Quote:
Originally posted by LDUB
Quote:
Originally posted by Gee
Would any of you allow the batter to turn around and look at the catchers signal? Citation please.
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If these are young kids, I would dust the plate, and tell him that the pitcher might throw at him if he keeps it up. But under normal circumstances, the players should know that they should not do that, there is no reason for me to tell them anything. If the batter wants to risk getting hit, then that is up to him.
[Edited by LDUB on Jul 29th, 2004 at 03:05 PM]
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At higher levels, true, you may get a ball in your ear. It should be emphasized that throwing at hitters and brushing them back is actually an ART and SKILL that young pitchers do not typically understand or possess.
Seldom do you see a MLB pitcher, intending to hit a batter, throw at his head. They know how to hit a batter -or- simply brush him back and send a signal.
Young ballplayers aren't very good at either. If you tell a 12-yr-old pitcher to hit a batter, he may just as likely hit the batter in the head as throw a called strike.
Youth league coaches should NEVER instruct a pitcher to throw at a batter with the intent of hitting him - EVER! There is no violation so egregious that should ever require this.
Looking back at the catcher for the signal is so easily solved by the defense. All they have to do is give the signals as if there is a runner at 2nd. Every team has a signal pattern for those situations instead of giving a straight ... 1 is a fastball, 2 is a curveball, 3 is changeup ... etc. With a runner at second, they may give three signals, the only one that would count might be the 2nd signal. There are all kinds of effective variations. Any batter attempting to figure out that scheme would be more distracted than benefited. I would WELCOME him to continue the practice! I would rather have him concentrating on the signals than the pitch.
David Emerling
Memphis, TN