field condition rule?(plus a little sour grapes)

[2 DD Coach]

8u all star tournament, second game of the day on this field. The hosts decide to rework the field between games by SOAKING the whole thing down. We were home team, so when I walk out with our pitcher so she can throw her warm up pitches, there is a pool of standing water in front of the rubber. I started trying to spread it around, but basically there was mud about 2" deep there. I pointed it out to the ump and asked if we could do something about it, and he told me no. So I'm grabbing handfuls of dirt from in front of the dugout to try and dry it out, but it's just not working. Our pitcher starts throwing and it is just bad. She is slipping, her cleats are full of mud, and she is struggling just to maintain balance. Needless to say we got run limited for the inning. (Ready, here comes the sour grapes part, but it makes me feel better to type it.) As we are coming off the field, the field prep people start coming out with buckets of fresh dirt. Oh did I mention we were playing the host team in this game? So the ump goes over and looks at it and says "oh yeah that's bad." and holds the game so they can fix it.

So what is the rule on that? Should I have demanded it got fixed before we pitched, or do I not have a leg to stand on? I always thought you only had the time to throw a quick few warmup pitches and do any circle repair you could really quick, but this seemed a bit ridiculous.

 

[Hollyrockartist]

I have seen fields that have been "watered down" before a game just to deter the dust issue, but that sounds ridiculous! Did y'all get run-ruled the entire game or just one inning? Obviously it didn't bother the "home" team, if they were hot like that. IMHO, I would either send the director of the tournament a letter or call him/her if it was that bad that your pitcher kept slipping in the mud, not making her throws. How was the rest of the field, or was it just the mound? Also here, if the field is really nasty, they will take the time prior the next game starting to re-line, rake, water or whatever they need to do to get the field ready. It all depends on how many games were played prior on the condition of the field. When that has happened with our group, the pitchers just warmed up in the outfield...

 

[2 DD Coach]

I have seen fields that have been "watered down" before a game just to deter the dust issue, but that sounds ridiculous! Did y'all get run-ruled the entire game or just one inning? Obviously it didn't bother the "home" team, if they were hot like that. IMHO, I would either send the director of the tournament a letter or call him/her if it was that bad that your pitcher kept slipping in the mud, not making her throws. How was the rest of the field, or was it just the mound? Also here, if the field is really nasty, they will take the time prior the next game starting to re-line, rake, water or whatever they need to do to get the field ready. It all depends on how many games were played prior on the condition of the field. When that has happened with our group, the pitchers just warmed up in the outfield...

No just that first inning. She was really throwing meatballs across the plate because she just couldn't get her footing. For example her next inning out she threw a total of thirteen pitches as they went three up three down.

The whole field was too wet, but the circle was by far the worst. I just got really mad that we had to slop around in it and the host team got it all nice and tidy before they had to even step in the circle. And the stats don't lie, it affected our pitcher.

I guess maybe I was a little on edge to start with. As we walked to home plate for the pre game meeting, the ump was reading the 8u rules handout, and turned and asked me if this was the age where the entire lineup got to bat regardless of out's. (I swear I am not making any of this up.)

 

[Hollyrockartist]

GAWD!!! That is awful!!! I would complain, no doubt about it. Never have they stopped games here to work on the field (well, on a pretty day anyway). How absurd! Yeah, right - in an All-Star game you're going to bat your whole line-up no matter how many outs. Makes you wonder where they got their umpires. Insanity...

 

[Lozza]

I would have been furious. Its bush league at its finest.

I would have insisted their pitcher pitch on that surface and only change it AFTER the first dig.

 

[mad hornet]

I also learned this lesson the hard way (due to actual rain however). As the coach you always reserve the right to refuse playing until field conditions are safe for your players. Player safety has to come first. If someone breaks an ankle running bases, pitching, slideing, etc. the umpire and all coaches are liable I think.