Time For A Rule Change!?

[riseball]

My DD hits her fair share of batters as she will throw very hard inside on someone up on the plate. She does not hit them intentionally, but certainly does not lose any sleep over hitting them. It truly is part of the game and the knew or should have known that when they stepped into the box.

 

[RetiredCoach]

My DD hits her fair share of batters as she will throw very hard inside on someone up on the plate. She does not hit them intentionally, but certainly does not lose any sleep over hitting them. It truly is part of the game and the knew or should have known that when they stepped into the box.

This is what I am trying to convey to my DD. She feels so bad when she hits someone that she avoids pitching inside to batters crowding the plate. As you know, this is not a good pitching strategy since pitching on the outside corner to a batter crowding the plate is like pitching down the middle of the plate to a normal batter. Anyway, I am working on it.

 

[canyonjoe]

There's a big difference between pitching inside or losing a pitch and hitting someone, but any adult that tells a pitcher to hit an 11 year old on purpose shouldn't be allowed to coach any sport.

 

[TMoney]

That is NEVER part of the game. Any coach advocating intentionally throwing at batters should be banned from coaching. Let's put a stop to this ignorant and barbaric practice.

Your comment is a bit hyper-sensitive, I just don't like the argument that slashing is "part of the game". It is far more dangerous than being hit by a pitch, yet some argue in favor of it. The game has always changed in favor of safety. IMO, this is a no brainer.

 

[smddad]

Coaches need to teach their defensive infield players to CREEP forward when they see bunt, then crash once the ball is on the ground.

 

[MTR]

Coaches need to teach their defensive infield players to CREEP forward when they see bunt, then crash once the ball is on the ground.

Four pages before the proper mechanic is revealed!!!

What's the difference between "slashing", a team I've never heard of in this manner in my 53 years of playing, coaching and umpiring and the slapper that hits a line drive instead of driving the ball into the ground?

You want to make the game safe, go back to the old rule where bunting or even attempting to bunt, was not legal. Yes, that is correct. In spite of what many "traditionalist" believe, bunting the ball was illegal. So was dragging away from the pitcher's plate prior to delivering the pitch. Baserunners couldn't leave the base until the ball reached the plate and a runner could not score on a pitch, including pass ball or wild pitch, unless forced by the batter being awarded 1B.

That's how the game has changed and I wouldn't have a problem going back a few steps.

 

[BobInMadison]

Your comment is a bit hyper-sensitive, I just don't like the argument that slashing is "part of the game". It is far more dangerous than being hit by a pitch, yet some argue in favor of it. The game has always changed in favor of safety. IMO, this is a no brainer.

A lot of different people read this forum. If a comment pops up about having a pitcher hit a batter as retaliation for some legal play the opposing coach doesn't like, some readers might think intentional HBP is an acceptable tactic in softball.

Intentionally hitting a batter with a pitch is NOT an acceptable tactic. If that happens during the game, and the umpire is aware, expect AT LEAST ejections of the pitcher and the coach, for the game if not for the rest of the tournament or season.


If a batter is hurt by such a tactic, the repercussions could extend to legal penalties (such as law suits) or extra-legal (such as meetings in the parking lot).

In the meantime, "slashing" is a legal tactic. You may not like it, but using illegal, and quite dangerous, means to combat a legal tactic is beyond the pale. An unintentional HBP is part of the game, and good coaches prepare their players. An intentional HBP is an assault with a dangerous weapon.


I doubt I am the only parent who has had to comfort my DD lying on the ground at home plate, hoping she wasn't seriously hurt. As I mentioned in an earlier post, this was a 100% accidental hit by a really sweet girl who wouldn't intentionally hurt a fly.

 

[texas4life]

This is an interesting on for sure I too have worried about this because my niece plays 3rd base and is very aggressive. I do worry about this as well but have never considered a rule change for this. I kinda like the idea of eliminating this from a batter for player safety.

 

[Dabears17]

I don't necessarily like this tactic, but I've seen girls that are struggling with hitting be able to make contact using this as a timing mechanism, so I'm not going to totally rule it out of my coaching toolbox.

Its why I give a talk to my parents that I don't agree with making the masks mandatory, but my daughter is wearing one when playing P, 1B, or 3B.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Four pages before the proper mechanic is revealed!!!

What's the difference between "slashing", a team I've never heard of in this manner in my 53 years of playing, coaching and umpiring and the slapper that hits a line drive instead of driving the ball into the ground?

You want to make the game safe, go back to the old rule where bunting or even attempting to bunt, was not legal. Yes, that is correct. In spite of what many "traditionalist" believe, bunting the ball was illegal. So was dragging away from the pitcher's plate prior to delivering the pitch. Baserunners couldn't leave the base until the ball reached the plate and a runner could not score on a pitch, including pass ball or wild pitch, unless forced by the batter being awarded 1B.

That's how the game has changed and I wouldn't have a problem going back a few steps.

Yes, I agree. Let's ban all those pesky lefty slappers!