Pitchers try to keep players off the plate by throwing inside. While I don’t think that Junis intended to hit Judge, he clearly intended to move him off the plate by throwing a fastball up and in, and I do have a problem with that.
If you want to move a hitter off the plate throw the ball down and in. If you hit them, accidentally or otherwise, hit them below the waste.
I’m old enough to remember Tony Conigliaro, a great young player for the Red Sox, who’s career was cut short by a pitch that hit him in the eye. It was an ugly day in baseball. With pitchers throwing harder than ever, someone is going to be hurt seriously or worse.
My solution, anytime a pitcher throws up an in to a hitter, and the pitch is deemed to be a dangerous pitch by the home plate umpire, regardless of intent, the pitcher should be immediately ejected.
Pitchers try to keep players off the plate by throwing inside. While I don’t think that Junis intended to hit Judge, he clearly intended to move him off the plate by throwing a fastball up and in, and I do have a problem with that.
If you want to move a hitter off the plate throw the ball down and in. If you hit them, accidentally or otherwise, hit them below the waste.
I’m old enough to remember Tony Conigliaro, a great young player for the Red Sox, who’s career was cut short by a pitch that hit him in the eye. It was an ugly day in baseball. With pitchers throwing harder than ever, someone is going to be hurt seriously or worse.
My solution, anytime a pitcher throws up an in to a hitter, and the pitch is deemed to be a dangerous pitch by the home plate umpire, regardless of intent, the pitcher should be immediately ejected.
On Conigliaro, me too.
I remember when Chris Sale intentionally hit Bryce Harper when he was a rookie for no other reason than to teach him a lesson. He thought Harper was too cocky. Sale never has to bat, so he feels he can throw at batters with no fear. He was taught that mindset, and learned it well. Throwing at hitter is the one thing I hate about baseball. The NFL is taking corrective measures with respect to trying to prevent or lesson concussions. MLB needs to make some changes on the practice of throwing at batters. I also understand about retaliation in baseball. Like throwing at a batter if he goes into a base to hard or too high. The league can adopt punitive fines and suspension for that kind of play also.
Tony Conigliaro - 1967
In August 18, 1967, the Red Sox were playing the California Angels at
Fenway Park. Conigliaro, batting against
Jack Hamilton, was
hit by a pitch on his left cheekbone and was carried off the field on a stretcher. He sustained a linear fracture of the left cheekbone and a dislocated jaw with severe damage to his left retina. The
batting helmet he was wearing did not have the protective ear-flap that has since become standard.
Conigliaro was NEVER the same after that beaning.
MLB lowered the mound in 1969 to take an edge away from the pitchers. Before that, hard throwing pitchers like Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Nolan Ryan, Juan Marichal, et.al, stood on the mound and constantly threw smoke up to the plate.
I have a solution to hitting batters that would bring the practice to a screeching halt. Please keep in mind as you read this that
THE FOLLOWING WILL NEVER HAPPEN!!! The player's union would never agree to it because it's so radical and punitive. In short, you hit a batter
(on purpose or not), the following automatically takes place: (no appeals - what's to appeal?, you hit him. It's on film). Pitchers in the minor leagues would face shorter suspension times (20 games maximum), and shorter fines ($2500 maximum) since they don't make the kind of $$ major leaguers do. The fines would get their attention. But they would be subject to the same criteria as the majors.
1. The pitcher, catcher and manager are all
automatically ejected. The umpires cannot over rule this, and the manager can't argue it. The batter cannot try to get hit either. If in the umpire's judgment, he thinks the batter is trying to get hit, then nothing is called or he can call the batter out, and and tossed from the game. He can argue with the manager who will come racing out of the dugout like something is chasing him. It can't be all one way, because there would be batters that would try to get hit. So there would be something punitive for them too.
2. The pitcher is fined $10,000 (for the first offense), and suspended for 15 games (not days, GAMES!!!), He would be on probation for the next 162 games. The catcher is fined $5,000, and suspended for 5 games, the manager is suspended for 5 games.
3. If that same pitcher hits a 2nd batter while on probation, it gets nasty for everybody. The pitcher get ejected, fined $100,000, suspended for 81 games, the catcher gets ejected, fined $25,000 suspended for 30 games. the manager gets ejected, fined $25,000, suspended for 30 games.
4. All hit batters circle the bases and score a run. Any runners on base at the time score also. No more simply taking 1st base.
5. if a teammate of a pitcher that is ejected subsequently comes in and throws at at batter during that same game, he's gone for 81 games, + a $100,000 fine. The replacement catcher is gone too for 15 games, no fine.
A third hit batter while on probation would draw a one million dollar fine for the pitcher, a 162 game suspension, and he would have to petition the league for reinstatement. The catcher - $100,000 fine + a 60 game suspension. The manager would be also be fined $100,000 and suspended for 60 games. If you take $$$ out of their pockets they and especially their wives are not going to like it. They are also not going to like being suspended for an extended period of time. The owners are not going to like having their managers suspended for any length of time.
If in the umpire's opinion, the batter intensionally tries to get hit (ala Ron Hunt), the umpire can call him out.
No batter would benefit by trying to get hit, just the opposite.
Harsh penalties yes, but the throwing at batters would stop. That's the idea behind the fines and suspensions. Right now, the penalties for hitting batters is a joke. I know a lot of old time baseball fans would balk at my suggestion. I don't care about tradition!! I don't care about any unwritten rules. It's cowardly. If you feel showed up, take off your glove and go toe to toe.
The game would not change if pitchers stopped throwing at batters. STOP throwing at batters before someone gets killed!!!
REMEMBER, THESE IDEAS ARE TOO EGREGIOUS TO EVER HAPPEN. 
