Heck of a Championship Game

[James Walker]

It's all star tourny time in my neck of the woods. We had the Dixie D7 10u tourney at our park. It was a hell of a tournement, and the championship game didn't disappoint. The two teams have an age old rivaly, and you can feel the excitment in the air.

I got my first IBB... And my second... And my third. The coaches weren't too thrilled that they did it, but kept it pretty quiet after a stern look from me.

Then things started getting interesting. Bottom 6, home team down one. Ball hit to RF for clean single, r3 scores tying the game. I clean the plate, look up and see the bench coach between the away base coach and home base coach. The home base coach is trying to push through to get to the other coach. I made a split second decision and dump him . It worked and now his attention is on me and all three coaches seperate. He comes to me asking why he's ejected, I explain I'm not letting that happen on my field and he was escorted off the field by U1. Then I called U3 over to discuss who started it ( I had a pretty good idea, but wanted to make sure) and dumped the away base coach . He left with out so much as a peep.

After everything settled down, we have a tie game with R2 and R3. Batter hits a single to left and R3 comes down the line to score... Except he goes in headfirst. He acted like he might have tripped, but there was nothing to trip on and he didnt get his feet tangled. (If there's any doubt the trainers from Dixie want us to call an out.). Home team goes crazy, thinking they've won... Until they see me call the out for going in headfirst. Then I hear, Coach, your gone! I turn and see that the home teams 3BC has been tossed ( after my calel, he said this is F###ING RIDICULOUS. ). As I'm walking back to take my position behind the plate, I've noticed that there are two police officers standing there. I'm starting to feel a lot better now that I know everything is under control. Away team ends the inning and we go into extra innings.

Between the sixth and seventh, I called both guys in and told them as soon as the games over get to the locker room. Home team wins in the bottom of the seventh and we are escorted off the field by the two police officers . We locked the door and filled our reports and waited for the teams to leave. Then were escorted out to our vehicles by the officers.

Even though the fit hit the shan, I was really proud of my crew. We stayed calm and handled the situation well. And it was still one hell of a baseball game.

[scrounge]

For 10 yr olds?.....shameful.

 

Just a question...if it wasn't really a slide, why call him out? I don't know Dixie rules so just wondering.

[James Walker]

For 10 yr olds?.....shameful.

 

Just a question...if it wasn't really a slide, why call him out? I don't know Dixie rules so just wondering.

Last year, I asked what they wanted us to do if a kid trips and goes headfirst into a base. They said call the out. My best guess is preventative officiating. Keep the coaches from arguing that he tripped.

[JaxRolo]

Do what you are told.

 

But I would tend to do what I think is right and not call him out. It is not a slide if he trips.

 

Then again I havent work those levels in awhile.

[semper_fi_72]

Wow

10U Tourney at a park and you have a locker room.

I am jealous, I have never had a locker room at any game.

I guess that I have never needed the police to escort us off the field or to our cars is a good trade off for not having a locker room.

 

I would have a tough time calling a kid out that I knew tripped and did not slide head first into a base.

As Jax said a Trip is not a Slide.

Trainers from Dixie can give you all the advice and direction about what they want you to do but, they can not officiate for you on the field.

 

IMHO

If you knew he tripped and did not slide, you can not call him out.

Glad to see that call did not effect the outcome of the game.

[grayhawk]

Who cares if the coaches argue that a player tripped?  We make judgements all the time and this is no different.  If you judge a player tripped, then it's not a head first slide.  If you judge that he slid in head first, then he's out.  Coaches arguments are irrelevant.

[James Walker]

I know the difference in trip and slide. If he tripped, fell and then crawled to the plate, I wouldnt have said anything. But this kid went down, didn't try to catch himself and skidded/slid a good 4-5 feet. I don't know if he was planning on going in head first and remembered he couldn't, but there was nothing to trip him up and his feet didn't get tangled. Probably was a HTBT, and still believe I made the right call.

I do have a question for the guys who do travel ball. Do any of the organizations let them go head first into a base at that age? I had a couple of other kids try it earlier in the tournament and was wondering.

[James Walker]

Just re read the OP, its a little hard to understand. Sorry bout that, but it was pretty late when I wrote it. I'll edit it to clarify.

