DirtyDawg

I see, well it seems like we've gotten ourselves into quite the little predicament, here!

I would have love to, except her and my mother (it is my sister playing) are the ones that signed me up. I think she had to be listed as head coach in case I got the new job which means I'm working evenings.

Sorry to hear about your game. Glad to see you are going to keep going at it. If anything, use this to fuel your fire to do better the next game.

Glad this came up, because it is definitely something I did not know!

I love doing those games, but then again, I'm a glutten for punishment!

When I've seen this situation handled by a "good" catcher, he handles the ball, tags the runner, and then appeals. Should this not be what a catcher needs to do to get the situation handled? You say kill the umpire, I say hang the catcher!

I'm not big into LL rules, but I'm not sure you could call the batter out for this. Let's say the ball is hit towards the third base bag, the runner is standing in foul territory, and a ball hit up the line hits him. Do we then call him out for interference, stating that the ball has a chance to go fair? No, instead we rule it a "foul" ball. What makes this any more different than if he catches the ball in foul territory. Coaches do it all the time. Should we then restrict them to the dugout because they interfered in the game?

Besides, if the catcher hears him verbilize ball, and the runner takes off to first, it's still going to be a ball, because the catcher would need be the person to appeal it. So if the guy gets on first, the catcher/defense wouldn't want to appeal the home plate umpire's strike knowing they have no chance at putting out the runner.

Well in this case the umpire didn't call it a strike and he did throw down after the runner, allowing the guy from third to score. Either way, that catcher is getting an @$$ chewing when he gets back to the dugout.

This is something I want to work on for the next couple of seasons. I've always worked over the catcher due to feeling like I get better feeling for where the ball crosses, and want to figure out how to move into the slot? Any suggestions?

No, I am talking about as we had originally had it, being that we didn't know we were being videoed (<--wow, that word looks wierd). I know that if I knew I was being hit with the camera (much prettier looking than the word videoed, or however you spell it), I'm going to do my best that day. I'd rather not know I was being filmed (third time's the charm), that way I can get a picture of what I look like on a regular basis.

That's what I used it for when I coached girls fastpitch. It actually has more of a feel for girls fastpitch than for baseball. As wierd as it sounds, at 24, I still remember broom sticks and bottle caps. My favorite was rocks with a wiffle ball bat, though my dad hated it because I would hit the rocks into his fields.

The only question I have is how are we going to make it a "secret" video for the umpire as posted originally in Brian's message?

Man I hated that thing growing up. The only thing we got to use it for was bunting drills, and it had a rediculously off center weight in order to swing it. It was absolutely nothing like swinging a real bat.

I think verbalizing "ball" would actually be more for the catcher. If he decides to take off then he'll know that he doesn't need to throw it to first, and if he does, then it's his bad.

Mo, I believe Brian's got it, since most leagues I've ever done make this their proper mechanic for between innings, anyway. You'll go to the baseline extended of whichever team is coming up to bat, that way you have a view of the whole field. This will also make the coach an easier target for someone else hearing him if the field has seating all around it, putting him closer to the stands for others to hear.

You know, this probably wouldn't happen so much if they'd just let us bring lead pipes with us when we get behind the catcher. That way we can tell the catcher, "I dare you to miss it!" **disclaimer: This was only meant to be a joke, and nowhere meant for anyone to try out. The author of said joke holds no factual opinion and does not recommend anyone trying this out.

Nope, engineering management.

Guess that means I'm going to have to take me home a TQC stick from work. I wonder if Quality has a few extra's to spare.

I'd do it, too, but give me some time to get a few pounds off. Those 15 extra pounds the camera adds would just make it rediculous looking!

Well hell, I'm in the wrong business. Tell me, where can I sign up to get on said "team."

Sounds like we need to get a team on it, pronto!

Interesting!

I've seen some umpires ask the coach exactly what it was they said, that way they could get a better chance of someone else hearing what's going on. If the coach repeated himself, then you give him a public warning right there. I can see this working because eventually, if the coach persists to get warnings in said manner, then someone else is going to pick up and be able to be on your side if you have to go to whomever is in charge of the league. If the coach doesn't say anything, oh-well. He's just a jerk!

Yep, especially since it had nothing to do with a foul tip. The catcher just missed the ball. Ouch!!