Not sure how many have seen this but there was an incident out in Texas during a High School Softball playoff game that has me wanting real consequences. A high school catcher has clearly been coached to draw an interference call. The problem is the coach (possibly criminal imo) coached his catcher to violate the purpose of the game. I really do not put much on the catcher. I think they are a victim here. Unfortunately they will now need to earn trust back because of their coach. But you will see a catcher literally target a batter and in a manner that is beyond dangerous. Twice. Once there was a technical play at third. But you will see that was no way part of the catchers intent. The one where she flat nails the batter in the head is hard to watch. There was no play at third. The coach should have been suspended immediately by the AD at the school. And likely fired. I understand the rule he was trying to take advantage of. But he completely crossed every line of sports and sportsmanship in doing so. This poor catcher he was coaching has been led by one of the worst examples possible. And now has to live with that. These batters were arguably still in the box. And as a dad/coach (who was ignorant of the rule from the standpoint of it being taken advantage of until last fall when my daughter played travel for the first time and had it used against her though not to this degree) this infuriates me. High school softball team under investigation after viral video of catcher throwing balls at batters' heads Here is a breakdown of the at bats which are in the link above…. The coach and AD are to meet with a disciplinary committee…. https://www.yourbasin.com/news/mccamey-softball-coach-to-appear-at-uil-disciplinary-hearing/
Yeah, that’s horseshit. Plainly planned too, you can hear the crowd immediately yelling “Batter out!!” I also don’t blame the catcher per se, although also bush league at best. In HS I also did what I was told, I got a scholarship largely on being “coachable.” This coach is pure scum. He can ride home with those scummy parents too.
While equally sleazy, they could have achieved the same thing with a softer throw into the batter's back shoulder.
Yeah, if trying to get an out on a technicality coulda just soft-tossed into the leg. Instead, nuked one into the head.
Possibly and agree with your point. Though…interference should be the catcher making a legitimate attempt to throw to third. Neither were. Soft or hard. That is really why this coach is awful. I would have no problem coaching the catcher to make a legal throw through a player that is interfering. Same with base running…how many times do the first and third base players interfere and our girls slow down for them. Run through them legally in a way not to hurt. The problem here is there was no intent to make a legal play. It would be akin to a player trying to run over the first base who was not interfering at first and hoping the umpire would make the call.
I was here when I first watched it. I had not thought about the umpire part. That is a good point. Umpire should face discipline as well. I still think the catcher is likely a victim based on age. Coach should never lead a team again!
Wow…just wow. I played catcher in HS and American Legion baseball and caught a guy who eventually played in the Major Leagues. Never, never, ever would I intentionally do this. Coach should be done. And, if parents were “in on it,” shame on them ( I didn’t watch the whole video, nor explanation of the rule). If this was my daughter in the box and it was obvious they were trying to strike her with the ball I would be fund raising for my bail.
What the hail did you people see in that video? If that was my daughter I would kick the scrap out of the catcher ... her coach and that dirty umpire.
That was intentional, if I was the ump I would kick the catcher out of the game. If the coach argued too much he would be gone as well.
Note on 6th inning play, catcher stares straight at girls head, takes arm all the way back, makes quick feet adjustment, and throws right at her head. That’s twisted.
Since the video went viral, I believe other teams have said this same catcher has intentionally thrown at their batters.
That tells me they don’t think they can win without trying to hurt someone on the other team. What a bunch of losers
Or just general redneck. I played on a slow pitch softball team back in the day and we were killers. United Window out of JC. I would prolly hit clean up on 95% of teams and I hit lead off. Dudes behind me were crushers and we had former MLB minor league players at SS and LF. And those dudes were actually cool. The rest of the team was a bunch of stone cold assholes. Their favorite thing to do was cook up a controversy so that they could feel justified smoking 120 MPH face-smashers back at the pitcher. They also ran out of lanes and timed plays in the field to artificially create contact and then went berserk arguing for interference calls. Constant drama. A bunch of grown-ass manchildren. We are going to win this game just playing but they were always looking for some ridiculous angle. And when we lost it was guaranteed fight. As in hand to hand throw downs. And these are big, athletic guys. Me and the LF guy were the only ones under 230. And the LF guy was prolly 210, and wacko jacked. I was a prime 190 or so and was an elfling. Watching this reminds me of that. It would not shock me to find out one of those dudes is this coach.
I knew guys like that back many moons ago. One of my buddies told his team he was going to take out the SS because he didn’t like him. It was slow pitch softball. Later in the game slid into his ankle and broke it. That started one hell of a fight that got out of control when bats got involved. I never understood that mindset. I played fast pitch softball through a church that sponsored our team. A few of the older or injured players from the Clearwater Bombers, CMA, and Charlie’s Planters dropped down to the “B” league (my description) where I played. Never one time was there a fight just a few verbal threats.
