banning continuation

10u LL (ie rec league) coach here.

looking ahead to spring season, looking at our in house rules (ie modifications / additions to LL rules) from last year (mostly run limits, no bases loaded walks, etc.), and I see no mention on continuation.

I loathe this rule, and for 10u (ie LL minors), would like to see it disallowed for our LL. I do not feel it adds any value to the game at this age for the girls, but is simply a way for slick coaches caught up in winning to get more wins. From my understanding (and I will admit it is limited), this "trick" really is not useful at HS level and above, and I do not think it really advances skills of girls (either offensive or defensive, they are not deciding when to do it, 1B coach is).

I think this level is about teaching fundamentals (hitting, throwing, catching, pitching), and basic game awareness (ie where are runners, how many outs, where is play), but I think this overloads and can rattle Ps and Cs. Mos timportant is to develop skills, especially pitching, so that is what I want my Ps focused on, not looking at base runner they just walked and deciding to throw or not.

opinions?

not anything to fret about. The runner on first is going to end up on second about 99.99% of the time anyway.

I will have an opinion but I do not know what the continuation rule is. Would you mind posting it?

On a walk, usually with a runner on 3rd, the batter-runner continuing to 2nd, hoping to draw a throw and the runner on 3rd can score.

My rec league doesn't allow continuation in 10u, but allows it in 12u. I teach my catcher to get the ball immediately back to the pitcher and my shortstop to cover 2nd on a walk so they are ready for it in 12u and All-stars.

Are you objecting to "continuation" when the bases are empty and/or when there's another runner at 3B? The bases empty case is pretty rare beyond rec league, however first-and-third plays are used at all levels with the expectation of either advancing the runner to 2B or sacrificing them to score a run. The only difference is how well the defense handles it.

You'd be opening a can of worms by outlawing a strategy - where do you draw the line? Outlawing "continuation" when there's a runner on 3B wouldn't do much since coaches will create the same situation by sending the runner on the next pitch. Players need to learn runners can't be ignored sometime or another - some will face it in all stars.

had coaches basically do it on every walk, basically just makein BB into doubles. We have limits on stealing (normally 3 per inning), but somehow this was not stealing. then, when throw is made, other runners take off, and this is not stealing because ball is in play (agree with that theoritically, but to me continuation should have been a steal)

just want girls to have to put ball in play, saw too many games when older DD played this division that were just walk/steal fest, lots of runs, very few bats on balls. That teaches no one anything other than best strategy is to not swing, coaches were basically coaching for walks and stealing.

Since you already have a league rule limiting stealing, it would be reasonable to expand that to include "continuation" plays. JMHO

If you really want to make a difference eliminate a runner scoring from 3rd on a passed ball.

Put one of your better infielders with a good arm at 2B. Have her stand in the base line after a walk. When the walked batter rounds first have your pitcher throw the ball to the 2B in the baseline for the tag. Hopefully she has a good enough arm to throw home if the 3B runner breaks. You might be a couple of quick outs doing this, but most opposing coaches will have the walked batter hold after you do it once. The downside is the runner on 1B usually steals 2B on the next pitch.....

bmakj said:

had coaches basically do it on every walk, basically just makein BB into doubles. We have limits on stealing (normally 3 per inning), but somehow this was not stealing. then, when throw is made, other runners take off, and this is not stealing because ball is in play (agree with that theoritically, but to me continuation should have been a steal)

just want girls to have to put ball in play, saw too many games when older DD played this division that were just walk/steal fest, lots of runs, very few bats on balls. That teaches no one anything other than best strategy is to not swing, coaches were basically coaching for walks and stealing.

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From my experience with 8U and 10U rec ball, the best way to promote having to put the ball in play to score runs is to develop pitchers who can throw strikes.