Local rule headaches

[tim_s]

Runner on 1st and 2nd. Home team on offense. Local rule where after 2 walks in an inning, it’s coach pitch. Ball 4 on batter after 2 walks already occured. Observant catcher fires ball down to 3B who tags the runner jogging from second. My teenaged partner looks confused, starts to call runner out, then calls safe.

I turn to home book and quietly say “Here comes the unintended consequences of local rules, if the defensive coach appeals and my partner asks for help, I’m going to have to tell her in my opinon that was not a force and she was advancing with liability.”

Just as I finish saying that I hear “Blue, can I have time”. Defensive coach repeats my logic, I tell her to talk to my partner and my partner does not have to ask me for help. My partner asks me for help and she calls the runner out.

Home team isn’t happy and pulls out the rule book. Rec game, so I don’t eject them . I calmly explain the logic to them at least twice and they insist the runner to 3rd was forced. I politely tell them twice I will not be offended if they file a protest, but the game must continue. Defensive coach asks for game to start again.

I call the better to enter the box and almost get to call a strike for not getting in the box within 10 seconds after asking them to.

I ask the league UIC after the game and he says there has been a recent rules update that says in this case, it is not a walk and runners advance at their own risk.

I’m glad starting Friday I started saying ball, taking my mask off and walking to the front right corner of the right handed batters box, and say nothing. I didn’t say ‘Ball 4– take your base", so I provided no false information.

local rules are just fine if they help to teach the game as players are developing.......but if you have those rules in place, and are playing a modified version, which is great.....THEN WHY IN THE HELL DO YOU AS A COACH CARE SO MUCH AS TO WHO WINS???

in the situation outlined above, timed is called, coaches get together, remind both teams that after two walks, there are no more walks, runners advance at their own risk, and since it is a new rule change, bring the runners back, no out awarded, play on.......because WHO CARES about an out in what I presume is 8u or 10u rec softball?????

the problem isn't the local/modified rules.....it's the coaches and parents playing under them, caring more about winning than about developing softball players