TAG HIM....TAG HIM..TAG HIM...

[th3]

Little league majors...kid overruns 1st after an infield hit....as he's coming back to 1st (after the left turn that coaches love to yell about but with no attempt to 2nd), the DC is yelling TAG HIM...the kid gets confused and takes off for 2nd. Thankfully he was safe.  Do you ever give an indication that "he's OK" or something like that to prevent that situation?

Edited June 6, 2015 by th3

[maineump]

The coaches and players should know the rule, but ....

you should signal and call safe on the tag if he doesn't make an attempt to 2B. I've rarely seen it happen more than once in a game

[krwill96]

I think he was saying before the tag do you say anything to prevent the runner being confused like he was in his situation. I never have or seen anyone say/do anything before a tag attempt in this situation. It's up to the teams to know the situation. Obviously that's easier said than done. 

[maven]

Here's a trick that can sometimes prevent that "take off."

Kids who hear the defense coming for them think they're liable to be put out if you're staring at them. So don't: when you hear "TAG HIM!" etc turn your back and walk toward B (or back to the plate, if solo). Do this AFTER you have ruled that he made no move to 2B, so that you can answer the DHC's question about "turning left."

If there is a tag immediately, it's nothing anyway, and you can rule accordingly. If the runner takes off, you're actually ahead of the play this way and can turn and officiate the rundown or play at 2B.

You can't prevent stupid, but you can help make it less likely.

[MadMax]

In the 18U and younger / lower ball games I work, non high-school sanctioned, I'll see this tactic and nip it in the bud by saying "No attempt. No attempt." or "He's fine", as many times as needed until the point is made.

It is irrelevant which way the BR pivots after overrunning 1B. He must return to the bag directly. But, the myth pervades that if the BR pivots to his left, that constitutes an attempt towards 2B. So the DT will put the umpire(s) in a quandry by telling their F3, often a hulking, shaving-at-13 giant, to slap a tag on the BR, who in this case is a slight kid who gets spooked at a moth in his face. And what have we coached and told these kids to do, above all else? Yup, avoid contact. So the kid spooks out and makes a move to avoid being tagged (unnecessarily), and ol' Clarence Callsafew calls him "OUT!".

Would you want to be slapped by a kid twice your size? I think not. Did you have any intention of going to 2B? No way, I just hit my first infield single in my 11 year old life! 

[ricka56]

I don't like coach buffaloing a runner with his dumbassness.

Coach: TAG HIM, TAG HIM...
Me: TIME (young'uns only)...kill  the stupidity before it becomes contagious.

[UmpTTS43]

In the 18U and younger / lower ball games I work, non high-school sanctioned, I'll see this tactic and nip it in the bud by saying "No attempt. No attempt." or "He's fine", as many times as needed until the point is made.

It is irrelevant which way the BR pivots after overrunning 1B. He must return to the bag directly. But, the myth pervades that if the BR pivots to his left, that constitutes an attempt towards 2B. So the DT will put the umpire(s) in a quandry by telling their F3, often a hulking, shaving-at-13 giant, to slap a tag on the BR, who in this case is a slight kid who gets spooked at a moth in his face. And what have we coached and told these kids to do, above all else? Yup, avoid contact. So the kid spooks out and makes a move to avoid being tagged (unnecessarily), and ol' Clarence Callsafew calls him "OUT!".

Would you want to be slapped by a kid twice your size? I think not. Did you have any intention of going to 2B? No way, I just hit my first infield single in my 11 year old life! 

There is a difference in avoiding a tag and making an attempt towards second. Let the kid avoid the tag and keep him at first. 

[Dean]

I don't like coach buffaloing a runner with his dumbassness.

Coach: TAG HIM, TAG HIM...
Me: TIME (young'uns only)...kill  the stupidity before it becomes contagious.

​Depending on the age of the players,  this is perfect way to stop that none sense. (no one is gaining an advantage)

Could this be considered verbal obstruction if the kids runs to second and is put out? (That might be stretching it, but I didn't like the damn coach anyway s )

Edited June 15, 2015 by Dean

[Rich Ives]

​Depending on the age of the players,  this is perfect way to stop that none sense. (no one is gaining an advantage)

Could this be considered verbal obstruction if the kids runs to second and is put out? (That might be stretching it, but I didn't like the damn coach anyway s )

​There is no verbal obstruction in LL/OBR.