Bonehead Coach Move

[TrojanSkipper]

We are playing 11-12 yo game two nites ago. 2 out in the 6th, we are up by about 4 or 5 runs, they have guys on 2nd and 3rd, count is 1-2. the coach tells the kid on 3rd to steal home, (I'm talking straight steal here guys, with 2 strikes) the batter is unaware but it's a bad pitch that bounces and gets away from my catcher, the kid scores. Their fans are cheering and I'm wondering, "what if the pitch would have been good and the kid swings the bat?" Next pitch they do it again, low ball 3, but thankfully my catcher tagged the kid out by 6 feet.
This coach could have gotten a kid killed.
I'll talk to the league comm. about it, so he can spread the word to the guys.
Can you believe it guys????

[Jake Patterson]

We are playing 11-12 yo game two nites ago. 2 out in the 6th, we are up by about 4 or 5 runs, they have guys on 2nd and 3rd, count is 1-2. the coach tells the kid on 3rd to steal home, (I'm talking straight steal here guys, with 2 strikes) the batter is unaware but it's a bad pitch that bounces and gets away from my catcher, the kid scores. Their fans are cheering and I'm wondering, "what if the pitch would have been good and the kid swings the bat?" Next pitch they do it again, low ball 3, but thankfully my catcher tagged the kid out by 6 feet.
This coach could have gotten a kid killed.
I'll talk to the league comm. about it, so he can spread the word to the guys.
Can you believe it guys????

Worse than getting hit by the ball would be getting hit by the bat. Not sure what he's thinking when the tying run is on deck....

[TrojanSkipper]

Exactly. Could you imagine a line drive up the 3rd base line right then?

[Ursa Major]

Our third base coach sent runners on a straight steal of home twice this year -- thinking that it wouldn't be fair to put anyone else's kid at risk, it was his own son he sent both times. Neither time did he give the batter (MY son) a take sign.

I'm thinking of petitioning the league for a rule change prohibiting straight steals of home for just the reasons you guys mention. There is no way that it's worth the risk.

This doesn't even go to the question of why the coach is trying to steal home with that kind of deficit. Dummmmmmbbbbb!

[Whitesoxnut]

You'll see a lot worse on kids teams. There has been times I just shake my head and walk away, which is far better then saying anything. We have a coach who constantly pitches kids who cant throw strikes. The last time, for 2 & 1/2 innings, he pitched a kid who gave up 10 walks.:( About 1/2 the time he threw pitches that bounced in and the catcher couldn't even field. The absolute first rule of kids games is to pitch pitchers who can throw strikes. If you get outhit its no big deal but you dont want to lose from walks.

Finally he put my kid in, and he is no super-star pitcher, but at least he can throw strikes. Another thing that drives me crazy is when you go so deep into a season and a pitcher still doesn't know the tricks to keep runners from stealing. Most of all when the kid doesn't know how to look the runner back and keep him off-balance. Obviously the kid doesn't know because the coach doesnt know.

The last thing that drives me nuts is a coach giving bad hitting advice to my kid. I'm spending a lot of time correcting bad habits and dont need someone that doesnt know what he's doing yelling "keep your elbow up" during a game.

With kids that age I'd never call for a straight steal of home like that, most of all without the batter knowing. Whatever the perceived benefit its not worth risking injury to kids that age. This coach is an idiot. I think I'm a parent who is supportive of the coaches and stays away from involvment but some of this stuff is just silly. This coach is lucky he got away with the one steal.

[BatSpinner]

You'll see a lot worse on kids teams. There has been times I just shake my head and walk away, which is far better then saying anything. We have a coach who constantly pitches kids who cant throw strikes. The last time, for 2 & 1/2 innings, he pitched a kid who gave up 10 walks.:( About 1/2 the time he threw pitches that bounced in and the catcher couldn't even field. The absolute first rule of kids games is to pitch pitchers who can throw strikes. If you get outhit its no big deal but you dont want to lose from walks.


Finally he put my kid in, and he is no super-star pitcher, but at least he can throw strikes. Another thing that drives me crazy is when you go so deep into a season and a pitcher still doesn't know the tricks to keep runners from stealing. Most of all when the kid doesn't know how to look the runner back and keep him off-balance. Obviously the kid doesn't know because the coach doesnt know.

The last thing that drives me nuts is a coach giving bad hitting advice to my kid. I'm spending a lot of time correcting bad habits and dont need someone that doesnt know what he's doing yelling "keep your elbow up" during a game.

With kids that age I'd never call for a straight steal of home like that, most of all without the batter knowing. Whatever the perceived benefit its not worth risking injury to kids that age. This coach is an idiot. I think I'm a parent who is supportive of the coaches and stays away from involvment but some of this stuff is just silly. This coach is lucky he got away with the one steal.


Why aren't you helping run the team at least in a assistant's capacity? Sounds like you have some knowledge of what should be going on.

[Whitesoxnut]

Why aren't you helping run the team at least in a assistant's capacity? Sounds like you have some knowledge of what should be going on.

Theres a loaded question. First off Ive offered to "help out in any way" on any team my kid has played on. We moved to a new neighborhood where no-one knew me or my past coaching experience. This new neighborhood has established leagues with its own people in them. My kid doesn't go to the "right" school and Im not in the right little cliche......you get the picture. But it isn't like I never tried.

And Im not posing as some baseball expert because I'm not. Ive watched the game for a long time and am very observant of strengths and weaknesses, and, of whats going on. But before I gave bad advise I'd give no advice and send a kid to a pro clinic to correct a swing or a mechanical problem thats beyond my knowledge. Thats the real key to a good coach. This "knowing your limitations" and then taking steps to either learn them or send the kids to someone who does. Correcting a mechanical problem with a swing is a tricky thing and one best solved in a top hitting clinic.

Last night a kid, a good pitcher, started having control problems because he was trying to be Jose Contreras with the sidearm crap. This is another big problem with kids they try to emulate their big league heros with anything from knuckleballs to submarine balls:D . I'd been watching the kid in warmups and saw him jerking the sidearm all over the place. When he tried it in the game I told the coach who corrected it and made him throw 3/4s, where he threw a fine game. I try to give little snacks for thought when I see strengths/weaknesses in the field but I think a lot of coaches dont like it. And dont like me for doing it, especially when I'm right.

In the end one must remember its only kids playing baseball and there's nothing out there to get crazy over. If I can develop my own boy then Ive been a good coach.

[POHusKy9]

maybe their coach had talked about it before the inning/at bat
i know one time my coach had told the batter that if I got on 3rd, and the count got 0-1, to take that pitch and i would probably be stealing home
i would ask the other coach that before petitioning.