Playing dirty? Totally fair?

[grcsftbll]

Also I'd like to point out there was nothing behind the scenes between these 2 teams. Last time we played them they beat us like 13 to 1. Our team loses a good bit more than they win and are gracious about it, across the board. There was no tension between the teams, no taunting or anything else by our players. Our coaches are almost TOO calm about things (to the point that I've been encouraging them to try to create some excitement in the dugout, it can get like a funeral parlor in there). They were just playing normally like they always do. I know sometimes teams get a little nuts and go back and forth but that wasn't the case here. It was truly out of nowhere.

 

[Momo'sDad]

I don't think any reasonable person would suggest that the hit was justified, but now some of you people are calling a 10yo girl a "thug" and suggesting that she'll "end up in juvi" because you've got 1 clip of her running over an opponent in a softball game? And because the player wasn't ejected by the umpire or removed from the game by the coach, then the other team's pitcher should intentionally try to "accidentally" hit her? No, most HBPs don't result in any sort of injury, but those types of suggestions make it evident who the real "thugs" are here.

It's one thing to call a player out (her team name and number are posted in the shared video) and offer constructive criticism to her, the coach, and umpire after viewing a clip, but quite another to rip into a kid and get into name-calling and character attacks without knowing anything else about her. She's 10, for crying out loud. Adults should be better than that.

 

[quincy]

Now I need to go back and edit all my posts. ☺

 

[joe720]

Pretty brutal hit. Kid needed to be yanked from the game, either by ump or coach. 10YO's can't expect a hockey game to break out at first base. And that was a full check.

 

[grcsftbll]

I don't think any reasonable person would suggest that the hit was justified, but now some of you people are calling a 10yo girl a "thug" and suggesting that she'll "end up in juvi" because you've got 1 clip of her running over an opponent in a softball game? And because the player wasn't ejected by the umpire or removed from the game by the coach, then the other team's pitcher should intentionally try to "accidentally" hit her? No, most HBPs don't result in any sort of injury, but those types of suggestions make it evident who the real "thugs" are here.

It's one thing to call a player out (her team name and number are posted in the shared video) and offer constructive criticism to her, the coach, and umpire after viewing a clip, but quite another to rip into a kid and get into name-calling and character attacks without knowing anything else about her. She's 10, for crying out loud. Adults should be better than that.

FWIW, our coach did not call for any sort of retaliation and I doubt he would do that. And really I'm not even sure our pitchers could bring themselves to hit a girl on purpose. Well, there's one who likely would but her fast ball probably maxes out at 38 - 40 mph so it wouldn't hurt too much. But our 2 main pitchers (the one pitching this game, and my DD who is the 1B in this game) are sweet girls I can't imagine hurting someone on purpose. For example if we played on this team, I doubt we'd last long. My girl would never be able to bring herself to shove someone down like that no matter what her coach told her to do. Not even if they did it to her first.

 

[quincy]

I am pretty sure if DD was 1st basemen, she would have been ejected.

 

[Softball scholar]

Something similar happened to my DD at 1b this weekend in a 16u this weekend. Actually had two similar plays in the same game with the same girl. The 1st time girl lays perfect bunt down the 1b line. My DD jumps out of the way so she doesn't get run over. Minimal contact was made, but crazy umpire calls fielder obstruction on my DD. Next time at bat, the same girl puts a another bunt down the 1B line but not as good and DD fields it cleanly and is standing in the middle of the base line. The same girl runs into her at full speed. DD holds her ground and gets her out but girl shoves her hard as she could. DD was complaining about her jaw hurting the rest of the weekend.

My analysis is this girl is good at bunting down the 1b line, then charges down the line creating havoc and cutting off the throwers angle. She pushing the runner interference call obviously, but umps don't always call it. But there's no need to run full speed into the fielder when you're dead to rights out.

 

[4 girl's dad]

I would like to add that my DD's 10uA USSSA made that out at least 8 times this season, probably once a tourney.

The excuse that the play wasn't playable is just not holding water with me. She had plenty of time to adjust her path and still make the bump of the fielder on the way by in a way to draw the interence.

We've all seen the cheep shot plays at the plate and a few flying elbows on first. Someone is teaching this mess and I just don't see a point in it. Play hard! Play aggressive! Break up plays and be prepared for collisions. But to just turn the corner and plow a player blindside? Rediculous! Same as throwing elbows at the plate. It's cheap and uncalled for. Stop defending it.

Not calling the kid a thug or what not but you gotta question her thinking on this.

 

[djcarter1966]

Anybody that thinks this girl came up with this on her own is just being silly this is 100% COACHED behavior...problem is instead of a bump as you go around she employed a run her completely over technique, she was probably coached to do it somewhat like that because you don't want to extended your arms out because then it looks very intentional and like you are trying to make contact.

I don't think anybody is questioning whether this was legal or not the base runner as complete right to the base path and the 1B has no business being in the path, the only thing being questioned is the force used or intention of the girl. While the force used seems excessive I don't know exactly what is expected when a player is standing still and the other is running full speed. I hope you don't expect the runner to try and avoid contact because if you coach runners to do that you are simply asking for your runners to be called out trying to reach the next base and you are never getting an obstruction call without contact.

So looking at it full speed which is all you should do as far as deciding any action to take all you see is 1B getting run over for standing in the base path...no call and while I don't really approve of the tactic this is just part of the learning process for the 1B, now if you are coaching the runner (I'm not advocating this) you tell her next time just bump her shoulder and don't run over the back of her.

The thing is if you watch MLB everyone wonders why you don't see this stuff, sure you will probably get plunked next at bat but also the season is 162 games long and on a play like this you see everyone just go through the motions, the batter runs 3/4 speed to first the fielder waits for the ball does not charge it and throws a lollypop into 2B and we move on to the next batter, there is no need to expend energy you save that for the moments when you actually have a chance to make a play not on a routine single.

 

[grcsftbll]

I've seen kids get bumped for standing in the base path plenty of times. It's 10U, they're learning, and they sometimes do that (block the base path) without meaning to. I have no problem with contact if a fielder is in your way. It was definitely the extent of the contact that I thought was an issue. She wouldn't really have even had to try to avoid her. Or she could have bumped her more lightly to try for the obstruction call if that's how they like to win games. It was the ferocity of it that bothers me.