Need some advice from you vets that call the younger group on a situation that happen tonight 10u rec league ball ASA.

Team A batter up pitcher throws a pitch that lands 10' or more in front of the plate, bounces a couple of times then hits the batter which has never moved a inch in the foot. I call a "ball" but do not award 1st base since batter never moved.

Then Team B batter is up, pitch comes in and hits dirt about a foot in front of her then bounces and hits batter in the shin. I award the batter 1st my thought at this age batter didnt have time to react and move out of the way

Okay you can probably see the problem coming some Dad from team A start hollering through the fence that I am cheating their team for not awarding team A 1st as I did team B. I inform the fan that I do not discuss game situation with the fans that he needed to go through his team coach. Well between innings Team A coach comes a griping about the situation which I tried to explain the coach the rule and the differences on the call. He didnt get it


Anyway my question is at this age group is it reasonable to expect a batter to move or do you just award anytime the batter is contacted with a pitched ball??



Thanks

Don
Rookie Blue again

Don,

You made the correct call. The pitchers in most of these games don't throw very fast. Batters generally DO have enough time to react.

Most of the problems in these rec league games comes from the coaches not understanding the basic rules. Even though this is a rec league (instructional for many of the girls), it is the coach's responsibility to understand the rules.

If they want to learn, I'll work with them. But if the coach is telling his players that blue is "cheating" his team, then the coach is setting himself up to receive my immediate attention.

The frustration from this type of experiernce is one of the reasons I shy away from younger age rec leagues. Which is a shame because the girls really need our help.



Gary

Don,

The only thing I would add to Gary's comments is that at these ages (I include 12U also, particularly rec 12U), the girls don't have to do much to "attempt" to avoid - any kind of movement to protect or such qualifies.

I also agree that taking into account whether the batter had a chance to react and giving her the benefit of the doubt on the funny bounce is a good call.

However, just standing there watching a slow bouncer, no that wouldn't qualify.

Your bad luck was the timing of these two calls got the natives aroused.

Don
In your 1st & 2nd scenario, *Great Calls*. With just about any
age group, a ball that hits the ground 4' or less before it
reaches the plate, as a batter it is hard to determine which
direction the *little criter* [ball] :rolleyes: will bounce. At 10U age group,
a ball that hits 10' in front of the plate, a batter has reaction time
normally. It is those 60MPH comets that are hard to dodge
at any age level or anytime they hit the ground.

glen

Thanks guys
 

Let you in on a little secret that nxtblue(Gary) doesnt know yet. That he will have the partner from hell tonight (me). Hopefully he will still at least talk to me on the forums at least after tonight


Catch you all later

Don

Don,

Sorry, but I am not scheduled to call tonight. Harley said he scheduled someone else in my slot. I would have liked to call with you - at least once this season!

Today is my daughter's 17th birthday, so I'm doing the family thing tonight.

Gary

Gary
 

Yep I found that out when I made it to the ballpark. They told me you werent coming it was your DD B-day and 10min before game time I had no partner so I went ahead and suited up for plate then partner shows up out we go to the field and the Home team only has 6 players so NO-GAME all dressed up and nothing to do thing. Stayed around a while and watched then came home


Will hopefully hook up with you on some games later this year


Don

Don,

At least you didn't get nailed with a good pitch because the catcher had no clue how to catch! I'm hoping you can get in on some of the better tournaments later this spring. It's really easier to call higher caliber games than the rec games.

Have you given any consideration to calling with Christy Allen in some of her tournaments?


Gary

Yeah Gary I will probably try to get some work in on those tournaments later this year. I would like to get at least a little more work in so I can get a little more comfortable behind the plate with the younger age groups and league play. I will probably see Christy in a couple of weeks we have a SPA SP tournament which the same group of guys do these too and I will try to talk to her some then


Have a good week

Don

Don........gonna give you a slightly different track than some of the others have told you.....

