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Sportsmanship Is it OK to toss your glove if you just dropped a fly ball? Should you tell an umpire who made a bad call that he needs glasses? Can you just trot to first base if you hit a pop-up that looks like it’s going to be an easy catch? Well, here is where you can find out. There are several unwritten rules that govern a player’s personal conduct in relation to coaches, teammates, the opposing team, the umpires and the ballpark. Check out these guidelines for sportsmanship, and you’ll know how to play the game the way it was meant to be played.
A Player's Relationship With Coaches Always listen to your coaches. As the leaders of your team, the coaches are always looking out for the best interests of the team and players. Respect their strategic decisions and team policies. If you have a problem with something, approach your coaches in a manner that is non-confrontational and discuss the situation rationally. Focus your energy on playing the game, and let the coaches take care of disputes and disagreements that may arise.
Don’t complain about playing time. If you are not in the game or have been taken out of the game, do not disrupt team unity by pouting or complaining in front of the team. In fact, you should always make sure you are prepared to enter the game or help the team in any way you can when not in the game. If you would like to discuss playing time with your coaches, do it rationally, calmly, and one-on-one with the coaching staff.
Practice hard: always execute practice drills to the best of your ability with maximum effort. When coaches give criticism or offer advice, it is meant to be constructive and to the benefit of you and the team, so do not take it personally.
Always run out ground balls and fly balls, hustle into every base, and hustle after every batted ball in your vicinity—you never know what’s going to happen on a given play, but by hustling, you can make sure you will be in position to make a play if necessary.
Always follow the coaches’ signals. If a coach has called for a particular play to be executed, do your best to execute it. Do not, under any circumstances, ignore a signal because you do not want to execute it or feel that it shouldn’t be executed. Call “time” and discuss the situation with the coach if you feel uneasy about it. It is more understandable if you unintentionally miss a signal or forget that a certain signal signifies a certain play (although you should always make sure you know the signals before you step to the plate or run the bases), but it is unacceptable and detrimental to the team to purposely ignore a signal. A Player's Relationship With Teammates Communicate with your teammates in the field. If a ball is hit close to you and another teammate, be sure to let your teammate know you are going to make the play by saying "I got it." Likewise, if your teammate calls for it first, back away and let he or she concentrate on making the play. You can also communicate with your teammates in the course of a play by telling them where to throw the ball, to cut off a throw or let it go through, or that a runner is moving toward a particular base.
Congratulate your teammates after good plays. From scoring a run to laying down a sacrifice bunt, you should recognize good plays by your teammates with a congratulatory phrase (i.e. "good job!") and maybe a high-five. Likewise, offer encouragement to teammates after a poor play, such as an error or strikeout. Remember—you are all in it together as a team with one goal: winning.
Don’t be spiteful of other teammates if they start ahead of you or replace you in a game. Again, baseball is a team game, and holding a grudge against another player and putting yourself before the team is not a positive or winning attitude.
Don’t be afraid to chatter. Shout out words of encouragement to your pitcher when you are out in the field and to your teammates when they are batting. A Player's Relationship With Opposing Players Don’t talk trash. There is no place in the game of baseball for verbal taunting of players, regardless of the situation.
Always shake hands with players from the other team after the game regardless of the outcome; display graciousness in winning and losing.
Fighting is unacceptable in baseball. In addition to the potential for injury it causes to yourself and others, it sets a poor example and can often result in ejection from the game.
Don’t “show up” the pitcher on a home run hit over the fence. If you are fortunate enough to hit one out of the park, round the bases briskly—do not go into your “home run trot” and do not insult or taunt the pitcher.
Always let a runner know if a ball has been hit foul. Baiting a runner into sliding into a base on a foul ball serves no practical purpose and delays the game.
Never look back and steal the catcher’s signs when you are batting. It gives the offensive team an unfair advantage and is traditionally in violation of baseball etiquette.
If you are pitching, do not throw at a batter intentionally. A baseball can be a deadly weapon when aimed directly at an unsuspecting batter. Such acts also often lead to retaliation by the other team’s pitcher and are the cause of many bench-clearing brawls. A Player's Relationship With Umpires Do not verbally abuse an umpire or excessively argue balls, strikes, or an umpire’s ruling on a play. The job of an umpire is highly objective, but he or she is always striving to call the game as fairly as possible. While it is acceptable to politely ask the umpire to explain his or her call in a manner that does not disrupt the flow of play, it is not acceptable to go on a tirade when unhappy with a call. Always remember—umpires do not win or lose games: players do.
Try to establish and maintain a pleasant rapport with the umpires prior to and during the course of a game. This will make the game more enjoyable for both you and the umpires. After all, it is only a game. Player Conduct at the Ballpark Do not deface the field. Specifically, no digging up the outfield grass, damaging dugouts or fences, or loosening or removing permanent field pieces like the bases or rubber.
Never throw the equipment in a fit of anger or disgust. In addition to showing poor sportsmanship, an errant toss could injure players, coaches, umpires or fans or could cause damage to the ballpark.
Ignore comments from poorly mannered spectators. Never go into the stands to argue with a spectator. Show that you are the bigger person and do not allow inappropriate comments from fans to escalate into something greater.
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