We play 3 outs Coach...

[ALStripes17]

13-14 year old Dixie game (Modified OBR). R1, 2 outs. R1 steals on the pitch which ends up being strike 3, F2 comes up firing to 2B where the ball beats the runner by about 8 steps. R1 ends up knocking ball loose on the tag and is standing on 2B.

What did I do? I looked back to my partner to confirm the K, told the kids in the middle thats 3 away, then started jogging ojt to RF.

1B coach starts yelling "Well was he safe or out? Why are the kids running off the field? The ball came loose!"

I told him that the 3rd out was the strikeout- and he still wanted to know if his potential burglar was safe or out. Gave him "The Look" and said "3 away Coach." Grumbled back to dugout.

Then the other team's 1B coach (was on defense for the out) asked me how the stealer was out since the ball came loose. I told him the batter was the 3rd out and there was no call to be made at 2B. Then (in complete seriousness) asked me what my call would have been.

I asked him if he could close the gate by the dugout for me

It's amazing that both coaches wanted a ruling on a play that doesn't exist!

Had an appeal of 1B in this game also. With ball still live, the coach instructed F1 to get on the rubber and step off before throwing to 1B. I got a laugh out of that one as the R2 took off and stole 3B. Tried to tell coach later that ball was live... man wasn't having any. Said he "knew the rule." I gave him a thumbs up and said "you sure do." That's what I get for thinking that youth ball is educational.

[Larry in TN]

Is there no U3K rule in Dixie? I'm not familiar with their rule-set.

[ALStripes17]

Is there no U3K rule in Dixie? I'm not familiar with their rule-set.

11 and up there is. It's modified OBR. No U3K on the play - figured that was a near given as F2 came up firing the ball to 2B and beat a runner going on the pitch.

[MadMax]

Had an appeal of 1B in this game also. With ball still live, the coach instructed F1 to get on the rubber and step off before throwing to 1B. I got a laugh out of that one as the R2 took off and stole 3B. Tried to tell coach later that ball was live... man wasn't having any. Said he "knew the rule." I gave him a thumbs up and said "you sure do." That's what I get for thinking that youth ball is educational.

 

That's a _very_ opportunistic baserunner and a very aggressive baserunning team mentality. Curious... Was the baserunner out at 1B on the appeal? If he wasn't, there's probably an order up for that DTHC at the deli counter for 1 Sh!t Sandwich w/ extra pickle.

[ALStripes17]

Had an appeal of 1B in this game also. With ball still live, the coach instructed F1 to get on the rubber and step off before throwing to 1B. I got a laugh out of that one as the R2 took off and stole 3B. Tried to tell coach later that ball was live... man wasn't having any. Said he "knew the rule." I gave him a thumbs up and said "you sure do." That's what I get for thinking that youth ball is educational.

That's a _very_ opportunistic baserunner and a very aggressive baserunning team mentality. Curious... Was the baserunner out at 1B on the appeal? If he wasn't, there's probably an order up for that DTHC at the deli counter for 1 Sh!t Sandwich w/ extra pickle.

Without a doubt, he was safe (with no show made by the DTHC when the call was made). I talked to my partner later in the game and asked if he saw something weird when the runner rounded 1B (I.e. a stumble, misstep). We both had absolutely nothing haha still tryin to figure out what that coach was looking at or thinking

[Rich Ives]

 Tried to tell coach later that ball was live... man wasn't having any. Said he "knew the rule." I gave him a thumbs up and said "you sure do." That's what I get for thinking that youth ball is educational.

 

It might be if someone set up a clinic for the coaches.  Giving a thumbs up and saying "sure you do" isn't helping one iota.

[grayhawk]

 

 Tried to tell coach later that ball was live... man wasn't having any. Said he "knew the rule." I gave him a thumbs up and said "you sure do." That's what I get for thinking that youth ball is educational.

 

It might be if someone set up a clinic for the coaches.  Giving a thumbs up and saying "sure you do" isn't helping one iota.

 

 

Just don't order too many doughnuts.  You'll have plenty left over.

[ALStripes17]

Tried to tell coach later that ball was live... man wasn't having any. Said he "knew the rule." I gave him a thumbs up and said "you sure do." That's what I get for thinking that youth ball is educational.

It might be if someone set up a clinic for the coaches. Giving a thumbs up and saying "sure you do" isn't helping one iota.

So, as an independent employee of a contracted association, it is my job to set up these clinics for coaches? Most daddy ball coaches don't show up for any hour long rules meetings at the beginning of each season, let alone a clinic.

My details of the actual encounter were lacking for fear of boring my readers. The 'educational' conversation I tried to have with the coach also came with an attempted explanation of why F1 did not have to go to the rubber and step off in order to appeal. I was cut off mid-sentence by idiocy.

I can lead the horse to water...

[Larry in TN]

I can lead the horse to water...

In my experience, the horses aren't thirsty!

[Jocko]

Tried to tell coach later that ball was live... man wasn't having any. Said he "knew the rule." I gave him a thumbs up and said "you sure do." That's what I get for thinking that youth ball is educational.

 

It might be if someone set up a clinic for the coaches.  Giving a thumbs up and saying "sure you do" isn't helping one iota.

