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Old Sun Aug 19, 2007, 06:01pm
Dave Reed Dave Reed is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 329
I didn't see or hear the play, but based on the description, I don't think there was rat-like behavior, or meaningful coaching. The player has been hit by his own foul ball, he's gone down like a shot, and now the coach has ascertained that the kid is OK to continue. At this point the coach can say: " Alright little Jimmy, the time for drama is over, the game needs to go on; get in the batter's box." A good coach, however, won't refer to drama or the injury either explicitly or implicitly. The fast way to get the kid back in the box, ready to hit effectively, is to signal that it is now time to play by providing some innocuous baseball related comment. "Don't let the fast ball get by you" sounds like baseball, but it is no pearl of wisdom, and is unlikely to either help or hinder the batter. Furthermore, the coach could just as easily yell that simple advice from the dugout or coaches box--the concept doesn't require any secrecy or a conference.

With 12 year olds, talking about baseball rather than painful shins is the right way to get the game going.