I'll admit it. I committed a sin! I did something that no other youth baseball coach has ever done. Are you ready for this? I didn't stall.
Every baseball coach that I have assisted in my 39 year career has proudly used this tactic at one time or another, to win a game. Rule: No inning shall begin after 1 hour and 45 minutes. So, what do all coaches do? In a close game, with the clock winding down to a few minutes left, you stall. If you're up by a few runs, why take a chance of losing the game in the next inning.
Personally, I have never understood this tactic. Here's why. The only reason you are doing it, is to win a youth league baseball game. I cannot imagine how many innings were not played, that could have been played, because a coach stalled.
Yes, it's fun to win. But here's my logic. What if your son is going to be the lead-off batter the next inning. The game has been exciting and he can't wait to come to bat again. But, no! He sees you calling time-out to go talk to the pitcher, or go tie somebody's shoe, or make a substitution in the middle of the inning. He sees you laughing with the other coaches about your selfish strategy. The umpire calls "ball game!", the game is over, you win.......yippee!
I've seen coaches do this when a kid on his team only got to bat one time before the game was called. I've seen coaches do this in a baseball game involving 5 and 6 year olds. That's why it's a selfish act. You want the time to run out so you, as an adult, can get a "W", but you're forgetting the reason you are really out there.
A month ago, my first place team fell behind 8-3 in the first round of the post season tournament. We had only lost one game all season, and that was by one run. These 10, 11 and 12 year old boys came roaring back to take a 10-8 lead. We were the home team, there were 2 outs, and time was running out.
As I was coaching third base, I noticed the other coach was telling his team to hurry up and don't waste time. "Get the ball back to the pitcher! Quickly! Just throw another pitch!" The pitcher looked so nervous. After getting a full count on the batter, he struck him out.
The umpire told me that we only had 60 seconds left, but according to the rules, another inning must start. I put my best pitcher on the mound, watched the other team fight valiantly to score a run, then joined the celebration as my pitcher struck out the last two batters.
But after the game, I was asked by the other coach, why the hell I didn't stall when we were batting the previous inning! When the umpire heard my answer, he said, "I appreciate that. That was a fun game to umpire, with a great ending."
My answer was, "I never stall. Players on both teams would have never experienced what they did, if I had stalled to call the game an inning earlier."
Coaches should keep that in mind, the next time you want to stall to win a youth league game. Win or lose, your children get to play another inning of baseball! Don't take that away from them!
You play the game until both teams get their chance to bat. It's "America's Pastime". There shouldn't be a clock anyway!
Please forgive me for my sin.
