Little League Coaches...anyone?

[Red]

I am coaching my nephews team (ages 7-9) this year and having alot of fun.  Was just wondering if anyone else is involved with a team?  If so I have a question regarding rules.  Our game tonight ended 14-7, however there were only a handful of hits between both teams and a few walks.  Apparently you can have them keep running on overthrown balls or other errors.  One kid got walked but due to errors ended up with a homerun! I grew up with the "one base on an overthrow" rule.  This being allowed to continue running seems a bit off to me.  At their age I am lucky if half the boys can even catch the ball or make a decent throw, there is going to be alot of errors.  Don't get me wrong they are having fun and it isn't all about winning on my team.  They were crazy excited tonight just cuz they scored a few runs.  Anyway, how does this rule apply to your league?

Thanks

Cliff

[central.PA.bass]

did the ball go out of play?  If so the runner should only advance one base..  If the ball stayed in play.. ie. hit the fence..  the runner can keep going..  but if the ball goes out of play they should NOT have kept running..

[J Francho]

Yep, get the ball to the infielders, and have the kids call time out. It doesn't seem very sporting, but its the rules, stated above, and does teach base runners to pay attention, and communicate. It also stresses good, sharp throws by the defense. Tell your kids not to panic, just make a sharp throw to the proper base. Celebrate little successes. Big success will come later, like the DP. It seems like a free for all at that level, but I assure you it settles don in the next level.

[J Francho]

And very cool of you to put in the effort.  Hard to find coaches at that level.

[Red]

I think most of it is in play.  For example.....pitch gets past catcher and that pitch was the fourth ball, runner takes his base, catcher throws to pitcher, pitcher drops the ball, runner runs to second, pitcher throws to second, secondbasemen misses ball, runner runs to third, secondbasemen throws back to pither, pitcher misses ball, runner runs home.

[GTrombly]

Yeah, I helped coach my nephew's team last year in the 7-8 league. I would have the kids take 1 base on  an error, but would not let them keep running. There were some coaches that were running the kids like it was the world series. At that age, the kids aren't skilled enough to usually get the ball into the pitcher on the first try. I don't think it is fair to let the kids run all the way around but whatever helps the coach feel better about themselves.

[tipptruck1]

It seems like a legal play. As long as the ball stayed in the field of play the runners can advance. These kids are just learning the game. So even if it wasn't legal let them have fun .

As for fundmentals they will come. Most of these kids are playing baseball for the first time. Just work on the rules and basics with them. If remember right that was why little leauge was started to teach kids the rules, the basics, and to have fun.

I

[J Francho]

I think most of it is in play. For example.....pitch gets past catcher and that pitch was the fourth ball, runner takes his base, catcher throws to pitcher, pitcher drops the ball, runner runs to second, pitcher throws to second, secondbasemen misses ball, runner runs to third, secondbasemen throws back to pither, pitcher misses ball, runner runs home.

Pitcher should have just picked up the ball, and called time.

Yeah, that play drove me NUTZ!!!!

Train your boys to CONTROL the situation, not react, and you'll have success.

[Red]

Pitcher should have just picked up the ball, and called time.

Yeah, that play drove me NUTZ!!!!

Train your boys to CONTROL the situation, not react, and you'll have success.

Thanks for all the info guys. We won today, 14-3. Had one homer, couple doubles and a couple triples. Plus our finishing pitcher pitched 6 up 6 down for the last two innings.

[FD.]

I Only coached for one season. Loved the kids, hated the parents.

I would not let my kids run on multiple errors or passed balls even though they could according to the rules. Other coaches did and it made me crazy.

[GTrombly]

I Only coached for one season. Loved the kids, hated the parents.

I would not let my kids run on multiple errors or passed balls even though they could according to the rules. Other coaches did and it made me crazy.

Same here, d**n parents trying to give their kids ice cream and hot dogs during the games.

[Mr SwimJig]

My favorite part of coaching these little kids is the parents coaching from the side lines and giving them completely different instructions then myself and the rest of the coaches. It use to irritate me, now it doesn't even bother me. I found away to get the kids to ignore their parents, bribing them with candy, pop and pizza works great!lol

But I would not trade these times for anything, that is for sure!!

SJ

[B-Dozer]

You can google "little league rules" and download it. Can't figure out how to post the link, sorry. I have coached and umped before and will tell you parents are much more of a problem than the kids . Good luck, you're doing a good thing for the kids!

[Bassn Blvd]

I was a certified umpire for little league and high school. I was just getting into college umpiring before I went into the police academy. That was many years ago, but unless the rules changed then the kids can run all day until the play is dead. And calling defense time out won't end the play as long as runners are in motion.

8 and 9 year old kids should be making accurate throws and catches at that age anyway. You better step up your coaching, Coach.

One more thing, from experience as a baseball player who played the game (pitcher) 365 from 7 yrs old all the way through college. DO NOT have your 8 and 9 year old kids throwing curve balls.

1st of all, there arms aren't developed at that age to handle that kind of motion.

#2. There aren't too many coaches at that level who know the proper way of throwing a curve ball and end up teaching the kid the wrong way, which results in injury.

[Grey Wolf]

My favorite part of coaching these little kids is the parents coaching from the side lines and giving them completely different instructions then myself and the rest of the coaches. It use to irritate me, now it doesn't even bother me. I found away to get the kids to ignore their parents, bribing them with candy, pop and pizza works great!lol

But I would not trade these times for anything, that is for sure!!

