ASU vs Texas - tipping pitches
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- May 31, 2013
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I have a question. I was at the game. When the hitters seemed to be hitting Luna after the ASU coach starting calling out pitches, I thought I would help and tried to call out pitches at the same time he did. (True, I was pulling for Texas) a fan behind me said that was unsportsmanlike like on my part, and made a reference to shouting during a golf shot. I laughed, then I wondered was my trying to drown out the ASU coach unsportsmanlike? Opinions?
Every single time I saw or heard him yell "CHANGE UP!!" The pitch would come screaming in at 64-66mph...
not a fan.
not a fan.
I think it is bush league and in baseball it would be cause for a fight. Not sure why that is not the case in softball. It is no different than positioning a camera in center field to steal signs during a game.
If you want to teach your batters to read a pitchers tell or see grips, fine. Positioning yourself so you have a different view than is available for the batter and then yelling out during the pitch is totally bush league.
Luna handled it better than I would have. After every strike or wrong call I'd be saying something along the lines "Hey Jerk, see that?"
I'd likely be at the batters as well "Do you need your daddy to help you hit or would you like a tee?"
If you want to teach your batters to read a pitchers tell or see grips, fine. Positioning yourself so you have a different view than is available for the batter and then yelling out during the pitch is totally bush league.
Luna handled it better than I would have. After every strike or wrong call I'd be saying something along the lines "Hey Jerk, see that?"
I'd likely be at the batters as well "Do you need your daddy to help you hit or would you like a tee?"
Much, much less unsportsmanlike than the coach trying to insert himself in the game. The moment he started doing this all I wanted was for ASU to lose.
If you're not a player, coach or official then you are not a participant, you are a spectator. As a participant, you should interject yourself in the game to try and influence the outcome. Connie Clark has been around long enough to know how to deal with her players and the game. She handled it. Just because you don't like what's going on, does not make it illegal, bush league or anything else similar to that line. As spectator, you should be cheering for your team.
I don't know about you, but if a pitcher is tipping her pitches I have other ways of letting my batter know. I have never hollered out change up to them. I prefer to be more subtle. I don't want to tip the other team that we are on to them.
Positioning a camera in center field is using means outside of the game to get an advantage. What the players and coaches find out while in the dugout or on the field is fair game.
The coach is part of the game. They are out there coaching. Telling a runner to stop or continue to the next bag is inserting themselves into the game. They are there for a reason. You better get used to it, because you are going to see it more and more. It's here and it isn't going to go away. The pitchers will adjust.
I was thinking the same thing half the time I heard Change up.
Then COACH your players to learn how to pick pitches to hit. Don't yell out while the pitcher is half way through her motion. Everyone know it is bush league and making weak justifications about being part of the game or 'legal' is just that - weak justifications.
The pitchers shouldn't have to adjust to an OPPOSING COACHING YELLING OUT during their pitching motion. Why doesn't he just come out with a bullhorn as well to make sure his batter can hear him. Maybe a pair of binoculars so he can a real close up.
It isn't different from putting a camera or a coach in center field to read catcher signs - it is giving the batter information that they can't see from the batters box.
It makes the game look like a total joke on its biggest stage on national TV.
Edit: I just realized the big reason I hate this is because we are going to see all the real *$@&*@ coaches in 10U and 12U doing this because the college coaches are doing it.
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Yeah I was really happy with the way Texas handled themselves if I was Hoagland after catching the last out at third since she was about 15 ft from the coach I probably could not of contained myself and probably would have turned and said something silly/funny/inappropriate especially since she was the one having stuff yelled in her ear....I am thinking of myself at 20 years old these ladies are a bit more mature than I was at that age but hey scoreboard speaks for itself.
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