Sports

Distasteful Alabama Bat Flip Creates Controversy During Baseball Game vs. St. John’s

by Last Updated

ESPN2


The Alabama baseball team is the latest to create headlines for showboating in the NCAA Tournament. A distasteful bat flip created controversy during a game with St. John’s.

Both coaching staffs left their dugouts to voice their opinions. No ejections were handed down despite the Red Storm’s disapproval.

The moment came with St. John’s fighting to keep its season alive. Was the reaction warranted? Were umpires right in their decision to de-escalate without punishing the Crimson Tide?

Alabama bat flip creates baseball controversy.

Alabama led 7-2 in the top of the seventh inning. A win would punch their ticket to Omaha.

After losing Game 1, St. John’s came one game closer to elimination. Given the late deficit, tensions were high.

Crimson Tide hitter John Lemm flipped his bat after drawing a two-out walk in the frame. That at-bat came immediately after Alabama hit a grand slam to blow the game open.

The Red Storm took offense. When making a pitching change, head coach Mike Hampton left his post to discuss the bat flip with the home plate umpire.

Alabama’s dugout escalated the situation by leaving the bench. Cooler heads eventually prevailed.

Was an ejection warranted?

We’ve seen players tossed and suspended in similar scenarios. Georgia’ Tre Phelps, for example, was thrown out of the regional for taunting Liberty during a home run trot.

Virginia pitcher John Paone was ejected for yelling at a Southern Miss batter following a strikeout. He was one of two Cavaliers tossed in the contest.

In each case, a gesture was made towards the opposition. That appears to be the quickest way to earning an ejection.

Mississippi State players, for example, were shown leniency after showboating back-to-back-to-back home runs during a loss to Georgia in the supers. They did not taunt the opposing team directly.

One could argue that Alabama’s John Lemm did gesture towards the St. John’s defense. He appeared to say something to the pitcher after flipping his bat.

It was enough to make the home plate umpire come out from behind the dish to escort him down the first base line. It did not cross the line, at least not in the eyes of this officiating crew.

St. John’s believes it was cause for punishment, proven by Hampton’s conversation with the umpire. In the end, no ejection was given.

That’s good news for Alabama as it continues towards a national championship. Lemm will not be suspended for his next game, whether that be in a decisive Game 3 of the super regional or the Crimson Tide’s opener in Omaha.

With that said, umpires might be on high alert to discourage the behavior in the games to come.