Throwing at batters.

[cdbaseball]

Is it ever ok to throw at a batter???

Going to start it off saying throwing at a batter and backing him off the plate are very different. I'm talking about throwing with the intention to put him on his back.

[KYFEDUMP]

Is it ever ok to throw at a batter???

Going to start it off saying throwing at a batter and backing him off the plate are very different. I'm talking about throwing with the intention to put him on his back.

 

Not in amateur baseball...ever.

[cdbaseball]

I agree completely, once again i think at times you have to back the kid off but you can still do that without throwing at him.

[C-Squared]

What about when there is a Squeeze play on......I know in college it is taught to throw at the batter. I would think in high school it would be ok to throw at the batter in only that type of situation. With that said, in high school I would hope if coaches are telling the pitcher to throw at the batter (during a Squeeze) they are not saying to “head-hunt”. Gets a little touchy as most pitchers don’t have pinpoint control to hit a batter where they are aiming thus someone could get seriously hurt.

 

Personally I would not tell a pitcher to throw at a batter (in any situation) rather tell them to just keep the ball down and throw a strike…but I understand it being part of the game in a situation such as a Squeeze at any level.

[Theoldguy]

Man on third starts to head home as the pitcher is about to release the ball, what do you tell your pitcher to do?

 

A. Throw it down the middle of the plate and hope the batter misses

 

B. Throw at the batter so he can't hit/bunt the ball and to get the batter out of the way.

 

You make the call?

[16th62nd]

I'll take B in that situation.

[cdbaseball]

The old rule was to throw at their head in that situation, but now I am hearing that you need to aim at their feet or legs.

[KYFEDUMP]

Man on third starts to head home as the pitcher is about to release the ball, what do you tell your pitcher to do?

 

A. Throw it down the middle of the plate and hope the batter misses

 

B. Throw at the batter so he can't hit/bunt the ball and to get the batter out of the way.

 

You make the call?

 

 

Properly coached, the automatic pitch out would be on....righty pitcher sees situation, catcher sees batter square, as RHP starts windup, catcher moves out of the box to catch pitchout, if batter comes out of box to get bat on ball, he is guilty of interference, runner out. Otherwise, plenty of time to get runner unless he has a super big jump. With lefty, more communication from rest of team involved but same scenario. You don't have to throw at the batter to protect against the squeeze.

[KeyserSoze]

Man on third starts to head home as the pitcher is about to release the ball, what do you tell your pitcher to do?

 

A. Throw it down the middle of the plate and hope the batter misses

 

B. Throw at the batter so he can't hit/bunt the ball and to get the batter out of the way.

 

You make the call?

 

 

 

Easy call... B

[STRIKE3]

Properly coached, the automatic pitch out would be on....righty pitcher sees situation, catcher sees batter square, as RHP starts windup, catcher moves out of the box to catch pitchout, if batter comes out of box to get bat on ball, he is guilty of interference, runner out. Otherwise, plenty of time to get runner unless he has a super big jump. With lefty, more communication from rest of team involved but same scenario. You don't have to throw at the batter to protect against the squeeze.

Don't know many, who coach throwing a pitchout on a squeeze. Besides, the catcher can't leave the box too early.

 

The entire objective of the batter, is to get the ball down on the ground and a pitchout, would allow a chance. Plus, isn't a batter still technically in the box, if only say his heel is touching the line.

 

Squeezes, usually result in up and in.

[KYFEDUMP]

Don't know many, who coach throwing a pitchout on a squeeze. Besides, the catcher can't leave the box too early.

 

The entire objective of the batter, is to get the ball down on the ground and a pitchout, would allow a chance. Plus, isn't a batter still technically in the box, if only say his heel is touching the line.

 

Squeezes, usually result in up and in.