[grayhawk]

Okay, so it makes more sense now.  They are not telling you to call the runner out if he obviously tripped.  They are saying that if you are not sure if he tripped or not to get the out, which is more reasonable.  As long as you are able to use your judgement, all is right with the world.

[mjr_2013]

Just trying to visualize this...

 

With runners on 2nd and 3rd with a single to left, I don't see there being a close play at the plate... Why was he sliding in the first place? I'm not trying to question your call, I'm just having a hard time seeing the play developing here.

[James Walker]

Ball was hit in the air, so R3 froze. There wasn't going to be a play but the ball was coming in. I guess he saw the catcher getting ready to catch the throw and thought about sliding. These kids get "slide if theres a play at the plate" pounded into their heads all year by these coaches cause some many leagues around here have must slide rules.

[HeadHunterLA]

I too had a great championship game last Monday night, an if necessary LL majors game, 4 man crew and I am at 3B.  Game had zero incidents, zero arguments and I had zero calls at third.  Done in an hour and 35 minutes.  Now that is my idea of a great championship game.  Cheers!

[blue32]

ANY 10U game that requires a police escort is beyond any sort of comprehension.

[JaxRolo]

ANY 10U game that requires a police escort is beyond any sort of comprehension.

 

Seems like most major problems come from 12U and under

[johnnyg08]

ANY 10U game that requires a police escort is beyond any sort of comprehension.

A-flippin-men

[stl_ump]

And THAT'S why I will never do those kinds of games.  I don't need those kinds of headaches.  Give me a nice relaxed rec ball game anytime.  Might not be great baseball but the kids are having fun, and for the most part, the coaches and parents are pretty mellow and I can go home stress free.

 

But then again I'm probably not cut out for that level of ball anyway.  I quite frankly, wonder how you guys do it.  People yelling and screaming like it's the 7th game of the world series.  A police escort?  Wow.

[James Walker]

ANY 10U game that requires a police escort is beyond any sort of comprehension.

 

Seems like most major problems come from 12U and under

12u is good. Most of the kids have been playing a while and the parents start to get it a little more. 10u is a huge mess. First time these kids are playing something resembling baseball. Parents think every pitch is a strike when lil Johnny is pitching, and every pith he doesn't swing at is a ball when they bat.

[James Walker]

@stl_ump

With my work schedule, all star tournaments will probably be the closest I get to calling decent ball. I agree its not for everyone, but judging from your posts I believe you could handle it. You just choose not to. Don't sell yourself short.

How I handle it is treat it like any other game. One team loses, the other wins. One side will hate you, then it changes with the next pitch. If you do something I'd eject you for in a scrimmage, you'd be done here too.

As to the police escort, I really don't feel as if it was needed. Things were fairly calm after all was settled and I don't know if it was due to the officers being there or not. Any time the police have to be called because of a ball game is ridiculous. It should never happen. It's a game, for kids, played by kids and some knuckleheaded parents and coaches ruined it for all of those kids.

[treydawgmt]

We have very few games around here that make any specific rules about slides.  They usually just use the FED slide rule.  The modification is usually, "a player MUST SLIDE if a play is to be made."  I can't remember a single ruleset that I have done that prohibits head first slides.

[mstaylor]

LL prohibits headfirst slides in any 60ft bases. I despise any local rule that requires a slide in any situation. It is inherently dangerous and should never be legislated to be done.  

[JeffT]

Dixie Youth prohibits head first slides at lower levels.

[mstaylor]

I believe CR does too but I wasn't sure. Thanks for adding to the knowledge base. 

[Mike Prince]

I believe CR does too but I wasn't sure. Thanks for adding to the knowledge base. 

 

CR does not prohibit head-first slides, but many assns. address this through the dreaded local rules.

[James Walker]

Dixie Youth prohibits head first slides at lower levels.

All Dixie youth (12u) prohibits head first slides. Dixie boys (HS age) and Ranger it is allowed.

[mstaylor]

 

I believe CR does too but I wasn't sure. Thanks for adding to the knowledge base. 

 

CR does not prohibit head-first slides, but many assns. address this through the dreaded local rules.

 

CR 60ft doesn't restrict it? That's surprising.