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You seem to be pretty content with this policy, but I would encourage you to reconsider it. Calling more strikes yields better baseball at ALL amateur levels. I recommend reserving a "tight" zone for pro ball. Baseball is a game of defense: it's the only game where the defense controls the ball. Everything about the game is better when the total number of runs in a game is less than 10. The pace of play is better, the quality of pitching is better (the starter goes longer and is more likely to get the feel of his secondary pitch when he throws it more), and coaches are happier. In my experience, we get more coaches griping in defense of their pitchers than their hitters: pitching is hard. I don't advocate anything crazy, but umpires have a lot more leeway than we think to call the "egg shaped zone," rather than the box described in the rule. Get those batters swinging, and your games will go faster and smoother, 99% of the time (there's no pleasing everyone). As for your EJ question: player misbehavior needs to be addressed. If you didn't see it and are not comfortable ejecting based on an inference, it still needs to be addressed. Speak to the coach and give a team warning.

The actual document is attached the copy pasta did no work out so good eh.. 2022 LITTLE LEAGUE® INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS VOTING RESULTS RULE AND REGULATION CHANGES Below are the voting results, synopsis, and year of implementation as voted on by the delegates and approved by the Little League International Board of Directors. More information, guidance, and implementation strategies, as well as potential additional rule and regulation updates, will be available in the months leading into the start of the 2023 season. Visit LittleLeague.org/Rules and LittleLeague.org/SeasonResources for the most up-to-date information. Please note that not all voting percentages may add to 100% based on a small number of abstentions. PROPOSED RULE AND REGULATION CHANGE #1 – REGULATION I (A) (3), REGULATION III (C), AND REGULATION IV (A) • Proposed Change: Permit leagues to operate a 3- to 4-year-old Tee Ball Program • Proposed Wording Change o Regulation I (a) (3) – The League  (a) (3) The Tee Ball division is an extension of the local league to accommodate participants league ages 3-7 and may utilize the batting tee or the pitched ball (by a coach). The league may opt to deliver a designated number of pitches to all batters and then utilize a tee if necessary. o Regulation III (3) (c) – The Teams  (3) (c) Tee Ball: Local league must establish the age structure for the Tee Ball Division. Players league age 3 and 4 are eligible ONLY for Tee Ball, unless otherwise approved by the Charter Committee. Players league age 3 are only eligible to participate if the league structures a Tee Ball Division for players league age 3 and 4. EXCEPTION: Participants league age 5 and 6 are permitted to advance to Minor League Coach Pitch or Machine Pitch after participation in Tee Ball for one year. Participants league age 6 are permitted to advance to Minor League Player Pitch Division after participation in Tee Ball for one year, provided the maximum age limit in the division is league age ten (10). Players must be assessed by the league as capable of participation at that level. A player listed on a Tee Ball Roster shall not be permitted to play with a Minor League team. o Regulation IV (a) – The Players  Tee Ball Division: Any candidate with amateur status who will attain the age of 3 before September 1, 2022, and who will not attain the age of 8 on or before August 31, 2022 shall be eligible to compete in the Tee Ball Baseball Division (subject to the local league Board of Directors alignment of this division). This means that a participant who will be 8 years old on September 1 or later is eligible to play that year; a participant who will be 8 years old on August 31 or earlier will not be eligible at any time during the calendar year in question. Synopsis: This allows local leagues the ability to offer a program for players as young as 3 without requiring a waiver from the Charter Committee. This change will also allow local leagues a chance to utilize alternate methods of play to support a more innovative way to operate this division to