Controlling Young Pitchers

[Wesley]

Papa C and others on UE say don't use the stop sign to prevent pitchers from delivering the ball. 

 

Do those of you calling 7-10U have any suggestions for getting the pitcher to wait to deliver the ball until B1, F2, and UIC are ready?

[carolinablue]

Usually I just walk out to the mound and tell him he needs to slow down a bit and give everyone a chance to get ready. Works most of the time. He may speed up again later in the game if things get exciting but usually you can just gesture to him to slow down and he will.

[BalkHawk]

F2.

[mstaylor]

I will explain he needs to slow down. if he speeds up again,I simply step out and tell him again.

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[Mike Prince]

Don't get behind F2 until you are ready for F1 to deliver.  If he does, call "no pitch" as many times as needed for him to to get it and slow down (or his coach to tell him to).  At this age the F2 has little to do with it, it is all on F1 being nervous and wanting to pitch a bit before everyone else is ready for it.

[BigUmpire]

 

Don't get behind F2 until you are ready for F1 to deliver.  If he does, call "no pitch" as many times as needed for him to to get it and slow down (or his coach to tell him to).  At this age the F2 has little to do with it, it is all on F1 being nervous and wanting to pitch a bit before everyone else is ready for it.

 SOOOO true.

[Dannytheman]

I have called, "No Pitch!" many times at this level. I stand up tall and talk directly to the pitcher, ask for his cooperation. I don't yell at at little kids, I just ask for their help. "Please let me get ready?" "Please let the batter get set in the box."  

Talk to the coach between innings, this is clinic level ball, help fix it. 

[BigUmpire]

One thing I tell my young umpires.

DO not get behind a young catcher WITHOUT your mask on!

A young pitcher and catcher zone out and start whether you are ready or not then WHAMO!

[plateumpire]

Don't get behind F2 until you are ready for F1 to deliver.  If he does, call "no pitch" as many times as needed for him to to get it and slow down (or his coach to tell him to).  At this age the F2 has little to do with it, it is all on F1 being nervous and wanting to pitch a bit before everyone else is ready for it.

I had pitcher pitch before I got behind the catcher yesterday. I called "no pitch."  It would have been a strike because the batter swung. The coach talked to him about that. 

[plateumpire]

One thing I tell my young umpires.

DO not get behind a young catcher WITHOUT your mask on!

A young pitcher and catcher zone out and start whether you are ready or not then WHAMO!

Right.

[eric0531]

I have called, "No Pitch!" many times at this level. I stand up tall and talk directly to the pitcher, ask for his cooperation. I don't yell at at little kids, I just ask for their help. "Please let me get ready?" "Please let the batter get set in the box."  

 

Talk to the coach between innings, this is clinic level ball, help fix it. 

 

This sounds exactly right to me. I also like to keep the batters with one foot in the box when taking signs and get themselves ready without a bunch of practice swings between every pitch.  If the pitchers want to work quickly and the batters are getting ready quickly too, life is good! Had a LL minors league tournament game on Wednesday with two starting pitchers that worked briskly. Had to call a "no pitch" once, asked the kid to wait until the batter was ready, and didn't need to ask again. 6 innings in 1:30, and would have been less had the VT not rallied for 3 to tie in the top of the 6th to force the HT to bat again. It helped that none of the kids were looking for walks, I didn't have one called strike three all game.

[kylejt]

Papa C isn't giving advice for the 7-10 year old range. The hand up, with a live ball, is a no-no for older kids, but feel free to do it with the little 'uns. It works, and is the best solution for this age group.

[Mudder]

The hand up, with a live ball, is a no-no for older kids

 

Why is that?

[kylejt]

It's not an official TIME, so runners can take off. But, you've got your hand up, and that looks like time.

[Mike Prince]

It's not an official TIME, so runners can take off. But, you've got your hand up, and that looks like time.

 

And in my experience it is one of the most over-used mechanics out there.  Older kids typically will wait until everyone is set to pitch, if they don't you penalize them with a QP or call "no pitch", but no need to have the "stop sign" up all game.

[Mudder]

 

It's not an official TIME, so runners can take off. But, you've got your hand up, and that looks like time.

 

And in my experience it is one of the most over-used mechanics out there.  Older kids typically will wait until everyone is set to pitch, if they don't you penalize them with a QP or call "no pitch", but no need to have the "stop sign" up all game.

 

 

I realize its not an official time, and in my games everyone understands the ball is still live when the hand is up.  I don't do it too often with older kids, and if I see a repeated need to do it. I'll just tell the pitcher one time to wait until batter,F2 and me are all ready.  That usually fixes it.

[UmpJM]

Guys, if your hand is up, the ball is not in play.

 

There is no "in-between" - the ball is either in play, or it's not. If your hand is up, it's not.

 

JM

[mstaylor]

JM is exactly correct, hand up is time, no balks, no steals no picks. Then you have to put it back in play.