NFHS Intentional Walk

[WVSteven]

My only issue with the NFHS IBB rule is you shouldn't be able to IBB to the 3rd out of the inning.

Had a situation last year where the 1B was ejected because the ump thought she was too aggressive on a tag. The next inning, the other team IBB 3 in a row to get to her spot in the order for the last out of the game.

It introduces a new level of strategy that I do not mind seeing. Coaches who are paying attention can put their team in a better position if they watch the game and use the strategy appropriately. Just like the DP/Flex rule, very underutilized. IBB gives the team more options.

It is also an effort to speed up the game. Pace of play has been emphasized lately.

Also, high school fast pitch softball is one of the last stick and ball sports to implement the rule allowing coaches to give a walk without throwing a pitch. MLB even adopted the rule to speed up the game. This rule gets us in line with the rest of the industry.

If you do not like the rule from the offensive side use some strategy in developing your line-up. Protect the best hitter by placing a good hitter behind her so that you walk one and you still have to deal with this girl who can hit.

As an umpire I like the rule because it does speed up the game. As a former coach I can see the challenges and opportunities this rule presents. Just part of the game, as it adjusts we must adapt.

 

[Westwind]

Also, high school fast pitch softball is one of the last stick and ball sports to implement the rule allowing coaches to give a walk without throwing a pitch. MLB even adopted the rule to speed up the game. This rule gets us in line with the rest of the industry.

I’m glad we are getting up to speed with..... the industry? Is my kid making a few mil a season I’m not aware of?

Since it is unlikely that high school female student athletes will play MLB, why do we care what they do? What does NCAA softball do since that actually might matter to softball players.....

If you do not like the rule from the offensive side use some strategy in developing your line-up. Protect the best hitter by placing a good hitter behind her so that you walk one and you still have to deal with this girl who can hit.

This is a really good idea. Most coaches around here set their lineup by height or by hair color.

As an umpire I like the rule because it does speed up the game. As a former coach I can see the challenges and opportunities this rule presents. Just part of the game, as it adjusts we must adapt.

Hate to see you there any longer than you have to be. BTW, feel free to start the game 15 minutes early so you can get out of there a little sooner. The grandmas and grandpas and people with jobs won’t mind that they missed half of an inning. They will adapt.

This post is exactly what I am talking about. Adults thinking they need to manage every minuscule facet of the game and all the strategy. Control it. Keep the pitcher from giving up a double. Keep it from going on too long so the poor spectators don’t get bored watching these silly girls try to play a boys game.

I got this crazy idea: how about instead, we teach these kids the game and let them play? How about we teach them to compete and use strategy of their own?

 

[IndyHScoach]

I got this crazy idea: how about instead, we teach these kids the game and let them play? How about we teach them to compete and use strategy of their own?

Yeah, we don't need to stinkin' coaches!

Why we are at it tell the basketball coaches to sit down and stop telling kids to foul at the end of the game. But if you are going to foul, you have to foul the best free throw shooter. Other wise it would not be fair to make another player step up. Tell them they can not play a box and one because that is not fair to the best player on the other team. (Just like making someone other than the best hitter beat you.)

Tell the football coaches they can not call time outs in the last 2:00 minutes of the game. Let the kids play.

Oh wait, isn't strategy what the coaches are supposed to do. My bad, guess I misunderstood.

 

[Westwind]

Yeah, we don't need to stinkin' coaches!

Gosh, who do you think I’m talking about when I say we should be teaching the game and teaching kids to compete and develop strategy to win?

Why we are at it tell the basketball coaches to sit down and stop telling kids to foul at the end of the game. But if you are going to foul, you have to foul the best free throw shooter. Other wise it would not be fair to make another player step up. Tell them they can not play a box and one because that is not fair to the best player on the other team. (Just like making someone other than the best hitter beat you.)

Of course the coaches should coach. And manage the game. And direct. And my point is that when coaches do a good job of coaching, players become more and more self directing and understand what they need to do. And understand strategy.

