I personally was always told on a squeeze play to make sure the runner never got a chance to get home. AKA find a part of the batter's lower body.

Properly coached, the automatic pitch out would be on....righty pitcher sees situation, catcher sees batter square, as RHP starts windup, catcher moves out of the box to catch pitchout, if batter comes out of box to get bat on ball, he is guilty of interference, runner out. Otherwise, plenty of time to get runner unless he has a super big jump. With lefty, more communication from rest of team involved but same scenario. You don't have to throw at the batter to protect against the squeeze.

 

:thumb:

Problem I have with the pitchout idea is you can't throw it too far away from the plate because your catcher still has to be able to catch it and make a play. Generally it is always close enough where a batter can take one hand of the bat and stick it out and make some kind of contact with the ball, possibly resulting in a successful squeeze play. I know this because I have seen it happen and I have done it myself.

Problem I have with the pitchout idea is you can't throw it too far away from the plate because your catcher still has to be able to catch it and make a play. Generally it is always close enough where a batter can take one hand of the bat and stick it out and make some kind of contact with the ball, possibly resulting in a successful squeeze play. I know this because I have seen it happen and I have done it myself.

 

As a batter can also do on a pitch thrown at him, plus you get the added benefit of not having to risk hurting a teenage kid in the process.

As a batter can also do on a pitch thrown at him, plus you get the added benefit of not having to risk hurting a teenage kid in the process.

 

Naturally instinct on a pitch high and away is to put the bat out. Natural instinct on a pitch up and in is to get out of the way.

Or . . . you could have made a statement to the opposing coach - to whom your annoyance was actually intended - by striking out the hitter on three pitches.

 

I did that after the plunk.

Naturally instinct on a pitch high and away is to put the bat out. Natural instinct on a pitch up and in is to get out of the way.

 

Yes, agree. And if we're talking pros, it's absolutely the right way to do it. I just hate to see high school kids get thrown at for any reason. They don't get out of the way on an up and in pitch and it could be thousands and thousands of dollars of dental work. :cry:

How many pitchers in the middle or high school level have the accuracy to hit a batter? Im not saying that pitchers dont throw at batters but how many times does that batter actually get hit.. Most of the time batters are hit its by accident

Man on third starts to head home as the pitcher is about to release the ball, what do you tell your pitcher to do?

 

A. Throw it down the middle of the plate and hope the batter misses

 

B. Throw at the batter so he can't hit/bunt the ball and to get the batter out of the way.

 

You make the call?

I would tell my pitcher to throw inside about waist high. Never throw down the middle, to easy to bunt. The batter,(if knowing the runner is coming home) should never be swinging (for safety reasons). Most of the time if the pitch is inside, the batter will foul it off sending the runner back to third. Most of the time, they won't try it again. :thumb:

During one my pitching performances in high school the opposing coach told the umpire I was wearing a wrist brace. So, as the rules go, I was forced to take it off. Next batter up, plunk. Just the way it goes...

If the brace was for medical reasons, you should not had to take if off.

It is part of the game! Period. To many people wanting to change the game and the way it has been played for years. As long as the integrity of the game is preserved and people are not getting hurt leave it alone. There are exceptions to every rule and if we had kids in armor plated uniforms eventually someone would get hurt so I know there are instances that throwing at a hitter may have backfired but it is still part of the game.

It is part of the game! Period. To many people wanting to change the game and the way it has been played for years. As long as the integrity of the game is preserved and people are not getting hurt leave it alone. There are exceptions to every rule and if we had kids in armor plated uniforms eventually someone would get hurt so I know there are instances that throwing at a hitter may have backfired but it is still part of the game.

 

That's why there are a few different rules when it involves younger age kids. Things like restrictions on number of innings pitched and not bowling over the catcher. Should those also be allowed for high school age kids? I mean, heck, they're "part of the game" also, are they not? In fact, why don't we allow knotholers to start wearing metal spikes? Metal cleats are part of the pro game, too, so why should we be making exceptions for this? Maybe sometimes the safety of the kids is just a tad more important than the "integrity of the game."

How many pitchers in the middle or high school level have the accuracy to hit a batter? Im not saying that pitchers dont throw at batters but how many times does that batter actually get hit.. Most of the time batters are hit its by accident

 

I think we are underestimating the accuracy of high school pitchers just a bit.... I don't remember ever having difficulty hitting anyone when I pitched in high school. If you aren't able to control it enough to hit someone then how are you able to throw a strike?

I beleive there is a difference in OBR and FED rules in this area. In OBR, there is no such requirement for the catcher to be in the box at the time of the time unless the pitcher is intentionally walking a hitter. In FED, anytime the catcher is out of the box when the ball is pitched (IBB or otherwise), it is an Illegal Pitch (ball with no one on, and a balk with runners on). Is this not correct?

 

Coop,

The rules book states that the catcher has to stay in the box until the time of the pitch. The correct interpretion for time of pitch is once a pitcher starts his motion (makes any movement of his arms and/or legs and is committed to pitch). At that time, the catcher can move to the side (out of the catcher's box if there is one) without a balk or illegal pitch being called. Time of pitch is not after he releases the ball.

I've hit a few batters due to them taking my catcher out (when there was no play) or whatever the situation to take up for my teammates. I'm not suggesting taking their heads off, but let 'em know that isn't gonna fly. I'm all about the safety of the kids, but I feel it's taken a little too far at times. I'm a softball player not a baseball player, but hitting a batter is a HBP either way. Hey, maybe I'm just a mean pitcher, but I've been very successful and none of my intentional hit batters have went to the hospital or charged the mound. There are times, as the kids should be taught, to hit batters and times to keep your cool. Knowing when and when not to do certain things due to the situation of the game is what makes a great pitcher and great players in the end (this sentence is for any situation not just throwing at a batter).