Hey, you can't say that.
 

Was told by a board member this week - DURING a game - that the catcher cannot say the word swing as the pitch comes in.

When I told him I'd read all the local rules a few times and didn't see it in there - what section did I need to read again, he told me it was an ASA rule. When I assured him it was NOT an ASA rule, he told me it was "common knowledge ... and this team has had this called on them when they advanced to all-stars".

Um, ok ...

I did tell him that if he wanted that in the rulebook, he should add it to his local rules, and that I was not calling it that way.

So ... that said - how many of you allow/disallow this, and where does "chatter" cross your line? And does age or ruleset matter?

Some of the rec league Mommy-ball teams seem to want to eliminate what most of us consider normal ballfield chatter.

Only once have I asked a catcher to tone it down. This girl was having a loud one-way conversation with herself that included comments on the weather, uniforms, boys, Gatorade, ... and anything else that flowed through her subconscious mind. I don't know if it distracted the opposing batters, but it did distract me!

Is it possible it would fall under unsportsmanlike coduct?

Yes - but that specific line is not drawn for us. I'm wondering where your lines are.

Talk to your own team all you want. Idle chatter with the opposing team, usually not a problem. Loud, sudden utterances during a pitch directly to the batter for what I believe to be a distraction it can range anywhere from a warnin, OBS or possibly UC depending on the severity. I've never used UC, once OBS, but "knock it off" usually handles any possible issues.

And I'm not talking standard bull, but a very loud, obnoxious (and I know obnoxious ;) ) actions by the defender.

if it was a rule, then SP catchers wouldnt make it out of the first inning before being ejected.

This is a Dixie Softball rule. NO defensive player can say or yell "swing" at any time of the batter's turn. BTW This is the same organization that automatically calls a strike if the batter wiggles the bat during the pitch.

Hey Batta
 

"Hey Batta, No Batta, Hey Batta, No Batta, Hey Batta, No Batta,...........SWING

This must be a rule that has been added in the two or three years since I last called Dixie. Either that, or it is a popular myth because of all the wacky rules Dixie has.

Now the bat wiggle thing applies to bunt, not just any pitched ball. The interp goes something along the lines of a combination of an offer at the pitch and a distraction to the pitcher. I am sure that Wayne B. could clarify it for you.

Those fun Dixie rules......:rolleyes:

Had a 12U catcher that would talk to the batter, ask questions etc. as the ball was being pitched. Obviously an attempt to distract the batter. I just told her to stop. She complied for the most part, but would occasionally forget and start again in a new inning. A friendly reminder would stop it. In general I don't have a problem with the "swing" chant, that's always been a part of the game AFIC, but talking and trying to engage in a conversation while a pitch is being thrown is over the line to me.

I called Dixie from 2004 to 2010. The "Hey batter, swing" rule was in the rule book and enforced in the rec league I was doing. Also wiggling the bat on any pitch was by rule an automatic strike and was also enforced. I don't know who Wayne B. is but I would love to hear from him.

I'm sure by now nobody cares any more but just for the record:

From the 2010 Dixie Rule Book

7:03 — THE BATTER SHALL NOT HINDER THE CATCHER FROM FIELDING OR THROWING THE BALL BY STEPPING OUT OF THE BATTER’S BOX OR INTENTIONALLY HINDER THE CATCHER WHILE STANDING WITHIN THE BATTER’S BOX.
NOTE: If, in the judgment of the Home Plate umpire, a batter “wiggles” her bat or in any way intentionally tries to distract the pitcher and/or catcher, a “strike” will be called on the batter and all baserunners must return to their last legally occupied base. NOTE: This is a “dead ball” call.


XII — CONDUCT AND SPORTSMANSHIP
(A) — Members of one team shall not ride, kid, heckle, poke fun at or in any other manner do anything that in the opinion of the umpire distracts the opposing team.
EXAMPLE: Players from the opposing team cannot yell “swing” at the batter, or “the pitcher can’t pitch”, or “the batter can’t hit”, posting intimidating signs, i.e., K’s, etc.

So, in other words, Dixie took some of the fun out of the game...