And I have said many times that both of my daughters have been fortunate to play for some really good coaches over the years.

I’m glad you brought the basketball thing up. I’ve been trying to come up with a basketball analogy all week.

In the intentional foul scenario, the game remains in the hands of the players. They still have to execute. The coach can’t stop the game without a timeout and put someone on the free throw line without a defensive player running down the ball and fouling. And of course a good coach has been talking about who to foul. But there is no rule that allows him to surgically determine who doesn’t get put on the line. It’s on the players. And as you may have noticed, when it comes down to it, the best free throw shooter gets put on the line sometimes. Sometimes they miss. The players play.

In the box and one scenario, the game is still in the hands of the players. They have to execute. And if the defense double teams or traps with multiple defenders, the recourse is that the offense makes them pay by moving the ball. And some players will just beat double or triple team and make the defense pay.

The ibb rule, if it were in basketball, is almost like an opposing coach can look at the opposing teams three point shooter coming down the floor with the ball and they can stop play and tell the ref, that they concede two points. Or one point. Heck I don’t know.

In football, killing the clock with a timeout doesn’t take the ball out of the hands of a certain player, right? Can a defensive coach tell Aaron Rodgers they concede 9 yards but only nine yards on third and ten?

Coaches coach, players play. IBB in my opinion crosses or at least blurs that line. And it isn’t necessary in a fast paced game that isn’t named baseball.

 

[IndyHScoach]

Coaches coach, players play. IBB in my opinion crosses that line.

We all have our opinions and I am not sure I LIKE the rule but it is a rule so I use it in my coaching strategy.

I personally do not like courtesy runners but I still use the rule.

 

[WVSteven]

I’m glad we are getting up to speed with..... the industry? Is my kid making a few mil a season I’m not aware of?

Since it is unlikely that high school female student athletes will play MLB, why do we care what they do? What does NCAA softball do since that actually might matter to softball players.....

Yes the industry, there is plenty of money being made, just because the girls don't get any at the high school level doesn't mean it isn't there. Patty Gasso is making a million dollars to coach at OU and your girl could receive a free education. But if you prefer we can just refer to it as our sport it that helps your sensitivities.

This is a really good idea. Most coaches around here set their lineup by height or by hair color.

If your coaches are doing this they are idiots. But I detect a trace of sarcasm in this one and prefer not to spend much time on it.

Hate to see you there any longer than you have to be. BTW, feel free to start the game 15 minutes early so you can get out of there a little sooner. The grandmas and grandpas and people with jobs won’t mind that they missed half of an inning. They will adapt.

This comment makes me wonder what you have been doing at all these games you've been watching. What makes our game better than baseball is the pace of play. I am not talking about rushing through a game, I love the game and have officiated as many as 15 games in a weekend. The speed of the game is what I like most. 60' base paths, shorter fences, watching a right fielder make a play on a girl at first base. The speed of the game is what sets us apart from everyone else and if you haven't picked up on this fact then you've missed a great deal and I feel bad for you.

This post is exactly what I am talking about. Adults thinking they need to manage every minuscule facet of the game and all the strategy. Control it. Keep the pitcher from giving up a double. Keep it from going on too long so the poor spectators don’t get bored watching these silly girls try to play a boys game.

They're called rules my friend. EVERY sport has them. You do not have to like them but you have to play within them. And I have to enforce them. Strategy is a necessary part of the game. In reality, with today's rules, all the pitcher has to do is commit 4 illegal pitches, which can be done without delivering a pitch to the batter, and it's the same thing. That would be strategy and take up needless time. No one wants to watch that.

I got this crazy idea: how about instead, we teach these kids the game and let them play? How about we teach them to compete and use strategy of their own?

