Little League Ethics

[GringoTex]

So I'm the assistant coach for my son's 9-year-old baseball team. We had our first playoff game the other day and were ahead two runs going into the final inning. Our pitcher walked the first two batters, and so we pull him for another pitcher, who gets us out of the inning and we win the game.

Well a lot of our parents went apeshit. They were furious we pulled the kid in the middle of the inning, because they said it "humiliated" him. It wasn't just the pulled pitcher's parents who were upset; many other parents were also upset. The head coach and I were kind of flabbergasted and tried to explain pulling a pitcher was routine baseball, but they objected we had never pulled a pitcher during the regular season. We explained this was because the regular season is only used to seed for the tournament, and we thought it more important to let a kid work his way out of the jam and learn from it than win the game. But this was the playoffs and we were now playing to win. They responsed we were putting winning over the good of the players.

Thoughts?

[IASocFan]

He was obviously too tired to throw strikes. Would it have better for him to have lost the game? It's a team game, and it takes effort from everyone to be a good team. It's what you do in baseball. If the pitcher can't throw strikes, it's time for someone else to try.

Do you embarrass a kid by sending him to bed when it's time? No, he's tired and it's time.

It was probably a parent that complained. The other parents understood the logic and followed suit. That doesn't mean they're logic was good.

[Dr. Wankler]

Thoughts?

Some people shouldn't have children.

[cleansheetbsc]

1978. I was playing for the Indians. We were the worst team. We were playing the Astros, the first place team. We were actually winning. Manager thought it would be ok to have me pitch. I was a 1st base/catcher. Never pitched before. Here was the results:

IP 1.0
R 13
ER A lot
H A lot
K 1 (sucker)
BB Plenty
ERA 78.00

So much for sharing with everyone. It didn't crush my esteem, though I remember it very well, but I would not have been pissed if the manager replaced me at any time. I sucked. I play soccer now.

My only question would be, did the pitcher get to play another position (or at least as much time as anyone else?)?

[bungadiri]

So I'm the assistant coach for my son's 9-year-old baseball team. We had our first playoff game the other day and were ahead two runs going into the final inning. Our pitcher walked the first two batters, and so we pull him for another pitcher, who gets us out of the inning and we win the game.

Well a lot of our parents went apeshit. They were furious we pulled the kid in the middle of the inning, because they said it "humiliated" him. It wasn't just the pulled pitcher's parents who were upset; many other parents were also upset. The head coach and I were kind of flabbergasted and tried to explain pulling a pitcher was routine baseball, but they objected we had never pulled a pitcher during the regular season. We explained this was because the regular season is only used to seed for the tournament, and we thought it more important to let a kid work his way out of the jam and learn from it than win the game. But this was the playoffs and we were now playing to win. They responsed we were putting winning over the good of the players.

Thoughts?
Had similar things happen and frankly it's kind of a lose-lose situation. As others here have suggested, if you leave the kid in and he gets shelled and you lose the game, the pitcher's self esteem is just as likely to be in the toilet for that and you're just as likely to get reamed out by mom and dad.

The best you can do is control expectations. We held a team meeting and explained that in our opinion, it was better for the kid and the rest of the team if we pulled a pitcher who was doing poorly. It didn't mean he was out of the rotation (in fact, only kids (or their parents) could take themselves out of the rotation). It just meant he was no longer pitching for that game.

We also had a set number of walks that told us when we would take the kid out; so it was less like we were judging that kid at that particular time. Instead, it was the rule doing the dirty work.

Finally, the other dad coaching had some information he'd gotten about potential damage to young arms from over-pitching.

It was not perfect, but it did help. Oh yeah: if you plunked two batters in an inning you were done pitching, too.

[Dr. Wankler]

We also had a set number of walks that told us when we would take the kid out; so it was less like we were judging that kid at that particular time. Instead, it was the rule doing the dirty work.

That's a pretty good idea. In my little league days, my coach would take a pitcher out if he wasn't bending his back on his follow through, or was otherwise displaying bad mechanics. But something like the number of walks would be easier to explain to parents these days, who don't know as much about baseball as parents seemed to when I was a kid.


Oh yeah: if you plunked two batters in an inning you were done pitching, too.

I assume you made exceptions if the batters were crowding the plate.

[bungadiri]

I assume you made exceptions if the batters were crowding the plate.

Crowding the plate? No. But if the batter was being a dick...

[JohnTerry]

Eh? Parents are suppose to act like that. Had they reacted any other way it would be weird. Having said that, you did the right thing, the parents objected, one little unimportant event, life goes on.

[smashboombam]

You can't defend against walks. It's something the kids will learn as they get older and their parents will learn the longer they stick with playing.

I think it's better to take the kid out while they are (kind of) ahead, and before they end up walking the players all the way home. Not to mention you're not wearing down a little 9-year-old body.

"He looked hot and tired. We were worried about him." Is a passable answer to why you pulled him.

[Matt in the Hat]

It's baseball. That's what happens. Bravo Gringo

Only question is how many trips to the mound were made. If it was your second then the warning was given. If it was the first I could see a bit of shock. But whatever.

[Frieslander]

As an 8 yr old I was pulled in the middle of the inning during the regular season. I never thought anything of it. Sure I was disappointed I didn't pitch better but if Davey Johnson could pull Dwight Gooden for a relief pitcher, why couldn't Coach Hank?