldn’t be able to advance, unless there was also a runner on first, in which case it would be a walk, and there would be no need to run. These kids are pretty old and well aware of the rules of the game.
I’m still going with intentional, I’m still going with not criminal.
beefytee on June 12, 2008 at 11:57 AM
THE BALL DID NOT HIT THE BATTERS HELMET!!!!!
I’ve umpired for several years. Thankfully, nothing like this ever happened to me.
Watch the batter after the ball hits the umpire. The batter stays in the box and IS MOTIONING THE RUNNER TO TAKE THIRD BASE.
Let me tell you, these kids know enough that if the ball hits them, they are taking their base. The ball would also be called a “Dead Ball” and the runner does not advance to third.
PappaMac on June 12, 2008 at 12:03 PM
Good Call Beefytee
PappaMac on June 12, 2008 at 12:04 PM
or the umpire could be blind, didn’t see it, and made yet another BAD CALL. Yes if the batter was hit, he should take the base and all that you described. . . but not if the umpire didn’t call it that way.
I’m still going with unintentional wild pitch. There were too many moving parts, and I don’t think the pitcher could have hit the umpire if he had tried. The announcer was even talking about a 2-3 inch strike zone cushion as though this pitcher was having control issues. If he’s having control issues, beaning the umpire in the face while he’s moving with a breaking ball is near impossible.
ThackerAgency on June 12, 2008 at 12:07 PM
if you were a batter and didn’t SEE either one, would you be able to tell the difference between a ball hitting the helmet and the bat hitting the helmet? Would they make the same ‘sound’ and ‘feel’ to the batter being hit? The batter probably thought that the bat hit his helmet.
So now it’s OK for umpires to sue players. GREAT.
ThackerAgency on June 12, 2008 at 12:10 PM
Where you saying he meant to hit the batter or the umpire? If you are saying he meant to hit the umpire, then I would love to know what school he went to to figure out the exact angle to bounce it off the batters head in order to hit the umpire.
Dang conspiracy stories seems to be taking off with the Internet now.
JeffinSac on June 12, 2008 at 12:56 PM
My guess is those of you who think that this WASN’T intentional also thought the cell phones were really popping the corn kernels as shown on yesterday’s Hot Air.
If you think the batter’s reaction, after supposedly getting hit in the head, is normal then you really haven’t played much baseball. Ditto on the catcher’s reaction. There is nothing there that even hints he wasn’t taking a dive.
If you think it was intentional and it was OK as a payback for supposed bad calls then you I want you stay away from my kid’s league.
8straight on June 12, 2008 at 1:21 PM
What I don’t get is what horror of horrors happened here? Are you people so petty that something like this causes your blood to boil? Even if it was intentional – impossible, what’s the big deal? What crime was committed? I don’t get it.
We have kids setting up other kids for You Tube clips to literally beat the crap out of each other, and you people have outrage at some supposed ‘horror of horrors’. It’s BASEBALL. It’s a GAME. Nobody was hurt, everybody is still standing in the clip.
Did any of you laugh in the movie ‘the longest yard’ when Burt Reynolds continually purposely threw the ball at the groin of the defender rushing the passer? Was that a criminal offense? Should it not be tolerated? Seriously some of you people need to get a grip on what is important.
The official has a mask. He wasn’t injured because of the mask. This ‘outrage’ is absurd. I’m outraged at the outrage. . . even if it was intentional – which there is no way. He was punished whether right or wrong.
I guess it would have been more appropriate if the umpire had charged the pitcher and catcher with RAPE.
ThackerAgency on June 12, 2008 at 1:52 PM
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