Poor sportsmanship

[JJS]

Am I missing something here-what I see is the runner clearly in foul territory and the catcher with one foot on the line and the majority of her body inside fair territory. The runner makes a real effort about 4 feet from the plate to the chalkline-she changed her path. To me it looks like she was trying to take out the catcher who was standing still.

If the catcher had gone down would we be upset with the runner? I think the runner had ill intentions and got "schucked off" by an aware and stronger player. The catcher didn't take the hit she deflected it hence the elbow. Military, LEO etc teach this move to redirect an attacker-its an akido move.

The runner even tensed up and raised her shoulder/hands anticipating a collision. The catcher never moved her feet-the runner clearly could have avoided a collision but chose not to.

Yes you are missing something here...

#1, the runner did not lower her shoulder/tense up. She is in the process of running hard to home plate. She is pumping her arms. IF she did tense up, that doesn't mean that she was about to do anything. It just means that she felt uncomfortable with a catcher standing that close as she attempted to cross the plate.

#2, You ask what we would think if the runner had collided with the catcher? The catcher is out of position. She would never get hit if she is in position. She is illegally positioned. This is not a 12U rec. catcher that doesn't know where to be. This is a future Division 1 scholarship player that knows how and where to position herself. According to the rules of softball, she has NO RIGHT to stand where she is. Everything about her positioning is that of someone who is being aggressive.

#3 Give us your honest opinion on two questions. What would you do if you were the 3rd base coach/manager and this happened twice in a game you were coaching? Last, how would you handle the scenario if this was a catcher of one of the teams in your organization?

 

[VA Chris]

Nothing being lost in translation at all. Do you not think that the front of the plate, the line and the area just foul constitute the base path? All would constitute a direct line. My post was in response to another that seemed to suggest that foul territory area was the base path.

My understanding of what you said had me believe you were referring to the chalk line as the base path.

To answer your question: "Do you not think the front of the plate, the line, and the area just foul constitute the base path?" I would say no in the case of the second runner due to the almost collision with the 3rd Base Coach. Once the runner adjusts her line to the plate I would argue that the line she has now created straight to the plate +/- 3' is her base path. The first runner seemed to be on a direct line from 3rd to home and again has +/- 3' at her disposal.

Why do I think the base path matters? Only because I teach my girls to slide past home and hand tag the back of the plate in this situation. I also encourage an inside or outside approach to the plate depending on what the catcher offers. Why do I teach this? Because there isn't a single run worth a life long disability because of me teaching kids to run at the catcher.

 

[riseball]

My understanding of what you said had me believe you were referring to the chalk line as the base path.

To answer your question: "Do you not think the front of the plate, the line, and the area just foul constitute the base path?" I would say no in the case of the second runner due to the almost collision with the 3rd Base Coach. Once the runner adjusts her line to the plate I would argue that the line she has now created straight to the plate +/- 3' is her base path. The first runner seemed to be on a direct line from 3rd to home and again has +/- 3' at her disposal.

Why do I think the base path matters? Only because I teach my girls to slide past home and hand tag the back of the plate in this situation. I also encourage an inside or outside approach to the plate depending on what the catcher offers. Why do I teach this? Because there isn't a single run worth a life long disability because of me teaching kids to run at the catcher.

So you teach your girls to slide into home when it is obvious that there will not be any attempt for a put out. Why? That seems to me to be an unwarranted risk compared to simply running across the home plate.

 

[VA Chris]

So you teach your girls to slide into home when it is obvious that there will not be any attempt for a put out. Why? That seems to me to be an unwarranted risk compared to simply running across the home plate.

No- if you follow what I stated relative to this case, if the catcher is not offering a clear line, go around and not through. If that means taking a slide to the back of the plate, so be it. Are you saying that it is better to run at the catcher and hope the line to the plate is offered? Do you teach your girls to run through the catcher if she is in the way?

 

[MandM]

Yes you are missing something here...

#1, the runner did not lower her shoulder/tense up. She is in the process of running hard to home plate. She is pumping her arms. IF she did tense up, that doesn't mean that she was about to do anything."

you should look again at the slow motion- she does bring both arms up to brace and redirects at the catcher- that is what I see, it is not evident on regular speed, but is on slo-mo.



That being said, I don't agree at all with the catcher's response.

 

[riseball]

No- if you follow what I stated relative to this case, if the catcher is not offering a clear line, go around and not through. If that means taking a slide to the back of the plate, so be it. Are you saying that it is better to run at the catcher and hope the line to the plate is offered? Do you teach your girls to run through the catcher if she is in the way?

Since the play was not close and the ball was not on the way I think most players have the smarts and agility to both avoid the catcher and still make contact with the plate. Given the situation(s) neither a slide or contact with the catcher was necessary While the actions of the catcher were wholly inappropriate, the base runners now know that when you go looking for trouble it usually finds you.

 

[AndyS]

Amazing how fast this has made it around on email and social media.

 

[shaker1]

Looks like these teams have some history. After watching in slomo, I think both sides could give alittle.

 

[WARRIORMIKE]

I blame The media

 

[maksoftball]

"Do you want to build a snow man?"