In 10U ball.......unless the batter swings at the pitch (or is hit in the SZ).....or you are convinced that they purposly got hit.......send them to 1st.....

Many of the 9 yo's in this league have seen very little live pitching......and sometimes are just so scared they freeze in the box......what may look like "not avoiding"....may just be fear.......

Give em' first......

Joel

I called one behind the plate in november,10u,youre not gonna believe this but they had her on the juggs gun at 65 mph! she was all over the place! the catcher was terrified and wanted no part of catching that fastball! i had full equipment on,and she still managed to hit me where there was no pads more than a dozen times! That was a tough game!that lil gal kicked my butt!

Either the radar needed to be calibrated, or it was set up for baseball, or both. In all of my years of doing FP, I have yet to see a 10 year old who could hit 50 MPH, not to mention 65 (This is with the primarily "select" pitchers as well). Most college pitchers are lucky if they can throw 65.

WOW,

I have never called a game where any pitcher was throwing
at 65. Very Very few do. That gal got a future, or her
DAD has a defective jugs gun. I will take the latter.
:D

You may very well be right on the calibration,im not sure,but to say the very least,SHE WAS BRINGING IT! When i saw her warming up i was totally amazed.She was only about 5ft 2,maybe 130 pounds. The 1st time i got hit was on the left forearm,felt more like a bullet than a softbaall! The catcher didnt even touch it! I cant say for sure she was throwing 65,but i can say she was throwing as hard as any 16 year old i have seen.

Roger,

Where you from? profile does not mention it.

I am in Texas.

Im in League City,thats just south of Houston and just north of Galveston,where are you?

Great, just what we need on this board, another yahoo from Texas!

another yahoo from texas? sorry then,this yahoo wont bother you again!

Yeah...ain't it great. By the way, around here we like to pronounce it yayhoos. :D

Hey Roger, don't take it personal. That's just Mike's dry, curmudgeonish, Delaware humor! ;)

Besides, assuming Mike is the only Delaware rep on this board (actually, I don't think he is, but nevermind...), Texas would still need another 200-300 members just to reach per-capita parity! ;)

I am registered with the Beaumont Chapter. Work a lot
in Houston, Pasadena, Katy. Ever around BaseBall USA?
Sportsflex Houston? LoneStar? Work them regularly.

Check out Mike's smiley. He is really harmless, but very
knowlegeable on the rules.

However, <b>Don't mention the <b><u>NEW OBS RULE</b></i>

:D

GLEN actually our association calls in league city,texas city,dickinson,la marque,san leon/bacliff,and santa fe

Yay-hoos
 

If Mike could just get him a taste of Blue Bell ice cream, he'd be a little more respectful of those who live(d) in TX.

Thats true john,especially the home-made vanilla!

Re: Yay-hoos
 

Give me a break! What, you think you folks invented ice cream? Your worse than the daydreamers in CA which thinks the world revolves around them.

I grew up eating ice cream purchased in the same building the cows were housed. Don't even bother with the store-bought junk, it just doesn't compare.

The only things I like about Texas is Marcia Ball and the fact that I don't need to go there for anything in particular.

Yee-haw!

Yay-hoos
 

Mike,
Blue Bell ain't junk :) It's likely as good as the stuff you grew up with, if not better. There IS a place you can get it -- most Outbacks serve it for dessert. Otherwise, you have to be within a six hours' drive of one of their two dairies, or you can't get it.

Re: Yay-hoos
 

Here's the difference. If they package it, it is governed and controlled by FDA standards which means what Outback would serve isn't even close to what they dairy vends. As a matter of convenience and control of expenses, I find it hard to believe OSI uses national buyers for dairy products.

Even through their diversity of associated restaurants, unlike Darden Restaurants, Brinker, QSR and Quality Dining, they tend to not tread on each others toes. This lack of density in stores would make it somewhat prohibitive to not use local suppliers such as McLean, Sysco, etc.

