As a favor to a friend who is an assigner, I filled in at a 14U DH today. I haven't worked youthball in a long, long time.
I was more than amused at some of the comments I heard from coaches.
"If he (F1) moves his front foot first he HAS to pitch."
"He can't run right if he overruns first."
"What do you mean he wasn't out of the baseline? He was the grass for God's sake!!"
"He's left handed, he can't fake to third!"
"Look, Blue, I'm not going to argue balls and strikes, but...."
"You can't call that a strike, the catcher dropped it."
(After a balk was called on a "pick-off" attempt in which the F1 threw to F3 who was playing in, at least twelve feet in front of and to the side of the bag) "What do you mean he didn't throw to the bag, the first baseman caught it didn't he?"
"The ball's dead on a walk, Blue, have you ever read the rule book?"
Incredible.
Maybe some coaches should spend more time learning and teaching kids the real rules and less time teaching them how to lie their way to first base.
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