I had something similar happen a few years ago.
During a 15 year old tournament, one of the higher ranked teams was getting beat. This team's coach was a big pain in the a**, the type that he wouldn't say a word when he was ahead but if he was losing, forget it. Intimidation of umpires or players was this guy's game.
During this game, the opposing pitcher is throwing a gem. Hasn't given them squat in 4-5 innings. With a runner on third, this coach kept making comments like "he can't do that" or some such as the pitcher comes set. He's not saying the word "balk", but it's clear that's what he's talking about. There was nothing being done by this pitcher that even remotely resembled a balk. Then after the inning was over and more importantly, the opposing pitcher is in the dugout (next to where I kept my water), he comes over to me and says "Can't you see him doing that with runners on? He can't do that." The pitcher hadn't done a thing, but he came over there to say that loud enough that the pitcher in the dugout could hear it, thus trying to get into the kids head that he was doing something wrong while in the stretch.
I don't know if there are rules about intimidating a fifteen year old, but I didn't know there was anything I could have done about it. Certainly I should have escorted that coach back to his dugout out of earshot of the other team, but didn't realize what was going on at the time, I was just wondering what the coach was whining about.
|