better serve younger players. PROPOSED RULE AND REGULATION CHANGE #2 – REGULATION IV (F) – THE PLAYERS • Proposed Change: Modify the requirement to attend 50% of player evaluations to attend one league-scheduled player evaluation event • Proposed Wording: o (f) Majors/Intermediate (50-70) Division/Junior/Senior League: Any candidate failing to attend at least 50 percent one of the spring tryout sessions, shall forfeit league eligibility unless an excuse is presented which is accepted by a majority of the Board of Directors. o All other parts of this regulation remain unchanged for the Tee Ball and Minor Leagues and the Note • This change would be for all divisions of Baseball and Softball. Rule and Regulation Item 1 Yes: 59% No: 39% Abstentions: 3 Y.O.I.*: N/A 2 2022 LITTLE LEAGUE® INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS VOTING RESULTS Synopsis: This change would require players to attend one player evaluation event instead of 50% of the total number of events scheduled by the league. PROPOSED RULE AND REGULATION CHANGE #3 - RULE 3.09 • Proposed Change: Permit coaches to warm-up a pitcher or to help aid in game administration and flow, amended to be for Regular Season only. • Proposed Wording Change – Rule 3.09 o Managers or coaches must not are permitted to warm up a pitcher at home plate or in the bullpen or elsewhere at any time. o Important will also be to clarify this potential change to include not only in-game warm-ups, but pre-game warm-ups. As written, the rule does include “any time” to include both situations, but clear language identifying such may be beneficial. • This change would be for Regular Season and Tournament Play for all divisions of Baseball and Softball. Synopsis: This would aid in efforts to improve the pace of play by allowing adult coaches to warm up pitchers for regular season only. PROPOSED RULE AND REGULATION CHANGE #4 – RULE 4.10 (E) • Proposed Change: Expand the current run-rule into the 5th or 6th Innings based upon division: o 15 after 3 Innings o 10 after 4 Innings o 8 after 5 Innings • Proposed Wording Change – Rule 4.10 (e) o If after (3) innings [Intermediate (50-70) Division / Junior / Senior League: four innings], two and one-half innings [Intermediate (50-70) Division / Junior / Senior League: three and one-half innings] if the home team is ahead, one team has a lead of fifteen (15) runs or more, the manager of the team with the least runs shall concede the victory to the opponent. If after four (4) innings [Intermediate (50-70) Division / Junior / Senior League: five innings], three and one-half innings [Intermediate (50-70) Division / Junior / Senior League: four and one-half innings], if the home team is ahead, one team has a lead of ten (10) runs or more, the manager of the team with the least runs shall concede the victory to the opponent. If after five (5) innings [Intermediate (50-70) Division / Junior / Senior League: six innings], four and one-half innings [Intermediate (50-70) Division / Junior / Senior League: five and one-half innings], if the home team is ahead, one team has a lead of eight (8) runs or more, the manager of the team with the least runs shall concede the victory to the opponent. o NOTE: (1) If the visiting team has a lead of fifteen (15), ten (10), or eight (8) runs or more respectively, the home team must bat in its half of the inning. (2) The local league may adopt the option of not utilizing this rule. A game determined by the 15-run rule, the 10-run rule, or the 8-run rule shall be considered a regulation game. • This change would be for Regular Season for all divisions of Baseball and Softball. Synopsis: This would revise the run rule for all divisions of play during the regular season. Rule and Regulation Item 3 Yes: 76% No: 22% Abstentions: 3 Y.O.I.*: 2023 Rule and Regulation Item 2 Yes: 88% No: 10% Abstentions: 3 Y.O.I.