New USSSA & Texas Rules

[baba]

Hey BABA Members,

Pat and I just got back from the USSSA State Directors convention in Dallas, and I thought I'd let you know a little bit about what is headed our way for 2008. There is another rule change from USSSA National. The most significant change there is that they are going from 40+ pages back to 16 pages with the removal of half of the MLB rules! You will just have to start carrying around your MLB rulebook again.

A couple of the many highlights from the new National rules:

• The starting pitcher can't return to the pitching position.
• All ages can roster bat!

It should be pointed out that Texas has some rules that differ from the National rules. In Texas, all ages could already roster bat; it was when your 12U team got to the World Series that Little Johnny had to sit the bench. Here is how it will work now:

• In 2008 nationally, all ages can roster bat, but you must take an out for any players that leave your original lineup.
• In Texas, all ages can roster bat, but you only take an out when you drop for the ninth player if you drop to eight players. (In other words, nothing changed this year in Texas, only at National events.)

The change I am most proud of is a new Texas rule that came from a BABA local rule: No Slashing! It will read something like this:

For 12U and under, on the first offense, if a batter squares to bunt and then swings at the pitch (slashing), with or without runners on base, the batter is out, the runners go back to their bases, and the third-base coach is given a warning. On the second offense, the batter is out, the runners go back to their bases, and the third-base coach is ejected.

Let's start a dialog here. What do you think of these rules? What rules would you like to see next year? What local rules do you think are important for BABA? Other comments?

[Hardball Pro]

How close is the pitchers mound to the hitter??  That
is pretty dangerous also.  But we are not playing with
a soft ball, nor have we moved the pitchers mound
back.

I think the slash bunt is a part of the game.  The
intent is to hit a ground ball up the middle, it does
not always happen that way, but balls have slipped out
of kids hands and hit kids in the head, face, and
mouth, for years and none of those injuries had
anything to do with a slash bunt.

I don't think the younger boys should do it, but I
think 11U and 12U should be able to.  Our rule in
college if you were charging and then they slashed,
was just to run out in foul territory and get out of
the way. 

What is the purpose of a slash bunt in your opinon???
How is it more dangerous than say...a runner sliding
back into first on a pick off attempt, and the 1st
baseman missing the throw and it hitting the runner in
the face???

My point is that kids can get hurt during a baseball
game in a million different ways.  I am a teacher of
the game, and I like using the slash bunt, it is
effective.  But you know what, pitching inside is also
effective.  Are we going to push for that rule change
next year.

We all have our own opinons, but your comment of how
proud you were of getting the slash bunt rule changed,
sounded like someone who is being very ingnorant to
the fact that there is a risk involed in playing
baseball, and there are much more dangerous situations
than a slash bunt.

[baba]

Thanks for your feedback. However, there must have been a room full of ignorant USSSA directors who have been in the baseball business for years because we came to this conclusion together.

And I think the difference between the speed of the ball when hit by an 11/12U hitter and the speed of the ball when thrown by an 11/12U pitcher should be obvious. Your college rules will not work for 11/12U USSSA ball because at 50/70, fielders don't have time to react and run into foul territory. 20' is a lot closer when you're talking line drive up the 3B line. Even that extra 10' at 13/14U gives you some time to get your glove up--or keeps you from being past the pitcher's mound when the ball is hit, which I've seen happen.

Yes, baseball is a dangerous sport, and players get hurt every day. This is not Little League, and Texas has no intention of taking the game out of the game. However, slashing (which is not a bunt) at less than 80 feet was deemed too dangerous for the charging fielder who has no defense against the hard hit ball. One hard line drive in the face of your 3B is all it takes for you to see the wisdom (or at least the logic) of this rule.

We appreciate your feedback! Thanks for responding!

[Hardball Pro]

My response is based on the fact that you were proud of the fact that the rule was changed because BABA "always" had the rule in place. 

I think some coaches use it right, others have just seen it used and didn't know how to teach it, so maybe instead of banning it all together, maybe that group of USSSA officals (which I have had several dealings with) could put a plan together to educate the coaches and parents on some saftey issues that came up in the meeting.

I would say that 11 & 12 year old boys have the same reaction time as college and high school players do compared to how the ball comes off the bat for the respected ages of the boys hitting the baseball.  If I am 12, I should be able to react to the ball off of a 12 year old's bat, just like a HS or college player should be able to adjust to the ball off a HS or college players bat.  It is not entended to be a malicous play to hurt someone, it is to put pressure on the defense by having them move out of position because your hitter at the plate showed bunt.

The game is a dangerous game, there is a risk, but your pride in the fact that the slash bunt has been banned (like it always has in BABA play) shows your ignorance towards why the slash bunt is used in the first place. 

We can go all day back and forth on this issue, but I just wanted to voice my opinon that a fake bunt slash is designed to catch the defense out of position and putting the ball in play on the ground.  It should not be used to ram a line drive down a corner infielders throat, but it should be allowed, in my opinon, over the age of 10.

There are other issues that I am sure you could have been more proud of than the fact that they banned the fake bunt slash.  If not, then I don't think your USSSA National Meeting was very productive.

[baba]

Thank you for your opinion.

I do have to add, however, that how a play "is intended" (which is subjective) and how it is used vary greatly from team to team. Also, the reaction time is different from college to 11/12U, as I pointed out, because the base-to-plate distance is shorter, which is the reason for the rule at that age.

If you want to put pressure on the defense, have them move out of position, and put the ball on the ground, just bunt without pulling back. Same effect, no rules broken.

Ignorance is also subjective.

[Hardball Pro]

You are not understanding my point, but I understand where you are coming from, and since you have never played 3rd base or coached at a high level we are not going to get anywhere with this.  We are just going to have to agree to disagree.