Aggressive tag

[absdad]

Thanks for the comments everyone. Yeah, i wouldn't ever tell my dd to go in dirty (cleats up), that's why I was curious how she could, safely. In her catching lessons, she learned how to safely setup for a tag at home, minimizing risk of injury to herself, or the runner. Was looking for a way to do the same, if she was the BR, and playing a dirty, or poorly coached catcher.

 

[jacketsfan]

Just to be clear - my DD is not being 'dirty'. She has two options - slide into the catcher, or go around her. She typically slides into the catcher. By cleats up, I mean she is normally trying to knock her off her feet, hoping she misses the tag, or drops the ball. She is not planting her cleats in the catcher's thighs - I wouldn't allow that.

She is not going to come in standing up and get her head ripped off.

 

[catcherdad]

Sounds to me like poor coaching, Not the kids fault. I see it all the time on teams where the catcher sets up over the line. I teach the catcher to set up in front of the plate and to the inside of line. That way she can still get the tag and stay out of the runners line to home plate. Then if the runner runs into the catcher the ump will call the runner out. This keeps both the catcher and the runner as safe as can be. You still have contact sometimes but not as bad. IMO

 

[Lozza]

Just to be clear - my DD is not being 'dirty'. She has two options - slide into the catcher, or go around her. She typically slides into the catcher. By cleats up, I mean she is normally trying to knock her off her feet, hoping she misses the tag, or drops the ball.

I'm sorry, but sliding in cleats up IS being a dirty player. You are trying to hurt the player and have them make a mistake.

She shouldn't be going in to have her head ripped off, but she can slide without trying to hurt the other player.

 

[SamG]

Playing devils advocate... is it possible the catcher was "aiming" (perhaps harder than called for) for the runner's chest? That it was the timing of the slide that brought the head into the plane where the ball was?

 

[RobD]

It is hard to give an opinion without actually seeing it happen. Seeing it in person or on video helps as far as intent. I watched some of the college world series and it seemed alot of those catchers would position themselves just a couple feet up the line from home, and if I recall correctly, inside the line. When they caught the ball, they would go to their knees so they were straddling the line for the tag. Their knees on the ground where the leg guards would protect their knees from cleats. They are blocking the plate after the catch, but not way up the line. I thought this was a good way to do it.