Why do Pitchers never apologize to the batter he accidentally hit by a pitch?

Question

I Umpire USSSA, Babe Ruth, and Cal Ripken baseball the pitchers apologize all the time i have seen College players in the CWS apologize but i have never seen a MLB Pitcher apologize for an accidental hit.

i do realize it is a part of the game, sometimes it is strategy i have been around baseball for a long time, but just once i want to see a pitcher say woops my bad or something like that, instead of blowing on there hand like ha take that

Answer 1

because it makes them look like sissies because they are backing down to the hitters. the hitters need to suck it up and take a walk down to first and be a man about it. they dont need any apology to make it feel better. the only situation where the pitcher should apologize is when they hit the batter in the face/head. that is the worst possible place to be hit and that deserves an apology.

Answer 2

I was at an Indians game where Cliff Lee threw one so close to Griffey Jr.'s head I thought his head would come off - Griffey was really ticked but Lee never said anything except the pitch got away from him, it was not deliberate. It caused quite a ruckus but anyone watching that game could see that Lee had been wild all day, lacking control. But even with Griffey totally steamed Lee never said he was sorry and had he, I think the fans would've wondered about Cliff Lee. In the old days of baseball, it was a sign of weakness to even talk to an opponent during a game, like you see players doing - a guy on first exchanging pleasantries with the first baseman. It can still upset some fans who view that as being too nice to the competition, our opposition. Heck - in the old days, players used to come screeching into base "spikes up." Players hated it and people got hurt because the spikes at the time were metal but players like Ty Cobb made it part of his regular game. And back to this pitcher apology business, take a look at Jose Mesa versus Omar Vizquel. Mesa did not like Vizquel calling him out in his book about the 97 World Series and said he'd throw at Vizquel every time he pitched against him and he did. He aimed right at Vizquel and was even suspended for it.

Answer 3

Good question, but how do you know what goes on the field of play, when a player hits a batter, maybe they do or just try not to let it bother them. Have you ever been to a game, and you were close enough to hear what goes on, and not an apogoy from the pitcher that hits the batter?

Answer 4

Don't assume the pitcher "accidentally" hit the batter. Sometimes the pitcher does it intentionally, although most of us never admit it. Also, sometimes the batter intentionally fails to get out of the way quick enough. Ever heard of Craig Biggio? Ron Hunt? Hunt got hit 50 times one season. It was the only way the guy could get to first base.

Answer 5

Sometimes their expression says, darn it, I didn't mean it. And sometimes in a post-game interview, someone says that a pitch got away from them. I guess that's the closest you'll get to an apology. Everybody knows it's part of the game.

Answer 6

Well usually then don't because they feel ashamed and hurtful.
Also in Little League, College and High school players apologize because their coach tells them to.

In Major Leagues, the coach never tells them to apologize.

Answer 7

I wonder the Same thing i think sometimes they hit the Player on purpose

Answer 8

They don't want to show weakness or lack of intimidation. In the leagues you're in, and me, too, it is sportsmanship that is the key ingredient, but in the majors, it's the competition!

Answer 9

No kidding -- I'm watching the World Series and damn some of the pitches so far have been deadly.

Answer 10

as an ump, you know that many baseball players are susperstitious... apparently they don't want to do any small thing to interrupt the flow/ concentration of the game or show any weakness.