*: 2023 3 2022 LITTLE LEAGUE® INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS VOTING RESULTS PROPOSED RULE AND REGULATION CHANGE #5A – RULE 6.08 (A) (2) • Proposed Change: Expand the Intentional Walk from the Little League (Major) and Minor League Divisions into the Intermediate (50-70) /Junior League/Senior League Divisions • Proposed Wording Change – Rule 6.08 (a) (2) o Eliminate the specification of Little League (Major) and Minor League Divisions o All remaining parts of the rule remain the same:  The batter becomes a runner and is entitled to first base without liability to be put out (provided said runner advances to and touches first base) when – • (a) (2) ALL DIVISIONS: the defense elects to “Intentionally Walk” the batter by announcing such decision to the plate umpire. The request may be made prior to or during the at-bat. • NOTE 1: Such notification must be made by the defensive manager. The manager must request and be granted “time” by the umpire and then inform the umpire of the defense’s intent to walk the batter. • NOTE 2: The ball is dead, and no other runners may advance unless forced by the batter’s award. The appropriate number of “balls” needed based on the count on the batter at the time of the manager’s request to complete the Intentional Walk will be added to the pitch count. • This change would be for Regular Season and Tournament play for all divisions of Baseball. • This change would not affect the current Intentional Walk for all divisions of Softball. Softball Rule 6.08(a)(2) will remain the same as written for both Regular Season and Tournament play. Synopsis: This would revise the intentional walk rule to be consistent in all divisions of play for both baseball and softball. PROPOSED RULE AND REGULATION CHANGE #5B – RULE 6.08 (A) (2) • Proposed Change: Based on amendments submitted through the Congress discussions, restrict the intentional walk by announcement so that a player may only be intentionally walked by announcing such decision to the plate umpire one time during the course of the game. This would not restrict a team from throwing four balls outside of the strike zone to this batter at another time during the game. • Proposed Wording Change – Rule 6.08 (a) (2)  The batter becomes a runner and is entitled to first base without liability to be put out (provided said runner advances to and touches first base) when – • (a) (2): the defense elects to “Intentionally Walk” the batter by announcing such decision to the plate umpire. The request may be made prior to or during the at-bat. • A player may only be intentionally walked by announcement one time during a game. • NOTE 1: Such notification must be made by the defensive manager. The manager must request and be granted “time” by the umpire and then inform the umpire of the defense’s intent to walk the batter. • NOTE 2: The ball is dead, and no other runners may advance unless forced by the batter’s award. The appropriate number of “balls” needed based on the count on the batter at the time of the manager’s request to complete the Intentional Walk will be added to the pitch count. Rule and Regulation Item 4 Yes: 68% No: 30% Abstentions: 2 Y.O.I.*: 2023 Rule and Regulation Item 5A Yes: 90% No: 10% Y.O.I.*: 2023 4 2022 LITTLE LEAGUE® INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS VOTING RESULTS • This change would be for Regular Season and Tournament play for all divisions of Baseball. • This change would not affect the current Intentional Walk for all divisions of Softball. Softball Rule 6.08(a)(2) will remain the same as written for both Regular Season and Tournament play. • A player may only be intentionally walked by announcing such decision to the plate umpire one time during the course of the game. This would not restrict a team from throwing four balls outside of the strike zone to this batter at another time during the game. Synopsis: This would revise the intentional walk rule so that a player may only be intentional walked by announcement once per game. PROPOSED RULE AND REGULATION CHANGE #6 – RULE 7.13 • Proposed Change: Runner out for leaving too soon (leaving early) in the Little League (Majors) and Minor League Baseball divisions • Proposed Wording Change – Rule 7.13 o When a pitcher is in contact with the pitcher’s plate and in possession of the ball and the catcher is in the catcher’s box ready to receive the delivery of the ball, the base runners shall not leave their bases until the ball has been delivered and reached the batter. NOTE: Tee Ball: Base runners must stay in contact with the base until the ball is hit. When players have advanced as far as possible without being put out or having been retired, the umpire shall call “time” and place the ball on the tee. o PENALTY: When a base runner