Pushing the envelope for leaving early

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Aug 1, 2019
962
93
MN
RAD brought this up in the POP times thread: Do you teach a runner to leave early to get that extra step or two or three? Is it cheating or just trying to gain an edge?

Personally, I've taught kids what the rule says, and had them practice to that. I'll let them know if they are late on their jumps. I also explain to them that they will probably not be called out if the ball is at 7 or 8 o'clock (6 o'clock being at the hip) and may even get away with 9 o'clock when they leave. If they are habitually late, I'll try to get them to leave a hair early so they at least leave on time. In a game there is just too much going on too fast for an umpire to definitely see an out unless it is clear-cut. I don't directly tell them to leave early, but I kind of lift the curtain a little bit so they can see what's available.
 
Oct 26, 2019
1,375
113
I agree with what you teach @Northball. Leaving early and taking advantage of bad umpires or 1 or 2 man umpire crews is potentially helping your team win, but I don’t agree with the message it sends the girls. It’s ok to cheat as long as you don’t get caught. There is a big difference ethically with teaching the girls to leave on time and have them occasionally be early and intentionally teaching to leave early. IMO.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Way to jump on the topic @Northball
I'm on the Leave on time, not late team👍
Have to push being as fast as we can at the right moment.

Like how this is part of the strategy in fastpitch.
A Timing Element that can cause a runner to get themselves out.

An interesting comment someone had commented
'a smart coach will have their players leave early until they get caught.'

Wonder how many coach like that?

The back-to-back comment was saying that would be having Runners cheat on purpose.

What say DFP?
 
Feb 15, 2017
920
63
Way to jump on the topic @Northball
I'm on the Leave on time, not late team
Have to push being as fast as we can at the right moment.

Like how this is part of the strategy in fastpitch.
A Timing Element that can cause a runner to get themselves out.

An interesting comment someone had commented
'a smart coach will have their players leave early until they get caught.'

Wonder how many coach like that?

The back-to-back comment was saying that would be having Runners cheat on purpose.

What say DFP?
If it is ok to leap, it is ok to leave early. Don't worry about the runner just worry about the batter. Quid pro quo.

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
I mentioned this in the pitcher leaping thread. No one is crying about leaving early, stepping out of the box, tagging a phantom second base on a double play, etc.

If a pitcher leaps 2 inches off the ground we have made a travesty of the game.

If you don't leave early and the other team is you are at a disadvantage.

It's not something you coach but if the umpire isn't going to enforce "X" rule then it is what it is for that game. I would point that out to my team during the game.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
If it is ok to leap, it is ok to leave early. Don't worry about the runner just worry about the batter. Quid pro quo.

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk
Its up to the umpire.

I have said this before and I'll say it again the Umpire is right even when they're wrong. Some people understand that some people question and want to debate it...

Get what you get per game
I mentioned this in the pitcher leaping thread. No one is crying about leaving early, stepping out of the box, tagging a phantom second base on a double play, etc.

If a pitcher leaps 2 inches off the ground we have made a travesty of the game.

If you don't leave early and the other team is you are at a disadvantage.

It's not something you coach but if the umpire isn't going to enforce "X" rule then it is what it is for that game. I would point that out to my team during the game.
Agree about paying attention to what the umpire is doing because they do have different judgments in their call making on the field.

With that,
Hopefully the umpire is at least consistent for both teams in the same game.
 
May 16, 2016
1,024
113
Illinois
I would like to say that I have never taught softball players to leave early when stealing a base. Nor would I ever speed while driving or not come to a full and complete stop at a STOP sign. I have never J-Walked either.

Could you imagine the horrific circumstances that would happen if coaches were to teach softball players to leave the base early when stealing?
 

Top_Notch

Screwball
Dec 18, 2014
512
63
Playing and watching a team that has won PGF championships, it appears to me their runners leave early until they get called on it.
 
May 27, 2013
2,353
113
I would like to say that I have never taught softball players to leave early when stealing a base. Nor would I ever speed while driving or not come to a full and complete stop at a STOP sign. I have never J-Walked either.

You can break the rules all you want, whatever they are - I would just hope you wouldn’t teach a kid it’s ok to do so. Are you saying you would intentionally tell your kids to speed or roll through stop signs? What adults do and what they teach kids to do are two different things. You are essentially telling them it’s ok and then they don’t understand why they are wrong when they get caught.
 
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