I dont see intent to hurt in these plays.

 

What do you think she's trying to do then? Telling them "good job"? :lol2:

I dont see intent to hurt in these plays.

 

I would agree that the catcher likely was not trying to "hurt" the other players, just inappropriately expressing her frustration. She chicken winged the runner. Definitely not a sporting act, not part of the game and intentional, but not sure I can get with her deliberately trying to hurt another player.

 

In the context of football, I believe most blocks are not intended to injury, but to hit hard and cause the player to change their path next time, or pull up short, etc...

 

If I'm watching this after the fact, I see an unsporting act (x2) and I'm more concerned that the umpire didn't take action when he was looking right at it. (and as most know, I take up for these guys more often than not)

I would agree that the catcher likely was not trying to "hurt" the other players, just inappropriately expressing her frustration. She chicken winged the runner. Definitely not a sporting act, not part of the game and intentional, but not sure I can get with her deliberately trying to hurt another player.

 

In the context of football, I believe most blocks are not intended to injury, but to hit hard and cause the player to change their path next time, or pull up short, etc...

 

If I'm watching this after the fact, I see an unsporting act (x2) and I'm more concerned that the umpire didn't take action when he was looking right at it. (and as most know, I take up for these guys more often than not)

 

This.

I would agree that the catcher likely was not trying to "hurt" the other players, just inappropriately expressing her frustration. She chicken winged the runner. Definitely not a sporting act, not part of the game and intentional, but not sure I can get with her deliberately trying to hurt another player.

 

In the context of football, I believe most blocks are not intended to injury, but to hit hard and cause the player to change their path next time, or pull up short, etc...

 

If I'm watching this after the fact, I see an unsporting act (x2) and I'm more concerned that the umpire didn't take action when he was looking right at it. (and as most know, I take up for these guys more often than not)

 

Kind of where I'm at in my thinking too. Yes it was a dirty move, especially the second time....that certainly removed all doubt and that it was done intentionally. But the catcher just gave a little elbow to the body, and the end result looked a lot worse than it really was, and I don't think either of the girls she "blocked" were in any danger. In 30+ years of playing and coaching, I've seen much worse. And I give the other team lots of credit for not retaliating, and making a not so good situation worse.

Let's certainly not call for retaliation, or call for her to be seriously hurt.

 

Agreed.

So it's ok to throw at somebody's head?? I get the whole eye for an eye. But that reaction likely gets the coach and player suspended for a few games. Retaliation rarely has the desired affect and usually causes more harm to the retaliating team. Again, I like the idea of just scoring the run, pointing at the scoreboard, and smiling at them after the game when I win. The tough guy stuff is overrated.

No tough guy stuff, just defending a teammate. The tough guy stuff was the cheap shot the catcher took. You play the game like that and you better be on your toes every play and every at bat. Just curious what you would do with the same scenario but your team is losing? Just act like everything is ok, smile, turn the other cheek and go to the dugout? Sorry not me. Nothing worse than getting beat and beat up in the same game. The second time I blame on the umpire because she should of been tossed after the first incident. She shouldn't lose her scholarahip but if the other team doesn't want to turn the other cheek and retaliates? I have zero problem with it and yes I'm ok with one in the earhole. Not being a tough guy, just not going to turn the other cheek and allow that side to be slapped.

No tough guy stuff, just defending a teammate. The tough guy stuff was the cheap shot the catcher took. You play the game like that and you better be on your toes every play and every at bat. Just curious what you would do with the same scenario but your team is losing? Just act like everything is ok, smile, turn the other cheek and go to the dugout? Sorry not me. Nothing worse than getting beat and beat up in the same game. The second time I blame on the umpire because she should of been tossed after the first incident. She shouldn't lose her scholarahip but if the other team doesn't want to turn the other cheek and retaliates? I have zero problem with it and yes I'm ok with one in the earhole. Not being a tough guy, just not going to turn the other cheek and allow that side to be slapped.

