If you were a kids' baseball coach

[KitchenWitch]

and your team was up by say 14-1 in the third inning, would you still have your team try to steal bases?

[Huckebein the Raven]

1. Probably not

[alarimer]

2. Isn't there usually a mercy rule?

If one team is up by 10 runs, they call it no matter the inning? At least that was when I was a kid (way too long ago). things are so cuttroat now in kids' sports I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't have a mercy rule.

[KitchenWitch]

3. 10 run rule comes into play after 5 innings played.

GRRR

[maveric]

4. No!

You dont go out of your way to humiliate kids who are playing the game to have fun.
I coached LL for years and have seen my share of asshole coaches. These clowns take it too seriously and make the game not fun.

[leftofthedial]

5. um, no.

[Left Is Write]

6. I doubt it.

[wtmusic]

7. of course

that game doesn't exist in my league, though. 10+ runs and the "slaughter" rule comes into effect.

Stealing is part of the game. The other team gets experience picking runners off.

I always have my kids play like they're 10 runs down. Nothing wrong with trying your hardest. It's still fun, and everybody still has to be a good sport.

[warrens]

8. I was. No

But frankly, we had the 10 run rule when I coached. But pushing another team's face in it is mean. I would talk to the other coach if it was turning into a blowout and we would arrange it so the kids got to play, but no rubbing it in.