Passed Balls - Little Leagues

COACH O · #1 (**permalink**) Mon Apr 26, 2004, 02:34pm

How do other Little Leagues (age 8, 2nd year post-Tee Ball) treat coach-pitched Passed Balls? Do you handle them like "fielder overthrows", allowing runners on base (but not the batter runner) to advance? Or are they just not counted? We don't have base-on-balls or "looking" strikes at this age group, fyi.

DG · #2 (**permalink**) Thu Apr 29, 2004, 08:11pm

I have never seen a league that would allow base runners to advance on balls that got past a catcher that were thrown by a coach or a pitching machine. I know of some leagues that don't even allow it in 9-10 age groups, but this is generally when it starts, when kids start pitching.

mcrowder · #3 (**permalink**) Fri Apr 30, 2004, 10:37am

It would make no sense to allow the coach of the batting team to throw balls past the catcher to let his team run.

Rich · #4 (**permalink**) Fri Apr 30, 2004, 11:25am

Quote:

Originally posted by mcrowder
It would make no sense to allow the coach of the batting team to throw balls past the catcher to let his team run.

It makes no sense to allow a coach of the batting team to pitch in the first place, but it happens all over the place.

mcrowder · #5 (**permalink**) Fri Apr 30, 2004, 03:29pm

It happens in coach-pitch, and DOES make sense when the object is teaching the kids to hit. 7-8 year old leagues are ideal for this. Earlier than that, they should be using a tee in most cases, but there are very few 7-8 year olds that can pitch effectively. So coach-pitch is the perfect solution. You get a set number of pitches (or 3 strikes) to hit the ball, and the pitcher's trying to help you. If it was the opposing coach, there would be no incentive for him to throw good hittable pitches.

DG · #6 (**permalink**) Fri Apr 30, 2004, 08:00pm

Coaches can't pitch either, and they are generally lobbing it so easy that players don't learn to hit faster pitches. I like pitching machine leagues for 7-8 year olds, where reasonably consistent pitches (ie strikes), at reasonably consistent speeds are thrown. Give 'em 5 pitches and if they don't hit the ball by the 5th pitch they are out. I have seen leagues give a set number of pitches and that's all, but I prefer giving them an extra pitch if they foul off the 5th, and so on and so on.

Rich · #7 (**permalink**) Sat May 01, 2004, 12:40am

Quote:

Originally posted by DG
Coaches can't pitch either, and they are generally lobbing it so easy that players don't learn to hit faster pitches. I like pitching machine leagues for 7-8 year olds, where reasonably consistent pitches (ie strikes), at reasonably consistent speeds are thrown. Give 'em 5 pitches and if they don't hit the ball by the 5th pitch they are out. I have seen leagues give a set number of pitches and that's all, but I prefer giving them an extra pitch if they foul off the 5th, and so on and so on.

Bingo! This is the problem. Coach wants to win, so he throws lollipops that the kid can easily hit. What haapens then when that first pitcher comes along that WANTS to strike the kid out.

Use the machine if possible.