Sledging in Softball
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I have never heard that term, but "Yes, if an opponent wants to yell 'swing batter, swing," they can. If an adult coach is yelling it, I have a problem with it.
Oh Amy, I don't believe he is asking about the sweet chants from the girls. I assume he is wanting to know how far you can take an actual sledge in this sport. Sledging is an art to a degree, it could be called "jawing". The best sledger should be your catcher working the batter, because the ump usually offers a more deaf ear if the words are kept low enough not to engage the crowd.
In BB the catcher will say all sorts of jabs to get in the hitters head. He will talk about your momma, sister, girlfriend. If you have any physical defects they will be game....... overweight, big ears, little hands, short, tall, skinny.
I don't hear much jawing from girls softball on the field, BUT I have walked by and heard some pretty strong words/feelings from girls talking about another team off the field.
In BB the catcher will say all sorts of jabs to get in the hitters head. He will talk about your momma, sister, girlfriend. If you have any physical defects they will be game....... overweight, big ears, little hands, short, tall, skinny.
I don't hear much jawing from girls softball on the field, BUT I have walked by and heard some pretty strong words/feelings from girls talking about another team off the field.
If I, as a PU, hear any of this type of interaction between the catcher and the batter, a warning will be issued to both the catcher and the coach. If I hear it a second time, ejection(s) will follow. This is not "getting in the batter's head" this is unsportsmanlike conduct.
Hey I never did it, heard quite a few sly remarks stepping into the batters box though, but you never took it personal as it was just part of the game. 20+ years ago was a different time and men's sports carry that added testosterone level. I would never condone personal attacks from my ladies, I was merely stating that it use to be very common in baseball. Boys will be boys sometimes.
Probably the funniest one I "never heard". I was watching my older brother play during the Connie Mack World Series in New Mexico and you could see the catcher and batter exchanging words. Finally the batter struck out and got all bent out of shape towards the catcher. The ump literally had to call time and walk away. The ump was laughing so hard he was wiping the tears off his face. I never knew what the catcher said, but it must have been a classic.
Probably the funniest one I "never heard". I was watching my older brother play during the Connie Mack World Series in New Mexico and you could see the catcher and batter exchanging words. Finally the batter struck out and got all bent out of shape towards the catcher. The ump literally had to call time and walk away. The ump was laughing so hard he was wiping the tears off his face. I never knew what the catcher said, but it must have been a classic.
Again I'm in no way advocating young girls bash each other, let's hope they are more classy than us men.
I have never seen a written rule that specifically covered sledging or more commonly called "chatting up".
I'm no ump but probably the only thing an ump could get you on is USC. Verbal interference or verbal obstruction are really only called during a play. Baseball has pauses between action, this is where the "chat" comes in. As long as the ump believes he can maintain control of the verbals they consider it "relaxed conversation". ( so a catcher "could" say whatever he wants up until the point of pitchers delivery............relaxed play ) ( once the play is on, it's unrelaxed play and the verbal infraction takes effect )
The Art of Baseball
In the old days, baseball's aural history also included bench-jockeying, the dying art of the well-timed insult. The barbs were aimed either at a violator of the sport's intricate rules of etiquette, or at the carefully researched weak point of the opponent, which could range from his looks to some well-publicized off-field peccadillo.
"It's part of the game," said Mariners bench coach Ron Hassey, a catcher in the 1970s, '80s and '90s. "You've got to have fun out there, keep guys loose and relaxed so they can perform. But it can get very vicious and unruly."
Bench-jockeying still exists, but Mariners coach Don Baylor says it's rare enough that its execution causes notice. Not like in his era, when the ragging was relentless, and the likes of Frank Robinson, Tom Seaver, Billy Martin, Earl Weaver and Reggie Jackson were masters at getting under the skin of the opposition.
Unsportsmanlike conduct is not allowed.
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