Babe Ruth - Throwing The Bat

[bluejersey]

I did a Babe Ruth game tonight in which a batter threw his bat after making contact three times. The first one hit my thigh, the second hit my ankle, and the third hit the catcher's shoulder. I said something to him after each incident with a harsher tone each time. The batter apologized each time and it seemed genuine. After the third time, the DHC wanted him to be called out. I told him I hadn't actually given the batter a formal warning and I didn't want to call outs this way at this level of ball. Maybe I should've, but my instinct is to avoid creating controversy. What would you guys have done in this situation?

[ElkOil]

I'm a little confused. Are you saying that during one at-bat, the batter swung and missed/fouled a ball three times, each time throwing his bat on the backswing?

If so, there's no provision I'm aware of in the rules to declare the batter out, assuming the third time was a foul.

[MT73]

  There is no provision in any ruleset to call an out for a thrown bat. 

I will have to check my Babe Ruth rulebook but there may be a provision of having him restricted to the bench.

[BT_Blue]

As far as I am aware, the only thing you can do is issue a formal warning for the whole team. The next kid that does it find himself next to the coach for the rest of the game via ejection.

[bluejersey]

8 hours ago, ElkOil said:

I'm a little confused. Are you saying that during one at-bat, the batter swung and missed/fouled a ball three times, each time throwing his bat on the backswing?

If so, there's no provision I'm aware of in the rules to declare the batter out, assuming the third time was a foul.

No it was three separate at bats. And he threw it each time he made contact/put the ball in play.

[bluejersey]

6 hours ago, BT_Blue said:

As far as I am aware, the only thing you can do is issue a formal warning for the whole team. The next kid that does it find himself next to the coach for the rest of the game via ejection.

That's what I figured and I wasn't going to eject him.

[LRZ]

What struck me about the OP was your "instinct . . . to avoid creating controversy." I am a firm believer in preventive officiating and using common sense and discretion, but avoiding controversy is an inadequate reason not to apply a rule, especially one with a safety component. Several of the leagues I work have a rule calling for a warning on a first thrown bat, then calling a batter out (not an ejection) on any subsequent incident. Why would I not escalate my response to repeated bat-throwing? Harsher tones obviously didn't work.

I apologize if I sound overly-critical, but why would you feel compelled to issue a formal warning (whatever that means) after three "informal" warnings? You didn't throw the bat, the kid did. If the league rule calls for ejection or an out, he ejected or "outed" himself; you were simply the means.

[ElkOil]

7 hours ago, bluejersey said:

No it was three separate at bats. And he threw it each time he made contact/put the ball in play.

Got it. 

I agree with @LRZ. You're just the arbiter of the game. You're not the one creating controversy. All you're doing is properly reacting to a player's actions.

[LMSANS]

23 hours ago, bluejersey said:

I did a Babe Ruth game tonight in which a batter threw his bat after making contact three times. The first one hit my thigh, the second hit my ankle, and the third hit the catcher's shoulder. I said something to him after each incident with a harsher tone each time. The batter apologized each time and it seemed genuine. After the third time, the DHC wanted him to be called out. I told him I hadn't actually given the batter a formal warning and I didn't want to call outs this way at this level of ball. Maybe I should've, but my instinct is to avoid creating controversy. What would you guys have done in this situation?

The first time I take the bat to the HC and tell him that is a team warning. The next time I eject the player.  Coach gets to replace him on the base he attained with his hit. No out, but ejection.

No controversy here...almost every time I have used this approach the batter's grip has improved and the catcher and I are better protected.  Coaches have been respectful of the calls.

[MadMax]

One problem, @LRZ, is that the calling of an Out, treating it as a penalty, is not a provision of any of the foundational rulesets (OBR, NCAA / NAIA, or NFHS) or most of their derivatives and modifications. The calling of an Out as a "formalized" rule is, at best, a local rule; more often than not, it's a knee-jerk implementation by a lone umpire. Once his partner or other umpires at the tournament / complex / event observe it, someone adopts it as a "good idea", and it spreads like a virus.

We keep the Ejection as a "nuclear option", and justify its use (rightly so) for only the most grievous, intentional actions on the part of these doe-eyed kids. We're all reserved about using it; however, our warnings are inconsistently heeded. So how to make it stick?

You know where these kids "learn" this, right? Coach pitch and/or tee-ball.

[LRZ]

The critical point of my post is that you cannot umpire to avoid controversy. 

[ofhs93]

On 5/25/2017 at 6:50 AM, bluejersey said:

That's what I figured and I wasn't going to eject him.

If the player had been warned verbally the 1st time, I would have a polite conversation with the manager between innings the second time. 3rd time would be an official team warning. Now...if the catcher had been hit the 1st or 2nd time then things would accelerate one level. *Me* getting hit is one thing...the catcher getting hit..well..part of my job is to keep the players safe...and I take that seriously.

[ElkOil]

12 hours ago, ofhs93 said:

If the player had been warned verbally the 1st time, I would have a polite conversation with the manager between innings the second time. 3rd time would be an official team warning. Now...if the catcher had been hit the 1st or 2nd time then things would accelerate one level. *Me* getting hit is one thing...the catcher getting hit..well..part of my job is to keep the players safe...and I take that seriously.

Are these "warning tiers" part of the Babe Ruth rule set?

[Senor Azul]

From the 2016 BRD (section 98, pp. 84-85):

OBR Official Interpretation:  Wendelstedt:  If the umpire is hit by a carelessly thrown bat, he is “almost certain” to warn the batter that such action must be stopped. On the second offense, the player is told he will be ejected if he continues. On a third offense, the umpire should eject the offender.

NCAA:  Official Interpretation:  Paronto:  The umpire should address carelessly thrown bats with the appropriate head coach. There is no official warning.

FED:  A player may not carelessly throw his bat. (3.3.1x)  PENALTY:  team warning/ejection. (3-3-1c Pen)