Do you ever get used to....

Aren't they supposed to avoid contact? They don't have to slide. Kid should have been called out immediately and possibly ejected.

It's definitely slide or avoid in our league. I thought those were national rules. Hey, it's great your kid is tough but let's keep him healthy!

Yes, we've got those rules also. Slide to avoid contact or you're out (didn't apply because kid was already tagged out), and ejection for malicious contact (ump didn't call that and I was so thankful nobody got hurt I didn't feel like arguing that point with the ump at the moment).

I know these are the rules for little league,and all High Schools

What league can your son be playing in that allows this?

I know what you mean. My sons been catching for about five years too, and its hard not to hold your breath during a play at the plate. And as they get older, the kids running into them seem to get bigger and bigger

must be minor league ball, colleges don't allow contact but in a very specific situation. I saw it a few years ago in the CWS. The throw was up the line and the runner ran into the catcher coming up the line to make the catch. Intially they kicked the runner out of the game untill the umps got together and talked it through.

My answer is "it depends." If he is set and a runner tries to run into him and take him and the ball out, good luck to the runner. However, if he gets stretched out by an off-target throw with a runner bearing down on him, I don't watch.

Whatever the rule, slide or no slide, lowering the shoulder is a no no

In our HS ball there was no contact,no head 1st sliding etc.
In Elite BB we played American League ball and you could run the catcher even at 15yo. That is why my son only pitched. Our 16U team was very physical and put a few catchers in the hospital. We had a few times brawls almost occured. We had to turn our shoulders but could not lift our elbows or appear to deliberately try to injure a player. Some times it was hard to tell if they were trying to hurt a player but it was up to the catcher to plant and get ready.
The problem I saw was that some teams we played seem to not be aware that they were playing under those rules. Especially the parents were not aware. Some teams played under 2 different sets of rules. One in Elite and one in AAA city ball. AAA it was mandatory to slide. I saw some horrific hits laid on catchers and I also saw some runners go flying. Our main catcher was nasty. Once he planted you had better find an alternative route.

You can't truck a catcher like that until you get paid. That is dirty baseball, either way.

Dirty baseball or not it happens. Stylemismatch*** I am the parent of a college catcher. Son is a freshman and started the 2nd game of the season. He is 6'2 190 pounds and I have still always gotten that sick feeling when someone plows into him A Senior in HS plowed into him whe he was a freshman in HS. Cracked his jaw, but he still made the tag. Player was thrown out and my son finished the inning. Then I saw him laid on the ground on the blind side of the dug out. Went over and the coach asked him, "Do you want to bat before we call the ambulance?" Son got up, grabbed his bat and struck out. Coach yelled,"get you head in the game". So as I watch my son start his first college game I beleive that I have been down the worst orad as a parent that you can go in baseball. WRONG. College senior rounds third and then just takes off for the plate. My son gets the ball and goes to prepare to put down the tag. Player slides in, cleats son right above the knee cap. White pants turn orange and then red. As son is completing the inning I watch the red spot grow bigger and bigger. End of the inning son jogs over and says to the coach "Well at least I didn't get my jaw broken this time" It takes an odd lot to play the catching position and a strong parental resolve

Worst road?

Is this the point at which I tell the Ruptured Testicle story?

Quote “put a few catchers in the hospital. We had a few times brawls almost occurred”

I will pray for the coach who teaches and encourages this.

My HS sophomore son was playing 2nd this past weekend and was “taken out” at the knees on a very easy double play. My son is 6’, 190 pounds and he went up and over and could have been seriously hurt. Thank God it was my son playing 2nd and not our other 2nd baseman who is 5’5”, 110 pounds; I would hate to think what would have happened to him. I could just be an overly protective Mom but I see no need for this in High School ball. Enough accidents happen in athletics without this kind of play.

My favorite play in baseball is the play at the plate. I love watching my son make that tag. But yes sir, I sweat those plays. I'm pretty quiet when watching his games but when someone slams into him I get a little on the vocal side.

I don't think most of those home plate collisions are intentional (at least in our case) but one game a couple years ago he was bowled over twice by the same kid in an 11u game we got clobbered in. The kid (son of third base coach) lowered his shoulder and threw his forearms into him both times and knocked him down but son held on and runner was out. Umpires did not address the collision. 3rd base coach did though. Applauded his kid both times for knocking down the catcher.

