intentional walk little league

[Guest Rich]

An intentional walk is described as plate appearance, and not an "At Bat" . If the rules call for each player to have an "at bat", or play in so many innings, how is this possible if one batter is walked every time he comes to the plate?

 

I know there is a lot of opinions on this being used, but it is sad to see this happen. It may not effect the the batters batting avg. But it does take away his chance to have a HR,or RBI etc.  Plus its little league,and supposed to be about fair play.

 

The last 10 out of 12 times to the plate the teams have walked him,or bean him to keep there pitch count low. Yes that was done. It would seem you would want the kids to bat, and put the ball in play,rather than walk one kid every time its his turn to bat.

And the sad part is, the IBB is used to load the bases for maybe a force out etc. But this is being done when no one is one,and any time of the game, no matter what the score is. 

Mostly its all about winning to the teams that do this.

 

And one last question, how many managers and coaches, asst. coaches, base coaches, and person recording the book, can be outside the dugout in a LL game?  Thanks.

[James Walker]

Second question first, just the two base coaches. No more, no less.

Now, as to the IBB. Is it fair to this kid? Nope. Is it legal? Yeap. As for the plunking him on purpose, if its me and I know its not an accident... bye pitch (if its a little league game bye coach). If they're gonna give him a free pass, coach him to take advantage of it and run on them all day.

[mjr_2013]

If this is your son (you talk about him as if he is), I would recommend leaving Little League and trying out for local travel or just tourney teams in the area.

 

Little Leagues are for rec ball, easy stuff, kids whose parents require them get out of the house during the summer... Real ball players will usually get walked because of this... This league just doesn't seem up to the competition he needs. Plus, with better competition comes better umpires, which means ejections for the bean ball.

[carolinablue]

As far as whether an intentional walk is an official " at bat", it is.

 

(i) Every rostered player present at the start of a game will participate in each game for a minimum of six (6) defensive outs and bat at least one (1) time. For the purpose of this rule, "six defensive outs" is defined as: A player enters the field in one of the nine defensive positions when his/ her team is on defense and occupies such position while six outs are made; "bat at least one (1) time" is defined as: A player enters the batter’s box with no count and completes that time at bat by being retired or by reaching base safely.

 

That is from the LL rulebook. It's not an at bat for scoring and statistical purposes , but for the purpose of the mandantory play rule, it is.

 

 

Personally, at the level your talking, I really think the coaches should let the kid's hit but it's their perogative to walk him. If they can live with it, so be it. If it's a championship or tournament game, that's a different story. It's part of baseball strategy, IMHO. Bean balls are never OK.

[Rich Ives]

Carolina posted the rule on it counting for mandatory play.

 

The other part you mentioned was that it's done to keep the pitch count down.  In LL you must throw the four pitched for an IW, The proof for the non believers is the absence of a rule permitting an announce-only walk.

[umpcoachfather]

EYE FOR AN EYE

[semper_fi_72]

My question that is not answered in the OP is, What Little League level are we talking about?

Except at the Senior and Big League levels, I don't know of many pitchers that have enough control to throw at a batter on purpose.

They usually have enough problem finding the strike zone consistently and when they do try to pitch a IBB it is a accomplishment to do so without throwing a wild pitch.

[Dannytheman]

If this is your son (you talk about him as if he is), I would recommend leaving Little League and trying out for local travel or just tourney teams in the area.

 

Little Leagues are for rec ball, easy stuff, kids whose parents require them get out of the house during the summer... Real ball players will usually get walked because of this... This league just doesn't seem up to the competition he needs. Plus, with better competition comes better umpires, which means ejections for the bean ball.

 

If this is your son (you talk about him as if he is), I would recommend leaving Little League and trying out for local travel or just tourney teams in the area.

 

Little Leagues are for rec ball, easy stuff, kids whose parents require them get out of the house during the summer... Real ball players will usually get walked because of this... This league just doesn't seem up to the competition he needs. Plus, with better competition comes better umpires, which means ejections for the bean ball.

"Plus, with better competition comes better umpires, which means ejections for the bean ball."

 

Really???  Was that needed?  I am truly insulted. Not that you will care. @mjr_2013

[mstaylor]

We had a kid the year everybody switched the birthday cutoff, he should have moved up but wanted to big fish in little pond. One game we pitched to him and he went four for four with four HRs. The next game I explained how to pitch to him,0 for 4.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2

[SoCal Lurker]

 

 

If this is your son (you talk about him as if he is), I would recommend leaving Little League and trying out for local travel or just tourney teams in the area.

