Let's Play Detective

[The Man In Blue]

I know people won't do this since the cheating is working against the team and to your advantage ...

But dad calling pitches from outside the dugout is illegal. You mentioned a college catcher, so I'm not sure what rule set this was under. NCAA would have the head coach ejected first, then the offender.

NFHS allows a warning or an ejection at the umpire's discretion. USA and USSSA are warn, then eject/restrict.

 

[sluggers]

I don't know the rest but the dad wasn't trying to keep it a secret that he was calling pitches. I guess earlier in the year he was not as animated.

I've never been able to understand this conduct.

The whole point of parenting is to raise kids who don't need you. How hard is that to understand?

 

[CoachJD]

I usually tell this to our 10u players because they're the ones most likely to need to hear it: The one time you're allowed to ignore your parents is when you're on the field. In fact, I demand you don't listen to them and only listen to your coaches. The little ones love hearing that.

It's kinda weird that a teenager would rather listen to her parent than literally anybody else on the planet. It tells me that for whatever reason she doesn't trust the coaches yet (and she should).

 

[GunnerShotgun]

My immediate concern would be for the catcher. If they expect a certain speed and get another you are at risk for injury. The speed difference should be called out on the spot (I called change, you threw fast, what the hell?). Getting a different movement is not as big of an issue (I called curve and you threw a drop) but it is annoying for a catcher.

As for the rest of it, it seems like a lot of arguing about who is throwing the dice. Now obviously you can't have a parent directly calling pitches however if the pitcher has a say in the pitch call process don't be naive in thinking the parent doesn't have some influence.

 

[uncdrew]

Her armband was on upside down

 

[kibadbo]

I've never been able to understand this conduct.

The whole point of parenting is to raise kids who don't need you. How hard is that to understand?

I saw a guy calling pitches for his DD on FaceTime. The coach had been dealing with him all season. He noticed the pitcher was throwing different pitches than he called, but couldn't figure it out because he knew the dad was on a business trip.

 

[Northball]

I saw a guy calling pitches for his DD on FaceTime. The coach had been dealing with him all season. He noticed the pitcher was throwing different pitches than he called, but couldn't figure it out because he knew the dad was on a business trip.

Gotta be a term for that that goes way beyond "helicopter".

 

[Lance Steckler]

we passed on a really good pitcher for 18u travel team cause the dad said "I'll be right there to help catcher and call all pitches for my DD". Ah, nope. hard pass on you both.

witnessed multiple other times over the years with watching certain tandems and know how they were in travel or school. it's really sad to be honest.

 

[The Man In Blue]

I saw a guy calling pitches for his DD on FaceTime. The coach had been dealing with him all season. He noticed the pitcher was throwing different pitches than he called, but couldn't figure it out because he knew the dad was on a business trip.

Why does a coach "deal with him all season?" There is a simple fix the coach can employ. If the coach isn't willing to do that, then he is saying he is OK with it.

That which we allow, we condone.

I'm curious, was dad face timing somebody else and they were relaying calls in?

 

[The Man In Blue]

Gotta be a term for that that goes way beyond "helicopter".

Drone?