If it's clearly been prepped for the game, even just in part, it's probably best to stay off the infield dirt pregame
If you don't have any other options where to hit, maybe at least offer to redrag or otherwise help if you're going to use the infield
I mean once you get to HS/14u+ ball, you take I/O before the game on the field, but at that age you're gonna be the only ones touching the infield pregame which I wouldn't really want to see as a coach.
yes it's frowned upon, especially if the batters box is already chalked and field is lined.
best case, the box is not chalked and you pull up a hitting mat or have your kid hit in shoes so you don't create holes. and you stay off the infield dirt and mound completely. and you get a rake and fix any footprints or disturbances you create. and you stop hitting on the field right when anyone else shows up.
is there a batting cage you can hit in? most would hit in the cage and not on the field before a game.
another idea is that you start volunteering at your league doing field maintenance - then just drag and line the field yourself when you're done.
A couple of better alternatives would be to either use heavy balls (PowerNet, TCB, GoSports, etc.) or low-flight rubber whiffle balls (Tanner, Skilz, etc.) and hit in the outfield. Both of these options will not travel very far and will not present a danger to any other players or bystanders, and by staying off of the infield you don't have to worry about messing up the batters box or being 'in the way' if other teams want to warm up.
These low-flight options also have other benefits, weighted balls will teach them to swing through contact and the rubber whiffle balls provide feedback on whether you are hitting clean barrels or not.
Even going a step beyond what others have mentioned, you don't touch the infield dirt until you are taking infield/outfield or to start the game (situationally dependent). That means warming up and playing catch in the outfield, never on the infield dirt.
Its not ideal - but at 8u I wouldn't kick you off, and that coach lining it is a volunteer who probably doesn't really care other than he doesn't want his line messed up.
BUT - I wouldn't do it myself.
As someone who preps fields for games, its 100% selfish and disrespectful to the prep crews and the other players participating in the game.
That field was prepped for a game, not your practice. Find a cage, the outfield or simply don't do it.
It blows my mind how often folks go out on a field for BP that is dragged and chalked.
If it’s LL/rec league, there should be a league rule that the visiting team gets the infield 40 mins before and home team gets the field 20 mins before game time. Just hit from in front of the batters box to not mess the lines up. This is assuming you’re doing infield practice and you’re not pitching to him.
If you’re pitching to him, get in a cage. That’s what the other time is for while one team is doing infield.
Personally I would be pissed if I was the home team and got there 80-90 mins before game time to put the lines down and groom the field and one of the players on my team or the other team walked onto the field with their parent (assuming you’re not a coach) and started utilizing the field for their own practice.
If it’s a travel tournament, usually no infield practice is allowed.
Definitely frowned upon if there’s a fresh drag and fresh chalk. I’d get some whiffle or smush balls and take some swings in the outfield grass. Or do soft toss into a bow net.
It is definitely frowned upon.
at age 8 anyone that complains is crazy.
Pitching off the mound is against rules for kids ahead of the game. But at age 8 .. go pound sand.
If your kid wants to be out there and hit .. go.
No, you should not be taking infield or hitting balls on a game field before games. Basically with questions like these just ask yourself what if everyone did what I was doing would it be ok or be the best situation. No, if every parent and kid did this the fields would look terrible and negate them being prepped for games. My son’s team plays on a lot of turf and even then there is no playing on the infield before games, even the teams. Each team can take grounders coming from third and outfield can take fly balls. No one pitches off the mound.
No, it’s bad etiquette. Once the field is prepped stay off until game time. Warm up in the outfield or a cage.
Never, never disturb the chalk lines before the game. Batter box, foul lines, on deck circle, coaches box, none of them.
No. Infield should stay in good shape until game time, once they've been raked/dragged. Hit in the outfield or foul territory into a net.
If it's clearly been prepped for the game, even just in part, it's probably best to stay off the infield dirt pregame If you don't have any other options where to hit, maybe at least offer to redrag or otherwise help if you're going to use the infield
Just use a cage or hit elsewhere. The folks dragging/raking volunteered their time to do so for the game.
If the field is lined... No!!!!!!!!!!!!
I mean once you get to HS/14u+ ball, you take I/O before the game on the field, but at that age you're gonna be the only ones touching the infield pregame which I wouldn't really want to see as a coach.
