PONY - Mustang Division (9-10)

[KLAH316]

Last night I had a very painful (physically and mentally) Mustang Pony game....

 

This was the first time I've had one of these games and the rules were killing me!  I had the plate and my partner apparently has been doing alot of these so he filled me in on what I was about to endure....

 

1. There are leadoffs and steals of 2nd/3rd however, no pickoffs and no balks.  Therefore, in 2 pitches, every runner was on 3rd.
2. The runner from 3rd can't run home unless the ball is put in play or is forced home on a walk, etc. 
3. Neither team had a catcher who could catch, at all....  I felt like a human backstop and was starting to get into some bad habits of flinching every pitch because by the 2nd inning, I was tired of getting hit. 
4. Neither team had a pitcher who could find my HUGE Strike Zone 2 out of 10 pitches.... and when it was a strike, the ball would hit me!
5. Neither team could hit the ball.  Therefore, it was a long HBP/BB fest!!!

Needless to say, my partner was laughing at me from the field the whole game!!!! 

 

Obviously, I will be declining all future Mustang Pony games.... Wasn't worth the $$!

 

Anyone else had these PAINFUL games????

[Welpe]

Wow I didn't know the Federation moonlighted writing local Pony rules.

[guyinaredhat]

The Pony league where I first started umpiring, sent a team who won the Mustang world series last year,I'd work their games anytime. 

[KLAH316]

The Pony league where I first started umpiring, sent a team who won the Mustang world series last year,I'd work their games anytime. 

I'm sure there are very good Mustang teams/leagues out there..... This unfortunately, isn't one of them!

[Rich Ives]

Last night I had a very painful (physically and mentally) Mustang Pony game....

 

This was the first time I've had one of these games and the rules were killing me!  I had the plate and my partner apparently has been doing alot of these so he filled me in on what I was about to endure....

 

1. There are leadoffs and steals of 2nd/3rd however, no pickoffs and no balks.  Therefore, in 2 pitches, every runner was on 3rd.
2. The runner from 3rd can't run home unless the ball is put in play or is forced home on a walk, etc. 
3. Neither team had a catcher who could catch, at all....  I felt like a human backstop and was starting to get into some bad habits of flinching every pitch because by the 2nd inning, I was tired of getting hit. 
4. Neither team had a pitcher who could find my HUGE Strike Zone 2 out of 10 pitches.... and when it was a strike, the ball would hit me!
5. Neither team could hit the ball.  Therefore, it was a long HBP/BB fest!!!

Needless to say, my partner was laughing at me from the field the whole game!!!! 

 

Obviously, I will be declining all future Mustang Pony games.... Wasn't worth the $$!

 

Anyone else had these PAINFUL games????

 1 and 2 aren't real mustang rules.

[KLAH316]

In reading the Pony rules, it seems like the local league modified Sec 9-M.... Probably due to the level of talent.

[mstaylor]

The reason they modified them is they are idiots that don't want or can't teach kids to hold runners. If I remember correctly, Mustangs have the option to play straight closed bases with no leadoffs. If you allow leads you have to allow picks and balks. Stupid local leagues rules do nothing to teach kids.

[KLAH316]

The reason they modified them is they are idiots that don't want or can't teach kids to hold runners. If I remember correctly, Mustangs have the option to play straight closed bases with no leadoffs. If you allow leads you have to allow picks and balks. Stupid local leagues rules do nothing to teach kids.

Yup!

The kids were taking 20' leads and were basically walking from base to base while the pitcher wasn't even paying attention.....

 

Very sad!  If I was a parent of a player who knew anything about baseball, I would be pi$$ed!

[James Walker]

We did pony a few years ago. 10u was by far the worst level to call. Long games, walk-a-thons, and lots of innings ending on run limit.

We do Dixie now, and it a lot better. Catchers throwing kids out, kids actually swinging the bats, and some close games. Only difference is closed bases.

[cyclonehokiece]

IMO it is simple, no pickoff, use closed bases, if you want leadoffs, you have to allow the pitcher to pick them off. 

 

What is it about local rules, oh right, they are written by fools.

[KLAH316]

I'm not so sure that pickoffs weren't "Allowed", just that nobody even tried and each pitcher was still in "Little League" mode.

[sdix00]

I have a question. 

 

Let's say you are coaching in a 60' League with leadoffs, balks, etc. 

