LL Coaching opposing team player

[InTheGame]

During LL Major game

1. Pitched ball hits batters jersey

2. I award batter first base for HBP

3. Base coach runs down towards home and starts instructing catcher to set up further back to prevent catcher interference (occurred in an earlier inning).  Defensive coach did nothing.  I did nothing but announced the B-R was awarded 1st base for HBP not catcher interference. 

4. Thinking back - I believe I should've stopped the coach and sent him back to the 3rd base box.  

5. What should've done?  What would you have done?

[Vegas_Ump]

If you judge that the catcher is compliant with his setup, do not allow the other coach to do that.  

Now, if it's possible that the catcher might get clocked by the bat, that's a safety thing, and I wouldn't mind that bit of advice too much.

Between those situations, I guess there is a myriad of choices depending on what the catcher is doing and where the batter's set up.

I suspect you are early in League play, so many of the players are steep on the learning curve.  Instruction for safety can hardly be protested.

JMO.

Mike

Las Vegas

[Velho]

It can be a dicey one. LL rulebook says base coaches cannot address the other team (4.05d) so you could shut him down hard. From a game management perspective that may send the game in a bad direction so we can use softer approaches (or it may be called for. Situations are situational).

Safety issues aside (which @Vegas_Ump addressed) I'd wait a beat to let the Defensive coach chime in (and be very ready to defuse if it goes badly), and then I'd give a "ok/thanks Coach" to get him back to his box and resume the game.

Between innings I'd nicely let the Manager know that it's "not a good idea for his coaches to coach the other team (or even leave the box like that). I appreciate the intent but I've seen it go too wrong too fast (which is why it's illegal)" 😉.

[Coach Carl]

Totally dependent on the culture of the league.  In my league, by the time I was coaching Majors, I had been coaching against all the other coaches for 3,4 maybe 5 years.  We all knew each other and (mostly) got along well.   As teams turnover and you add in post-season play, many of us even coached together at one time or another.   So if that were my catcher, I wouldn't make an issue of it in the moment (even if it bothered me, which it would).  

Other leagues, I could see it provoking an argument.

If you are not familiar with the league, then @Velho's advice looks great to me.  Be ready to diffuse If the defensive coach appears to be upset.  Then a short conversation with the "offender" to tell him that's not a great idea as it could turn in to something bigger.  If that coach makes a habit of doing that in his games he's probably despised as a know-it-all and, at best, is most certainly an annoyance