Cal Ripken Div: Special Base Running Rule

[wobster]

MarionTiger - I thought your post stating the sitch was something you said you did. I apologize.

Our machine league is no lead off/stealing until the ball is hit. I have never heard of a machine league allowing stealing, since most of the kids that age have a hard enough time getting the ball to the pitcher.

Here is how ours works:

Umpire pitches, and ball remains dead until ball is hit. After a hit, the runners may run until the kid playing pitcher has the ball in the infield grass and calls time. This is about the equivalent of a pitcher being on the rubber, for our purposes. Ball is dead until a batter hits the ball.

I do agree with you that the rule for Cal Ripken is absurd. If there is no real penalty imposed, I.E. an out, coaches could teach this way, which is exactly what I thought you were doing.