Oh, I'm sorry, that wasn't about the weather. My apologies ;)

Re: Re: Yay-hoos
 

Hmmm...methinks I detect a little envy!! :D

Marcia Ball, Sonny Landreth, Kirby Kelly, Bugs Henderson, Doyle Bramhall, Leadbelly...I could list Texas musicians all freakin' day. There are tons of them, ranging in musical styles from Brave Combo to Bob Wills to Ray Wylie Hubbard to John Nitzinger to Beyonce, and encompassing every genre! That is one of the things that I am proudest about in Texas, its depth of musical talent!

[Edited by Skahtboi on Jan 1st, 2005 at 04:58 PM]

Oh...and for Mike I forgot to mention the weather! ;)

Nice sunny day, mid-seventies, light wind a blowing.

At what point did this cease being a softball umpires discussion board :)

At no point...
 

OK. If she gets hit by a pitch give her a CD of TX Greatest Hits (including Waylon, Willie, Johnny Rodriguez, CCR, Texas Tornadoes, Buddy Holly, Mac Davis, Freddie Fender and Sonny Curtis) and a free scoop of Blue Bell Ice Cream.

Well John old Buddy, other than a six team round robin I
just finished, not much softball going on. Mike wanted
to discuss the weather, sooooo, we helped him out. Then
he jumped on Texas' Blue Bell Ice Cream. Now, them's
fighting words.

The tournament I had today, started at nine, three fields,
six umpires, six teams. One hour finish batter. No line-
ups, $24 dollars per game. Lots of fun, nothing exciting.
Oh, John, I have a tournament to UIC the 21/22/23 January.
Will probably need umpires. Will let you know more after
the TD confirms everything.

Well i wish we had something going on around here,nothing till the umps tourney in march

Glen,
Well you from someone who spent the longest Friday of his life in Brenham waiting out an ice and rain delay during a baseball tournament in High School that included a tour of the creamery I have to concur, you start putting the bad mouth on that little creamery it might be time to put up the dukes :) let me know what's going on you know me I'll come work for you oh and since its also on topic it was a nice balmy 77 this afternoon, actually had some scenery down at the pool getting an early start to the tanning season... :)

Oh and i forgot,its a balmy 65 here now,after a high of 80

Yeppers,

Everytime I go to Brenham, the Big Tournament in February,
I go to the Plant and eat my share. Even take a couple to
the room for later.

Will let you know as soon as I know sometime more concret
the tournament. It will be at BBUSA/SBUSA.

Re: Re: Re: Yay-hoos
 

Whatever trips your trigger, but I am surprised that you would be proud of a shortage of talent!

Re: Re: Re: Yay-hoos
 

Relax, Bubba. MB isn't from Texas, she just landed in Austen because that is where the music was in that part of the country in the '70s.

Though she resides in Texas, Marcia's schedule allows her to spend probably less than half her year there. During her career, MB has more often been associated with her home state of LA to the point many fans don't even know there is a Texas relation.

Trust me, the music on the Gulf Coast is in LA, not TX. For that matter, I'm going to be hitting the first half of the HO Jazz Fest this year. I hate it that I will not be able to catch both weekends, but it just isn't possible this year. Meanwhile, Marcia will be playing in Wilmington, DE while I'm in OKC for the UIC Clinic. Great luck, huh?

MR wrote:

<i>"Trust me, the music on the Gulf Coast is in LA, not TX. For that matter, I'm going to be hitting the first half of the HO Jazz Fest this year. I hate it that I will not be able to catch both weekends, but it just isn't possible this year. Meanwhile, Marcia will be playing in Wilmington, DE while I'm in OKC for the UIC Clinic. Great luck, huh?</i>


Know that you hate that. Because of earlier conversations
with you, I know how much you enjoy Marcia.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Yay-hoos
 

I hope that Scott choose the wrong noun when describing the
music <u>depth</u>(dearth) available in Texas.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Yay-hoos
 

Yep. Thanks to you and Tom for catching that!