 

Doesn't matter if you're winning or losing. I've never seen retaliation be effective...it just creates a cycle of paybacks. And I'll pull a kid that retaliates just like I'll pull a kid that throws the first punch. Retaliation either ends up getting somebody hurt worse, costing the team that retaliates more (either in penalties or ejections or both, and the fact that the guy who commits the first act rarely gets caught). I coached a football team where a kid from the other team punched one of my kids after he had tackled him. My player throws back, gets caught and ejected. This was one of my better players who wasn't really replaceable, and it helped cost us the game. It is possible to teach your kids to be tough without resorting to illegal plays or violence in response to someone pulling the same stuff on you. Retaliating is just a "bush" a move and makes you no better than the other guy. And you never, ever, throw at or attack somebodies head. I've seen what a baseball/softball can do, and it's not pretty. And no one deserves getting their face busted up (or knee blown up) under any circumstances. My teams will beat you within the rules, and still be plenty tough and if we lose, lose with class.

I agree with you on the immediate retaliation will cost you. If the first girl would of jumped up and took a swing at the catcher, that would be bad. But there is always next play, next inning, next game to send a message. I never said anything about blowing out her knee (I don't agree with that). Now if the umpire does his job and tosses her after the first elbow then laugh and wave bye to her but he allowed her to do it twice. I can promise you when I played college baseball that our team and any other team we played would of retaliated. 100% guaranteed and I have seen plenty of damage that a ball can do.

I don't think we can infer that her intent was to "harm another player", she was frustrated, dropped and elbow (x2) and it didn't get called out.

 

The overreacting part comes in when people are talking about pulling her scholarship over this. Dirty play happens in all sports and it is the officials responsibility to see it and address it when it occurs, all else should be left to coaches, AD's and possibly the state association (I'm less in favor of state associations getting involved).

 

I agree here BB. How the home ump or even base ump did not see this twice is beyond me. This girl may be a great player and yes she is young. Anybody ever do stupid stuff on a field of play when they were young and things weren't going your way? We all have. But like I posted about my daughter and her softball, when you want to bully your opposition, what goes around will eventually come around.

I do agree that earholing should not be encouraged, but I have seen some square in the numbers on the back of the jersey...sometimes pitches get away from the pitcher for odd reasons....not condoning, just reporting. To be fair, I have had a catcher "miss" a pitch that hit me square in the chest, since I didn't know if it was a clean miss, I quietly explained to the catcher that both would be ejected if it happened again.

^You'd eject a catcher for missing a pitch?

I do agree that earholing should not be encouraged, but I have seen some square in the numbers on the back of the jersey...sometimes pitches get away from the pitcher for odd reasons....not condoning, just reporting. To be fair, I have had a catcher "miss" a pitch that hit me square in the chest, since I didn't know if it was a clean miss, I quietly explained to the catcher that both would be ejected if it happened again.

 

^You'd eject a catcher for missing a pitch?

 

Oh yeah this happens, more than you would think. Ump and Catcher relationships are great.

^You'd eject a catcher for missing a pitch?

 

If the pitcher was demonstrative after the last pitch, in other words disagreed, and the catcher moved out of the direct line of the pitch and made no attempt to catch the ball and it hit me square in the chest....first I call a ball, then I eject, but only if I'm absolutely certain.

If the pitcher was demonstrative after the last pitch, in other words disagreed, and the catcher moved out of the direct line of the pitch and made no attempt to catch the ball and it hit me square in the chest....first I call a ball, then I eject, but only if I'm absolutely certain.

 

After witnessing your strike zone, I'd bet you get that a lot.

If the pitcher was demonstrative after the last pitch, in other words disagreed, and the catcher moved out of the direct line of the pitch and made no attempt to catch the ball and it hit me square in the chest....first I call a ball, then I eject, but only if I'm absolutely certain.

 

Or if the catcher "misses" blocking a ball that just so happens to bounce in front of him but squeaks underneath him.

 

 

I was good for that back in the day.