1st win, but weird post game...

A friend of mine coaches another local team. I was sitting on the third base line, he came out to coach third base the inning after he clearly pitched around my kid with first base open. I needled him a little about it while he was coaching third and he looked at me without any emotion then turned back around to coach his kids, didn't say a word. After the game he told me in private that his policy is not to talk to anybody when he's out there, because somebody always takes offense to whatever it is he says. So, he doesn't give them an opportunity.

CoogansBluff said:

Consider this --

I think 20 runs is enough, that 27 is obscene, and I think the sportsmanlike thing to do would be to step off the bag and get this over with.

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This is a tough one. Especially when coaching TB. We have been on both sides of an old fashion butt kickin'. There are a couple things I consider when in these positions.

1. We never step off bases. We don't want it done to us, and we won't do it. BTW, I think it is ASA(not sure though) now considers purposefully stepping off(whether to get another inning in because of time, or for mercy) to be unsportsmanlike, resulting in both the coach and player being ejected from the game.

2. I do research on the teams we are playing. We do not ease up until we have scored more runs than they have scored this year in a game. If a team has scored 12 runs in 2-3 games this year then we aren't letting up until we get to 13. We were losing 7-0 in the top of the first inning in a game a couple years ago, and ended up winning 9-7(never scored more than a couple in an inning).

3. When the lead is at a point where it is considered out of hand, we simply hit the ball and run to 1B. We won't take extra bases, steal or advance on pass balls. We will also talk to our players and tell them that a walk is unacceptable when up to bat. Now, we won't swing at pitches in the dirt, but we will swing at balls 8 inches off the plate.


Softball has 3 outs, not 2, not 1. We will make it easier for them to get their outs, but just walking off bases in essence is saying that they aren't worth our time.

If the other coach is embarrassed or upset enough and they can't get outs even with us not being aggressive they always have the option to tell the umpire that they are ready to quit.

Out in Left Field said:

The reason the dominating team's batters step off bases rather than doing something else, is to keep their arbitrarily high batting averages. Selfish. Hitting oppo is good. I have at least four players every year who can bat both ways. We encourage it at JV to see who can do it, particularly tennis players. Some are not comfortable as their number 1 approach, but can do it.

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Yeah, but what good does it do to bat left handed if the pitcher is rolling balls on the ground? Don't get me wrong I appreciate the thought, but there are games that nothing short of the team bus breaking down before it gets to the fields will stop a pitcher from bowling the runners around the bases.

JJS said:

This is a tough one. Especially when coaching TB. We have been on both sides of an old fashion butt kickin'. There are a couple things I consider when in these positions.

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Keep in mind that the quote you used of mine was not my opinion, just a hypothetical. When I was a head coach, I was very tolerant of what other teams and coaches did. Run up the score. Step off the base. I don't care. I coach my players not to care. (Fortunately, it wasn't a frequent situation. It occurs more in school ball, where parity is lacking, than in travel ball. I never coached a school team.)

No mercy rules in play? I would think in MS that would be needed.


I won't let off the gas anymore. I have been burned more than once, including a game this season, losing by 1...

CoogansBluff said:

Keep in mind that the quote you used of mine was not my opinion, just a hypothetical. When I was a head coach, I was very tolerant of what other teams and coaches did. Run up the score. Step off the base. I don't care. I coach my players not to care. (Fortunately, it wasn't a frequent situation. It occurs more in school ball, where parity is lacking, than in travel ball. I never coached a school team.)

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I knew that. I'm happy being a TB coach. I couldn't imagine what the MS or JV coaches get to work with. I don't mind coaching up a ball player, but I don't want to have to teach someone which hand the glove goes on. I would think JV or MS could be a lot of C level players with an occasional A level player or two

IMHO, it takes some serious mental gymnastics to make what you said unsportsmanlike in any way.

I'm conflicted on how to handle these situations. I've been on both sides as a football coach. In the end, there are things that can be done to lessen the damage (and it sounds like you took those steps) but that can quickly turn into making a farce of the game which is unsportsmanlike as well. In the end, it's the job of the defense to get three outs - it's not the job of the offense to give them those outs.

On either side it is a very uncomfortable situation. If my team is the one up I'll replace my best players if the bench is deep enough and play everyone out of position. I don't believe that it is fair to ask my players to not try their hardest. Also, I might try to slow down the game if there is a time limit.

IMO 15 runs is the key number, once you are up by 15, or it looks like you are going to up by 15, at the end of 4 innings try to slow down.

At least for DD’s 7th grade team they didn’t keep standings or playoffs so if you slow down then lose the game it is not the end of the world. You will be able to give a nice post game speech and get yelled at by the parents.

RetiredCoach said:

On either side it is a very uncomfortable situation. If my team is the one up I'll replace my best players if the bench is deep enough and play everyone out of position. I don't believe that it is fair to ask my players to not try their hardest. Also, I might try to slow down the game if there is a time limit.

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I agree completely and the best answer is to have mercy rules. I have always thought you start with replacing players including putting in pitchers that do not usually get time etc. But if the lopsided game keeps getting more lopsided then I have always felt that letting the umpire know as privately as possible we are stepping off and do the step off in a very low key way is best. Others may disagree but to me it can be done relatively quietly and quickly without showing anybody up.