May have missed one.

[muddauber77]

Local league game. 14u Fastpitch softball, top 2 teams in standings in meaningless last game of the season. VT is 3 games up on HT with one to play. Top of 5th, VT batting with 8 run lead, VT catcher at plate. She is 3 for 3. HT catcher looks at coach in dugout for sign. She double takes and coach says just do it. The pitcher then hit the VT batter in the thigh. I hesitated and didn't do anything.

It was obviously intentional. I kicked it. Would anyone have dumped HT coach, catcher, and pitcher, without a warning. Let me have it.

[yerout13]

spose you could have ran all three if you watched it all progress and knew what was said, at the very least you could have run the pitcher, but this happens, I wouldn't worry about it

[Mr Umpire]

If obvious, F1 and coach. Can't say F2 though may say to. But, F2 didn't throw the ball.

It sounds pretty obvious. Were these rival teams? If so, I wouldn't have hesitated. If not, I may have thought about it. Probably still have come to the same conclusion but may have taken a second longer.

Sounds like you missed it. And, to further the issue, the coach thinks they can get away with just yelling it out and the umpires won't do anything. Have to get it immediately to prevent other hitters from being endangered like that.

[dawg-man]

What if you are pretty sure but not 100 % sure? I have had it in a game and I was pretty sure but not absolutely sure so I did nothing and went home that night talking to myself. Please advise, I would like to hear from alot of you guys. Thanks

[Stan W.]

If you are SURE then dump coach and F1.........If not sure, then call coach out.....pull out your lineup card and quietly ream this guy a new one......

[rulebook]

Let me play devil's advocate and offer another plausible scenario. Maybe the catcher wanted to walk the hitter who was 3 for 3. The coach knows it's a meaningless game and signals to go ahead and pitch to the batter. But the pitcher doesn't want to give the batter anything in the zone and runs the pitch too far inside.

The OP said it was obviously intentional, so maybe there were other situations earlier in the game that led up to this. But if the description of this situation is all I have to go on, I have a warning at most.

[yerout13]

see that's the thing.... your not psychic, and no one expects you to be, so unless your absolutely sure I don't think running the coach or F2 would be a good idea, you could have certainly run the pitcher, a lot of times their body language will give you a clue about intent.

[buddywilshire]

Let me play devil's advocate and offer another plausible scenario. Maybe the catcher wanted to walk the hitter who was 3 for 3. The coach knows it's a meaningless game and signals to go ahead and pitch to the batter. But the pitcher doesn't want to give the batter anything in the zone and runs the pitch too far inside.

The OP said it was obviously intentional, so maybe there were other situations earlier in the game that led up to this. But if the description of this situation is all I have to go on, I have a warning at most.

I agree, you don't know. This is 14u fastpitch softball, do you really think they have a sign to hit a batter? I would hope not.

[Umpire in Chief]

When a pitcher intentionally throws at a batter it's one of those things you have to trust your umpiring instinct about. Your opinion is the only one that counts. I've heard of people issuing warnings even when they're not sure to nip in in the bud.

[muddauber77]

They were rivals but not unfriendly. Most of them play together in travel ball.

Good points though. I guess it would have been different if it would have been a little higher pitch. Thanks for feed back.

[mstaylor]

I agree, you don't know. This is 14u fastpitch softball, do you really think they have a sign to hit a batter? I would hope not.

I have actually had to babysit multible games of 12/13 softball this year for that very thing. There were two teams that had a big history and they had me there to handle the crowd and any ejections made. One manager was on probation from last year and ended up getting booted from a game and being removed as manager. He had a runner called out on a look back violation and threw a bat down the line and across a fence, for which the umpire warned him. Then they called the game on dark, it launched a bucket of balls across the infield, that drew a toss. One parent got removed from attending any games and threats were made to throw at girl's heads and having possible fights. I would have no doubt that they had a hit the batter sign.

[TNCoach]

I have coached in school ball for two years. I have never given my players a sign to hit a batter. We don't have one unless a pitcher and catcher came up with one on their own. We have only hit a few batters and none in situations where you would want to. I do know that I had a situation develop this year where the batter on deck was going to get plunked. I have had the boys ask if they could purposely hit a batter and I told them no and to never ask again.

I was reminded of the catcher in me because I remember calling for pitches to hit a batter under a few circumstances. Heck, I even remember an umpire was being a jerk to me personally behind the plate. He kept saying stuff to me about the ball hitting the mud and if I did not get my pitcher to bring them up he would make our strike zone smaller and that I would be cleaning the baseballs myself. I quickly reminded him that I was the only thing between him and a fastball.

[constable]

Coach and F1 gone. F2, HTBT.

[catoblue]

HTBT, but if I was reasonably sure it was intentional, F1 and coach go bye-bye

Usually, you can tell if it's intentional simply by the way F1 reacts after the ball hits the batter. Normally if F1 acts pissed at his (her) self, then it's likely just one that got away- award BR 1B and play on.

If it looks like it might be intentional, but I have some doubts, then the team gets a warning.