Fielders blocking the bases...

[marriard]

So there is a rather nasty organization around here who teaches their players to block the bases (especially first base but they are happy to do it at 2nd, 3rd and always do it at home) by taking the whole base. This is in an effort to get the base runner to slow down so they have a better chance to get an out. As this is 10U travel this bush-league tactic does get them some results (along with their other bucket full of cheap tricks).

Since I can't tell my players to run through the blocking player (since MTR will apparently call the police on me) what am I meant to tell my players to do? There is nowhere for them to go without making significant contact.

We play this team fairly regularly and there have already been some quite nasty collisions and incidents with this team. After the third time it happened last game there was almost a fight when there was two collisions on one play (one at first base and one at home plate where the catcher refused to get off the plate as the runner from third came jogged in and had to push her out of the way so she could touch home plate)

Someone is going to get hurt quite badly. How am I meant to handle this appropriately?

 

[Comp]

Are the umpires calling obstruction? What association are you playing under? Go to the tournament directors and express your concerns.

 

[marriard]

Are the umpires calling obstruction? What association are you playing under? Go to the tournament directors and express your concerns.

TD just say "Until it happens we really can't do anything" and maybe they'll talk to the other coach or ask the umpires to "keep an eye out for it"

During the game, unless there is contact the umpire is not going to make the obstruction call until there is actual contact (which our team will provide since we are not slowing down) and this team girl's just ignore the umpire if he warns them about it.

The other the umpires will make is "out" as many girls on some of the less experienced teams will slow down to avoid a major collision so the throw often now has time to be made.

I shouldn't have to put our girls in harms way or have to ask them to make full speed contact with someone before something gets done. I hate to put it this way, but I am actually not describing how bad the situation is because I am omitting all the other garbage this team does because as their coach says "I am here to teach these girls to win and that means doing everything to achieve that".

<< We have played this team in both ASA and USSSA tournaments >>

 

[Comp]

Dont know what to tell you. Contact is not necessary for obstruction, and if the umpires are requiring it, they need to go back for additional training. If the TD isnt listening to your concerns, maybe its time to move on up the chain of command.

 

[HornetsCoach]

Hard slides might be an idea - even into first.

Also, once a girl is on - having her run with a handful of dirt that she hurls as she approaches the next base hollering "look out for this handful of dirt!" will certainly have some kind of effect - precisely what, however, remains untested.

 

[HornetsCoach]

ah, and please lets hear the "other garbage" - its so juicy!

 

[David Carter]

First base is easy no matter what my girls are always running through and if they are in the way it is a very easy obstruction call every time. Second and third can be a little harder, I always teach my girls to slide on close plays so I am with the other poster as far a hard slides. If you are rounding second or third again just have your girls take a normal path and when they bump into defensive player umpire should intervene. Home is another hard slide situation if they are really far up the line I am OK with the run and slide by hand extends to touch the base slide. I am sorely tempted to suggest you tell your bigger girls to run straight through the catcher but at 10U no need risk girls getting hurt because opposing coach is a #$%@$%@.

Basically it does not sound like the umpires are not calling it is just that other teams are changing the way they run the bases. when you say umpire is warning them I am assuming he is not calling an out then telling them not to block the base path again before they have the ball. If you look at my suggestion it is really to just continue to have your girls run the bases just like they are supposed to and let the ump make the calls, if the ump chooses not to do his job then it is your job to step in and talk to the ump about exactly why he is not enforcing the rules.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

My opinion -

Blocking bases is becoming the new Illegal Pitch in softball. Watching the NCAA playoffs this year it is apparent to me this is the new area that coaches are teaching defenses to "stretch the rules" with their play.

Many of you are not going to want to hear this but I am sorry, this is a sport, .....sports have risk. It is unfortunately going to have to take some injuries to "re-balance" the game from what the umpiring profession of softball does not want to address (shocking given their ineptness on handling IP's…..).

Regardless of current rules interpretation by whomever here, if you want to contain this area we need to have girls sliding into bases that are unobstructed by legs/knees/bodies to the point where the runner cannot even reach the intended base without "going through" the defender.

In my world umpires are calling obstruction on legs/knees/bodies that are placed in front of a base purely to obstruct a slide (unless they have to reach out for a runner trying to hook-slide or the like). This includes catchers running up the line for a tag right at the runner!

In my world, without proactive umpiring, any defensive player putting this obstruction out there blatantly will have it hammered by my biggest/baddest player on my team. Part of sports.

Ok, I am ready for your counter-punch.

 

[MTR]

Agree, the umpires are NOT doing there job, but what a long way this game has traveled. Ten years ago, the umpires were lambasted for calling OBS, INT, infield fly, etc. because at the 10U level they were so young an just learning the game.

In today's world, the immediate response seems to be "fine, run through the girl". After all, it's a sport and there are risks, right?

People mock me because I mentioned warning people of the legal ramifications and taking the appropriate actions should it be necessary, but it is okay to maim a young child for the misguided sake of "sport". At least, I would try to prevent it, not wait for it to happen. These same people would probably call a lawyer first if it were their DD who was just crushed by an advancing runner.

You folks are hilarious.

 

[marriard]

Agree, the umpires are NOT doing there job, but what a long way this game has traveled. Ten years ago, the umpires were lambasted for calling OBS, INT, infield fly, etc. because at the 10U level they were so young an just learning the game.

In today's world, the immediate response seems to be "fine, run through the girl". After all, it's a sport and there are risks, right?

People mock me because I mentioned warning people of the legal ramifications and taking the appropriate actions should it be necessary, but it is okay to maim a young child for the misguided sake of "sport". At least, I would try to prevent it, not wait for it to happen. These same people would probably call a lawyer first if it were their DD who was just crushed by an advancing runner.

You folks are hilarious.

That's all great HOWEVER what is the solution to my original post?

I want to do the right thing without getting one of my girls hurt while still not allowing the other team an advantage and the chance of getting a cheap out or having one of my girls thrown out for having to run through one of these fielders who are intentionally standing in their way.

If we have to try to avoid the contact we can't get to the base or risk the very edge of the base (or the ankle/knee breaker part) and have to rely on the umpire to make an obstruction call which they may or may not make.

MTR - I don't want to have to tell my players to blast the fielder - so tell me what I am meant to do instead?