Several weeks ago I was reading the LL Green Book, Local Rules and Several Web Sites concerning the LL Rules. I though I read somewhere that it is either against the Rules or frowned upon (against the spirit of the game) to allow a dominate player (I am talking T-Ball and I-T-Ball), lets say playing, P, SS or 3B, to gather the ball and then run to first to tag a slow runner out or maybe tag the running coming from second (good play) and then run to first to tag the runner or step on first and then maybe even home to get a runner going home.
I know the above may be difficult to understand but I am not talking about a good play by the Pitcher where he grabs a ground ball hit between 1st and 2nd and continues to run to first to make an out - This I see as a good play - the Rule or Statement was then saying that if there was a play at Home the Pitcher should through the ball home and not run home and try and get the runner out.
Am I totally "off base" in thinking I read about this somewhere? If you have any insight you can give to where I can track the requested paragraph down I would greatly appreciate.
Thank you,
Dominate player running all over to tag runners out -
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plivengood
- Posts: 141
- Joined: Thu Aug 20, 2009 3:09 pm
Re: Dominate player running all over to tag runners out -
frogracer - I am a former LL President and coach. I don't recall seeing anything like this in the green book in years past. It seems like something that would be addressed, if at all, by local rules instituted at the local league level. I doubt that Little League International would adopt a rule like this, which seems mostly directed to player development, unless it was seen as presenting an issue of safety (which I could see). I would guess that if you saw it, it was a local rule.
In the case of the kind of play you are describing, I would not be opposed to such a rule as a coach. Just because a player *can* make a play like that doesn't mean that he or she is furthering his or her skill development by making it that way. As the player grows and plays at higher levels, such plays will become impossible, so forcing them to practice making the play as it will have to be made later in their development is a good thing, IMO.
In the case of the kind of play you are describing, I would not be opposed to such a rule as a coach. Just because a player *can* make a play like that doesn't mean that he or she is furthering his or her skill development by making it that way. As the player grows and plays at higher levels, such plays will become impossible, so forcing them to practice making the play as it will have to be made later in their development is a good thing, IMO.
Re: Dominate player running all over to tag runners out -
plivengood,
Thanks for you insight. I will go and search the local rules (our White Book) tonight.
Yes, the rule was definately put in place for player development. We have coaches which all they want to do is win, regardless if the players are learning the game or not letting their 2 dominate players make all the outs. . .
As you stated - when they get older these plays are not possible and the players need to know what to do!
Frogracer
Thanks for you insight. I will go and search the local rules (our White Book) tonight.
Yes, the rule was definately put in place for player development. We have coaches which all they want to do is win, regardless if the players are learning the game or not letting their 2 dominate players make all the outs. . .
As you stated - when they get older these plays are not possible and the players need to know what to do!
Frogracer
Re: Dominate player running all over to tag runners out -
I finally found where I read it. It was in our local rules the White Book. It ends up that this rule is only for our I-T-Ball league and not T-Ball and Machine Pitch. I may approach the local board and see what they say about adopting it for T-Ball too.