| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| LittleDawg |
Posted - 03/21/2014 : 09:10:45
At what point does chatter become Bush League BS?
I understand chatter is a part of the game and chants are welcome at the younger age groups but at what point does it become Bush League?
Saw a 13U or 14U game recently where an established "Major" team was quiet all game up until the point they were losing (to a AAA team). They were batting and with a runner on 3rd, were yelling and clearly trying to get the pitcher to balk in a run to tie the game. It started innocently enough with the clapping as the pitcher was winding up and got louder as he delivered the pitch. I'm not necessarily ok with this behaviour but understand it.
What got to me was the Opposing Coaches. The Third Base Coach was Yelling as loud as he could for his runner to GO GO GO ....when the pitcher was in his windup (again, only to try to get him to balk). The kids in the dugout were basically screaming as the pitcher delivered.
As a parent, I was extremely embarrassed. I was embarrassed for the coaches, embarrassed for the boys and thought it was Bush.
Coaches, at this or any age, should be better than that. Especially one from an "Esteemed Community for Baseball".
Teach the boys how to play with dignity and lose with respect. Respect the other team for a game well played. |
| 14 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| LittleDawg |
Posted - 03/25/2014 : 11:15:49
Agree with most of the posts. The issue as I saw it wasn't what was coming out of the dugout. That's expected. It was the Coaches intentionally trying to rattle the pitcher by yelling at the point of delivery. That's Bush! Turns out, they lost so like @highandinside said...that shut them up. |
| highandinside |
Posted - 03/25/2014 : 09:03:40
Come on, man! This has gone on forever. Its the stuff of movies. Ever see "For the Love of the Game"? The line is, "Hey Chappel, hey Chappel... you suck!!" Welcome to New York.
When I was a kid in LL they would yell "swing" at every pitch. "Hey batter, hey batter, SWING!!, he can't hit, he can't hit..."
Its really part of the game.
A coach intentionally trying to get a kid to balk is over the line. But what's coming out of the dugout (and the bleachers) is just part of the game.
If you really want to get a dugout to shut up, beat them. Teams losing 10-0 in the last inning tend to be very quiet. |
| Rick Cosper |
Posted - 03/24/2014 : 22:58:28
100 times worse in high school |
| HITANDRUN |
Posted - 03/24/2014 : 14:10:52
All I can say is when I played Colleges and High schools did "not" chant. Little Leagues did not chant. We did chatter but that was talking our pitcher up. When my son became travel baseball at 8U it was happening everywhere and I thought it disrespectful to baseball.
I think now those kids that started all the cheerleading, are starting their later years in HS and entering College and that is why you see it more in more,as you go up, but if I was coaching it wouldn't allow it. |
| agent21 |
Posted - 03/24/2014 : 13:01:36
a1 - what does the rulebook say about the consequences for inducing a balk? sounds like a very subjective call. |
| a1prog |
Posted - 03/23/2014 : 15:31:31
So i will give you another take. As a coach i always told my kids and parents its ok to talk up our own players but never say anything to or about the other team. ever. So yeah, i think the heavy fast clapping while a pitcher is in his motion or any loud noises meant to distract him is weak. btw, the rulebook says that a balk may not be induced by an opposing coach or player not in the field of play. |
| Bob Balker |
Posted - 03/22/2014 : 10:48:01
Nothing wrong w/chatter, I agree, but I ask this question:
Is it it wrong or "bush" to do while the pitcher is in the actual act of pitching? General common sense and class would say it's wrong to scream @ a kid of any age in the act of pitching. Again all bets are off between pitches. |
| bigroc19 |
Posted - 03/21/2014 : 21:30:28
There is nothin wrong in my opinion of kids chattering...let them have fun..better then players sitting on bench like they are in the majors chilling or listening a dad crying every pitch.. did it when I was a kid and if you are around my age of 45, you did it also..Coaches screaming Go Go is straight bush league..if the boys could take all the noise and screaming in tee ball..chatter shouldn't hurt them. |
| bama21 |
Posted - 03/21/2014 : 14:06:43
I would probably agree that it is bush league, but I don't see a problem with it. We are not playing tennis or golf and what do you think is gonna happen when you go to college or even the pros, you better learn to handle it now as player, especially a pitcher. |
| bballman |
Posted - 03/21/2014 : 14:03:37
Shoot, still happens in college. My son played a team last weekend that would not shut up. After the game, my son said his team hated it. Said they sounded like a girl's softball team. He did say they were good sports after the game when they shook hands. I remember one other team this year that was like that. Constant chatter, yelling, taunting, etc... the whole game. Doesn't happen often, but there are still teams like that in college ball. Guess some kids never grow up. Haha. |
| Travel Rook |
Posted - 03/21/2014 : 13:06:25
Along the lines of bush league, do you feel the same way about teams trying the "hidden ball trick" with runners on base? Had a team try it on us more than once in a game. |
| TAZ980002 |
Posted - 03/21/2014 : 12:13:05
Still happens in High School ... probably worse in High School than travel ball. |
| JDP12 |
Posted - 03/21/2014 : 10:25:40
Yelling or screaming with the purpose of messing with the pitcher is bush league at all ages. The chants and songs are good until about 9-10 yrs old and then even that starts becoming a little bush league. Definitely by 13 it should be more like real baseball and that stuff should be gone. |
| TODDS |
Posted - 03/21/2014 : 10:22:19
Well said. I agree and have a feeling I know of the program you are talking about. Happens all the time with them if losing. |
