My wife loves this forum. I now have somewhere to go and get things out, without yelling at her. I am so frustrated right now. I have stated on here before that my DD is playing in our local LL for a couple reasons. Her friends are playing, mound time before the tournament season, etc...I am her pitching coach and her TB coach (for this summer only). Now honestly, if I sound like "that parent", let me know. I can take it. There have been a few issues this season with her league and I have not been a part of a single one. Her coach for LL has ZERO experience and is a nice lady. She has asked me to help out when I can. I go to as many practices as possible and have helped out the team on numerous occasions. So now to the issue. Last night during a game, my DD is pitching against the best team in the league. Typical game for my DD. The other team scores a few runs on a couple grounders and dropped third strikes. No problem. Now my DD's team is LOSING 4-1. I sit during every game in the same place. I sit down the first base line, away from everyone. I honestly dont speak loudly or bad of anyone. I just enjoy the game. My DD absolutely looks at me during games for suggestions. If she gets ahead in count, she will look and signal for a specific pitch or signal me to suggest a pitch. Never a word said. All done through some hand motions form her or I. I would love her coach to actually call her pitches, but has no idea that there are anything more than strikes or balls. So in the top of the 4th inning, the umpire calmly walks out to my DD and tells her if she looks over to where I am sitting, he will call illegal pitch. If she does it again, he will eject her from game. Now I visibly see something is wrong with DD. She motions her coach out and in tears, tells her what the ump said. Coach runs over to me and says What do we do? I say no problem, ask her if she wants to try and call the game. She asked if I would call from dugout for her. I go into the dugout (last place I want to be) and now find myself calling every pitch. So we go from DD looking over a couple times a hitter to me calling every pitch from dugout. My biggest problem is that is DD's coach didn't have an issue with it, why would a LL umpire put a 12 YOA girl in tears during a rec LL game? BTW, been doing this all season (20 games). I know in TB you can pretty much signal from parking lot if you want to. I am not as up to date on the LL rules. Maybe it is in there. The field ump said something about having to take the sign from the catcher. I said if he could show me the rule in the book, I would buy it. He said he never carries a book to the field. Anyway, thats my two cent rant. Thanks for letting me get that out. My wife thanks you as well.
Little League Rant
- Thread starter joemcq51
- Start date
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20 rec games? A few too many. Does your LL have volunteer umps or
paid umps? Back when we were a part of LL-everything was from the
rule book since there are several rules unique to LL. If it is not in book,
Umpire can not call you out on it. There is a rules regarding 'competitive
advantage' that I have seen used with a rather broad stroke.
paid umps? Back when we were a part of LL-everything was from the
rule book since there are several rules unique to LL. If it is not in book,
Umpire can not call you out on it. There is a rules regarding 'competitive
advantage' that I have seen used with a rather broad stroke.
Last edited:
- Jul 28, 2008
- 1,084
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Umpire was wrong. The rule is the same in LL as it is in the other leagues. There's no rule against looking elsewhere for your sign. Go to the UIC and have them correct this with the umpire. Furthermore, the umpire should have engaged the coach and not the player in this instance. Another strike against the PU. As a coach I would tell the umpire to stop coaching my team and go through me.
Ok...you sound like "that parent".
You start off sitting along the outfield stands, but you can't let go of the game. So, you call the pitches for her. The next thing, you are in the dug out calling pitches for her.
How would you describe yourself?
Let me guess...you want her to play college ball. College coaches and HS coaches *HATE* kids who have to have their Daddy at games to prop them up.
So, she has to learn to do this without you. NEWS FLASH: She doesn't need you. You have to tell her so.
Honestly, you are lucky the coach wasn't very good. A good coach would have yanked her from the game the first time she looked over to you for help. And, a good coach would said, "Either you stop coaching her or you find another team."
Thanks, Sluggers. I was afraid of that. I do find it hard to let her go off on her own. There is a lack of quality coaching and I really was trying to let her be on her own during the rec season. I will have a conversation with her about looking to me during games. As a former HS coach, I would have gone nuts if my pitcher kept doing that. I justify it by saying the coach is inexperienced.
Since the "rec" coach doesn't know or understand how to call pitches, why not teach your DD to call her own pitches? You could teach the "rec" coach too. Neither will get it right for a while but at least you aren't going to be the crutch for them.
The ASA rule book, 2005, states:
"The singal may be taken from the catcher or from the dugout."
So I think the umpire's call was right, I agree he should have went to the coach instead of the pitcher.
"The singal may be taken from the catcher or from the dugout."
So I think the umpire's call was right, I agree he should have went to the coach instead of the pitcher.
- Jul 26, 2010
- 3,553
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Everything I know says the sign has to be taken from the catcher or dugout as well. Honestly, as a TB coach, I have a strong dislike for the pitchers taking the signs from their darling daddies. They need to let go, mature, and become their own players. Even if I have a pitcher or catcher that is new and cant' call their own game yet, I still have the pitcher take the sign from the catcher.
Where the catcher gets that sign is another matter.
You have two options here: You can let go and let your daughter and her teammate catchers learn how to call the game, or you can hold on and have the catcher look at you for your sign to relay it to your daughter. I know which option I'd pick but it's your life
-W
Where the catcher gets that sign is another matter.
You have two options here: You can let go and let your daughter and her teammate catchers learn how to call the game, or you can hold on and have the catcher look at you for your sign to relay it to your daughter. I know which option I'd pick but it's your life
-W