SJ

ADULTS SHOULD BE BANNED FROM LITTLE LEAGUE GAMES !!!!!!!!!!!!

[key chain bass guy]

It seems like a legal play. As long as the ball stayed in the field of play the runners can advance. These kids are just learning the game. So even if it wasn't legal let them have fun .

As for fundmentals they will come. Most of these kids are playing baseball for the first time. Just work on the rules and basics with them. If remember right that was why little leauge was started to teach kids the rules, the basics, and to have fun.

I

I agree with most of your point, however if part of the point of little league is to learn the basics, what exactly are the kids learning about base running? Even if it is legal, the strategy of just run is not going to work once they get past the beginning little league level. This sounds to me like a youth coach, coaching as if his career and reputation depend on his win-loss record.

[Bassn Blvd]

I agree with most of your point, however if part of the point of little league is to learn the basics, what exactly are the kids learning about base running? Even if it is legal, the strategy of just run is not going to work once they get past the beginning little league level. This sounds to me like a youth coach, coaching as if his career and reputation depend on his win-loss record.

Why should the base runner be penalized because the fielder can't catch or throw. Sounds to me there's a player on the field playing because he HAS to be allowed to play, even though he sucks.

Learn to play at practice or get your ars whooped during game time.

[GTrombly]

Why should the base runner be penalized because the fielder can't catch or throw. Sounds to me there's a player on the field playing because he HAS to be allowed to play, even though he sucks.

Learn to play at practice or get your ars whooped during game time.

These are 6,7,8 year old kids. You get maybe a couple practices before the season and then you start playing games. It is supposed to be an instructional league at this age, but they can't learn anything if the other coach is sending the kids like a merry-go-round.

[Bassn Blvd]

I agree 6 and 7 year olds need to have a different set of rules, or should have, but, IMO, 8 and 9 year olds need to play by the same basic rules as H.S. Exception would be shorter base paths, closer pitching mound, having to wait x amount of days before pitching again, etc.

I know in T-ball, and MAYBE coach pitch, the play is dead once the ball gets to the infield and the player holds the ball up in the air, regardless of where the runner is. If the runner is half way to the next base then he gets that base but can't keep going.

[GTrombly]

I agree 6 and 7 year olds need to have a different set of rules, or should have, but, IMO, 8 and 9 year olds need to play by the same basic rules as H.S. Exception would be shorter base paths, closer pitching mound, having to wait x amount of days before pitching again, etc.

I know in T-ball, and MAYBE coach pitch, the play is dead once the ball gets to the infield and the player holds the ball up in the air, regardless of where the runner is. If the runner is half way to the next base then he gets that base but can't keep going.

There were only a few 8 year old's that were not developed enough to move up. I agree when they go up to little league everything is fair game.

[Sfritr]

In most little league rules once the ball gets back to the pitcher the play is considered dead and time is called.

However, As the coach of an 8U, 10U, 11U, 12U, and 13U travel baseball team that is the first thing we teach the kids about base running during tournament games. If the ball is in play advance to the next base until someone picks it up.

There are different rules for different leagues though. Your league official should have provided each coach with a set of rules at the beginning of the season.

Good Luck.

[srv1990]

I have been coaching my son's Catholic school team (the league is called CYC here in St. Louis) since he was five, he's 10 now, and for most of those years it has been an instructional league. Up to 2nd grade it was one base at a time. Last year (3rd grade) they could take one extra base. This year they can run until the ball gets into the infield and time out is called. They can also take lead offs this year and can steal bases.

As I said, this is an instructional league. We have boys on our team who range from having difficulty catching and throwing (they just aren't coordinated enough) to boys who are good and play for local club teams. I'm fine with the rules being modified for these young guys so they can learn the basics. Club/select teams are in existance for a reason... if as a parent you want that sort of thing, and if your child is good enough, that's where they should be playing. We happen to have boys at both ends of the spectrum.

[TimJ]

Been reading this post. love that some of us are/were into it so much at different levels. I coached 2 different levels of ball every 2 years and 1 team in between when my sons played together...for every year from t-ball to bantam major. I wouldn't trade it for anything. whoever pointed out the parents issue, we found that at our (not all teams had them) pre-season parents meeting, the parents were told (nicely) in no uncertain terms that they could cheer as much as they wanted but they were not to coach during the game and we would appreciate it if they would not try to "untrain" something that we were trying to teach. I found that in coaching baseball and hockey, there was nothing worse for progress than teaching a player something and being undermined by the parent a few hours later because (usually dad) he did it differently. whoever is still coaching, enjoy yourselves and your time with the team because it goes by quickly.

TJ

[Red]

Thanks for all the replies. It seems that non of these rules exist in my league, even at coach pitch level, as long as the ball is in play you can run as far as possible until the kid playing pitchers mound has the ball on the mound. We saw one kid get a home run from a walk. He went to first and just kept going, due to errors on our part he made it home. Either way my team is having fun and improving each time out. If at the end of the season they tell me they had fun and want to do it again next year, then I feel I did my job.

Cliff

[mark nowak]

Wow! When I grew up playing it was one base on an over throw. this isn't the big leagues, Kids need to learn the game, not how to run up the score.