 

Little Leagues are for rec ball, easy stuff, kids whose parents require them get out of the house during the summer... Real ball players will usually get walked because of this... This league just doesn't seem up to the competition he needs. Plus, with better competition comes better umpires, which means ejections for the bean ball.

"Plus, with better competition comes better umpires, which means ejections for the bean ball."

 

Really???  Was that needed?  I am truly insulted. Not that you will care. @mjr_2013

 

 

It has not been my experience that the umpires doing games for the clubs around here are better than those that do LL or PONY . . . limited sample set, but if anyting, in my experience, they have been worse . . .

[mstaylor]

Every youth league in the country, no matter of pay or volunteer, have some excellent umpires and ones that suck. Some areas it varies on the degree of each. I have seen some simply awful travel umpires and I have seen some really good volunteers. I have also seen the reverse. 

[upnorth928]

 

 

And one last question, how many managers and coaches, asst. coaches, base coaches, and person recording the book, can be outside the dugout in a LL game?  Thanks.

 

Outside the dugout? In the stands or sitting on a bucket on the field?

In LL the manager and coaches may not be outside of the dugout while team is on defense.  They may coach bases when team is batting, but one adult must remain inside the dugout. 

The book may be kept in the stands. 

[Aging_Arbiter]

 

 

 

And one last question, how many managers and coaches, asst. coaches, base coaches, and person recording the book, can be outside the dugout in a LL game?  Thanks.

 

Outside the dugout? In the stands or sitting on a bucket on the field?

In LL the manager and coaches may not be outside of the dugout while team is on defense.  They may coach bases when team is batting, but one adult must remain inside the dugout. 

The book may be kept in the stands. 

 

The book may be kept in the stands.  Agreed.  As long as the manager/coach doesn't need to reference it because they aren't to leave the dugout or mingle with spectators during the game.  Correct?

[mjr_2013]

 

If this is your son (you talk about him as if he is), I would recommend leaving Little League and trying out for local travel or just tourney teams in the area.

 

Little Leagues are for rec ball, easy stuff, kids whose parents require them get out of the house during the summer... Real ball players will usually get walked because of this... This league just doesn't seem up to the competition he needs. Plus, with better competition comes better umpires, which means ejections for the bean ball.

 

If this is your son (you talk about him as if he is), I would recommend leaving Little League and trying out for local travel or just tourney teams in the area.

 

Little Leagues are for rec ball, easy stuff, kids whose parents require them get out of the house during the summer... Real ball players will usually get walked because of this... This league just doesn't seem up to the competition he needs. Plus, with better competition comes better umpires, which means ejections for the bean ball.

"Plus, with better competition comes better umpires, which means ejections for the bean ball."

 

Really???  Was that needed?  I am truly insulted. Not that you will care. @mjr_2013

 

 

I apologize. I was not meaning for that to be directed at you, or any LL umpire here. I myself work primarily Little League! Anyone here obviously cares about their work on the field, and I would never insult them.

 

My comment was directed at the more stereotypical Little League, that has the dad's coming off the bleachers putting on some catcher's shin guards, picking up their balloon, and yelling out play ball. While I admire these said umpires for their volunteering to do it, and I think that's a great thing for them to do,, I don't think you can deny that these umpires are usually far worse than the average travel league which pays HS certified officials to work their games.

 

In my LL, I am one of only two umpires remaining who still wears heather grey slacks and a real umpire shirt. There are some who signal safe anytime a person touches a base, some who will not wear shin guards, some who straight up tell me before a Intermediate game that they expect me to call all balks because they don't know them... And this league pays $65/game for solo or $40/umpire for two man.

[upnorth928]

 

 

 

 

And one last question, how many managers and coaches, asst. coaches, base coaches, and person recording the book, can be outside the dugout in a LL game?  Thanks.

 

Outside the dugout? In the stands or sitting on a bucket on the field?

In LL the manager and coaches may not be outside of the dugout while team is on defense.  They may coach bases when team is batting, but one adult must remain inside the dugout. 

The book may be kept in the stands. 

 

The book may be kept in the stands.  Agreed.  As long as the manager/coach doesn't need to reference it because they aren't to leave the dugout or mingle with spectators during the game.  Correct?

 

Good question.  As long as it is not the tournament the manager/coach is okay to confer with the book in the stands.  

[Guest Rich]

Thanks to all for taking the time to answer my questions.  Like everything, there are really good umpires, and some not so good, at all levels. They are people and human.

