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946 Views 4 Replies Latest reply: Jul 23, 2011 9:20 PM by Phillieball RSS
DougSloan Amateur
DougSloan
15 posts since
Nov 25, 2008
Currently Being Moderated

Jul 22, 2011 9:38 AM

Running up the score?

Playing in a 8U baseball tournament this week. Kid pitch, full base stealing, etc.

 

First two games are seeding games. Winning seeding games gets you a better position in the brackets; if two teams have the same win record, then next factor is number of runs scored, then number of runs scored against, etc.

 

First seeding game, we are beating the other team pretty badly, about 16-0 in the 3rd inning. Had not hit time limit or mercy rule, which is 10 runs after 4 innings.

 

Our 3rd base coach successfully sends a runner to 3rd on a steal, and opposing coach comes out of the dugout on the 3rd base side yelling about us stealing when we are up by 16 and playing "bush league ball." Out of control.

 

Any thoughts on still playing aggressively under these circumstances? I think the coach was out of line no matter what, but was he unduly provoked?

 

Thanks.

Tags: tournament, score, 8u
  • Mike_CVUA Legend
    Mike_CVUA
    585 posts since
    May 25, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    1. Jul 22, 2011 10:56 AM (in response to DougSloan)
    Re: Running up the score?

    If the seeding separation rules invloved runs scored/runs allowed, what do you expect?

     

    8U?  Makes me wonder why there is a tournament in the first place!  (Awaiting the notification of the 3U Diaper Dandy tourney in Oshkosh every year......)

     

    What's in the rules?  [Hint:  I bet you don't see anything about running up the score.......]

     

    Need to ask if they want cheese with the whine?

     

    Mike CVUA

  • DougSloan Amateur
    DougSloan
    15 posts since
    Nov 25, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    2. Jul 22, 2011 11:14 AM (in response to Mike_CVUA)
    Re: Running up the score?

    No rule, of course.

     

    This is league age 8, but many are 9 by now. They have fun playing a few tournaments. We're not doing the hard core year round tournament thing that some do, and don't travel far. Here in central California there are many opportunities to play. As long as they are having fun, seems ok to let them play.

     

    In addition to the seeding issue, in a game with no absolute time limit, anything can happen. Could be the home team down by 16 in the bottom of the last inning with 2 outs and 0-2 count and still come back, theoretically. Now, we did put in some less experienced pitchers, which resulted in a 17-6 final.

  • TheMouth__1 Legend
    TheMouth__1
    917 posts since
    May 30, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    3. Jul 22, 2011 1:04 PM (in response to DougSloan)
    Re: Running up the score?

    Coach, I personally would never tell a ballplayer to make out on purpose and should keep hitting the best they can.  Having said that, I would however start playing station to station offense, and knock off the steals.   TM

  • Phillieball Pro
    Phillieball
    99 posts since
    Mar 23, 2001
    Currently Being Moderated
    4. Jul 23, 2011 9:20 PM (in response to TheMouth__1)
    Re: Running up the score?

    I agree.  If you are playing an 8U tournament with unlimited stealing to get the experience of "real baseball", then you need to teach the unwritten rules that are part of it.

     

    This is why many tournaments use runs allowed instead of runs scored in the tie-breaker.  That way, it's more likely to be what you did against the better teams, not the weaker teams, that counts.

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