Attempting to distract the pitcher ("RATTLED").

You don't say what age group, but I can tell you that my pitcher son tells me that he never hears anything from the stands or dugout when he is on the mound. I can also say as they get older, that is a skill the pitchers need to develop because the yells from the stands can get a bit raucous, esp as they head into high school.

I can also tell you that in his younger days when his select team faced those kinds of noisemakers or the chanting, our dugout would just laugh at them or say things such as, "They must think this is softball." It usually shut them up.

Now that being said, there are some rules that apply but you will have to wait for the experts with the rules books at the ready to give you letter and verse.

Noise from the stands, however is not regulated unless it is obviously out of line. Again, the experts can help you out.

Good luck with it!

MLB rules 4.06(a) No manager, player, substitute, coach, trainer, or batboy shall at any time, whether from the bench, the coach's box or on the playing field, or elsewhere - ...
(3).... commit any act while the ball is alive and in play for the obvious purpose of trying to make the pitcher commit a balk.

Now, I've heard from some umps who won't use this rule to curb the behavior mentioned, but many will. Seems pretty clear what the other team is doing, doesn't it?

Style- you quote the rule very well. However, I donot see how "rattling" the pitcher as describe above is trying to cause a balk.

As an umpire, if I tried to enforce the rule under those circimstances I would definitly look like a fool.

I could enforce the verbal interence rule, but that would depend on what is said, not on the noise that is comomg from the dug out.

Is it bush? Yes.
Is it something I would stop, probably not, however, I would definitly monitor the situation.

I'm an umpire and I would never seek to quell the players' normal exuberance for the game nor would I ever discourage players from cheering on their teammates but....

In the first inning:

Offensive Coach: "C'mon ump, you gotta stop that. He's throwing at my batters."

Ump: "Time" (beckons both coaches to the plate)

Ump (to Off. Coach): What's this about throwing at your batters?

Off. Coach: "He's hit three of the last four batters; he's doing it on purpose."

Ump (to Def. Coach): "Hey coach, when you had that conference with your pitcher after the first batter walked, did you tell him to throw at the batters?"

Def. Coach: "Heck no, ump. I wouldn't do that. That would be illegal. I just asked him if he was OK. He normally has pretty good control and since he walked the lead-off guy I wanted to check on him."

Ump (to Def. Coach): "Well, what did he say?"

Def. Coach: "He said that all of that normal exuberance and cheering on of their teammates that the other team was doing only when he pitched had him, well, a bit rattled. He said he'd be OK in another two or three innings."

Ump (to Off. Coach): "You know coach, the other guy just said that the normal exuberance being displayed by you team is only occurring when his pitcher is pitching. Your team isn't, by some wild stretch of the imagination, specifically trying to rattle the pitcher are they?"

Off. Coach: "Uhhh, no ump, not at all. They just get louder in support of their teammate when he's getting ready to hit."

Ump: "Well, that's good because that might be considered unsportsmanlike or an attempt to intimidate the pitcher and if that was true I'd have to tell you to make your kids stop doing that. Well, I guess it's all good then. The offense can continue to show their normal exuberance for the game and cheer on their teammates only when the pitcher is pitching and I guess we'll just have to be patient with the pitcher until he settles down in another two or three innings.

Ump (to Def. Coach): "Are you grinning?"

So in other words it would be okay for our guys to blast air horns while they're in the dugout in support of their own guys who are out in the field on defense, right? ...and to yell "swing" and stuff like that?

Thanks.

OK, time to be a little more serious.

My post above was intended to illustrate, in a somewhat humorous fashion, the direction a game can go if the "cheering" situation isn't addressed by the umpire. We're talking here about cheering that is specifically aimed at the disrupting the pitcher. It usually starts when the pitcher toes the rubber, gets louder as he starts his windup and reaches a crescendo as he delivers the pitch. Then, it abruptly stops when the ball reaches the catcher. When the pitcher is back on the rubber with the ball it starts again.

As mentioned by others it's hard to enforce a penalty under the "attempt to make the pitcher balk" rule, especially if he doesn't balk.

However, if it is a high school game under NFHS (Fed) rules:
Rule 3-3-1: A coach, player, substitute, attendant or other bench personnel shall not:
g. commit any unsportsmanlike act to include, but not limited to,
2. use profanity, intimidation tactics, remarks reflecting unfavorably upon any other person, or taunting or baiting.
and...
4. behavior in any manner not in accordance with the spirit of fair play.

Note that in 2. above "intimidation tactics" are prohibited and the penalty can be ejection from the game.

This is definely a case by case situation. As an ump we do have a rule to enforce if it gets out of hand. However,it is a judgement call. Noise and screaming you probably aren't go to get any reaction from me, an air horn, that a different situation.

To me "intimidation tactic" are "fighting word" not noise coming out of the dugout. To another ump it could be.

This is a game mangement situation, that a ump needs to monitor it as the game progresses.

I was surprised just how much noise 4 or 5 kids shaking 5 gallon water bottles with pea gravel in them can make. I think it finally got to the umpire when we played them again the other day. Anyway, they stopped shaking them when our pitcher came set. I don't know if the umpire said something to them or not. They quieted way down when they started losing. I think it was distracting their hitters as well as being annoying to everybody in the stands.

Thanks for your feedback.

Have a great weekend.

We had a game this weekend against a team that was so horrible I felt sorry for them. The coach was constantly yelling at his team for not chanting and making noise when they were in the field (I never have figured out what 'hey batta batta - SWING' is supposed to do), but was perfectly content to have his left and right fielders only a couple of steps off the line (and they paid for that).

As baseball is still a learning experience for younger players, I would talk to the coach of the "Rattlers" to have him stop it. Doesnt matter what level you play, thats a travesty of the game.Fans doing it is another matter.

We play under Dizzie Dean rules and I was reviewing my rule book before our tournament. Interestingly, there's actually a rule in there that says a team may not have any kind of noise-makers in the dugout or on the field.

I think there is something specifically in the rules about players not being able to say, "Swing!" while on the field. I also believe that it's a Dizzy Dean rule. Anyone have a RB handy?

quote:

Anyone have a RB handy?

Dizzy Dean rules are online at www.dizzydeanbbinc.org. There's really nothing specific about obnoxious chanting, or "SWING!" other than the following statement (which is pretty much the same as MLB 4.06):

9:05 No manager, player, substitute, or coach shall at any time, whether from the bench, the coaches box or on the playing field or elsewhere---
(a) Incite or try to incite by word or sign a demonstration by spectators.
(b) Use language which will in any manner refer to or reflect upon opposing players, an umpire or any spectator.
(c) Call “time” or employ any word or phrase or commit any act while the ball is alive and in play for the obvious purpose of trying to make the pitcher commit a balk.

This could very well be a Georgia High School rule. I will look it up, because I thought I had read that some where.