 

Just don't order too many doughnuts.  You'll have plenty left over.just my two cents...but idgaf if they know or dont know the rules. That's MY job. If they ask for a rule explanation? A short one is in order. But I'm not explaining during the game how to properly appeal or why engaging/disengaging isn't necessary because the ball was already live. SMFH

[Replacematt]

 

 

 

Tried to tell coach later that ball was live... man wasn't having any. Said he "knew the rule." I gave him a thumbs up and said "you sure do." That's what I get for thinking that youth ball is educational.

 

It might be if someone set up a clinic for the coaches.  Giving a thumbs up and saying "sure you do" isn't helping one iota.  

Just don't order too many doughnuts.  You'll have plenty left over. just my two cents...but idgaf if they know or dont know the rules. That's MY job. If they ask for a rule explanation? A short one is in order. But I'm not explaining during the game how to properly appeal or why engaging/disengaging isn't necessary because the ball was already live. SMFH

 

 

You're right, it is your job. However, your job is also helped if you don't have ignorant coaches coming out on issues that exist only because of their ignorance.

 

The only time knowledgeable coaches are going to make your job difficult are a) if you mess up or b) if they try to game you by playing dumb. The more competent you are, the less likely a) will happen or b) will be successful.

[etignor11]

Wow, I thought this kind of ignorance was only at my Little League.  I had runners on 1st and 2nd stealing on the pitch.  The batter foul tipped it into the catcher's mitt and I gave the correct foul tip signal.  As I look up the runners are going back to 1st and 2nd.  The head coach in the 3rd base box told them that since it was a foul they had to go back........ and the defense let them!  Didn't even make an attempt to tag them?!?!?

 

Larry will like this one!

[SoCal Lurker]

Wow, I thought this kind of ignorance was only at my Little League.  I had runners on 1st and 2nd stealing on the pitch.  The batter foul tipped it into the catcher's mitt and I gave the correct foul tip signal.  As I look up the runners are going back to 1st and 2nd.  The head coach in the 3rd base box told them that since it was a foul they had to go back........ and the defense let them!  Didn't even make an attempt to tag them?!?!?

 

Larry will like this one!

 

That's a surprisingly common misconception -- perhaps because in LL foul tips are almost never caught.  (Yes, I know that means they weren't "foul tips" -- but I didn't know that till I started lurking around umpire boards.)  The highlight of my (very brief and long ago) LL career, which ended in minors, was catching a foul tip for strike three -- umpire simply yelled foul and I had to turn around and point out I caught it before he gave the out.)

[Larry in TN]

Larry will like this one!

 

Like it?  It was probably my son's team!  

 

 

That's a surprisingly common misconception -- perhaps because in LL foul tips are almost never caught.  (Yes, I know that means they weren't "foul tips" -- but I didn't know that till I started lurking around umpire boards.)  The highlight of my (very brief and long ago) LL career, which ended in minors, was catching a foul tip for strike three -- umpire simply yelled foul and I had to turn around and point out I caught it before he gave the out.)

 

Etignor11 would usually work the Juniors division games, in our LL, where a lot of the foul-tips are caught (and the bases are open).  I think the problem is that he's in the minority of our umpires who actual use the foul-tip mechanic correctly.  Many of them are signalling the "tip" as the ball his hitting the backstop.  

 

Here's another example of some of the umpiring we see.  This happened a couple nights ago in an Intermediate (50/70) game.

 

Bases loaded.  BR walks.  On-deck batter moves quickly into the box and is blocking the path of R3 as he walks in.  R3 goes around the new batter and touches the plate with his toe.  I was standing right behind the backstop fence and saw the touch.  As R3 starts for his dugout, coaches/parents from both sides think he missed the base and everybody starts yelling instructions.  F2 understands that he needs to appeal so he gets the ball, steps on the plate, and looks at the PU while the original R3 scrambles back to the plate.  The PU has no idea what's going on. OC yells something to the PU about the appeal and he tells them that they can appeal (?).  F2 again steps on the plate and turns to the PU for a ruling.  

 

Can anyone guess what happens next?

 

The PU points to his partner in B for help on the plate-touch call!

 

I couldn't believe it!  It was just like that silly gif animation that people use in their signature here.  You could just about see the smoke smoke coming out the BU's ears he was so frustrated with the PU.

[Jocko]

13-14 year old Dixie game (Modified OBR). R1, 2 outs. R1 steals on the pitch which ends up being strike 3, F2 comes up firing to 2B where the ball beats the runner by about 8 steps. R1 ends up knocking ball loose on the tag and is standing on 2B.What did I do? I looked back to my partner to confirm the K, told the kids in the middle thats 3 away, then started jogging ojt to RF.1B coach starts yelling "Well was he safe or out? Why are the kids running off the field? The ball came loose!" I told him that the 3rd out was the strikeout- and he still wanted to know if his potential burglar was safe or out. Gave him "The Look" and said "3 away Coach." Grumbled back to dugout.Then the other team's 1B coach (was on defense for the out) asked me how the stealer was out since the ball came loose. I told him the batter was the 3rd out and there was no call to be made at 2B. Then (in complete seriousness) asked me what my call would have been.I asked him if he could close the gate by the dugout for me It's amazing that both coaches wanted a ruling on a play that doesn't exist!Had an appeal of 1B in this game also. With ball still live, the coach instructed F1 to get on the rubber and step off before throwing to 1B. I got a laugh out of that one as the R2 took off and stole 3B. Tried to tell coach later that ball was live... man wasn't having any. Said he "knew the rule." I gave him a thumbs up and said "you sure do." That's what I get for thinking that youth ball is educational.

You're right, coach. We'll start off next inning with an out already on the books. Suit you?