Do we need to get used to thug play?

[SoCalASABlue]

Just curious how you would handle a kid that goes out of her way to make "contact" with opposing players. One thing I saw this past season at 14U was a huge increase in non-sliding contact with defenders. I understand "bumping" the 1B who is blocking the corner of the bag on a hit to the OF to try and draw the OBS call - but when the girls start throwing shoulders and elbows, hopefully at some point some of my umpiring brethren will start restricting players to the bench and/or sending coaches and players to the parking lot. In one tournament, DD's team mate went into 3B with an obvious intent to injure - no attempt to slide or pull up. I told the manager after the game that he was very lucky I wasn't the BU because Ms. Linebacker would have been gone - and probably Coach Dad too. I have no problem with hard legitimate slides into a bag - but I draw the line at thug play.

 

[InsidePitch]

No place in the sport!

 

[Bucketrider]

No and we need to also stop accepting it. We tend to turn a blind eye so as not to seem weak or not as competitive. If you have to cheat for the $2 trophy, you need to get out.

 

[Coach JV]

I enjoy fierce competition, there is no room for thuggery.

 

[bobbyb]

Our girls would sit if they do that intentionally. We had one game this year where the opposing team did all sorts of colliding, pushing and even slapping at the our girls glove/hand/arm when it was a close play. Its hard to keep our girls...settled down and to not retaliate when it occurs. It is first up to the coach to make sure it is handled. If not...the ump should immediately take control of the game.

 

[BB Coach]

How about the next time Ms Linebacker comes up she takes one in the ribs? Just saying... a little self policing at the older age groups isn't necessarily a bad thing.

 

[chinamigarden]

Part of the problem as I see it is too often there are defenders blocking the path, without the ball. I have seen players take a peek at the ball in the Outfield, turn around and there is a fielder standing in front of the base, plate... with no play. In the past year I have seen maybe 6 collisions and all but 5 of them had one thing in common, the defender blocking without the ball.

 

[darken]

Totally agree, chinamigarden. Obstruction is not called in many situations. The most common one I see in 10U is runner on 1st, 2nd base defender parked in the path between 1st and 2nd or starting in front of the path and then crossing in front of the runner to get behind 2nd base to back up a throw from the catcher. I usually don't get too excited about it when there's one umpire. Hard to police it in that case. But when there's a base ump it should be called. It only takes one call a game to correct it.

There's not intent to block the runner, but it happens and it should be called.

 

[SoCalASABlue]

How about the next time Ms Linebacker comes up she takes one in the ribs? Just saying... a little self policing at the older age groups isn't necessarily a bad thing.

The next batter (after Ms. Linebacker got called out at 3B) - her mom was having kittens because she just knew that her DD was going to get drilled in retaliation. She didn't but everyone expected it.

And after that, our team had the "rep" for playing dirty even though it was really only one (coach's daughter, which is why she didn't sit). And the blues had our number after that...or so it seemed (and probably rightfully so...).

 

[99&beyond]

My DD is a 14U catcher. We were playing a fairly aggressive (and definitely a superior team) in a league game. The game meant nothing, just another notch in this team's belt.

My DD is set up on the base line a few feet away from the plate WITH the ball in her glove, the catcher from the other team just barrelled over the top over her. No attempt to slide, nothing. When DD hit the ground, she dropped the ball. Runner was called safe. It was the 6th run, which is our run rule. After all the players cleared the field, it dawned on me what happened. I was furious! A friend of mine helps coach that other team and I KNOW he doesn't advocate that.