Coach Knucklehead

[Aging_Arbiter]

So our local LL is running a Covid shortened "local" season.  Last night, I had the plate for the last (minor's 8-9-10) semi-final.  Win.......or go home.  VT Manager is a "competitive" dad, living vicariously through his 10 y/o son.  Yes, you know the type I am referring to.  Anyway, (now keep in mind I said 8-9-10 y/o) VT Manager coaching 3rd, giving signals to the batter EVERY PITCH.   NO runners on, but we've got signals.  When runners are on base, there are MORE signals.  Now I'm thinking to myself, If I were coaching this age, I'd have 2 signals.  POINT TO BATTER AND SAY - Hit the ball.  POINT TO RUNNER AN SAY- run!  This goes on to the point where it starts to delay (by the slightest amount....EVERY BATTER) the game, and I start with, "let's go batter, get in the box".  Now they kept 1 foot in the box, but took forever to get the signs bring 8-9-10 y/o.  I finally walked down to talk to the manager.  "Skip (another manager that I knew), I would really appreciate it if you can get your signs in quicker so we cam keep the game moving".  To which he replied "Bill, I've got to get signals to them".  I understand, but when you delay the game, I'll start calling strikes on your batter(s).  Now if you think about this, you want to run up the F1's pitch count.  If I start giving him free strikes, that's not helping your cause, right?  He understood and started trying to get them in quicker.   Later in the game.......say.....the 3rd or 4th time he had runners on 2nd & 3rd (and couldn't get them across), Batter looks at 2 pitches right down the middle.  Batter swings at the 3rd one and misses (stranding fellow 8-9-10 y/o players on base).  Coach is walking back to 1B dugout and I hear "GUYS!!  YOU HAVE TO EXPECT THAT CURVE BALL WITH 2 STRIKES".   I didn't have the heart to tell him that at this age, what he calls a curve ball, the rest of us call gravity.