SAFETY REMINDER

This is a reminder about a few of the rules we need to follow or risk being ejected from our games. Before I get too deep into this, I wish to make clear that my intention is not to criticize or pick on anyone. I mean only to ensure that we have a safe, well played game. Just as much as I don't want any our players to be kicked out of our games, I don't want our opponents running over any of our players. Now, let's get started.


First, when we're on defense, our infielders cannot employ fake tags when they don't have the ball. It poses a risk to the runner who might try to stop or slide suddenly when it's unnecessary. If we try to decoy a baserunner this way and the umpire sees it, he will eject our player from the game and the offending player will be required to miss the next game as well.

Second, when we're running the bases and the defense has a force play at the next base, one cannot go into the base standing up and crash into or bowl over the infielder covering the bag. The runner has three choices in that situation. 1) Stop before reaching the base. 2) Veer out of the way. 3) Slide directly to the bag. That doesn't mean a Pete Rose-style takeout slide where one goes in hard and wide to knock down the fielder. It means you get down to the ground and slide straight to the bag. If one goes into the base standing up and collides with the fielder, the umpire is going to eject the runner from the game and the player will be forced to miss the next game, too.

Third, when we run home to score a run, we cannot run to home plate. We must run to the stripe that extends from the right batters box to the backstop. Consider it the finish line in a foot race and run all the way through it. If you run to the plate, you will be called out. If you bowl over the catcher, you will be ejected from the game.

There were some violations of these rules by both teams in our first game. The umpire cut us some slack, probably because he recognized it was our first game and we had some inexperienced players who didn't know any better. We shouldn't expect the umpire to be so generous in the future.

You can view the rules by clicking the "Rules" tab at the top of this blog or through the "League" menu on our team website. It is very important that every member of our team become familiar with these rules. If there's any part you don't understand, please let me know and I will try to clarify it. You could post the question here, ya know!