leaves the base before the pitched ball has reached the batter and it is detected by the umpire, the ball is dead. “No Pitch” is declared and the runner is out. o NOTE 1: When an umpire detects a base runner leaving the base too soon, that umpire shall call “time,” and the ball is dead. “No Pitch” is declared, and the umpire shall call the runner out for leaving the base too soon. This is not an appeal play. o Eliminate all other parts of the rule including:  Rule 7.13 (a)  Rule 7.13 (b)  Rule 7.13 (c)  Rule 7.13 (c) Note  Rule 7.13 (c) Exception  Examples 1-16, including 16 Note 1 and Note 2 o NOTE 3: Remains as written -- Tee Ball: Base runners must stay in contact with the base until the ball is hit. When players have advanced as far as possible without being put out or having been retired, the umpire shall call “time” and place the ball on the tee. • This change would be for Regular Season and Tournament Play in the Little League (Majors) and Minor League Divisions Synopsis: This would revise the rule in baseball to an out for leaving the base too early. PROPOSED RULE AND REGULATION CHANGE #7 – TOURNAMENT ORGANIZATION – MANAGERS AND COACHES IN THE DUGOUT Rule and Regulation Item 5B Yes: 74% No: 24% Abstentions: 4 Y.O.I.*: 2023 Rule and Regulation Item 6 Yes: 62% No: 36% Abstentions: 2 Y.O.I.*: N/A 5 2022 LITTLE LEAGUE® INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS VOTING RESULTS • Proposed Change: Eliminate the number of eligible coaches permitted to be in the dugout based on roster size • Proposed Wording Change – Tournament Organization, Managers/Coaches in the Dugout o If a tournament team has twelve (12) or more eligible players in uniform at the game site at the start of a game, then the A maximum of three (3) adults who are named on the affidavit (or authorized replacements as noted on the affidavit) will be permitted to act as manager/coaches for that game. However, if a tournament team has eleven (11) or fewer eligible players in uniform at the game site at the start of the game, then a maximum of two (2) adults must be named at the start of the game as manager and coach. The two named adults must be listed on the affidavit or must be authorized temporary replacements as noted on the affidavit. If there is a third adult listed on the affidavit, that adult is not permitted to be in the dugout or on the field during that game. o NOTE: Base coaches may be adults and/or players provided at least one adult manager or coach remains in the dugout. See 4.05(b). • This change would be for Tournament Play in all divisions of Baseball and Softball. Synopsis: This would allow teams to have up to three eligible coaches permitted in the dugout regardless of tournament team roster size. PROPOSED RULE AND REGULATION CHANGE #8 – TOURNAMENT ORGANIZATION – RELEASE OF NAMES • Proposed Change: Remove the May 15 Tournament Team announcement date • Proposed Wording Change o The release of names of players for the tournament team shall not be made before May 15, and not until the availability and eligibility of all prospective team members have been established. (The AIG group accident insurance program for Little League tournament team try-out and practice will not go into effect until the tournament team has been announced by the league in accordance with the requirements outlined in this rule.) • This change would be for Tournament Play in all divisions of Baseball and Softball Synopsis: This would remove the date when leagues can announce tournament teams. TACTICAL INSTITUTIONAL ITEMS The voting on tactical changes (league boundaries, teenage divisions, and D.A. selection) will help guide the Little League International staff on progressing these important items for the future of our organization. The voting results will be fully reviewed and shared with the International Advisory Board, as well as the Operating Committee of the Board of Directors in November as part of our efforts in presenting actionable items on these topics. All tactical items will be presented with a suggested timeline for continued discussion, implementation, and education, and they will be communicated to you all in the late fall. Rule and Regulation Item 8 Yes: 57% No: 38% Abstentions: 14 Y.O.I.*: N/A Rule and Regulation Item 7 Yes: 85% No: 14% Abstentions: 1 Y.O.I.*: 2023 download.pdf

