It may very well have hit the batters helmet. I'll give you that one (I don't think it does but that is really besides the point). The catcher never comes within a foot of the ball. If you are just reacting you'll put your glove up in the general area. Even if you get crossed up, you still will get close to catching the ball. The catcher clearly had no intention of catching the ball, whether the ball was intended for the umpire or the batter.

 

If you accept the fact it's a breaking ball, it's not hard to accept that the catcher would drop down low to field a ball he's expecting to drop into the dirt.

I know a breaking ball, regardless what angle I'm looking at it from. That was a breaking ball. The batter was even in the process of doing that shoulder-tuck away from it, the way you see every other batter in the world who doesn't see the breaking ball properly. The pitcher threw it at the batter's head, expecting it to drop into the strike zone. It didn't, because it hit dude's helmet.

 

It may have been a slider, but like i said...it was not a big, looping breaking ball like you said. I do not see the batter getting ready to lean his shoulder in at all. I see him realizing a fastball is up and in and he is shying away from it like anyone would do if a ball is close to their head. And you're going to tell me that the catcher is expecting the ball to break so much that it starts at the guys head and is supposed to end up in the dirt? Please. You can tell right when the a pitcher lets the ball go whether a breaking ball will break or if it is just a spinner...that is if you've played baseball for more than about a year.

If you accept the fact it's a breaking ball, it's not hard to accept that the catcher would drop down low to field a ball he's expecting to drop into the dirt.

 

Its pretty hard to believe that a catcher would reach up with his glove and then drop to his knees. Even if he was crossed up, he wouldn't have had time to reach up and then realize it was a breaking ball then drop to his knees. People dont have reactions like that. I've caught before and i've been crossed up, expecting a fastball then the pitcher throwing a slider. It's not fun. There's no chance that the catcher would have had time to go to his knees. You really have no chance of catching it. All you can do is stab at it. This was clearly planned.

It may have been a slider, but like i said...it was not a big, looping breaking ball like you said. I do not see the batter getting ready to lean his shoulder in at all. I see him realizing a fastball is up and in and he is shying away from it like anyone would do if a ball is close to their head. And you're going to tell me that the catcher is expecting the ball to break so much that it starts at the guys head and is supposed to end up in the dirt? Please. You can tell right when the a pitcher lets the ball go whether a breaking ball will break or if it is just a spinner...that is if you've played baseball for more than about a year.

 

It may not have been a looper, but it still looked like the pitcher intended breaking ball, he just didn't release it properly. I still contend that the batter was tucking his shoulder in (to his right), but he was as fooled as anyone that the pitch didn't break as he expected.

 

I'm still not sure what to make of the catcher, but I'm still willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

It may not have been a looper, but it still looked like the pitcher intended breaking ball, he just didn't release it properly. I still contend that the batter was tucking his shoulder in (to his right), but he was as fooled as anyone that the pitch didn't break as he expected.

 

I'm still not sure what to make of the catcher, but I'm still willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

I guess its good that you're not willing to jump to conclusions, but I think it was pretty obvious that the catcher planned this. Whether the pitcher knew anything about it...we may never know.

Do not think it hit the batter. You can not hear the ball hit anything other than the umpires helmet. BTW, if it hit the batter then why did he just stand there & make some motion with his arm rather than going to first base??????

Do not think it hit the batter. You can not hear the ball hit anything other than the umpires helmet. BTW, if it hit the batter then why did he just stand there & make some motion with his arm rather than going to first base??????

 

If you watch it in slo-mo, he does react just as it hits. That's right after he starts tucking in his shoulder in anticipation of the breaking ball that never breaks.

If you watch it in slo-mo, he does react just as it hits. That's right after he starts tucking in his shoulder in anticipation of the breaking ball that never breaks.

 

 

He doesn't really tuck his shoulder, he's triggering his bat and getting ready to start his stride when he realizes that it's up an in. I don't think it hit his helmet at all. If it did why would he he immediately put up the stop sign for his baserunner. If he had been hit he would have started for first or at the very least wouldn't have been concerned about the baserunner because it would have been a dead ball.

I think it is a breaking ball too. If the pitcher or catcher is wanting to hit the ump it would be with a fastball. The batter realizes that the runner can advance on a wild pitch so he doesn't react as if he is hit.

The problem with any of the arguments supporting the catcher is that the catcher's movement and actions are so un-natural that it can only be intentional.

 

By the way, the way the umpire was walking after the catcher, he knew what just happened.

I guess its good that you're not willing to jump to conclusions, but I think it was pretty obvious that the catcher planned this. Whether the pitcher knew anything about it...we may never know.

 

 

After watching several times, I agree.

He doesn't really tuck his shoulder, he's triggering his bat and getting ready to start his stride when he realizes that it's up an in. I don't think it hit his helmet at all. If it did why would he he immediately put up the stop sign for his baserunner. If he had been hit he would have started for first or at the very least wouldn't have been concerned about the baserunner because it would have been a dead ball.

 

:thumb:

It didn't hit the batter.

The pitcher was surprised/ not in on it.

The catcher did this on purpose.

The ump is a jerk and probably deserved it. His comments in the paper about "I have been injured and I'm under a doctors care" is a giant load of crap. He is guilty of something.

I've watched this several times and it looks intentional on the catcher's part. I don't think that the pitcher was in on it at all. It didn't hit the batter because he didn't make a motion towards first and instantly throws up his hand to hold up the runner.

 

In no way should this ever be a part of the game. I don't care if the ump made a thousand bad calls, this should not have been done. The game was being broadcast and if the ump was making bad calls, it's there on tape. Let the GHSAA handle it. And, it wasn't too harsh for him to lose his scholarship to play ball at this college. No way a coach would have a kid on the team like this kid. I hope his parents disciplined as well.

 

The ump is a jerk and probably deserved it.

 

How in the world did you arrive at this conclusion?