- Oct 19, 2009
- 638
- 0
We played a tough schedule and she got undressed (a la Charlie Brown) a few times so she didn't mind a break from it. It was a plus that her arm is a cannon.
Trickery has no place on the field??
- Thread starter IACoach
- Start date
Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch
Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.
We played a tough schedule and she got undressed (a la Charlie Brown) a few times so she didn't mind a break from it. It was a plus that her arm is a cannon.
- Jun 24, 2013
- 427
- 0
Exactly! They much prefer to play with the dirt than play with the grass. Building sand castles is so much funner than picking daisies! Do you know how hard it is to pick enough grass so that you have your name in the field? That could take as long as 4 innings. Much easier to do in the dirt!
This "trick" play does bring up a greater issue that is often lacking in softball. That is, base coaches do everything but coach bases. They are great (sarcasm) at screaming things to batters, as if that makes any difference, but terrible at coaching base runners. It is the base coaches' responsibility to direct their runners. If their runners are tricked by this, then the base coaches need to take responsibility; though, most would rather just yell at a 12 year old than take a look in the mirror. While this is not true of all coaches, it is rather universal among coaches.
What wording in the rule supplement are you referring to? Only reference I find in the supplement is directly related to the pitcher only. "Any act by the pitcher that, in the umpire's judgement, causes the runner to react is considered making a play."
Per the OP, if the pitcher has the ball and is not doing anything with it, the runner is reacting to things other players are doing and no play is being made.
- Jun 22, 2008
- 3,438
- 48
I have been reading that ambiguous paragraph in the RS when it was a POE for years before 2007 when ASA defined "play" in the book. I am very familiar with the rule and the supplement. For that matter, I'm going to do a little bragging now.
The original definition proposed read: PLAY. An attempt by a defensive player on a batted or thrown ball to retire a runner or a batter-runner. A pitch is not a play except as it relates to an appeal play.
In the Umpire Staff meeting (2006 Nat. Council mtg. in Colorado Springs) as the staff was reviewing the rule changes, I raised this point that this wording would directly affect the LBR if they kept the bold portion. The committee (NUS) agreed and immediately offered an amended version and submitted that version to the National Office staff for distribution to the other committees. The amended version passed by consensus of all committees.
BTW, noting that a fake throw or any action to which a runner reacts does not change the definition of "play". A play is not one specific action, but number of consecutive acts executive for the purpose of retiring an offensive player. As meant, the RS is guidance and interpretation offered to aid in the application of a rule(s). The first sentence of the second paragraph of RS#36 Obstruction is just not true. Yet it is there simply because ASA doesn't believe people can understand the rule which, to me, is one of the easiest to understand and apply.
Yet, even with the ambiguous wording in the supplement being taken into consideration, my comment stands. A group of defenders running around the field to confuse someone does not release any runner from the base once the LBR is in effect. The pitcher must make a play, lose possession of the ball or leave the circle for that to occur.
- Mar 6, 2009
- 64
- 0
People complain about poor sportsmanship... Here is another one. Batters running on every third strike or even for that matter, what about running with 2 strikes. Not sure how this is any different. It is an attempt to have the opposition make at times an incorrect decision with the ball. The OP describes how the defense is trying to make the opposition make an incorrect decision with their feet.
Bill
Bill
Illegal? No.
Acceptable? Yes.
Does it show class? No.
All depends on which side of the fence you want to be, I guess. I'll leave it to others but be prepared for it should my girls have to face it.
Acceptable? Yes.
Does it show class? No.
All depends on which side of the fence you want to be, I guess. I'll leave it to others but be prepared for it should my girls have to face it.
Sportsmanship (and morality) is determined by public opinion, specifically those who play and coach and watch the game closely. Doesn't matter whether it's legal, or similar to another play or practice that is accepted. If 90 percent say it's bad sportsmanship, then it is.
- Jun 24, 2013
- 427
- 0
I always teach my girls to run on 3rd strike. How is that poor sportsmanship? Should they wait and see if it is uncaught? What if they missed seeing if it was uncaught? Should they waste precious time looking at the ump? No, because if it is a true DTS, then they have already made it easier for the catcher to make the play. They need to get moving down the baseline. I also teach them to run on 4th ball as well. Full count, they are running no matter what happens. I even get them to run if 1st base is occupied so that they LEARN to get moving in that direction. The 1st B coach will call them off before they even get close, but not until they have at least started in that direction. We also use signs to help the batter (offense) and C/P/1/RF (defense) know when it is a DTS situation.
Now purposely running with only two stirkes in order to cause confusion and an overthrow is, in my opinion, poor sportsmanship. We never use that "play".
Similar threads
