HBP Warnings

[zoops]

Had another umpire ask me about a sitch they had and with youth baseball (this was Legion) you see this so little so I'm not sure.  They had a rather bush league team from out of town that threw behind the HT's best player in his first at-bat and then plunked him in the back in his next at-bat.  Can you warn just that team or do you have to warn both? Eject without warning if you deem in intentional?

[guyinaredhat]

When you warn you warn both teams . If you deem it intentional it's an immediate ejection . If it happens again I'd eject the manager and the pitcher . 

[noumpere]

For FED (and some Legion uses that, even if the "official" rule in OBR), you can warn just one team.

[Pearberr]

Youth baseball is touchy because if you judge a HBP to be intentional you IMMEDIATELY eject. YOUTH baseball is about teaching safety and sportsmanship and Intentionally Throwing at a Batter completely destroys both in 1-2 seconds. I would not warn both teams in that situation. Talk to HC of the offending team and warn him personally that you feel he may be throwing intentionally and that if he believes his pitcher is out of control it may be best to remove him. You are justified even if you are wrong because you are handling the safety of the game, and you stand by that SH*# until the day you die in youth baseball. 

Also, if they hit the teams best hitter twice early in the count I'd suggest writing an email to the league president. The first thing that jumps to mind is pitch limits. Coaches are always looking for ways around the pitch limits (LLWS a few years back... ALL the balks). Hitting a batter is one of the classic methods for lowering a pitch count. 

[alan2703]

If this was the first inning and pitcher was all over the place I may give it another inning, if on the other hand the pitcher had good control  and this happens I would warn both benches. You will catch flak from both sides better that then having it turn ugly . I was told by my mentor to practice preventive umpiring he told sometimes it is not pretty but it can save grief later.

[zoops]

Just seems to be a tough one because HBP are a pretty common occurrence at this level because the pitchers often aren't great and if you go and warn both teams and a kid gets hit you have backed yourself into a corner.  Do you have to eject on a HBP if warnings have been issued?

[noumpere]

Do you have to eject on a HBP if warnings have been issued?

No.  You eject if it's intentional.  The warning means that the manager is also ejected if it happens after the warning.

 

(I *think* the MiLB rule and the MLB rule are slightly different before the warning.)

Edited July 16, 2015 by noumpere

[Umpire in Chief]

As has been said you don't have to warn both teams but even if not in the specific code you must warn both teams I believe it could be considered a "best practice" to warn both teams. Otherwise the team which did not get the warning may feel they can get a freebie, which can only lead to ejections. 

Warn both. Good preventive umpiring.