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0 Subject: Umpire Gets Drilled

Posted by: Great One
- [56438112] Wed, Jun 18, 2008, 14:25

Anyone see this? Pitcher and catcher conspire to drill the umpire with a pitch in a high school game... ESPN article with YouTube video link
1Ref
      Donor
      ID: 539581218
      Wed, Jun 18, 2008, 14:54
Isn't it enough for an umpire to endure all the blind jokes—Hey, ump, what's it like to get your checks in Braille?—without two players actually trying to blind him?

Cartersville wound up winning the game 13-1, and when state athletic officials saw the tape, they snapped. "The catcher did not intend to catch the pitch," says Ralph Swearngin, executive director of the Georgia High School Association. "I didn't see the eyes of the catcher tracking the pitch." He put Stephens County on "severe warning" and fined it $1,000.

Then some payback came for Hill, who was planning to walk on at Gordon College in Barnesville, Ga., next season. He got the word from Gordon coach Travis McClanahan, who said, Forget it, we don't want you. "I've seen catchers get crossed up before," says McClanahan. "But he appeared to be blocking a curveball in the dirt. I was shocked. I've never seen that happen. I've never heard of a player even suggesting doing that."

I bet Hill didn't see that one coming. Don't know, though, since neither Hill nor Martin is talking.

As for umpire Scott, he had a headache after the game and went for an MRI. Then he decided to get himself a lawyer. And I'm guessing there are two things that lawyer is checking out: the health of his client and the health of Hill's dad's wallet.


I've seen this happen a lot. By rule, the P adn C are to be ejected and I've seen state associations ban these players from competition.

I thought it was awesome that the college coach refused to allow the catcher to play for him now.
2Myboyjack
      ID: 8216923
      Wed, Jun 18, 2008, 15:06
As someone who got beaned a couple of times; how is this any more reprehensible than when a pitcher throws at a batter? I always wished that Andre Dawson had caught Eric Show.
3Razor
      ID: 4532926
      Wed, Jun 18, 2008, 15:26
Uh, the batter is actually playing the game?

There is also a difference in assaulting a figure of authority. Assaulting your boss, a ref, an ump, a cop...it just shows a lack of control and respect that assaulting a peer does not.
4Myboyjack
      ID: 8216923
      Wed, Jun 18, 2008, 15:46
Uh, the batter is actually playing the game?

That's meaningless - the batter's not playing dodgeball anymore than the umpire is. The umpire, one would expect is just as alert and involved as the batter is - he's wearing a mask and pads for a reason, right.



Assaulting your boss, a ref, an ump, a cop...it just shows a lack of control and respect that assaulting a peer does not.

I can go along with that part to a degree. However, I believe that the reaction to this incident should be the reaction to a batter being intentionally hit, though. Beaning is not part of the and shouldn't be accepted whether the victim is an umpire or a player. It's criminal.
5wiggs
      Sustainer
      ID: 04991311
      Wed, Jun 18, 2008, 15:52
As an umpire you are in a position behind the plate that you cant get out of the way. Your job is to stay there no matter what. A batter can run out of the box if he so choses.
6Myboyjack
      ID: 8216923
      Wed, Jun 18, 2008, 15:54
Your job is to stay there no matter what. A batter can run out of the box if he so choses.

Really? That must be why no batters ever get beaned, I guess.
7Razor
      ID: 4532926
      Wed, Jun 18, 2008, 15:58
HBP is an official stat. If you play baseball, you expect to get plunked. And every so often, it will be intentional or at least semi-intentional. Umpires are not part of the game.
8Myboyjack
      ID: 8216923
      Wed, Jun 18, 2008, 16:01
And every so often, it will be intentional or at least semi-intentional. Umpires are not part of the game.

Umpires get hit all the time. They expect to be get hit - that's why they wear protection. Umpires are part of the game - their even part of the field.

What you don't expect, whether you're and umpire or a batter is for some psycho to be aiming for you - and that's what is under discussion - intentional violence.
9Perm Dude
      ID: 11544178
      Wed, Jun 18, 2008, 16:06
Certainly there is no expectation that a player will intentionally do something to hit an umpire. And intentionally hitting a player is wrong too, correct?
10wiggs
      Sustainer
      ID: 04991311
      Wed, Jun 18, 2008, 16:07
MBJ, that makes no sense what so ever. What would you say if you saw an umpire dive out of the way during the pitch and miss the call? People would be all over that umpire.

On the other hand what happens when a batter bails out of the box? They usually get a laugh.


Umpires get hit all the time. They expect to be get hit - that's why they wear protection. Umpires are part of the game - their even part of the field.


Yeah. they expect to get hit with a foul tip, a ball in the dirt that squeeks by, but not by a fastball that a punk catcher bails out on.
11Mattinglyinthehall
      Dude
      ID: 01629107
      Wed, Jun 18, 2008, 16:14
Like MBJ, I can go with the second reason in post 3 but not so much the first.

But I disagree with him when he says "the reaction to this incident should be [the same as] the reaction to a batter being intentionally hit".

The penalty for trying to bully or physically harm an ump should be worse than the penalty for doing the same to an adversary. The umps are responsible for controlling the game. You can't allow players the same leeway in trying to control them that they are afforded in trying to control their opponent.
12Razor
      ID: 4532926
      Wed, Jun 18, 2008, 16:55
What's next? Are we going to allow hockey refs to be crosschecked simply because they are on the ice? Just because an ump is in the line of fire in baseball and occassionally get accidentally knicked does not mean they should ever be intentionally touched. They are what we like to call "off limits." They are as out of play as a fan in the stands.
13KrazyKoalaBears
      ID: 5549179
      Wed, Jun 18, 2008, 17:12
The batter and ump have completely different expectations and focuses.

BATTER
- Focused on all aspects of the ball
- Partially determining IF the ball is heading towards him
- No barrier between him and the ball (some expectation of getting hit)

UMP
- Focused on the X, Y position of the ball
- Knows the ball is always heading towards him (but...)
- Expects the catcher to be the barrier between him and the ball (negligible expectation of getting hit)

It's very hard to take advantage of the points listed under the Batter, but very easy (as we saw in the video) to take advantage of the points under the Ump.

THAT is why it's more reprehensible, in my opinion.
14Ref
      Donor
      ID: 539581218
      Wed, Jun 18, 2008, 17:35
I don't think anyone expects to get hit, but they wear that equipment just in case. Just because a motorcyclist wears a helmet, it doesn't mean they expect for their noggin to go bouncing off the ground.
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