Little League. Cat & Mouse

[Bandit]

History and background is in softball. Have son starting 9 and 10 year old age group baseball this year. Have expierenced the cat & mouse game of runners at first base this past week-end to try and draw a throw. Softball has the look-back/circle rule to prevent this bs. What is the Little League rule on this. Where in the rule book is the direct ruling on what the responspbility of the runner/base commitment vs ball to pitcher? Want to teach the son the proper ruling and action. He will have considerable time as catcher this summer. Thanks

[nopachunts]

Look in 7.13

[Bandit]

So.....if the pitcher receives the ball in the mound area, the runner can pretty much do anything they want but upon the pitcher having the ball ON THE RUBBER the runner must stop the bs and be on the base. True ? False?

I like the leaving base early penelty. If the runner is thrown out. So be it. If they are not thrown out they simply go back and start all over as if nothing happened. If they leave the base early and the batter reaches safely they can only the equal of the batter. Hummmmmmm. dosn't it look like their is no penelty for leaving early?

[celebur]

Originally Posted by Bandit

I like the leaving base early penelty. If the runner is thrown out. So be it. If they are not thrown out they simply go back and start all over as if nothing happened. If they leave the base early and the batter reaches safely they can only the equal of the batter. Hummmmmmm. dosn't it look like their is no penelty for leaving early?

There isn't much of a penalty, but note that you are missing one additional point--on an infield hit or bunt, no runner can score if any runner left early (this is the infamous case where a runner can reach home safely and yet not score a run).

You need to look at the intent of this rule. It is not to add softball rules into kiddie baseball. Instead, it is to help balance out the disparity between kids' abilities to get outs vs kids' abilities to run, and it does so always with an eye to the 'full' rules that get introduced in stages as the kids get older (i.e. as their abilities throwing the ball and making plays catches up).

[ManInBlue]

Teach the pitcher to throw to 1st. Teach the catcher to throw to 1st. One good step and throw will prevent this the rest of the game.

I see this same crap (usually at 3rd) in Dixie Youth - I can't stand it. If coaches would teach the kids the fundamentals of throwing a baseball you'd either catch someone off the base or catch them 10 steps before they get to the next base.

I don't quite get it - throw the baseball - How to play the game, step 1. I seem to remember a rather famous coach say one time "you hit the ball, you catch the ball, you throw the ball" - but then those players lolly-gagged around too

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by ManInBlue

Teach the pitcher to throw to 1st. Teach the catcher to throw to 1st. One good step and throw will prevent this the rest of the game.

I see this same crap (usually at 3rd) in Dixie Youth - I can't stand it. If coaches would teach the kids the fundamentals of throwing a baseball you'd either catch someone off the base or catch them 10 steps before they get to the next base.

I don't quite get it - throw the baseball - How to play the game, step 1. I seem to remember a rather famous coach say one time "you hit the ball, you catch the ball, you throw the ball" - but then those players lolly-gagged around too

They can't throw consistently well at that age. It's a fact of life. You can't fix it through wishful thinking or practice. Their motor skills aren't well enough developed. It's the same reason they can't play the piano as well as an adult. Their bodies won't follow instructions well enough. Don't throw prodigies at me - they're the rare case, not the norm. Kids aren't miniature adults. They cannot perform as an adult. Ask your pediatrician. And that's why coaches teach the "I dare you" tactic.

[Birddog]

7.13 In order to “freeze” runners or prevent lead-offs the battery must be set. This means the pitcher on the rubber with the ball and the catcher in his box ready to receive the pitch. Ready to receive means mask is on and he is in a down or squat position or standing behind the plate. When the pitcher and catcher are set according to rule there shall be no lead-offs and runners must return to base unless already in the process of advancing. The pitcher on the rubber with the ball alone does nothing to stop runners or lead-offs.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Birddog

7.13 In order to “freeze” runners or prevent lead-offs the battery must be set. This means the pitcher on the rubber with the ball and the catcher in his box ready to receive the pitch. Ready to receive means mask is on and he is in a down or squat position or standing behind the plate. When the pitcher and catcher are set according to rule there shall be no lead-offs and runners must return to base unless already in the process of advancing. The pitcher on the rubber with the ball alone does nothing to stop runners or lead-offs.

The catcher, as you mentioned, merely needs to be in the catcher's box with the mask on. That's a pretty big box since on the small diamond they just extend the foul lines.