If the ball is out of play on an overthrow, then it is one base. If it's thrown into center field, then take all the bases you can until the ball is in the infield and time is called. It teaches kids make sharp, accurate throws, and how to control the running game. Score doesn't matter in instructional leagues, though the kids, parents, and coaches all "know the score," and this can be teaching tool as well. An easy way to stop the nonsense is to simply teach the pitcher to stand on the rubber. No runner can advance while the ball is in the pitcher's hand and he's on the rubber. I'm pretty sure that's the same for Cal Ripkin and Little League rules. Bottom line, a team that cannot control the running game just isn't going to do well. It's fundamental to baseball.

My favorite part of coaching these little kids is the parents coaching from the side lines and giving them completely different instructions then myself and the rest of the coaches. It use to irritate me, now it doesn't even bother me. I found away to get the kids to ignore their parents, bribing them with candy, pop and pizza works great!lol

But I would not trade these times for anything, that is for sure!!

SJ

The flip-side of this is volunteer/part-time coaches trying to undo several hundred dollars worth of professional batting or pitching instruction. I have three boys playing baseball (3, 8, and 12) and have spent a good bit of money on hitting and/or general skills camps over the past 8 years.

The coach isn't always right.

Professional batting and pitching instruction at ages 3, 8 and 12 AND you spent several hundred on it? Seriously? That would have bought them some nice fishing equipment... Teach 'em yourself

I'm going to coach T-ball next season so my son can start a year early (they let coaches kids start at 3). Should be fun, ill make him the baseball star I wasn't... if he can't catch, he'll get a bat across the knuckles! I kid, I kid!

Professional batting and pitching instruction at ages 3, 8 and 12 AND you spent several hundred on it? Seriously? That would have bought them some nice fishing equipment... Teach 'em yourself

I'm going to coach T-ball next season so my son can start a year early (they let coaches kids start at 3). Should be fun, ill make him the baseball star I wasn't... if he can't catch, he'll get a bat across the knuckles! I kid, I kid!

The 3 yr old just started this season, so he hasn't had professional instruction yet. The other two have each been playing two seasons a year since they were about 4 yrs old, and have had numerous lessons.

I never played baseball as a boy, so I don't feel that I'm qualified to teach them. I leave that to the professionals. Now, if they wanted to learn about skateboarding, bicycle freestyle, or mountain biking, I could probably help with that. That's what I was doing at their age(s).

Professional batting and pitching instruction at ages 3, 8 and 12 AND you spent several hundred on it? Seriously? That would have bought them some nice fishing equipment... Teach 'em yourself

I'm going to coach T-ball next season so my son can start a year early (they let coaches kids start at 3). Should be fun, ill make him the baseball star I wasn't... if he can't catch, he'll get a bat across the knuckles! I kid, I kid!

lol, when i played in little league i remember the "try hard" dads that would almost hit there kids with bats when they did something wrong. thank god im in high school now, most of our games are aweay so the parents never get in the game lol.

oh yea thought id add in, my cousin played in the MLB for a couple years so i actully got professional hitting lessons for free!!! not to mentions probably almost 1 or 2 thousand in players bats, signatures, and baseballs.

if any of you were Cleveland Indians fans his name was Ryan Garko, he started 1st base for them for about 2 or 3 years. now hes playing in korea

lol, when i played in little league i remember the "try hard" dads that would almost hit there kids with bats when they did something wrong. thank god im in high school now, most of our games are aweay so the parents never get in the game lol.

oh yea thought id add in, my cousin played in the MLB for a couple years so i actully got professional hitting lessons for free!!! not to mentions probably almost 1 or 2 thousand in players bats, signatures, and baseballs.

if any of you were Cleveland Indians fans his name was Ryan Garko, he started 1st base for them for about 2 or 3 years. now hes playing in korea

I wondered what had happened to Ryan. Playing oversea's , well as long as he's getting paid that's all that matters.

Just looked him up on baseball-reference.com......now I know why I remember him, LOL.

2007 ALDS..... .364 BA, .500 OBP, .636 SLG, 3 runs scored. Not a bad short series. Glad he's still playing.

yea, in 2007 he had i think about 21 homeruns, only a couple less than travis hafner... and they still got rid of him. oh well. he is making good money overseas though.

not to mention 90 some RBI's