 

Runner's are stealing on first move on every pitch.   

 

 

R1.   Why wouldn't you teach F1 to come set, then lift his leg, then step to 2B  and throw for the easy out?

 

I see R1 going early all the time, and not one coach bothers to call the pickoff to 2B, let alone 1B. 

[cyclonehokiece]

I have a question. 

 

Let's say you are coaching in a 60' League with leadoffs, balks, etc. 

 

Runner's are stealing on first move on every pitch.   

 

 

R1.   Why wouldn't you teach F1 to come set, then lift his leg, then step to 2B  and throw for the easy out?

 

I see R1 going early all the time, and not one coach bothers to call the pickoff to 2B, let alone 1B. 

At that age, with balks, if you instruct kid to do it without practicing it, they are probably going to start/stop balk by pausing before going to second.  Not to mention that the other rat will probably cry about him throwing to an unoccupied base (since he forgets to finish the sentence with the exception for making a play) and the smitty umpire probably believing the same myth.

[mstaylor]

I occasionally work a league that used to have a rule in their 9/10s that runners couldn't steal if the catcher didn't catch the ball.     It was LL so it was closed bases, so no leads. Also, you couldn't steal home at all. Luckily they have dropped all the silly stuff. I went to the leaders of the league and told them they were idiots that were hurting the kids. Subtle was never my strong suit. 

[BigUmpire]

Local rules by local fools.

[Ump29]

In my area, games are not umpired until age 10 - 11 ( Mosquito in Canada). Rules at that level are similar to little league - 60 ft bases - no lead-offs - no balks.

[plateumpire]

Last night I had a very painful (physically and mentally) Mustang Pony game....

 

This was the first time I've had one of these games and the rules were killing me!  I had the plate and my partner apparently has been doing alot of these so he filled me in on what I was about to endure....

 

1. There are leadoffs and steals of 2nd/3rd however, no pickoffs and no balks.  Therefore, in 2 pitches, every runner was on 3rd.
2. The runner from 3rd can't run home unless the ball is put in play or is forced home on a walk, etc. 
3. Neither team had a catcher who could catch, at all....  I felt like a human backstop and was starting to get into some bad habits of flinching every pitch because by the 2nd inning, I was tired of getting hit. 
4. Neither team had a pitcher who could find my HUGE Strike Zone 2 out of 10 pitches.... and when it was a strike, the ball would hit me!
5. Neither team could hit the ball.  Therefore, it was a long HBP/BB fest!!!

Needless to say, my partner was laughing at me from the field the whole game!!!! 

 

Obviously, I will be declining all future Mustang Pony games.... Wasn't worth the $$!

 

Anyone else had these PAINFUL games????

I work mustang games. There is no stealing or leadoffs where I do them. It must be different because pony is a higher level in the league I work in.

[SoCal Lurker]

 

Last night I had a very painful (physically and mentally) Mustang Pony game....

 

This was the first time I've had one of these games and the rules were killing me!  I had the plate and my partner apparently has been doing alot of these so he filled me in on what I was about to endure....

 

1. There are leadoffs and steals of 2nd/3rd however, no pickoffs and no balks.  Therefore, in 2 pitches, every runner was on 3rd.
2. The runner from 3rd can't run home unless the ball is put in play or is forced home on a walk, etc. 
3. Neither team had a catcher who could catch, at all....  I felt like a human backstop and was starting to get into some bad habits of flinching every pitch because by the 2nd inning, I was tired of getting hit. 
4. Neither team had a pitcher who could find my HUGE Strike Zone 2 out of 10 pitches.... and when it was a strike, the ball would hit me!
5. Neither team could hit the ball.  Therefore, it was a long HBP/BB fest!!!

Needless to say, my partner was laughing at me from the field the whole game!!!! 

 

Obviously, I will be declining all future Mustang Pony games.... Wasn't worth the $$!

 

Anyone else had these PAINFUL games????

I work mustang games. There is no stealing or leadoffs where I do them. It must be different because pony is a higher level in the league I work in.

 

 

I believe those are local decisions.  Our local Mustang has tried different things regarding lead offs, but has always allowed steals (at least of 2nd/3rd).  I believe they currently permit leads, but don't allow stealing home (not even on WP or PB).  Leads on 60' bases seem kinda nuts to me.