@adbono posted:Yes, self policing the game is a beautiful thing and we need to get back to that. Years ago I was coaching in a travel ball tournament in Dallas (14U - I think) and was watching our scheduled starting pitcher warm up in the bullpen. But it was an open bullpen setup that wasn’t very private. The other team had a brash & mouthy young coach and he brought his entire team over to our bullpen and they formed a half circle about 10’ behind our catcher attempting to watch my pitcher warm up. I told my LHP to ignore the target and throw a fastball right into the middle of the other team. He was too nice of a kid and he wouldn’t do it. So I sent him to the bench and got another pitcher. His first warmup pitch scattered the other team and they went running. Problem solved.
This happened to my son last summer at a showcase in the northeast/mid-Atlantic. I didn’t realize when signing up the showcase was being run by an academy. It was still run well and there were a ton of college coaches in the region in attendance. They put their “scout team” together in the same group/rotation and apparently their turn to hit was against my son. As soon as he started warming up in the pen the team sprinted over to lean against the fence and watch him warm up. It was clearly orchestrated and one of the dumbest things I’ve seen in years. He ended up striking out 8 of the 9 batters he faced. The parents of those kids were pissed the academy would schedule their kids to hit against this kid, lol. Probably the best part was the WWBA in Atlanta was a few weeks away and they asked me if my son would want to pitch for them.
The head of the academy ended up letting those kids get an extra AB against the next pitcher.