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As Coach/Umpire in LL, I often coach a traveling team in ASA tournaments where there are some rule differences. Last night, in championship game of a tournament, Coach lights into me (coaching) about stealing more than 1 base at a time. Next thing I knew, there were 3 coaches on my tail.
Score was 9-0 our way, so tension was high on other side. Complaint followed how agressive I was running my base runners.
Situation(s): Ball hit to F6, BR runs to first and is safe on overthrow from F6 to F3, I send BR to 2nd, F3 makes bad throw to F4, I then send BR to 3rd. F4 finally makes throw to Pitcher in who holds ball in 8 foot circle. Coach on other team becomes outraged that I sent the runner to 3rd and called it "stealing" more than 1 base. He felt that the run from 1st to 2nd was a steal and then 2nd to 3rd was a steal; thus stealing more than one base. I thought that was an interesting interpretation but felt the ball was in play and wasn't a steal and runners could run until pitcher had ball in circle. Ump stepped in and gave like interpretation.
Do you consider this a steal? Isn't a steal a situation where the pitcher "pitches" a ball and it isn't put into play, but the runner advances a base? How would you define a steal?
Thanks for any input!
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