Oregon - Tennessee ball thrown at runner

[MTR]

Do you believe that this technique is being used by runners in an attempt to prevent the double play?

I fear that if it isn't happening already, you wil have the win-at-all-cost coaches instructing the player to just let it rip and will be heading out of the dugout to argue for an out before the play ever finishes.

There is no game or part of a game worth any injury to its participants. It is a GAME, not life.

 

[Cannonball]

MTR, I was repeating what was said as a "clarification" to the announcers. My "agreement" was on the distance the runner was from 2nd base.

 

[mogsoftball]

I thought the runner did nothing wrong.

The runner was charging towards second hard and stayed in the basepath.

The SS gets the out at second, steps to the outside the base and then wings the ball sidearm into the runners face when the runner is only 2 or 3 feet away. There was no way the runner could have reacted quick enough after the ball left he fielders hand, and I imagine she thought the SS was far enough outside the base path that the ball wouldn't head directly at her face, and she did nothing to try and get in the way of the ball on purpose.

I ranted to my wife about that play when it happened for 5 minutes. I thought it was a really bad call.


Video at link
Video

 

[Greenmonsters]

I fear that if it isn't happening already, you wil have the win-at-all-cost coaches instructing the player to just let it rip and will be heading out of the dugout to argue for an out before the play ever finishes.

There is no game or part of a game worth any injury to its participants. It is a GAME, not life.

So you don't think the runners are being coached to go in standing up to prevent the double play? How hard is it to slide or peel off to get out of the throwing lane? I'm sure you've seen more games than I, but the only times I've seen a runner get nailed is during this year's NCAAs. Most girls (and boys) are afraid of getting hit in that situation and instinctively bail out so going in standing up is NOT instinctive. I don't buy this poor, unsuspecting baserunner explanation. What we're seeing is a function of the "win at all costs" approach; the coaches are teaching their runners to go in standing up to take away the throwing lane, thereby putting their runners health in jeopardy AS WELL AS they're also coaching their fielders to throw through the opposing runner when its done against them to preserve the throwing lane.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

The runner was out cleanly and took 3 steps toward the fielder. You can tell by the fielder's expression that she was as surprised as anyone that a runner would run into the throw.

 

[CycloneSoftball22]

I dont see that the fielder did anything wrong. As a runner , if you are out by that far , why not just simply peel off and avoid getting nailed with the throw? The only reason to still be in the path of the throw is to try and force an errant throw.

 

[Ajaywill]

The runner was out cleanly and took 3 steps toward the fielder. You can tell by the fielder's expression that she was as surprised as anyone that a runner would run into the throw.

I have absolutely no doubt that the Oregon SS deliberately threw at the runner and thought that even before I saw replays. I was hoping like crazy that when time was called and the umpires got together that they would eject the SS.

For all of you that want the runner to "veer off" or "slide" or do something else to "clear the throwing lane"...

How is the runner supposed to know which way the fielder is going to move to throw? What if the runner sees the SS come across the bag at second and veers off the same way the SS goes to make the relay throw to first and is hit by the throw? THAT is a legitimate interference call. The runners job is to run from first to second base. She can't disappear once she is put out. The fielder should anticipate that the runner is going to continue running from one base to the next and work around the runners path to get a throwing lane. The Oregon SS could have easily taken another step and had a clear throwing lane to first. She intentionally used a sidearm motion and aimed at the runner that was very close to her.

As far as a "technique"...yes running directly from one base to the next has been taught as a technique for many years.....

 

[Rooster98]

People may have differing views on that play, but what is the difference between a running sliding three feet in front of the bag or behind the bag to break up a double play???? Same chance for injury in my mind. I view it like this R1 was out due to the force, thus no longer a active participant in the play, it is in my mind the baserunners responsibility to get out of the way of the throw. You see this all the time in baseball and no one questions it. Player taken out hard at second to break up the DP, SS throwing for his target, which is first base, just becasue the baserunner who has been put out is in the way does not mean the player does not have a right to make an attempted throw. Its part of the game. Does everyone really think the R1 who in my mind was taken out of the play went out of her way to get in the line of that throw. Maybe that is why she wears a face mask. All good in my book two teams playing hard trying to win. Nothing dirty, just part of the game.

This whole thing with different unwritten rules in the baseball world applying to the softball world being said that it is inappropriate in my mind is just chatter. You as a coach steal my signs or call out pitch location in baseball you take one to the ribs. In softball the mind set is you can't hit a girl....Well heck Oregon showed the unwritten rules do apply to softball just as they do in baseball. Call it wrong call it correct. Things equal out in the end. All this talk about the girl that threw the ball and no talk about the runner taking a path that directly obstructed the SS ability to make a throw to 1st is just chatter. She knew what she was doing and the SS did the right thing attempt to complete her play.

 

[init4thegirls]

Rooster I agree on the unwritten rules. Batters stand on the chalk in softball and take away the inside corner (However, the umps seem to make up for it by giving them six inches on the outside) With the new "you don't have to get out of the way rule" they're standing up there to get hit. The only way to stop some stuff is to pop somebody. In baseball the unwritten rule is, you're gettin nailed if you don't get off the plate. I know they're girls but if they wanna play like that you can't back down. I've seen at least 10 girls get hit on the arm when the pitch was over the plate in the last couple weeks, as a coach i wouldn't take that crap. If you wanna get hit we'll hit you

 

[Rooster98]

I see this more and more in travel as well, first thing a girl does is take out the chalk line. Only issue with travel I see is that the umpires are not giving the outside 6 inches. I will not change my game plan because a girl is too close to the plate. That is the pitchers job to move her off. If she gets hit, she gets hit. Is it the pitchers fault the batter has taken up space that belongs to the pitcher. Girls are getting hit by strikes and getting awarded first base. They should be called a strike when no attempt to move out of the way is made by the batter. This is a coached approach. Ride the inside make her throw outside and take the walk or get on base with being hit. Borderline bush league in my book. But it is part of the game now. Umps at the travel level need to give the outside pitch in these cases.

Rooster I agree on the unwritten rules. Batters stand on the chalk in softball and take away the inside corner (However, the umps seem to make up for it by giving them six inches on the outside) With the new "you don't have to get out of the way rule" they're standing up there to get hit. The only way to stop some stuff is to pop somebody. In baseball the unwritten rule is, you're gettin nailed if you don't get off the plate. I know they're girls but if they wanna play like that you can't back down. I've seen at least 10 girls get hit on the arm when the pitch was over the plate in the last couple weeks, as a coach i wouldn't take that crap. If you wanna get hit we'll hit you