A dad said the Bees coaches hadn’t taught dirty tricks when Matt was on the team, but it seemed like some of the things the Bees were doing wasn’t good fundamental baseball.
Tagging Runners Standing On a Base
A fielder running all the way to the base and tag the baserunner standing there could cause raised tempers when playing other parks……some could interpret this to be poor sportsmanship. This incorrect teaching can spread to other teams. RockHounds would see what the Bees were doing and do the same thing.
Once or twice the fielder with the ball would run a step or two past the base, giving an alert baserunner an open path to the next base. That’s what happened when Scott was able to round third and continue home, because the Bee chasing him with the ball was running straight to 3rd base, instead of getting the ball ahead of the runner, like the RockHounds coaches teach.
Fielders Standing on the Base Without the Ball
...an unsafe practice, as unneeded collisions could occur. It also could be interpreted as poor sportsmanship. Even if the fielder backs off the base just as the player arrives, the fact that he was standing there means the runner has slowed up, making a difference in runners reaching as many bases as possible, and can make the difference in being safe or out.
Fielders without the ball should be taught to move into cutoff position, back up the throw, etc. There are right and wrong ways to cover a base.
It may be competitive baseball, but it’s questionable sportsmanship…doesn’t seem to be what the Mt. Paran Recreation Ministry should be teaching to 7 & 8 year olds. There’s not enough time to teach and practice hitting and fielding! I know we’re dealing with young boys just learning baseball...often the message doesn’t get completely through. An outfielder may be positioned in the grass just behind second, and doesn’t understand not to creep in to the dirt. Certainly understandable, but still unfair to the opponent, and against the rules (as I understand it). A Mt. Paran coach positioning a fielder there should be make sure rules aren’t broken.
Mt. Paran is a great Christian baseball program, and everything should be done to keep that up.
It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to put a guy behind second... ...particularly when a runner is on first, which is most of the time. It would hold more runners at first on a single as well.
The Atlanta Braves want to win World Series...but in their minor league system they'd rather have their pitchers hit than use a DH, because the pitcher will have to hit when he reaches the majors. To the Braves, winning in the minors is less important than coaching / teaching / learning.
If Mt. Paran wants to win at travel ball, seems like they'd want the younger boys learning hitting, fielding, positioning, rather than teaching them to make sure the runner doesn't step off the bag. That won't help much in a few years, particularly in travel ball.
Perhaps we can exploit the way the Bees go to the base. A player like Scott could wait on the base as the player approaches, then sneak around/past him to the next base. It could backfire.
April 25th I heard on the radio that JF had buzzed his hair, but didn’t get to see it until the 30th. There were 2 dads on the trip who were huge fans, particularly of the Cardinals. The only info we got was from USA today box scores.
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