Should I have warned?

[johnnyg08]

Game one of a 7/9 DH.  

 

5th inning and the losing team is losing 17-0.  

 

9th hitter comes to bat and has a 1-1 count.  

 

He squares to bunt, pulls it back and the count is now 2-1

 

Next pitch comes in high and tight, hitting the batter in the helmet.  

 

Nobody says a word as I send the batter down to first base.  Immediately my instinct kicks in and I think they threw at the batter because he squared to bunt when the score was out of hand.

 

The game finished in a shutout and there were no issues and nobody even hinted that they threw at him on purpose or thought that they threw at him on purpose.

 

In fact, me issuing warnings might have started something and created more trouble for me which is why I didn't issue warnings to both teams.  But in games like this that's when things can get out of hand quickly too in terms of a bean ball war.  

 

Game management thoughts?  

 

 

[zoops]

My instinct would say not after one quick incident.  Other factors (i.e. previous incidents in game) could potentially sway me.  

[Richvee]

Hold on,,, who bunted? Was it the losing team? They need to get baserunners. Winning team lays one down...I'd be on high alert . 

[maven]

Couldn't the winning team bunt because they're ready to give up outs?

 

Couldn't the #9 hitter suck, and bunt to reach base?

 

Couldn't a team that had already forked over 17 runs have a pitcher who just sucks?

 

I'm not addressing this without more evidence that there's a "this" to address: F1 glaring, yakking, etc.

[umpstu]

If it's 17-0 in the fifth inning of a 7 inning game it was probably a kid who doesn't get in the game too much.  There's no they need base runners. As far as the pitch that followed, they aren't down 17-0 because their pitching is stellar.  I warn the pitcher for the winning team that if a kid got on base and he tried to pick him off I will give him a balk for being ignorant.  Works every time.

[Majordave]

Probably just more bad baseball the way you described it.  If there was jaw jacking or complaining due to the attempt at a bunt then the pitch maybe I have something but not as described.

 

@umpstu

 

A balk for being ignorant?  I love it.  I will use that now.  And I WILL call it for sure.

[noumpere]

You can do something like ask the catcher "hey -- did i miss something there?"  Or, "I hope this gane doesn't go in the crapper because of some stupid beanball incident"

 

Lets him know that you are looking out for something, so don't try anything, even though you said nothibn, it means everything.