Run Rule Etiquette

This past Sunday the Yankees traveled to Gainesville to play the Cherokee Reds and the Gainesville Braves in a round robin. The team is really coming together well. Seeing the boys improve their weakenesses and build on their strengths is gratifying as a coach. We went 2-0 this Sunday. But even in a solid day of baseball, I learned a HUGE lesson in coaching.

Both of the coaches of the other teams are super guys. In fact, one of the coaches and I have been friends since the 5th grade. We grew up playing baseball together. My son played on his team a few years ago. Our families get along very well.

As I have stated in other blogs, I am laid back. Simply stated my buddy is not at all laid back. In fact, he is so high energy that he makes a cup of coffee nervous. However, we are both extremely competitive in nature. We just express our intensity differently.

So you get the picture... my players are clicking on all cylinders, I am playing one of my best friends, we are both competitive. Now for the conflict...

The Yankees were winning 12-1 and we were the home team. Rather than stopping the game in the bottom of the 4th inning due to the run rule, we decided to play the bottom half of the inning. The umpires were on our dime so they agreed to let the boys keep playing.

We scored 4 in the bottom of the last inning. But the way we scored the runs almost cost us our friendship.

As the third base coach (with a large lead) I stopped giving the boys the steal sign. However, my boys kept running. I really wasn't prepared to tell them not to run when we are up by a lot of runs I just stopped telling them to run.

In my defense: we had never been in that situation before. Secondly, our team has really worked hard lately on being aggressive on the bases. And thirdly, this is the same Yankees team that gave up 20 runs in an inning. You could make the case that no lead is safe with us.

The double steal in the bottom of the last inning is what sent my buddy over the edge. How do I know this you ask. Well after the game when we were shaking hands my good friend lit into me about sportsmanship and running the score up on him. He made a great case for his argument. I don't know how he got out so many words so fast. It was an awesome display of communication! I think I would have passed out if I said that many words without taking a breath.

Needless to say, he did not invite us to go to the Mexican restaraunt after the game with his family. However, the next day I called my friend and we discussed the situation and I am happy to report we are still friends.

How you handle big leads is a tricky deal in coaching youth baseball. You certainly don't want to demoralize the other team and practice poor sportsmanship. But on the other hand it is hard to coach hustle and intensity to your boys and then ask your players to turn it down when they are experiencing success with it.

What would have been even worse... is for a coach to take the foot off the accelerator and then for the other team to come back and win. How do you explain that to your team at the end of the game?

I know there is an unwritten code of conduct in baseball when it comes to managing large leads. Certain situations have their own "safe lead" threshold.  I certainly could have done a better job with it based on the situation Sunday. I am now clearly aware of  how to manage those situations.

Bottom line: the teams got to play two games Sunday; And the coach and I are still great friends!