Umpire hits Abreu with bat

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Oct 24, 2010
308
28
Edit: Apologies for the previous flippant response.
Looks like bat barrel right to the knee.
Could have taken the player out of the game.
Umpires: Let the bat alone. Always.
 
Last edited:
May 29, 2015
3,731
113
An umpire should NEVER ... NEVER ... in case you didn't get that, NEVER ... touch player equipment (beyond a pre-game or in-game inspection) . I am a hard@$$ on this. Some people may think I am rude, but I am not picking up the catcher's mask for him. I am not picking up a bat for the on deck batter coming up. I am not even picking up a bat between innings.

The last time I picked up a bat between innings I took it over to the offense's dugout and stood there, holding it out. The players taking the field walked right past me. The players in the dugout ignored me. The coaches continued their conversation. Nobody made any effort to come get it. So I took it back with me to the plate and put it back where I got it. The parents got a good chuckle. The catcher threw down after the pitcher's warm up pitches, the batter took his place ... and I yelled "TIME!" I looked at the bat and nobody moved. Finally the catcher picked it up and tossed it to the dugout. After that, my view became "I'm not a maid. The only thing I clean is home plate."

In the video, what makes no sense to me is why he even picked up the bat in the first place. Beyond those times when you should pick up equipment ... which is NEVER ... why are you picking up a bat that is not in the way DURING a play coming to you at the plate?

Pop quiz ... when should an umpire pick up a player's equipment? NO ... the answer is NEVER. ;)
 
May 16, 2012
97
18
Missouri
An umpire should NEVER ... NEVER ... in case you didn't get that, NEVER ... touch player equipment (beyond a pre-game or in-game inspection) . I am a hard@$$ on this. Some people may think I am rude, but I am not picking up the catcher's mask for him. I am not picking up a bat for the on deck batter coming up. I am not even picking up a bat between innings.

The last time I picked up a bat between innings I took it over to the offense's dugout and stood there, holding it out. The players taking the field walked right past me. The players in the dugout ignored me. The coaches continued their conversation. Nobody made any effort to come get it. So I took it back with me to the plate and put it back where I got it. The parents got a good chuckle. The catcher threw down after the pitcher's warm up pitches, the batter took his place ... and I yelled "TIME!" I looked at the bat and nobody moved. Finally the catcher picked it up and tossed it to the dugout. After that, my view became "I'm not a maid. The only thing I clean is home plate."

In the video, what makes no sense to me is why he even picked up the bat in the first place. Beyond those times when you should pick up equipment ... which is NEVER ... why are you picking up a bat that is not in the way DURING a play coming to you at the plate?

Pop quiz ... when should an umpire pick up a player's equipment? NO ... the answer is NEVER. ;)
100% on point. I don't understand umpires, coaches, and fans who don't understand why you should never pick up after the players. Not what I was hired for.
 
Mar 1, 2013
396
43
Early in my career, I used to try to be helpful. I then was given grief by a parent because I kicked a bat out of the way and "that bat cost more than all of your equipment combined!" rang out. Whatever. As noted, I leave them be. Not my job. A discarded bat, by rule, is part of the playing field (with obvious exception of a batter-runner throwing the bat into a batted ball) so runners and fielders be aware of the presence of the bat and pick it up your darn self once play has ended.
 
May 29, 2015
3,731
113
Thank you @eddieq ... I got going on my rant and forgot that added piece which I usually include.

Yeah, I'm not picking up your $400 bat and literally throwing it back to the dugout just so I can "throw it out" when it rattles during the next equipment inspection (and you try to blame me).
 
Jun 3, 2021
157
28
[QUOTE="The Man In Blue, post: 622732, member: 12963
The last time I picked up a bat between innings I took it over to the offense's dugout and stood there, holding it out. The players taking the field walked right past me. The players in the dugout ignored me. The coaches continued their conversation. Nobody made any effort to come get it. So I took it back with me to the plate and put it back where I got it. The parents got a good chuckle. The catcher threw down after the pitcher's warm up pitches, the batter took his place ... and I yelled "TIME!" I looked at the bat and nobody moved. Finally the catcher picked it up and tossed it to the dugout. After that, my view became "I'm not a maid. The only thing I clean is home plate."

[/QUOTE]

That’s terrible. Coaches should have apologized. I know I would have and got on our girls!

Only time I might ask an umpire to touch a bat is if there is a play to the outfield and it turns into a possible play at the plate where they walked by a bat laying on the third-base line in front of home plate. Just kick that one out of the way. Just me???
 
Jan 11, 2015
78
18
Just you. Why would I touch something that is permitted to be on the field of play and by the rules is considered part of the playing field? Only time I have touched a bat after they got rid of us checking the equipment before games is when the coach and batter are going to be ejected for an illegal bat. I hold the bat to the coach showing them that its missing a stamp or that it is on the non approved bat list.
 
Jun 3, 2021
157
28
Ok. I’m 45 years old and this was back when I was 19 to 21 years old and umpiring at West Hills Little League here in Southern California. Pretty competitive league and I was a decent ballplayer recovering from reconstructive shoulder surgery. Kicking a bat out of the way from a kid barreling into the plate just seemed sensible. Maybe Covid garbage has changed things???

Jim Wolfe actually umpired some games there and taught us a thing or two. Just before he started umpiring in the show.
 
Jan 11, 2015
78
18
Nope. Never touched a bat at all. Only time i did was when we were required to in equipment inspections. Now they got rid of that. Got to many things to do then bother with a bat on the ground. Moving to the holding zone, watching the runner touch 3rd, obstruction when they are rounding the base. I am never around the plate as the plate umpire as that usually isnt the place to be once the ball gets put into play.

Its never taught here to do it when I started and we dont teach new umpires that when they are starting. So many other things to do and watch for.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,478
Members
21,445
Latest member
Bmac81802
Top