SOFTBALL BEAT : KEEPING SCORE ON PARENT SCOREKEEPERS.Byline: - Vincent Bonsignore, Gerald Gittelson, Jim Inghram This was the situation in a recent game involving two area teams: Bottom of the seventh inning, one out, runner at second base. The batter hits a fly ball into no-man's land No-Man's land Hand surgery A fanciful term for the fibrous sheath of the flexor tendons of the hand, specifically in the zone from the distal palmar crease to the proximal interphalangeal joint. See Rule of threes. between second base and center field. Three defenders converge on the ball, but nobody makes an attempt to catch it and it drops to the ground. A hit, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. standard scoring practices, right? Nope. The home-team scorekeeper score·keep·er n. An official who records the score throughout a game or competition. score  keep ruled it an error.
The next batter hits into a fielder's choice field·er's choice n. Baseball A play made on a ground ball in which the fielder chooses to put out an advancing base runner, thus allowing the batter to reach first base safely. Noun 1. for the second out, scoring the runner from third base. Because of the error, the run is unearned. By the way, the official scorekeeper just happens to be the pitcher's mother. Which begs the question: Is it appropriate for the parent of star players to be scorekeepers? Better yet, wouldn't it be better, more logical, if parents weren't allowed to keep official score, if only to eliminate any speculation that they're susceptible to padding their kid's, or their team's, stats - whether consciously or unconsciously? It's a dilemma Chaminade coach Steve Harrington faces every game. The Eagles scorekeeper is Marianne LeCocq, the mom of standout pitcher Maureen LeCocq. (Chaminade wasn't involved in our example above). Harrington has heard the whispers from other parents and opponents, the ones who question Maureen's 170-inning string without allowing an earned run earned run n. Baseball A run scored without the aid of an error, used in computing earned run averages. Noun 1. earned run - a run that was not scored as the result of an error by the other team . The ones who questioned the validity of the streak, considering Marureen's mom made judgment calls on close plays that were ruled hits or errors. Harrington concedes that parents as scorekeepers might not be ideal, and he understands the concerns. But in Chaminade's case, specifically Marianne LeCocq's, he doesn't believe they are warranted. ``First of all, I have the final say on close calls, and Marianne is always checking with the other scorekeeper when there is a close call to determine how it should be ruled,'' Harrington said. ``Obviously it's a problem that's not going away. Anytime you have parents as scorekeepers, of course you'll get that type of reaction. But what people need to remember is that we're all out here for the girls. That's what this is about. And we're talking about a parent who is volunteering her time to the program. She's not a professional, she didn't go to scorekeepers' school, but she's been involved in softball softball, variant of baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Invented (1888) in Chicago as an indoor game, it was at various times called indoor baseball, mush ball, playground ball, kitten ball, and, because it was also played by women, ladies' for a number of years and she knows what she is doing.'' Marianne LeCocq said she doesn't feel any added pressure - even though the parent of an opposing player did question her earlier this year on a close call - because she's harder on Maureen than others are. ``I've even given her errors on close plays because I think she should be a better defensive player,'' said LeCocq, whose daughter will play next year at Stanford. ``She's a good defensive player, but I think she should be better, so I am more critical of her than anybody else is. ``I'm not in this for that reason, to pad my daughter's stats. And if it ever came down to it, with people saying stuff, I'd rather quit. I'm not in it for that.'' Harrington thinks that if it gets to be too much of a problem, maybe something needs to be done. ``It doesn't look like it will go away anytime soon, especially since there is so much pressure for parents to get scholarships for their kids,'' Harrington said. ``If it gets too bad, we should probably look into getting somebody else to keep score.'' Considering what could have been El Camino Real El Camino Real (Spanish for The Royal Road or The King's Highway) was the name of a series of pre-automobile highways linking the various New World colonies of Spain:
