How (Not) to get Ejected

From Bases Loaded 29.12.

MSL’s League Head explains ejection from the diamond.

How easy is it for a player to be ejected from a game? In reality it is very easy to be ejected from a game: here are the ten most common infractions that can get a player ejected from a game.

1. Profanity or insulting an umpire
2. Physical abuse of an umpire
3. Questioning balls and strikes
4. Removing the lines from the batting box
5. Refusing to stop arguing with an umpire
6. Use of histrionics or gestures towards an umpire after a call
7. Actions intended to ridicule the umpire, for example umpire calls a ball and the pitcher puts their hands in the air, or batter gets a strike and looks back at the umpire or points the bat to where the ball landed
8. Throwing equipment in disgust
9. Arguing or disputing a warning
10. Verbal and physical abuse of other players

So remember all those times as a pitcher you have shaken your head or put your hands in the air after a call did not go your way, as a batter you look or point to where the ball landed, as a player you have shouted at the umpire after a safe call? Umpires are human and we can make mistakes, but more mistakes are usually made in a game by both teams than the number of mistakes an umpire makes. During a seven-inning game an umpire has over 8,500 decisions to think about compared to a player either at bat or fielding or pitching. Don’t cross that boundary and you won’t be making an early exit from the game and taking a walk to the carpark.