EJ Warranted?

[834k3r]

Legion (OBR) rules. I'm PU in a two-man crew. HT F1 threw darts in the 2nd inning, but starts missing in the 3rd. Not by a lot, but he misses by 2 inches here and there. He starts getting agitated and clearly saying something (I can't hear him talking, but I see his lips moving and his body language is obvious). I ask F2 "he's not saying something to me, is he?" F2 responds, "no, he just really gets upset with himself."

Fast forward a couple of batters, and F1's frustration continues as he continues to miss close pitches. LHB comes up to bat and takes another pitch (inside) for a ball. Everyone resets for the next pitch and F1 (with R1 taking his lead) comes set and pauses for several seconds. Batter asks for time, which I grant--I came up loud "TIME!" and cleared the plate behind the batter as he stepped out. Pitcher just after I called time started his windup and threw the ball (fastball). It landed a couple of feet in front of me and I had to move my legs quickly to avoid getting hit. I immediately thought "did he just throw at me," but without proof I didn't feel like I could justify tossing him.

What would y'all do in the same situation?

[Velho]

11 minutes ago, 834k3r said:

I immediately thought "did he just throw at me," but without proof I didn't feel like I could justify tossing him.

Much more experienced than I will weigh in but my thought process is same as yours. There simply isn't enough there to EJ. No solid evidence but it puts your radar up. Things keeping happening and/or OTHC starts squawking you've got a door to walk through and discuss with DTHC & F1.

F2 relationship seems good. Could lean into that, possibly get some insight? (this is where I don't personally have the experiecne. 9-12 yr old catchers often barely look at me much less engage).

8 minutes ago, 834k3r said:

and cleared the plate behind the batter as he stepped out.

Went to the right behind the LHB batter? I've always been trained to go the open side (HPU's left on a LHB) for greatest chance at F1 awareness and batter safety. LHB's are less common so understandable going the wrong way. Just putting it out there.

[834k3r]

1 minute ago, Velho said:

F2 relationship seems good. Could lean into that, possibly get some insight?

I know the F2 and he's a good kid, so I trusted his assessment of the pitcher.

1 minute ago, Velho said:

Went to the right behind the LHB batter? I've always been trained to go the open side (HPU's left on a LHB) for greatest chance at F1 awareness and batter safety. LHB's are less common so understandable going the wrong way. Just putting it out there.

I was trained to go behind the batter for additional protection. If that's incorrect or not current (@wolfe_man? @MadMax?) I'm happy to retrain myself.

[JonnyCat]

21 minutes ago, 834k3r said:

I know the F2 and he's a good kid, so I trusted his assessment of the pitcher.

I was trained to go behind the batter for additional protection. If that's incorrect or not current (@wolfe_man? @MadMax?) I'm happy to retrain myself.

Move away from the batter. Come up big and vocal with a time signal, while stepping out away from the batter. You want to try and stop the pitcher from throwing. Also, moving behind the batter blocks your vision.

This mechanic is taught at all clinics, camps, schools that I have attended and/or instructed at.

[The Man in Blue]

I get the logic of using the batter for added protection vs. going out into open space, but I was always taught the same as @JonnyCat: you go the other way to be seen and kill the play OR, at minimum, you stay put and be really "big" with your call and signal until you know the pitcher has stopped.

 

Personally, I am never going towards or with a batter who may take a practice swing at any moment.  Even if I am brushing the plate or have to pass by one to get a line up change, I announce my presence to the batter and try to get an acknowledgement from him.  "Passing by, 24, don't swing yet.  OK, I'm clear."

 

 

[834k3r]

10 minutes ago, JonnyCat said:

Move away from the batter. Come up big and vocal with a time signal, while stepping out away from the batter. You want to try and stop the pitcher from throwing. Also, moving behind the batter blocks your vision.

This mechanic is taught at all clinics, camps, schools that I have attended and/or instructed at.

I was big and vocal for sure.

I'll change where I clear to--I appreciate the feedback.

[The Man in Blue]

I forgot to reply to the actual question . . . 

 

I don't see enough there to even warrant thinking about an ejection.  You killed a play that was slowly developing, but still developing.  It is not unreasonable that the pitcher didn't see it in time to stop.

I've heard the complaint that "my pitcher is going to get hurt stopping" but I don't put any credence in that.  We can get hurt doing anything.

[834k3r]

6 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said:

I forgot to reply to the actual question . . . 

 

I don't see enough there to even warrant thinking about an ejection.  You killed a play that was slowly developing, but still developing.  It is not unreasonable that the pitcher didn't see it in time to stop.

I've heard the complaint that "my pitcher is going to get hurt stopping" but I don't put any credence in that.  We can get hurt doing anything.

100%.

I failed to provide one detail that caused doubt to come into my head. There was probably a full second or two before the pitcher delivered the pitch--it seemed like a long time in the heat of the moment.

[grayhawk]

16 minutes ago, 834k3r said:

100%.

I failed to provide one detail that caused doubt to come into my head. There was probably a full second or two before the pitcher delivered the pitch--it seemed like a long time in the heat of the moment.

That's what it sounded like in your OP ("Pitcher just after I called time started his windup"). Unless he didn't hear you, he WAS throwing in your direction. But without any previous interaction with him, like having F2 go out to talk to him, or giving him a warning that everyone saw and heard, you have a fairly thin case to eject him without that starting a fire that didn't need to be started. What happened following this incident? Did he cool down? Start throwing strikes? Get replaced soon after? Just curious to know if there was any further grumbling on his part.

[834k3r]

25 minutes ago, grayhawk said:

That's what it sounded like in your OP ("Pitcher just after I called time started his windup"). Unless he didn't hear you, he WAS throwing in your direction. But without any previous interaction with him, like having F2 go out to talk to him, or giving him a warning that everyone saw and heard, you have a fairly thin case to eject him without that starting a fire that didn't need to be started. What happened following this incident? Did he cool down? Start throwing strikes? Get replaced soon after? Just curious to know if there was any further grumbling on his part.

After that inning (which passed without any further drama) he pitched through the 5th--again with no further drama. In the second game (his team had a DH against a different team, I was BU) he was R2 and during a pitching change he went to talk to the 3BC. As he passed me, he said "hey blue, sorry about last game." To which I simply responded "thank you."

[Thatsnotyou]

If you went the same way as the batter, I think it’s more likely he was trying to throw near the batter than you if he was trying to throw near anyone.