Head First Slides - Youth Baseball

[Guest NJ Coach]

I understand the logic (safety) for not allowing head first slides in most cases.  And I understand why baserunners can slide head first back to bases on pickoff attempts (can't physically slide feet-first while stationary in a lead).

But the rules say that runners can always slide head first to the last base legally held, but never into the next base.

So say a runner is caught in a rundown and runs back and forth a few times between bases before being tagged....what's the logic behind a rule that allows him to slide head first to one way but not to the other during a rundown ?  It's the same situation from a safety perspective.  I wouldn't call a rundown  a 'steal attempt' either.

It seems to me that a rundown situation should be an exception to the rule.

 

 

[beerguy55]

I don't know exactly how the rule is worded for LL, but the spirit of the rule is really around the speed at which the head first slide is started.

In spirit, diving back headfirst on a pickoff attempt, or diving back headfirst after rounding a base and returning are less risky, and are allowed.

I would understand if you say that if you run to second base on a fly ball that is caught, and then run all the way back to first to tag up, that a head first slide should NOT be allowed.  That would cover the spirit of the rule.

However, now it becomes a matter of judgment to the umpire to when the threshold has been crossed.  So, from a game management perspective it is much easier to simply say, going forward no, going backward yes, and eliminate any gray area...and inconsistency as different umps would judge it differently on different days.

The times where a person is running back to a base at full speed are the exception, so to create a new rule/exemption for them could be painful.

The rule is there to REDUCE risk, not eliminate it - considering that even diving back head first on a pick off still holds a risk to a head/neck injury - just a smaller risk.

Having the rule worded and enforced the way it is meets the objective, even if there is some compromise.

[Panther32]

What rule set doesn't allow head first slides?

[Guest NJ Coach]

Little League and Cal Ripken at least through 12u.

[stkjock]

4 minutes ago, Guest NJ Coach said:

Little League and Cal Ripken at least through 12u.

this /\

 

 

my guess as to the ruling - when in a run down, it's unlikely that a base runner will have has much momentum as when running all out for the next base, so some might say it's more "controlled" 

 

I don't get what you think should be exempted, that they can slide head first to the next bag in a rundown? 

[White47]

2 hours ago, Guest NJ Coach said:

Little League and Cal Ripken at least through 12u.

I had a brain fart, ignore my comment. I forgot that Cal Ripken League is not the same as their tournaments. 

 

I umpire summer torney's for Cal Ripken at the complex in East Tn. we allow head first slides. The rule modifications, from OBR, that where given to me say nothing about sliding feet first or head first. The only thing about sliding is it mirrors Fed Rules on FPSR type situations. 

Or are you talking about a diffrent type of Cal Ripken? on a side note I know nothing about LL. 

[Guest NJ Coach]

Yes, that rundown 'head first' situations are different from the purpose of the rule and should logically be exempted.

[noumpere]

1 hour ago, Guest NJ Coach said:

Yes, that rundown 'head first' situations are different from the purpose of the rule and should logically be exempted.

I don't work (and never worked) that level, but at some point this becomes difficult to define / enforce.  At least it's my guess as to why the rule is this way.

 

Most organizations have a rules-change process in place -- you could try that.