Typical, 2 man system coaches argument ........great video Lindsay, a lot of high school guys will like this one!

If you didn't see him throw a bat then I wouldn't do or say anything.

I umpire varsity baseball and travel ball like a lot of other umpires here. Where I umpire there is a facility that hosts a lot of Travel Ball tournaments. The last five to ten years has seen an explosion in the number of travel ball teams out there. Mostly the coaches in varsity baseball and travel ball are good, but every once in a while I see or hear something from one of them that makes me go "What did you say?" Here are my top four 2022 examples. Perhaps other umps will add their favorites in this thread. Number 1 - 18U travel ball game. I am behind the plate and my partner is in the B position. R1 is on first and the Batter Runner has a two ball count. The pitcher throws a pitch and the BR pops it up in foul ground between the plate and first. The first baseman drifts into foul territory and reaches up for the ball. The ball clanks out of his glove, drops directly down to the ground in foul territory and then rolls into fair territory. The first basemen yells, "Crud, I dropped it", so there is no mystery about him clanking the play. I call it "Foul" and do the foul ball mechanic. As the players are returning to position, the Coach of the Offensive team (in the first base dugout so this all happened right in front of him) calls time out and hustles up to me and proclaims, "That's a fair ball!". I explain that it's foul because it touched the Firstbaseman's mitt in foul territory. He continues his argument with an example of a bunt that rolls foul and then goes fair at the last minute. I agree with that but tell him that's not the case if the ball hits something while it is foul. He turns from me to my partner and yells, "Tell your partner that ball is fair." My partner shakes his head and says, "No coach, that is foul". He continues to get upset, so I finally mollify him and get him back in the dugout (without having to eject him) by telling him that there is a rule that states that as soon as an umpire yells "foul" the ball is foul no matter where it is. As he heads back for the dugout he looks over his shoulder and says, "Just so long as you know you got it wrong." Number 2 - 16U travel ball game. I am in the B position and there is a runner on first with no outs. The pitcher toes the rubber and R1 takes a lead. The pitcher comes set and then tucks his chin down against his front shoulder to peek at the runner. Then he lifts his head up to look at his target. Then he lowers his chin to peek at the runner. Then he looks up to the target and pitches. My partner calls a strike. The first base coach calls time out and tells me "He balked". I asked for his argument. The coach tells me "He's deceiving the runner by nodding his head up and down like that.". I tell the coach, "A pitcher can't balk with his head." The coach says, "The rule gives you the discretion to call that a balk and he's balking by deceiving the runner by nodding his head like that". I ask the coach, "Then how is the pitcher supposed to check the runner on first?" The coach says, "As soon as he comes set he can't look back." I think for a minute and then just to move the game along and not argue anymore, I say to him with a smile, "Coach, you said it's in my judgment right? Well then in my judgment that's not a balk." 21 ways to balk in the game. I'm not familiar with any that involve nodding. Number 3 - Varsity baseball. R1 on first and R2 on second with one out and the pitcher is in the stretch. I'm in the C position. The pitcher comes set and then clearly steps back off the rubber and attempts to pick to first. He throws it over the first baseman's head and directly into dead ball territory. I call "Time" and say, "The pitcher stepped back before he through, so that's two bases to the runners" and I score R2 and place R1 on third. The coach, from the dugout screams at me, "Your timing sucks! You need to let the play develop before you make a call!" I said, "Coach since you' chose to yell across the diamond I'm going to ask you this question so everyone can hear it. That ball was out of play as soon as it crossed the white "out of play" line. By that I mean "out of play" as in the play is over and nothing else can happen. Perhaps you can explain to the rest of the class exactly what other occurrence should I wait for before I make the call "Out of Play?" The coach pauses, opens his mouth and then sits down on the bench quiet. Game resumes with no more argument and no need for an ejection. Number 4 - 18U travel ball game. R1 is on first and the pitcher is left handed. I'm in the B position. The pitcher comes set and then lifts his front leg. R1 is going on the first move and attempts to steal second. The pitcher alertly picks to first and the first baseman throws to the shortstop at second base. A run down ensues. The shortstop runs R1 back towards first and then throws to the Firstbaseman. The SS halts in the exact spot in the baseline from where he threw the ball. The firstbaseman starts to chase R1 toward second and R1 collides with the SS while the Firstbaseman is still holding the ball. I call time, point with my left hand and call "Obstruction" and place R1 on second base. The defensive coach charges onto the field without calling time out and yells, "That's not obstruction, Blue. You don't know the rule! You don't even know that it's not 'obstruction'! It's interference! Get it straight before you make a call!" I turn to the coach and say, "First off, I'm going to do you a favor. 'Time out'! Now we can talk. Coach that's textbook obstruction. The short stop is in the baseline without the ball and he's not in the immediate act of catching the ball. The baserunner collided with him and that's 'Obstruction'. You obstruct runners and you interfer with the defense." He looks confused and then shouts, "Well you have to give the shortstop time to make a baseball move." I took my sunglasses off and said, "Coach, I'm familiar with five rule sets; Little League, NHSF, Babe Ruth, American Legion and the Official Rules of Baseball. If you can pull out your phone, google that term and find a place in any one of them the phrase 'baseball move', I'll put R1 wherever you want him." He opens his mouth to argue, when his own Shortstop taps him on his shoulder and says, "Coach, the Blue is right." Now I'm not claiming to be perfect, but maybe at that level some of these coaches should had some of this stuff straight by now.

