Baserunners Clapping During Pitcher's Delivery

[MPLSMatt]

This scenario is 15U Rec Ball (although I also do 18U Rec where it applies too) with FED rules.

In several games I've had coaches complain about baserunners clapping while the pitcher is pitching. I posed the question on umpire.org last year and the consensus was that this is something that the players police themselves and we don't really have recourse to do anything. This is fine and good in the rulebook, but I'd rather not have my game turn into beanballs with players "policing themselves." It doesn't really fit under interference 2-21-1 because there has to be a play being made for that rule to be applied. Perhaps you could use 3-1-g prohibiting any unsportsmanlike acts, but to me that's a stretch. However, I had a game today and when the coach came out to complain about a team clapping I told him "although it's frowned upon, there is no rule preventing it, so I can't stop the runner." As soon as I said that both teams started clapping constantly and obnoxiously on every pitch.

How do you guys handle this situation? Any pointers that you can give would help a lot, as I'm sure that I'll have these two teams again. Thanks!

[Umpire in Chief]

I've got nothing. let 'em play.

[mstaylor]

There's not really anything to do about the clapping. When the coach complains tell him there is no rule against it but when it starts getting out of hand you might want to the coaches that the kids are old enough that they would quit the childish crap. You might have that conversation with the catcher instead. Try to make him see how stupid it is and maybe he will shut it down.

[Stan W.]

Im with mike and warren here..............you cant really do anything........and yes, I have seen a few guys force a rule in here.........attempting to cause a balk......blah blah blah......but in the long run is this any different from a shortstop or second baseman popping their gloves to distract a runner?..........

Now like Mike, I have had a partner who came in said (loudly) "Hey Stan, whats with all this LL clapping crap......I thought we were doing FED ball.........next thing you know they will be chanting like in girls softball....."

we had silence for the rest of the game......

[Thunderheads]

Im with mike and warren here..............you cant really do anything........and yes, I have seen a few guys force a rule in here.........attempting to cause a balk......blah blah blah......but in the long run is this any different from a shortstop or second baseman popping their gloves to distract a runner?..........

Now like Mike, I have had a partner who came in said (loudly) "Hey Stan, whats with all this LL clapping crap......I thought we were doing FED ball.........next thing you know they will be chanting like in girls softball....."

we had silence for the rest of the game......

:ranton:

[buddywilshire]

I know some little leagues(one I do everyonce in awhile does) have a negative chatter rule. So you can't do the classics like "We need a pitcher not a belly itcher" and that falls under the negative chatter remark. The better baseball you get this is not longer and issue. Could you see Derek Jeter clapping trying to make a pitcher balk by clapping at him? Funny.

15 year old kids don't know how to police themselves. That is not helpful.