adj. 1. Feeling, expressing, or characterized by envy: "At times he regarded the wounded soldiers in an envious way.... as she watched. Blumfield, who will play at Boston College Boston College, main campus at Chestnut Hill, Mass.; coeducational; Jesuit; est. and opened 1863. Actually a university, the school's Chestnut Hill campus comprises colleges of arts and sciences and business administration, the graduate school, and schools of nursing , had hoped to attend UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX , but because Boston College offered her a better scholarship deal, she is headed east. Blumfield said it was a little difficult watching the No. 1-ranked Bruins, knowing that she is good enough to play at that level. It's all in the family Highland softball is truly a family affair. The Bulldogs' infield consists of two sets of sisters - three Rawsons: infielders Natalie and Melissa and pitcher Nicole, and two D'Erricos: infielder Angela and catcher Ashlie. In fact, the only player not related to someone in the infield is second baseman second baseman n. Baseball The infielder who is positioned near and to the first-base side of second base. Noun 1. second baseman - (baseball) the person who plays second base second sacker Robyn Hauptman. ``So we're going to have either the Rawsons or D'Erricos adopt her,'' joked Highland coach Glenda Potts. The Bulldogs obviously have benefited with so many siblings playing together, and not just because they're so familiar with each other's talents, strengths and weaknesses. ``They're always encouraging each other and they're there for one another if they make a mistake,'' Potts said. ``You know, I can go out there and say stuff, but when it comes from a sibling it makes a big difference. A sibling can say that one perfect thing that should be said at that point.'' Jousting jousting Medieval Western European mock battle between two horsemen who charged at each other with leveled lances in an attempt to unseat the other. It probably originated in France in the 11th century, superseding the mêlée, in which mock battles were held between with the press Westlake coach Barbara Jordan Barbara Charline Jordan (February 21, 1936 – January 17, 1996) was an American politician from Texas. She served as a congresswoman in the United States House of Representatives from 1973 to 1979. Early life and career Jordan was born in Houston's Fifth Ward to Rev. is beginning to warm up to all the responsibilities of being a head coach, most notably talking to Noun 1. talking to - a lengthy rebuke; "a good lecture was my father's idea of discipline"; "the teacher gave him a talking to" lecture, speech rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval - an act or expression of criticism and censure; "he had to the press. A former Cal State Northridge standout and potential U.S. National team member for the 2000 Olympics, it's obvious Jordan has a competitive streak, even when dealing with reporters. When asked good-naturedly after a recent game when she would start providing non-cliche, non-coachspeak-type quotes, she just smiled and said: ``Maybe when somebody asks me the right question, I'll do that.'' Touche, Barbara. DAILY NEWS TOP 10 (Records through Monday) Team Record 1. Quartz Hill 15-1 Might end the year at No. 1 2. Chaminade 6-6-1 Big week up north. 3. Camarillo 11-2 Scorpions wish rain would go away. 4. Newbury Park 13-3 Travel to Westlake next week. 5. Westlake 13-2 Togetherness equals wins. 6. Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. 10-3 How healthy is Green? 7. Crescenta Valley The Crescenta Valley is a small inland valley in Los Angeles County, California. Its name derives from its crescent-like shape, with the convex portion facing roughly northeast and the concave portion southwest. 11-5 Cervenka is dominant. 8. Hart 9-3-1 Already lost once in league. 9. Highland 10-4 Ashlie D'Errico hitting .595. 10. El Camino Real 10-2 Will they lose in league? CAPTION(S): Photo, Box PHOTO Pitcher Patty Del Real (front center) has benefited from an improved infield defense that has Kennedy High exceeding early expectations, including an appearance in last week's championship game of the prestigious Simi Valley tournament. The infield, from left to right: shortstop Marlena Aguirre, third baseman third baseman n. Baseball The infielder stationed near third base. Noun 1. third baseman - (baseball) the person who plays third base third sacker Monique Acedo, first baseman Teena Garcia, Del Real, catcher Angie DeLa Cruz and second baseman Cynthia Barraza. Shaun Dyer/Special to the Daily News BOX: DAILY NEWS TOP 10 (see text) |
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