[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Yelling by the defense at the batter is not only infantile but illegal. I do not have my NFHS, ASA, or USSSA rules books in front of me but I do know from personal experience and an interpretation that the I received directly from the NFHS Rules Editor that the NFHS considers, yelling at the batter by the defense to be taunting. I do not allow yelling at the batter by the defense in both softball and baseball.

Regarding chants from the dugout, as long as it is directed toward their own batter and not toward the pitcher I ignore it. Once the chants are directed toward the opposing pitcher, I stop it.


My sons are 11 and 14, and both have been playing baseball since they were in kindergarten (YMCA programs) and since they were 9 they have played in our city's P&R Dept. programs. The teams that they have played on since they were 9 are teams that are made up of boys from the area around the local elementary school. The fathers that have coached these teams for the last 10 years or so have not allowed the defense to yell at the opposing batter because they have all agreed that it is bush league and is taunting. It is refreshing to see that there are still fathers who coach their sons athletic teams who believe that sportsmanship is an important aspect of learning how to play a sport.