I was curious to know what softball tactics you have seen that are "bush league". This past weekend, we played a team that from the very first pitch, had their batters show bunt before the pitch and wave the bat around furiously in an attempt to distract my pitching DD. I had never seen this before and seemed to me to be a desperate attempt to try to rattle the pitcher. I think this is total bush league and shame on the coaching staff for encouraging this type of behavior. This is 8U, let's teach the girls softball htting fundamentals. As a footnote, we won the game 12 - 4 and knocked this team out of the tournament.
Bush League Tactics?
- Thread starter SoCalSoftballdad
- Start date
Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch
Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.
- Jun 10, 2010
- 7
- 0
i wouldn't call it bush league. i have my 10u girls do it when the have a 3-0 count. I have had them do it to pitchers that can't throw a strike when they see a girls square around to bunt.Or if we have a aggresive defensive team. We will fake bunt then pull back and just put it over the charging infields head. When they do it to my daughter pitching or even when the square to bunt. She handles it like a champ. I have taught her when someone squares to bunt to throw it at the bat as hard as you can and field it herself. Or if it is a really good bunter we will go with outside pitches which the usually end up fouling off. It is just part of the game.
- Oct 19, 2009
- 638
- 0
How about a cowardly coach hiding in the dugout yelling the word "illegal" during every pitch while our team was in the field last week in a 10U game? This after a conference with the umpire determined she was not leaping because she can't drag her foot in a hole! Rookie ump allowed it to go on. It went on for three innings on every single pitch. My dd was pitching and swears she didn't hear him doing it and just kept mowing them down. Normally when we're up on a team by 10 or 12 runs and it is obvious they will never get in the game I'll chill out on the base stealing, slash bunting, etc. Not this time. Ran that score right up.
Last edited:
- Dec 28, 2008
- 386
- 0
As you continue in the sport never be surprised what levels "people are hurting inside" will go to, in order to try and win a game. My best advice is to just to step back from the game (momentarily) and just pray for them and their players and parents for their team. In the case of what this coach did he was outwardly telling his players "you aren't good enough to actually hit so we will try this as a last resort." Imagine what that does to a 7 and 8 YO, and their parents after a long season of working hard.
Bat waving while squared? My DD thinks its funny and throws them
an inside pitch at the knees
an inside pitch at the knees
- May 25, 2010
- 1,070
- 0
Although I know it's part of the game, I think bunting in 8u is pretty stupid anyway.
Girls at that age should be focused on making solid contact, putting the ball in play, and putting pressure on the defense to make outs.
Not surprisingly, most 7-8 year olds are not able to make the throw from 3rd to 1st in time to get a batter out anyway.
Girls at that age should be focused on making solid contact, putting the ball in play, and putting pressure on the defense to make outs.
Not surprisingly, most 7-8 year olds are not able to make the throw from 3rd to 1st in time to get a batter out anyway.
I played a team this weekend that didn't know how to play anything BUT bush league ball...
A few weeks ago, my RF threw a ball to catcher, who was standing there, ball in glove, when the girl from third came home. Instead of sliding, runner crosses her arms up high and hits my catcher hard in the shoulders knocking her off her feet, flat on her butt. Balls, rolls out of her glove. Ump calls the runner out, my team runs off the field...
MAJOR discussion by blue and the other coaches, and then ump comes over to tell me that they argued she didn't have control of the ball at the tag (wha??).
Ump told the coach he had a choice: 1) take the out or 2) get the run, and then the ump was going to throw the girl out of the game for going with some "piss poor bush tactics that some adult obviously taught her to do.." Coach took the out.
I thought it was classic...
A few weeks ago, my RF threw a ball to catcher, who was standing there, ball in glove, when the girl from third came home. Instead of sliding, runner crosses her arms up high and hits my catcher hard in the shoulders knocking her off her feet, flat on her butt. Balls, rolls out of her glove. Ump calls the runner out, my team runs off the field...
MAJOR discussion by blue and the other coaches, and then ump comes over to tell me that they argued she didn't have control of the ball at the tag (wha??).
Ump told the coach he had a choice: 1) take the out or 2) get the run, and then the ump was going to throw the girl out of the game for going with some "piss poor bush tactics that some adult obviously taught her to do.." Coach took the out.
I thought it was classic...
- Jan 20, 2010
- 206
- 0
It is certainly a valid tactic to square around and pull back for a variety of reasons. Waving the bat at 8u for the sole purpose of drawing a walk is pretty weak though.
- Oct 19, 2009
- 638
- 0
Have to agree. When I think about 8u, most leagues don't even use kid pitch but rather coach or machine. Purposely trying to rattle a DEVELOPMENTAL 8U pitcher by fake-wiggle bunting is totally bush.
In 10U travel and up however, it is no longer bush. In my experience however, this tactic usually results in the pitcher throwing a perfectly wasted meatball right down the middle.