Thankfully most people in baseball have a lot more class than that guy. Not surprisingly that team has since disbanded as the parents had a belly full.

Dad04 its not dirty ball. It is American League rules. The UMP has a discretionary call on the play. If he sees intent to injur he can toss the player. Only one was tossed and I though he should have been. He was latter reinstated once the UMP got the right rule book. It was a tournament and I personally thought he brought his elbow up. The rule requires you to roll your shoulder and keep your elbow down. The catcher was taken by ambulance to the hosptal with a concussion.
The guys in this league want this tough baseball. They have a choice. This is not HS ball which had very strick rules about contact. It is a much higher level of BB and there really have been no serious injuries that I am aware of.

My son has gotten plowed in AAU Nationals each year for the last 2 (12U and 11U). Both times the runner was ejected and the opposing coach went berserk because he claimed it was incidental contact. After the 11U incident where he was absolutely CRUSHED, we have worked dilligently with all of our catchers on handling this incident.

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They have a choice. This is not HS ball which had very strick rules about contact. It is a much higher level of BB and there really have been no serious injuries that I am aware of.

Bobblehead, the poster is referring to 13 year olds, not major league baseball. I just fail to see the benefit of creaming a defenseless catcher who has to get up and go to school the next day. You wanna play football, then go play on that field and blind side some kid watching the play.

Dad04 you opened up the age by referring to "until you get paid".
The original post refers to 13U and for a young guy it is important to teach catchers and runners to hit and take blows so they are ready when they get older. I am not sure if there is contact BB at that age so you have to rely on UMPS calling the play properly according to the rules. It is amazing how parents/coaches see things differently depending on who is doing the hitting.
If you are going to catch learn how to receive a hit early just in case.

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I am not sure if there is contact BB at that age so you have to rely on UMPS calling the play properly according to the rules.

It is not allowed and for good reason.

I tend to agree with you on that. Our HS ball had strict rules about contact i9ntentionally or otherwise. It was strange going from HS one day and full contact Elite the next. As a pitcher my son has been bowled over several times. The one time he was going for a foul ball on 1st base line and he was the only one who had a chance. A catcher who was built like a locomotive ran into him at full speed. The guy was a former teammate and friend. They got up and laughed and he appologized. He didn't intend to huirt him. It is part of the game. My son was shookup but went right back out to face the next batter. His coach yelled at him for going after the ball which normally he wouldn't.

Some umpires call it some don't.

My son was catching on the Varsity team as a freshman back in 2002 and got laid out by a 215 lb senior center fielder with a full head of steam on a play that wasn't even close to the plate. He was in the infield grass catching the errant throw. He held the ball and the runner was called out.

I was coaching at the time and asked the umpire why he was not going to eject the runner. He just turned away and ignored me. The next time the hitter came up to bat, the first fastball whizzed by his head and he hit the deck. The umpire said nothing. The second one hit him square in the back. The umpire did nothing.

I called time out and told him that his non call on the collison was bad enough and suggested he should quit umpiring when he did nothing about the obvious bean balls in retalliation.

At that time, he threatend to throw me out. I told him that the would be the only thing he did right all day. He didn't even throw me out.

With apologies to the good high school umpires out there, Don't expect too much from these guys or you'll be disappointed more times than not.

Some coaches feel that they are always coaching major leagers, even at age 13. Even at young ages some tournaments follow OBR. When you ask about HS safety rules they look at you like you have two heads. Make sure that your players know the rules they are playing with.

If you are using Federation rules or modified safety rules then when the officials are reviewing the rules before the game, ask questions. They don't usually feel threatened if you ask questions before an incident. Plus they have the rule fresh in their mind if something does occur.

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but for those few seconds when two kids are laying on the ground in a heap it's kinda scary.

It happens,..intentionally or not.

And no,...I never get used to seeing athletes spread out on the ground or not moving. Takes your breath away for a minute.
Makes ya count to yourself, " one one hundred, two one hundred,..three one hundred. GET UPPPPPP!!!!!, Oh dear Lord,..PLEEEASE GET UP & please keep the blood to a minimal porportion!!!!!!)

All of this of course usually happens in micro seconds,..but its always an unpleasant gut feeling when there is a potential injury.

Doesnt even have to be my own kid,..just a player out on the field.
Son used to be a catcher,...its never fun or pretty when theres a pile up and dust everywhere at home plate.