The last time I read the rule, just a few minutes ago, there was not a MUST or SHALL. The IBB is still optional. If a coach desires to have his pitcher throw 4 pitches outside the strike zone and risk a mistake he is allowed. I wouldn't, I would call time and ask that the batter be granted 1st on an IBB, but that is part of the coaching strategy. And strategy is necessary to make the game work.

 

[Westwind]

For those who have a dd playing high school softball, do any of them play on a field adjacent to hs baseball?

The games start at the same time.

I can’t tell you how many times we “stay to watch the end of the boys game”. Or leave while their game continues. It is a slower game, played at a slower pace.

Quit with this baloney that we need to speed up the game because that’s what baseball does. Baseball and softball are not the same game. Softball is our game. In high school it belongs to female student athletes and I don’t give a rats patoot what rules they use in MLB or high school baseball. (They play 7 innings too btw).

Yet, if I had a boy, this rule would probably still irritate me. Why? Because it takes the game out of the hands of the players. Just play. Turn on the lights if you need to. Compete.

 

[Westwind]

WVSteve, it’s the rule I have a problem with. I understand that you have to enforce it.

Yes, you accurately detected sarcasm.

I’m glad you love this game. I do to. This rule is not good for the game in my opinion and if people think about this stuff and don’t express opinions in forums where such things are discussed, the rules don’t change.

If there was no discussion, flaming, jabs, shots, sarcasm where would we be? 40’ pitching distance in college? Small ball? Would college softball be a revenue sport in 2019? Last night I watched a professionally produced television production of a *Thursday* night game last night between two powerhouse teams. In February! I think that is a milestone.

BTW, if IBB is a rule in NCAA, I have never once seen it done. Not once. Why? Because the rule is not necessary in the game of fastpitch softball. So why does NFHS have it. Because we try to push “what baseball does” on a sport that isn’t baseball.

Gee I long for the days of wood bats and 1-0 games. Not.

 

[Westwind]

We all have our opinions and I am not sure I LIKE the rule but it is a rule so I use it in my coaching strategy.

I personally do not like courtesy runners but I still use the rule.

I would use the rule if available to me too. Trust me, I get it that it is a valuable thing to a coach. I like to win. Who doesn’t?

My questions for you.... Is it a good rule. Is it good for the players. Has it made our game better.

If a kid is an SEC or PAC 12 bound bomb dropper, (mine isn’t), why would anyone ever do anything but put her on first? Ever? There is NO REASON to pitch to them and I believe more and more coaches will figure this out and use it indiscriminately. They will TAKE PLAYERS OUT OF THE GAME. And that’s not right.

Heck I don’t even think it’s fair to the pitcher. “Yeah, I played against her lots of times. But I never got to throw her a pitch.” If I was a player I would regret that. Even knowing what the result would likely be.

 

[IndyHScoach]

I would use the rule if available to me too. Trust me, I get it that it is a valuable thing to a coach.

My questions for you.... Is it a good rule. Is it good for the players. Has it made our game better.

If a kid is an SEC or PAC 12 bound bomb dropper, (mine isn’t), why would anyone ever do anything but put her on first? Ever? There is NO REASON to pitch to them and I believe more and more coaches will figure this out and use it indiscriminately. They will TAKE PLAYERS OUT OF THE GAME. And that’s not right.

Heck I don’t even think it’s fair to the pitcher. “Yeah, I played against her lots of times. But I never got to throw her a pitch.” If I was a player I would regret that. Even knowing what the result would likely be.

Is it a good rule? Well- I used it a couple times last year. Once was because the batter had hit 2 home runs against us and we were in a 1 run game. (Her parents were yelling at us the whole time.) We ended up winning when the next batter hit into a double play.

Once, I used it to put a runner on first to load the bases for a force out with two down and the winning run on second in the bottom of the seventh. Next batter got a hit and we lost. So the game was still decided by the players. There were a couple other times.

I think it is part of the game now. Would I vote for it if given a choice? Yes, I would.

Call me Coach WEENIE all you want but I will still do what I think is best for our team in any situation.