"Bench Jockeying" as it used to be called has gone on in baseball sicne the game began--part of being a good player is ignoring the taunts that come with the territory

The real good players do not even hear them


Play the game

Our 6U t-ball team has recently begun the chant of "Hey batta batta...." from the field. I think it was a parent or brother who taught it to one and now they all do it. They don't do it all of the time because their attention span is simply not that long but when they do they are really into it.

IMO when they chant they are having fun and actually focused on the game and not rocks, their shoes or butterflies. I see no harm in it and have no intention of stopping it.

I thought it was interesting after a week of this discussion. I was at a tournament this weekend with my son and was watching the 10U game while we were waiting to play. The catcher kept talking to the batters saying various things but he kept saying swing batter right when the pitch got there.
One of the best players on the other team stepped out of the batter's box after taking the first pitch and said, "If you holler at me one more time, I'm gonna put this bat upside your head."
All of hte sudden the umpire realized he had a problem. He called both coaches together and threatened to throw out any player who talked, chanted, anything to the other team. He also warned the batter to not ever say anything like that again.
I just wondered watching this unfold, when should someone have stepped in before it got to this point. Everyone had been hearing it for three innings.

quote:

Originally posted by RETIRED GM:
Our 6U t-ball team has recently begun the chant of "Hey batta batta...." from the field. I think it was a parent or brother who taught it to one and now they all do it. They don't do it all of the time because their attention span is simply not that long but when they do they are really into it.

IMO when they chant they are having fun and actually focused on the game and not rocks, their shoes or butterflies. I see no harm in it and have no intention of stopping it.

Do they chant:

A. Hey batta, batta; Hey batta, batta; etc...

or

B. Hey batta, batta...swing; Hey batta, batta...swing; etc...???

In my opinion, big difference. And *THAT* has been my point from the get go.

Real time example of action always speaking louder than words.

Last night - Playoff game to decide top seed in State HS tournament bracket. Neutral field.

The other team brings their designated hecklers. One in particular is just brutal. Very personal. All game - every inning - for 8 innings. No profanity - but hard core "big time college" personal heckling. (I dont think this clown liked Italians very much - LOL)

Son in the outfield - the hecklers go out there in the 4th inning and stay until the end. Right up against the fence.
Said just about everything imaginable - Coach complained - umpire said tough luck - LOL

Extra innings (Score tied 9-9) - Monkey lays a perfect bunt down the first base line - with a man on first - catcher fields it - has to hurry LOL - throws it outside the bag (foul territory). 1st baseman crosses over - cant get to the throw - and for his efforts also gets knocked on his *** by the Monkey.

Right fielder backing up the play - somehow misses the ball - Monkey runs all the way to home. 2 runs - No more chants - no more heckling - just "Game Over".

LOL

quote:

Originally posted by larrythompson:

quote:

Originally posted by RETIRED GM:
Our 6U t-ball team has recently begun the chant of "Hey batta batta...." from the field. I think it was a parent or brother who taught it to one and now they all do it. They don't do it all of the time because their attention span is simply not that long but when they do they are really into it.

IMO when they chant they are having fun and actually focused on the game and not rocks, their shoes or butterflies. I see no harm in it and have no intention of stopping it.

Do they chant:

A. Hey batta, batta; Hey batta, batta; etc...

or

B. Hey batta, batta...swing; Hey batta, batta...swing; etc...???

In my opinion, big difference. And *THAT* has been my point from the get go.

Um, being t-ball....there is no intent of our 6 year-olds to disrupt the timing of the batter. No need to tell the batter to swing as the umpire does that as soon as he places the ball on the tee.

They just say hey batta batta over and over again.

This topic is ridiculous....

quote:

Originally posted by RETIRED GM:

quote:

Originally posted by larrythompson:

quote:

Originally posted by RETIRED GM:
Our 6U t-ball team has recently begun the chant of "Hey batta batta...." from the field. I think it was a parent or brother who taught it to one and now they all do it. They don't do it all of the time because their attention span is simply not that long but when they do they are really into it.

IMO when they chant they are having fun and actually focused on the game and not rocks, their shoes or butterflies. I see no harm in it and have no intention of stopping it.

Do they chant:

A. Hey batta, batta; Hey batta, batta; etc...

or

B. Hey batta, batta...swing; Hey batta, batta...swing; etc...???

In my opinion, big difference. And *THAT* has been my point from the get go.

Um, being t-ball....there is no intent of our 6 year-olds to disrupt the timing of the batter. No need to tell the batter to swing as the umpire does that as soon as he places the ball on the tee.

They just say hey batta batta over and over again.

This topic is ridiculous....

Thank You! Exactly...no intent to disrupt the timing of the batter. That is why I brought this up in the first place. When the coach was teaching the 7-8 year olds to do this, it was for the express intent to disrupt the timing of the hitters from the other team.

What would you rather talk about? I can bring it on a number of topics? How bout proper footwork on double-cut relays? Should we engage in the crossover discussion for left-side IFers? How bout a debate on bunting (whether the bat is parallel or at a 45 degree angle at impact)?

My point is that I'm an experienced baseball coach (almost two decades coaching 17-18 year olds), but coaching at the younger age groups is new to me. I made a statement that I thought that a coach teaching young kids to disrupt the concentration of their opponent was lazy and assanine thing to do. Kids can have plenty of fun playing ball, and learn to play ball at the same time.

If you care to discuss those topics or ones of actual relevance to little kids and baseball then by all means do so....but this topic is absurd.

Feel free to PM if you want to discuss 18U baseball....I know a thing or two about that as well.



HEY BATTA BATTA, HEY BATTA BATTA....LOL!