I'm telling you it IS an issue. Consider it free advice above and beyond what you asked for. Keep in mind, you brought up the tight strike zone, for reasons known only to yourself...that information was irrelevant to your question. In all likelihood the kid threw his bat because he was angry he struck out, not because he disagreed with your call - batters don't argue about tight strike zones. Edit - it doesn't matter why he threw the bat, only that he did. Don't cloud the issue with information that doesn't matter to the decision making process.

It isn't backgammon either...what's your point? You're not allowed to lead off in LL baseball for the exact same reason you're not allowed to lead off in LL softball (or any softball) - the short base paths. It's easy to administer the rule by just calling the runner out, as softball seems to have figured out and be perfectly fine with it. Why LL baseball can't handle it is unexplainable.

Well, IBB's are part of game strategy for various reasons. I get that they're trying to ensure that the superstar kid just doesn't get walked four times...so, fine, if I'm a coach that is going to take the game so seriously as to IBB a 10-year old four times in a game, I'm going to take the game so seriously as to teach my kids either how to pitch around said batter, or to just plunk him. If they really want to solve the problem, or get ahead of it, they should consider defining a set of conditions where an IBB can be issued...for example: 1. Bases cannot be empty 2. First base cannot be occupied 3. MAYBE require less than two out Strategically, unless you're going to walk Barry Bonds with bases loaded, those are typically the times you're going to IBB someone (assuming at this age you're not hot and bothered about lefty/right matchups) This ensures a ringer is never IBB'ed simply because he's a ringer...and ensures a player could be conceivably IBB'd twice in the same game if reasonable game strategy calls for it. What you do want to avoid is a situation where you have a tie game in bottom of ninth with R2/R3 and you're not allowed to IBB the batter because you did so earlier in the game.

No its not but they need to do something with the damn rule .. To me its baseball let it go and delete it. Let there be leads, let there be pick offs etc etc

Because with one coach on the bases the other one on the bench it herding 10 possible other kids as well as trying to do the book. which is the same with 2 coaches on the bases but it would also keep another coach closer to the dugout whether it is 1st or 3rd for help with the poor soul on the bench alone I am glad for one they have made that change

To me this was more about having more coaches available in a dugout with less kids ie 9,10 or 11 kids which is great I want more adults herding the cats themselves

As mentioned use the lines, but when those are not available, use the catcher. If he is set up directly behind the plate, any ball caught from outside edge of knee to knee is a strike. For 13 and up, normally this gets you a larger zone with anything outside his body a ball. If the catcher moves in or out, then prior to the pitch, see where is is holding the glove. Inside is easier to deal with since the ball is coming right at you. For outside, most the time F2 will set his glove on the outside edge, or even a little outside of the plate; know where he starts. If that glove moves any further out to catch the ball from the starting point, then it is not a strike, depending on how far you looking to expand the zone today. Also, the level of pitching will help you. Have players who barely can hit water falling out of a boat? Expand the zone. Get batters swinging. No one wants to see a walk fest, no pitcher wants to throw 1-2 innings and hit their max count. I've had HS "Varsity" games that had a looser zone than a 11U LL game due to the level of pitching available. Know what? The kids swung, they hit the ball, people cheered, players played and the game moved. Have worked with partners on those same games who called a tight zone, no one played, everyone walked and 3+ hours later we called the game due to darkness. That partner was blocked immediately when I got in the car. Adjust to the level of play. If both teams are griping about the zone being too tight, then listen to them and open it up a little. They most likely have not had someone all season calling a super tight zone and they are not looking for that.

the All-Star sun shield listed will fit a Rawlings ........ yes

The only mask specific visors are the Force3 and the All Star FM4000 (both steel and magnesium) ones. Out side of that. Any visor from any manufacturer (I had Champro ones on masks such as Diamond, Nike, Rawlings, etc.) will work.

The All-Star visor that is listed in my post will fit any regular mask. If that is in fact what you were inquiring about Sent from my SM-A426U using Tapatalk

Let's not.

He's not italicized, he's leaning around to try to make the call 100+ feet away.

Darn. too narrow for me.