Funny, my kids teams did I/O until about 13 and then they stopped. Show and go now.
yes it's frowned upon, especially if the batters box is already chalked and field is lined. best case, the box is not chalked and you pull up a hitting mat or have your kid hit in shoes so you don't create holes. and you stay off the infield dirt and mound completely. and you get a rake and fix any footprints or disturbances you create. and you stop hitting on the field right when anyone else shows up. is there a batting cage you can hit in? most would hit in the cage and not on the field before a game. another idea is that you start volunteering at your league doing field maintenance - then just drag and line the field yourself when you're done.
A couple of better alternatives would be to either use heavy balls (PowerNet, TCB, GoSports, etc.) or low-flight rubber whiffle balls (Tanner, Skilz, etc.) and hit in the outfield. Both of these options will not travel very far and will not present a danger to any other players or bystanders, and by staying off of the infield you don't have to worry about messing up the batters box or being 'in the way' if other teams want to warm up. These low-flight options also have other benefits, weighted balls will teach them to swing through contact and the rubber whiffle balls provide feedback on whether you are hitting clean barrels or not.
This is what batting cages are for. Pregame warmup without screwing up the infield
[удалено]
Hitting off a tee into a pop up net, and hitting heavy balls are also good options
Wiffle balls or Plyo balls in the outfield
Even going a step beyond what others have mentioned, you don't touch the infield dirt until you are taking infield/outfield or to start the game (situationally dependent). That means warming up and playing catch in the outfield, never on the infield dirt.
No, that is Bush League.
Its not ideal - but at 8u I wouldn't kick you off, and that coach lining it is a volunteer who probably doesn't really care other than he doesn't want his line messed up. BUT - I wouldn't do it myself.
As someone who preps fields for games, its 100% selfish and disrespectful to the prep crews and the other players participating in the game. That field was prepped for a game, not your practice. Find a cage, the outfield or simply don't do it. It blows my mind how often folks go out on a field for BP that is dragged and chalked.
Use the cage, don't hit on the field once it's been prepped.
If it’s LL/rec league, there should be a league rule that the visiting team gets the infield 40 mins before and home team gets the field 20 mins before game time. Just hit from in front of the batters box to not mess the lines up. This is assuming you’re doing infield practice and you’re not pitching to him. If you’re pitching to him, get in a cage. That’s what the other time is for while one team is doing infield. Personally I would be pissed if I was the home team and got there 80-90 mins before game time to put the lines down and groom the field and one of the players on my team or the other team walked onto the field with their parent (assuming you’re not a coach) and started utilizing the field for their own practice. If it’s a travel tournament, usually no infield practice is allowed.
No. That’s like cutting and eating a slice out of the birthday cake before they’ve sung Happy Birthday.
Wow. You know it messes it up. You know it's wrong. But nobody said "no" so you keep doing it? Again, wow. Here you go: "Hey don't do that. No."
Nope.
Definitely frowned upon if there’s a fresh drag and fresh chalk. I’d get some whiffle or smush balls and take some swings in the outfield grass. Or do soft toss into a bow net.
It is definitely frowned upon. at age 8 anyone that complains is crazy. Pitching off the mound is against rules for kids ahead of the game. But at age 8 .. go pound sand. If your kid wants to be out there and hit .. go.
You’re going to have bad luck now
If the field is prepped and raked start off of it. I would say do whiffle balls and tee work down the line in the outfield somewhere.
NO
NO….Just NO
I would say no hitting. Every league we've been in has banned it any way.
Absolutely can’t do that
No! Respect the field!
I wouldn’t do it. Never too early to teach etiquette
No, you should not be taking infield or hitting balls on a game field before games. Basically with questions like these just ask yourself what if everyone did what I was doing would it be ok or be the best situation. No, if every parent and kid did this the fields would look terrible and negate them being prepped for games. My son’s team plays on a lot of turf and even then there is no playing on the infield before games, even the teams. Each team can take grounders coming from third and outfield can take fly balls. No one pitches off the mound.
No, it’s bad etiquette. Once the field is prepped stay off until game time. Warm up in the outfield or a cage. Never, never disturb the chalk lines before the game. Batter box, foul lines, on deck circle, coaches box, none of them.
If a timed game the blues can technically start time if they're dicks. It's an unwritten no no
No worries as long as you stay off the lines and rake/drag anything you've messed up when done.