 

 

I have seen it done in high school and college ball from the best seat in the house and it works. If batter has one foot totally out of box, illegally batted ball (fair or foul), runner out due to interference. Properly coached and executed this will work almost every time. Plus, up and in still gives the batter a chance to put the bat on the ball and foul in off (or in rare cases, get the bunt down).

[KYFEDUMP]

I have seen it done in high school and college ball from the best seat in the house and it works. If batter has one foot totally out of box, illegally batted ball (fair or foul), runner out due to interference. Properly coached and executed this will work almost every time. Plus, up and in still gives the batter a chance to put the bat on the ball and foul in off (or in rare cases, get the bunt down).

 

And, the catcher can move out of the box as soon as the pitcher starts his windup...

[2Short]

Don't know many, who coach throwing a pitchout on a squeeze. Besides, the catcher can't leave the box too early.

 

The entire objective of the batter, is to get the ball down on the ground and a pitchout, would allow a chance. Plus, isn't a batter still technically in the box, if only say his heel is touching the line.

 

Squeezes, usually result in up and in.

 

That is 100% accurate...in addition...when did it become such a terrible thing to throw at a batter? When I was a kid (I'm 42) that's exactly what we were taught. (I had two very well respected, classy coaches btw...both played D1 and the other played to AA pro). The point is, I was thrown at...I threw at batters, I don't remember anything bad happening? Everybody knew that was the game. If I had a big day going...maybe a hr, or just ripping a couple, I knew chances were good that I was going to see my chin shaved. "Head hunting" for the sake of simply hurting somebody was never taught or tolerated in my experience. However, getting a batter off the plate, keeping the batters from becoming too comfortable with the occassional loss of control, and making it tough on a squeeze bunter were all accepted "good baseball". "up and in"..."under the chin"..."back him off"..."own the inside"..."set up the outside corner"...all of these were accomplished by some inside heat. When did it become unacceptable? Was there an epidemic of severe injury I missed along the way?

[STRIKE3]

That is 100% accurate...in addition...when did it become such a terrible thing to throw at a batter? When I was a kid (I'm 42) that's exactly what we were taught. (I had two very well respected, classy coaches btw...both played D1 and the other played to AA pro). The point is, I was thrown at...I threw at batters, I don't remember anything bad happening? Everybody knew that was the game. If I had a big day going...maybe a hr, or just ripping a couple, I knew chances were good that I was going to see my chin shaved. "Head hunting" for the sake of simply hurting somebody was never taught or tolerated in my experience. However, getting a batter off the plate, keeping the batters from becoming too comfortable with the occassional loss of control, and making it tough on a squeeze bunter were all accepted "good baseball". "up and in"..."under the chin"..."back him off"..."own the inside"..."set up the outside corner"...all of these were accomplished by some inside heat. When did it become unacceptable? Was there an epidemic of severe injury I missed along the way?

.... :thumb: I've been around a lot of Baseball myself and I can recall, seeing 1 pitchout on a squeeze and yes, it worked. Other than that, the 'ole adage of up/in, has always been the procedure. The problem results in, when a pitcher is going from a windup, rather than a stretch. He must rely on the verbal communication, rather than visual.

 

A pitchout still allows the batter to extend and get the ball down. The site reflex and muscle memory take over, when a pitch is traveling up and in.

[hector]

I have seen it done in high school and college ball from the best seat in the house and it works. If batter has one foot totally out of box, illegally batted ball (fair or foul), runner out due to interference. Properly coached and executed this will work almost every time. Plus, up and in still gives the batter a chance to put the bat on the ball and foul in off (or in rare cases, get the bunt down).

 

The foot must be on the ground and completely outside of the box or if any part of his foot is on the plate. Then it is an illegal batted ball (fair or foul)and the batter is out and the runners return.

 

As long as its a legal pitch I dont think you can call the runner out for interference by the batter.

 

 

Now if the pitcher steps back off the rubber and throws home to get a runner out and the batter hits the throw, then its interference on the batter and with two outs the batter is out and with less than two outs the runner is out and any other runners return.