Chatter?

2 degrees of separation: Don't you hate it when the high school girl's softball team does their chatter at the boys' baseball games? It seem that they almost throw our hitters off, when they are suppose to be cheering for our boys!

As long as you direct your chatter to yourself or your own team.

I do not agree with directing comments to the other team.

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Our coach forces us to talk constantly or we have to run.

Gee, believe I'd be spending my energy on things like fielding, hitting, throwing, rundonws, etc. Chatter's fine as long as it's cheering on your own team, but putting such an emphasis on it seems a bit misplaced.

My experiences with an opponent that chatter's constantly has not been a very rewarding one. These teams tried to purposefully disrupt our pitcher's and affect our hitters' timing. My thought process was always, why "consider doing it unless you felt the need to do it to gain some sort of advantage?" I always told my teams that we would not participate in it, that we would use our fundamentals to win the game, not rely on chattering to try and gain the upper hand.

Just my thoughts.

Our kids "chatter" as you term it and I think it is great---it is all positive for the team ---and great team spirit-

Relax and let the kids have fun

Chatter certainly has it's place, but I agree that having to run if you don't is a little over the top. It can be fun, though, and I don't mind it too much even if it is directed at the other team, as long as everything is all in fun. Chatter usually means there's a good game going. A couple of examples:

Three years ago, 2B was pitching in the 11-12 state all-star tournament at age 10. The opposing bench was trying to rattle him. Whenever he'd go into his stretch, they'd say ahhhh..... and when he pitched the ball, they'd say CHOOOOO!!! And he would just smile and throw another strike.

Now to high school, last year, 2B's first at bat as an 8th grader playing varsity. And he looked every bit the little 8th grader. The opposing bench started ragging on him a bit, "...you have to be this tall to play this game..." etc. And so he hit a double over the head of the LF. These days, the LF plays a little deeper.

This year on HS, we have a pitcher who is the spark plug on days when he isn't on the mound. My favorite is this. When we have a runner on and the pitcher throws to the base, he shouts from the dugout "Hey did he get him?" The bench says, "NOPE!!"

But it can be bad, too. During an elimination game at Cooperstown a couple of years ago, the team we were facing was trying to rattle our pitcher (not 2B) by screaming and banging their bats against the roof of the dugout. I guess that was more Hell-raising than chatter. Our coaches pulled our team off the field until someone in charge came over and got things back under control. We won the game, but it sure left a bad taste.

But anyway, I'm looking forward to some good chatter this afternoon in our district semi-final!

I enjoy chatter and talking and supporting your team when it's not forced. I don't like the talking to other teams because you need to focus on what you can control and that is your team.

If my guys on the bench want to chatter / encourage their team mates I love it but I am not going to force them too. Nothing worse than hearing a very bored "come on guys....".

Wait till you get to college. "Chatter" will take on a whole new meaning.

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Wait till you get to college. "Chatter" will take on a whole new meaning. Smile

Yes indeed! Love the "left, right, left, right" when an opposing batter strikes out at UF. Of course, it's not my kid marching back to the dugout.

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I love it but I am not going to force them too. Nothing worse than hearing a very bored "come on guys....".

How 'bout a terse, "If you guys don't start talking, I'm gonna get a whole new team!!!"

We've heard that before.

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Originally posted by theygrowupfast:
Wait till you get to college. "Chatter" will take on a whole new meaning.

Amen to that ... things do tend to get a bit "chippy" between long time rivals. It gets very inventive too.

If you're short you're automatically a target.

Chris Cates

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Originally posted by Infield08:

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I love it but I am not going to force them too. Nothing worse than hearing a very bored "come on guys....".

How 'bout a terse, "If you guys don't start talking, I'm gonna get a whole new team!!!"

We've heard that before.

You know sometimes coaches say the dumbest things. I know I have said them. Usually the dumb things deal with trying to motivate players in a negative way.

For example is what you put above - is this guy going to have tryouts again? Is he going to make a blockbuster trade - which would be a huge blockbuster since high school guys can't be traded.

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Originally posted by mofireman:
My experiences with an opponent that chatter's constantly has not been a very rewarding one. These teams tried to purposefully disrupt our pitcher's and affect our hitters' timing. My thought process was always, why "consider doing it unless you felt the need to do it to gain some sort of advantage?" I always told my teams that we would not participate in it, that we would use our fundamentals to win the game, not rely on chattering to try and gain the upper hand.

Just my thoughts.

I agree, leave the "Chatter" for softball. Baseball teams that do this know they are outmatched and are reaching....

IMO

norstar are you talking about chatter or being disruptive? I think they are totally two different concepts.

Chatter is constant encouragement towards your teammates - the stuff they tell you to say in Little League.

Disruptive is the quiet until the pitcher is in mid motion to deliver the ball then they burst out with noise. This is just retarded.

I want my guys doing the chatter thing but of their own accord. If my guys have to rely on disruption then I have failed them as a coach to prepare them.

Coach,

Went to Baylor vs Texas A&M over the weekend.

You not only get chatter from players, you get a heavy dose from the students, parents and even the press box with all their sound effects. Alot of this you would probably consider disruptive. Problem is, it cannot be controlled for the most part. I guess just part of college ball. Get use to it!

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Originally posted by coach2709:
norstar are you talking about chatter or being disruptive? I think they are totally two different concepts.

Chatter is constant encouragement towards your teammates - the stuff they tell you to say in Little League.

Disruptive is the quiet until the pitcher is in mid motion to deliver the ball then they burst out with noise. This is just retarded.

I want my guys doing the chatter thing but of their own accord. If my guys have to rely on disruption then I have failed them as a coach to prepare them.

Good point. Being Disruptive. We were in a tourny a few years ago and the coach on the opposing team would at his guys if they stopped. Very weak if you ask me.

If it's a bunch of guys being supportive like, "Come on Joe, nobody better than you here", "Need you here Joe, hit back where it came from", "Let's go Joey, stay hot", etc. that's great and I love it. If it's an organized chant like girl's softball and 10 year olds do then I don't care for it.

If you want to hear "chatter" attend a game beween two Latino dominated teams--I have been to game where they had mariachi bands with them---never bothered me--it is all in good fun and sportsmanship--they are cheering on their team

My opinion. Cheer for your team mates. "Come on John find a way." "Good pitch Billy lets go."

This type of stuff is positive and part of the game imo. Mindless talking for the sake of talking and trying to disrupt the other team with chants is bush league imo. It has no place in the game but thats just my opinion. I can not control what the other team does so I dont worry about that.

I will say when ever we play a team that plays like this we seem to always elevate our game because it t's our guys off.

Quick funny story...

As most Dads on this board, we used to coach our sons teams...even the Winkle..

So, about half way thru a season a Mom came up to me after a game and was visibly upset.

"I think it's very disrespectful and rude that you still don't know my son's name. His name is Billy, not Nate!"

She could see that I had no idea what she was talking about, of course I knew Billy's name...he has been at every practice and at my batting cage working on his swing....

"Then why to you call him Nate?"

Then I understood, we have signs for the players after we picked the signs from the other team. If it was a fast ball, I would say "Here we go eight, put a nail thru it!" Or a curve, "Let's go kid, have some fun out there!" The players number was the signal for a fast ball, and kid was the signal for a curve.