Interesting situation

[crazyaboutcoues]

FED rules

I had a catcher set up right behind the dish to where the batter would sometimes hit his glove while taking warm up swings (before the pitch). When the pitcher started his wind up the catcher would tap the batter on the knee and then back up to his position.

Would this be unsportsmanlike conduct?

Catchers obstruction???

I stopped him from doing that with just a warning but was wondering if I should have done more...

[Rich Ives]

Catchers sometimes reach to the batter to gauge where they should position themselves. It's usually done from the knees before rocking back into the crouch. No big deal but he should probably do it earlier.

It's only CO if the catcher hinders the batter's ability ho hit the ball.

[sdix00]

The guys who do higher level ball will weigh in on this one. But this is 100% intentional by the catcher and is designed to get in the batter's head just prior to the pitch. Basically it adds a WTF element to the already complicated process of hitting a pitch.

It is unsporting and should be nipped in the bud.

[Guest]

Avoid throwing your catcher under the bus if you can. At least ask him first why he's doing that.

Ives is right that catchers will do something like this to better gauge their depth, especially if they've been clipped by warm-up swings or already dinged for CI.

If he says he's doing it for that reason, tell him to do it earlier and ask him not to touch the batter. "You wouldn't like someone touching you when you're trying to hit." But as long as it's well before the pitch and the batter isn't taking offense to being touched, I wouldn't pick the booger any further. It's no different than a batter giving F2 a tap on the shins to say "what's up" when he comes up to hit.

If he plays coy, it's most likely more of the tactic that dix suggests and seems to correlate more to whats going on in the OP. Be more stern with telling him to cut that sh!t out.

Keep his manager in the loop between innings, so he can intervene if necessary.

Unless FED has some sort of intermediary penalty, at lower levels run him if he keeps doing it. At higher levels, its a toss up as to how you feel that day - you can run him or you can suddenly become interested in cloud formations when he gets drilled his next AB.

[Rich Ives]

The guys who do higher level ball will weigh in on this one. But this is 100% intentional by the catcher and is designed to get in the batter's head just prior to the pitch. Basically it adds a WTF element to the already complicated process of hitting a pitch.

It is unsporting and should be nipped in the bud.

You are absolutely positively only partially correct because it is often done to gage depth..

[sdix00]

The guys who do higher level ball will weigh in on this one. But this is 100% intentional by the catcher and is designed to get in the batter's head just prior to the pitch. Basically it adds a WTF element to the already complicated process of hitting a pitch.

It is unsporting and should be nipped in the bud.

You are absolutely positively only partially correct because it is often done to gage depth..

I was referring to the OP when the F2 does it when F1 starts his windup. F2 has no bizness effing with B1 at this point.

Obviously, there are other situations other than the OP where this may be innocuous.

[mstaylor]

I have worked some pretty good levels of baseball and I have never seen a catcher touch a batter to gauge nothing. I would fully expect a batter to "accidentally" crack the catcher in the mask. Do not let a catcher touch a batter, especially when the pitcher has started his motion.

[Rich Ives]

I have worked some pretty good levels of baseball and I have never seen a catcher touch a batter to gauge nothing. I would fully expect a batter to "accidentally" crack the catcher in the mask. Do not let a catcher touch a batter, especially when the pitcher has started his motion.

Not only have I seen it done I've seen it taught. Probably because I went to coach clinics and not umpire clinics.

[mstaylor]

I will poll some catchers that have caught in D1 and MiLB. I don't know any MLB catchers, pitchers yes but not catchers. I just can't believe that is an accepted practice. I have never seen it. I have seen guys reach out and have had contacty during a practice swing, that's not a problem.

[HokieUmp]

The guys who do higher level ball will weigh in on this one. But this is 100% intentional by the catcher and is designed to get in the batter's head just prior to the pitch. Basically it adds a WTF element to the already complicated process of hitting a pitch.

It is unsporting and should be nipped in the bud.

You are absolutely positively only partially correct because it is often done to gage depth..

You are absolutely positively wrong here. OP: pitcher was in the wind-up when it happened. sdix00 is correct, full stop. Just like the ploy of tossing dirt on the batter's shoes. Please remember: umpire site, not coaches site.

Just because it's taught by a coach, doesn't mean it's right.

[crazyaboutcoues]

_{I agree it's wrong, but what would be the call?}

[catsbackr]

Something along the lines of, "Time." Clean the plate, say to catcher "knock that crap off now."

[Batman1262]

Something along the lines of, "Time." Clean the plate, say to catcher "knock that crap off now."

Yea! What he said!

[bam]

First I'd ask the catcher why the heck he's doing it, and regardless of the answer tell him to knock it the f**k off. If the rat coach has a problem with it grab him by the arm and ask him how HE likes it. Well mayber not that, but ask him "How would you like me to start touching you right now?" And walk away.

[boyinr]

Something along the lines of, "Time." Clean the plate, say to catcher "knock that crap off now."

Exactly. I would not explain or otherwise draw out the conversation. I don't really care why he is doing or if he would like it. I had an F2 that was "dirt thrower" last year. F2 told me it was a nervous thing that he did for good luck and that he couldn't help himself. Somehow he was "inspired" to find self disiplne in less than half an inning. Something he was taught be someone.

I depending on the age group I may tell the coach I have issued a warning to F2 for unsportmanlike conduct. In the upper levels this is likely going to be policed on the field.

[mstaylor]

See it once and shut it down. There is no need to ask why he's doing it, he's doing it to screw with the batter. I found one guy that said he has seen it, at least the reaching out. NOBODY ever saw a catcher actually touch the batter, especially with the pitcher in his motion. Totally 100%, without a doubt, under no circumstances, allow it.

[noumpere]

I agree with this and think that it might be taught as a method for the catcher to judge but that its too be used during training etc and not durign a game. Since this topic came up Ive paid attention to the catchers at HS and all levels of college and not seen anything close to it one time.

[SanDiegoSteve]

I have worked some pretty good levels of baseball and I have never seen a catcher touch a batter to gauge nothing. I would fully expect a batter to "accidentally" crack the catcher in the mask. Do not let a catcher touch a batter, especially when the pitcher has started his motion.

Not only have I seen it done I've seen it taught. Probably because I went to coach clinics and not umpire clinics.

Are these the clinics where they teach coaches how to cheat whenever possible?

[UmpTTS43]

In OBR, it is considered CI. Therefore I would extrapolate that downward. Batter gets 1st and coach will probably get a seat on the bus.

[johnnyg08]

Call CI at the TOP then?

[Replacematt]

Call CI at the TOP then?

No. Let the play happen. If dicks like Rich want to play this game, then they can have the fruits of their labors. Call it after the fact, if you need to. (This is coming from a guy from Rich/Dick's state.)

[johnnyg08]

Just like any other CI call right? That's what I'm asking.

[Jeremy_UEFL]

never mind....misread OP ha thought it said before pitcher began windup.