Sometimes its so close its very hard to tell, or maybe they were at a bad angle and couldn't see what happened. Ok sorry to run a little off topic.. Yes this is my son. 

And yes, as one posted we have talked about this, and trying a game plan for when it happens.    Get close to the plate as possible and hope for a pitch that isn't too far outside. Other than that, just let them walk him, and score from it.  He does play on the next step up baseball league. He seems to like it alot, and usually much better players playing on all the teams. A good learning experience.  He is only 11 and will have one more year of LL. But will just wait to see how things go if he plays LL next year or just play in the other league.

As for the other question, I just wondered, because I didn't see it listed in the rule book. But usually one team has 5 or 6 outside the dugout.

 

Thanks

Rich

[mstaylor]

In in the dugout, none outside except the base coaches. Two adult base coaches are allowed but it requires a third in the dugout. 

[HeadHunterLA]

My question that is not answered in the OP is, What Little League level are we talking about?

Except at the Senior and Big League levels, I don't know of many pitchers that have enough control to throw at a batter on purpose.

They usually have enough problem finding the strike zone consistently and when they do try to pitch a IBB it is a accomplishment to do so without throwing a wild pitch.

Actually I find a lot of pitchers at the LL Majors level have a much better command of the strike zone vs these kids at the Juniors level throwing on the big diamond.

[Guest joejo7883]

Just walking a batter because he's good is controversial, however one thing I've faced is an 8yr old using a rolled bat hitting home runs like he's in his back yard I do have a problem with and if a parent/coach is stupid enough to allow this than yes I'll walk him every time unless he changes his bat!

[ALStripes17]

Just walking a batter because he's good is controversial, however one thing I've faced is an 8yr old using a rolled bat hitting home runs like he's in his back yard I do have a problem with and if a parent/coach is stupid enough to allow this than yes I'll walk him every time unless he changes his bat!

So walking a batter that could hurt you more than the next batter is controversial? Most people call that strategy.

[Jimurray]

And one last question, how many managers and coaches, asst. coaches, base coaches, and person recording the book, can be outside the dugout in a LL game?  Thanks.

 

Outside the dugout? In the stands or sitting on a bucket on the field?

In LL the manager and coaches may not be outside of the dugout while team is on defense.  They may coach bases when team is batting, but one adult must remain inside the dugout. 

The book may be kept in the stands.

The OP is probably talking about LL Majors but in Minors and below coaches can be outside on defense for instructional purposes.

[Guest joejo7883]

Yes that is called strategy I was speaking more in reference to parents or not too experienced coaches or officials who apparently view intentional walks as not right, my point was I'm not against facing a good batter, that just makes my pitchers that much better, my issue is a coach/parent allowing his 8yr old to use an altered bat that could harm one of our kids, for that yes I will intentionally walk

[Stan W.]

Yes that is called strategy I was speaking more in reference to parents or not too experienced coaches or officials who apparently view intentional walks as not right, my point was I'm not against facing a good batter, that just makes my pitchers that much better, my issue is a coach/parent allowing his 8yr old to use an altered bat that could harm one of our kids, for that yes I will intentionally walk

 

A couple questions if you don't mind............How do you know that bat is altered?.......is it first hand knowledge? or is it hearsay? ....I  have personally examined a bat that was rolled, and to be honest if I wasn't told by the guy who paid to have it done, I would not have been able to determine that it had been altered....... 

 

Was there any evidence?.....was there any marring or markings around the end cap? Rolling and shaving are clearly illegal, but to date, I have never had a resource that could allow me as an umpire to definitively confirm that a bat has been altered......

[Guest joejo7883]

To answer your question I know for a fact it is because I know who rolled it, i wouldn't take it to the extent of an intential walk if I wasn't 100% sure, however I've been around altered bats for years, if you know anything about them noise is enough for the trained ear to know the difference in an altered bat plus speed of the ball coming off of the bat itself. But knowing for a fact its altered is enough

[ALStripes17]

To answer your question I know for a fact it is because I know who rolled it, i wouldn't take it to the extent of an intential walk if I wasn't 100% sure, however I've been around altered bats for years, if you know anything about them noise is enough for the trained ear to know the difference in an altered bat plus speed of the ball coming off of the bat itself. But knowing for a fact its altered is enough

Protest it, follow your league's guidelines for protests, and have the league ship the bat for testing (really hoping your league has a protest clause).

If it is illegal due to altering, call the bat manufacturer and get ready for a few fun lawsuits :)

[Guest Dawn]

How many times can one player be walked in a game in Little LEague?