Faking run from3rd to home

[halskinner]

Wouldn't it just be easier to get your bats shaved and rolled and then rely on homeruns? Better yet, just get really good at Photoshop and load up your 14-year old team with a bunch of 17-year olds with doctored birth certificates. Whatever it takes to win, right?

If you're not willing to treat the game with the respect it deserves, do us all a favor and keep your team off of the field.

OK. And, if I make it to first and click my heels three times, will I make it to home safely? Coaches do treat the game with respect, unless it means they might lose. Their respect for the game can kind of go South at that point and so can their ethics.

I take it you are not in California? If you play passively, aggressive team will beat you. Many coaches think these things are part of playing aggressively. No kid wants to walk out of the park with a footprint on their behind.

 

[ctfastpitch]

How about the coaches that tell their runners to leave the bag when the pitcher gets the ball to 12:00? Pushing the envelope with the blues because it is such a close call they will NEVER call it?

Getting an edge on the competition or cheating?

This doesn't bother me that much. We train our girls to keep one foot behind the bag & start their stride at 12:00 so that their other foot loses contact right about at release. If she is intentionally leaving early, and I am the opposing coach, I will definitely put a bug's in Blue's ear to keep an eye out. Unless you have a solo umpire, the base ump will see it and generally will start making the call. If they get called out once, it is usually enough to out an end to it for that game anyway. If it is not enough of a jump to draw the call, then she really isn't gaining much of an edge anyway....

 

[ctfastpitch]

How about the parent that goes over to the other teams dugout to say hi while her daughters team is at bat. Batter hits to the outfield, runner on 2nd rounding 3rd as the center fielder cuts loose with the throw. Parent yells 'CUT' and 2nd baseman does just that and then looks at her bench to see who yelled it,,, as parent is heading back to the other side?

Ya think it doesnt happen?

That's like the basketball parent that yells out "miss" in quiet gym while an opposing 8th grader is trying to make a foul shot!! I don't doubt for a minute that it happens....I just don't think that's how we should be training 10-14 year-old girls to win.

Admittedly you can't control the parents, but for times when it is really blatent and really obnoxious, we usually have local tournament rules about sportsmanship for players, coaches and parents. The umpires have the authority to toss the offenders from the tourney.

 

[halskinner]

This doesn't bother me that much. We train our girls to keep one foot behind the bag & start their stride at 12:00 so that their other foot loses contact right about at release. If she is intentionally leaving early, and I am the opposing coach, I will definitely put a bug's in Blue's ear to keep an eye out. Unless you have a solo umpire, the base ump will see it and generally will start making the call. If they get called out once, it is usually enough to out an end to it for that game anyway. If it is not enough of a jump to draw the call, then she really isn't gaining much of an edge anyway....

So it IS ok for a baserunner to push the envelope when it comes to losing contact with the bag but NOT OK to say anything while being a baserunner?

If the baserunner starts her move on 1st or 3rd, when the pitcher is at 12:00, can't the pitcher see them move and get distracted????

 

[JC heir]

I take it you are not in California?


God is indeed good to me!!!!!

 

[fastpitch]

Just because other teams may use distracting and other tactics that are not in the spirit of the game doesn't mean you have to. You are not forced to stoop down to that level. No game is ever that important. I wouldn't want my DD to learn how to play that way. It teaches her to start to justify things that may not necessarily be the right way just because someone else is doing it. Just because a parent yells "Got it!" or ""Cut!" to distract a defensive teams play doesn't mean we should start to do it.

If another team does it to us so be it. That's the softball life they choose. It doesn't help them as people and in the end all it gets them or their DD's is a plastic trophy.

 

[ctfastpitch]

So it IS ok for a baserunner to push the envelope when it comes to losing contact with the bag but NOT OK to say anything while being a baserunner?

If the baserunner starts her move on 1st or 3rd, when the pitcher is at 12:00, can't the pitcher see them move and get distracted????

Hey, if the runner jumps early and gets caught, she is out....if she screams at the defense & gets called for interference, she is out.. You can find an extreme case for any argument!

If your team is down by one with runners on, and there is a foul pop-up for the final out, should the base coach stick his foot out to trip the fielder? Hey, everyone is looking up at the ball, you might get away with it!! If you don't the game's over anyway!!! If you follow your approach, it's worth a try!!!

 

[Oside]

I don't see where this is a trick play - nothing all that clever about it. There are ways to accomplish similar results without being so bush about it.

 

[halskinner]

Hey, if the runner jumps early and gets caught, she is out....if she screams at the defense & gets called for interference, she is out.. You can find an extreme case for any argument!

If your team is down by one with runners on, and there is a foul pop-up for the final out, should the base coach stick his foot out to trip the fielder? Hey, everyone is looking up at the ball, you might get away with it!! If you don't the game's over anyway!!! If you follow your approach, it's worth a try!!!

Ever played against a team that used inaudible (hand) signals to let their runners know what to do?

As a base coach on 1st, ever yell to your runner "GO, GO, GO" just to yell "BACK, BACK, BACK" just as she gets two steps past 1st? Draws all the attention to you and 1st base and away from your runner on 3rd?

Perfectly legal and it could score you the game winning run.

But is it ethical enough for you?

 

[goosesdad]

ASA RULES SUPPLEMENT pg. 121, 2009 PARTICIPANT MANUAL

33. INTERFERENCE
Interference is the act of an offensive player or team member that impedes, hinders or CONFUSES a defensive player attempting to execute a play. Interference may be in the form of physical contact, VERBAL DISTRACTION, visual distraction, or any type of distraction that hinders a fielder in the execution of a play. Defensive players must be given the opportunity to field the ball anywhere on the playing field or throw the ball without being hindered.