Hit by pitch

[RazrRila99]

Ok, watching the regionals this weekend I have a couple questions on the hit by pitch. 

In our Saturday game against MoState our pitcher plunked a guy in the bill of his batting helmet (bad, yes, very bad) and he got a base for getting plunked. 

Bonfield supposedly got grazed just above the knee in the 8th or so and nothing, just a "ball call." 

Then in our Sunday game (cant remember our player) gets plunked in the elbow for protecting his face.  Yes, he ducked his shoulder therefore throwing his elbow up. 

My question:  What is the difference between the MoState player not dropping to his knees to avoid getting hit and our player protecting his face with his elbow? 

Granted, I think we should take away the elbow pads etc and start making the players aware and getting the eff out of the way. 

[rmcchris]

It is all in the umpires judgment for the call. Did the player make a reasonable effort to avoid, protect and get out of the way.  If they lean over the plate and into a pitch and get hit, the ump can rule no HBP as well.

[LRHawg]

It is all in the umpires judgment for the call. Did the player make a reasonable effort to avoid, protect and get out of the way.  If they lean over the plate and into a pitch and get hit, the ump can rule no HBP as well.

I'm curious, in the Umpire's opinion, how Shaddy(it was Shaddy, right?) was supposed to get out of the way when the ball was coming right at his shoulder. He raised his arm to protect his face. It would be one thing if he stuck his arm out into the plate, but he simply turned away from the ball. Awful call which ultimately, karma took care of.

[JHicks3636]

It's a judgement call and like all judgment calls the team the call goes against is usually unhappy. When I saw it as it happened, I thought the ump missed it. After reviewing the straight at the plate replay, I understood how he could have seen it. Fortunately he ended up walking anyway.

[RazrRila99]

Thanks for the feedback guys.  Im not "complaining" perse, but would like to see more consistency in calls like this. 

[hogsanity]

The Sat pitch that barely grazed the uniform is going to be made on sound, no way the umpire can see that pitch graze the uniform. It likely made no "odd' noise, especially with all the crowd noise going on.

I did not see the Sunday pitch, but from the description, it sounds like the ump just blew that one. A pitch up around the head, the batter is always going to try to protect himself, and is not supposed to penalized for doing so.

[Tejano Jawg]

With all the pitches that just catch a little cloth, even in the bigs, I'll never know how an ump can tell that happened.

With ours yesterday—the elbow hit—you can see it both ways. In slow-mo, sure, it looked like he raised his elbow up into the ball. HOWEVER, in real time, with a ball that appeared to be sailing high, think about how far he'd have to move to get his entire torso back and out of the way. When 80-90 mph is coming at you, you react. Imagine being in that same spot and a ball is coming toward your left shoulder/chin. You absolutely react instinctively and try and block it.

[PintailKiller]

I'm curious, in the Umpire's opinion, how Shaddy(it was Shaddy, right?) was supposed to get out of the way when the ball was coming right at his shoulder. He raised his arm to protect his face. It would be one thing if he stuck his arm out into the plate, but he simply turned away from the ball. Awful call which ultimately, karma took care of.

I thought it was Arledge

[jbell96]

It was Arledge, and replays showed he actually turned his elbow slightly in to the pitch, so it was actually the right call. He walked two pitches later so it all worked out in the end.

[kennymayne]

Yeah i thought it was the right call. I understand why people were upset. But, to me, he stuck his arm out in order to get hit.

[tennesseehogwild]

It was Arledge and ump made the right call. It was a nice try but he did raise his elbow a little.

[LRHawg]

I guess we'll all just have to agree to disagree. I saw him twist and lean back which did bring his elbow into the ball, but the ball was headed right at him. I just don't think it's fair to expect the batter to "make it look like I'm not trying to get hit" when the ball is coming at 90 miles an hour towards your shoulders/head. It's not like the ball would not have hit him if he didn't move in the way. It was headed right at him. If that's me, I'm going to try and take the ball on my elbow pads vs my shoulder or face...

[jry04]

I guess we'll all just have to agree to disagree. I saw him twist and lean back which did bring his elbow into the ball, but the ball was headed right at him. I just don't think it's fair to expect the batter to "make it look like I'm not trying to get hit" when the ball is coming at 90 miles an hour towards your shoulders/head.

Exactly. His head immediately turned to avoid contact. In his stance, his elbow is already up. If your elbow is up and you turn your head and shoulders in the opposite direction, your elbow is going to go out. It was a breaking pitch that looked like it was coming at his head and ended up at his elbow. You can't twist your body away and keep your elbow in the same spot. I am not sure how anyone can see that he leaned into it or tried to get hit when he literally turned his head as his first reaction in the replay. Live, yeah maybe the ump can make it, but fans watching should be able to see his first reaction was to protect himself.

[bighog2255]

It was Arledge and ump made the right call. It was a nice try but he did raise his elbow a little.

Agreed. Tough judgment call to make, but looked like the rule was correctly applied. Seemed Arledge purposely stuck the elbow out to get hit.

[hogsanity]

I know this, I see players as far down as 11 or 12 yrs old being taught how to get hit by pitches and make it look like they were trying to get out of the way.

[jm]

On Arledge, the ump was probably correct. He probably let it hit him, but it is never called that way. He moved without leaning in. It is really rare to see a batter called back in that situation because assuming intent on the batters part is like assuming a double play, you just can't do it. 

[rmcchris]

I'm curious, in the Umpire's opinion, how Shaddy(it was Shaddy, right?) was supposed to get out of the way when the ball was coming right at his shoulder. He raised his arm to protect his face. It would be one thing if he stuck his arm out into the plate, but he simply turned away from the ball. Awful call which ultimately, karma took care of.

I understand, but it is the umps judgment and he can really call what ever he wants.