Serious baseball question: talking to the batter

[Turfday]

A friend of mine and I got into a friendly disagreement. I told him that talking to the other team and taunting goes on all the time and that it's part of the game. We've all heard about bench jockeys.

I also went so far as to say that between pitches, a pitcher can yell at the batter and say, "hey, I hope you can hit the fast one, because it's coming right now." I also said stuff like this commonly goes on between catcher and batter and that the catcher might say to the batter, "hey, you never could hit the curve, so I'm calling one right now."

My friend says no way this can happen because it's unfair and a total distraction to the batter, much like a golf opponent talking to a golfer who is sizing up a drive or a putt.

Further, he said that the pitcher or catcher could be ejected from the game by the umpire if they talked to or taunted the batter.

I told him this was pure, plain poppycock and that taunting was common in baseball. He said it was limited to players on the bench only.

So who is correct?

[Marshall Bennett]

A friend of mine and I got into a friendly disagreement. I told him that talking to the other team and taunting goes on all the time and that it's part of the game. We've all heard about bench jockeys.

I also went so far as to say that between pitches, a pitcher can yell at the batter and say, "hey, I hope you can hit the fast one, because it's coming right now." I also said stuff like this commonly goes on between catcher and batter and that the catcher might say to the batter, "hey, you never could hit the curve, so I'm calling one right now."

My friend says no way this can happen because it's unfair and a total distraction to the batter, much like a golf opponent talking to a golfer who is sizing up a drive or a putt.

Further, he said that the pitcher or catcher could be ejected from the game by the umpire if they talked to or taunted the batter.

I told him this was pure, plain poppycock and that taunting was common in baseball. He said it was limited to players on the bench only.

So who is correct?
Verbal communication to the point of distraction would first draw a warning and eventually an ejection in major league baseball .

[Lose The Juice]

It still happens, and it's not infrequent. See, e.g.,

"I was looking for a fastball down and away because he started me off like that the first two at-bats. Then certain things were said. I can't repeat it, but I'm not going to let anybody talk to me like that," Kendall said. "It's intense out there. I don't think a lot of people really know how intense it is. But it happened and it's over with."


Lackey said he believes he has the right to vent his opinion about Kendall's batting stance.



"Jason has had a history of leaning out over the plate, trying to get hit," Lackey said. "He stuck his elbow guard out over the plate and I told him not to. He had a problem with it, and he came out and got me. He has a right to do that, and I'm totally cool with it."

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=260502103

[Dave Schwartz]

The reality of baseball is that behavior such as you have described would be considered "bush league" and would be dealt with accordingly.

There is an old saying - "Don't wake up the dummies," which means, when you are thumping the other team pretty good, if you taunt them you just give them a reason to make beating you in the future very important.


"hey, I hope you can hit the fast one, because it's coming right now."

A quote such as that would ultimately lead to a fight - maybe not now but someday.

As for who is wrong, I would say both of you are.

He is wrong because there would be a brawl before the taunting was so bad that an umpire got involved. I just cannot imagine an umpire ever doing such a thing. He might discuss with the catcher how he needed to straighten out his pitcher before things get ugly.

You are wrong because it does not happen every day - even with the rivalries their is very little of that stuff.


Regards,
Dave Schwartz

[Dave Schwartz]

From the link posted by LtJ:

"I was looking for a fastball down and away because he started me off like that the first two at-bats. Then certain things were said. I can't repeat it, but I'm not going to let anybody talk to me like that," Kendall said. "It's intense out there. I don't think a lot of people really know how intense it is. But it happened and it's over with."

Exactly what happens. No umpire involvement until AFTER the brawl.


Dave

[njcurveball]

A quote such as that would ultimately lead to a fight - maybe not now but someday.




Here is exactly what would happen. :lol:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSxFl3le25o (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSxFl3le25o)

[Snag]

I would not want to taunt someone with a bat in his hand.

I've seen the batter swing wild and hit the catcher.

[Dave Schwartz]

NJ,

Great video.

Yup. That's the way I see it.

BTW, are you still pitching this year?

Dave