Pushing the envelope for leaving early
- Thread starter Northball
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I had a player from the University Of Washington come out and run a practice with the Little League team I was helping out with at the time, 1st year minors I think they called it then. While she was explaining how to time up the pitcher, how hard it was for the the field ump to watch the base runner on first, how important it was to get a good jump etc. one of the girls asked "Are you telling us to cheat?" The Washington player thought about her answer for a beat and then said "No, but you want to time your jump to be as close to the time you're allowed to leave that if you make a mistake it will more likely be a bit too early rather than to late. If you're not called out for leaving early once in a while you're leaving too late."
I've always tried to explain it along those lines since then.
I've always tried to explain it along those lines since then.
This is how I’ve heard it coached to DD. Which I’m okay with. It’s definitely a fine line to try and stay within the rule but not be late every time.
Watched a game this weekend where the player was a full two strides off the base before the pitcher had released the ball. That’s a little much maybe. But she was called out.
Here's a great drill learned from Cindy Bristow: two coaches each with a whistle...one watches the pitcher and blows on release...the other one blows when the runner's foot leaves 1st base...if not in sync the the runner is early or late. The sound of both whistles in sync is a powerful reinforcer for runners getting the best legal jump.
And of course "pushing it" becomes a habit for your players and comes back to bite you when you least can afford it. Two years ago USA Natls 18U in Sioux Falls...speedy runner on first leaves early, batter crushes the pitch for a two run dinger...disallowed because the early leave is a deadball call...runner is out and the hitter went on to strike out. Harsh. There was not a steal on...just a habit to "push it." The game was lost by 1 run.
- May 17, 2012
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Leaving early is not cheating. Leaping is not cheating. Those two specific events are adjudicated via the umpire(s) as those events occur.
Taking PED's, using a rolled bat, playing in an age bracket where you shouldn't, etc., is not something the umpire can adjudicate (and is against the rules and therefore is cheating).
One could argue that you have a moral duty to your team to do everything you can to win.
- Feb 7, 2014
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Well said ! My dad, a former college umpire, would say it's the umpire's job to apply the rules.
- May 27, 2013
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When you are on the unfortunate end of having only one umpire to call a game, that umpire cannot call balls/strikes and call a baserunner for leaving early. Telling your players to take advantage of that and leave blatantly early is cheating. If you have to do that to win then it tells me you don’t have faith in your players to win without doing it. You’re only hurting your players in the end.
I’m not talking about the early jump that could go either way by a girl mistiming the release, I’m talking about coaches telling their players to leave when the pitcher is mid-windup because no one is watching them. There is a big difference.
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