Jay R.

As noted, it's not unique to 2014---just the year that I got emailed to me. I haven't worked LL since 2019 (coaching my kids, and occasionally umpiring softball and my kids' league, which is not LL). I didn't assume much had changed in their interps until @Senor Azulgot me on their recent reinterpretation of train wreck at 1B recently by quoting a newer edition. So I figured I'd be precise.

From the LL Rules Instruction Manual, 2014 Edition: Text: "If there is not a good reason for "Time" to be called, umpires should not call "Time," especially if the request is made by the defense in an effort to stop runners from advancing."

Relevant: https://uni-watch.com/2023/05/29/minor-leaguer-goes-topless-to-prove-he-was-hit-by-pitch/ "Gastonia infielder Jack Reinheimer was hit by a pitch but the umps apparently thought it might have hit his bat. So Reinheimer removed his jersey and undershirt to show his bruised flesh. That was enough to satisfy the ump, so Reinheimer — still topless — then trotted down to first base, where he began putting his base layer and jersey back on."

Had an only-in-youth-baseball one last week as I managed last week. It's a U10 local rule set; the commish has declined to clarify whether it's a mod of OBR, NFHS, NCAA, LL, PONY Mustang, or something else. It rarely matters, but might here. My son's team was on defense, with the bases loaded and one out. Ball is crushed into the gap with a deep fence; all runners score easily, Batter-Runner misses third but touches the plate. As the ball comes in to the catcher, my coaches yell that he missed third, so I tell the catcher to throw to third. Batter-runner dashes from the edge of in play back toward third, without coming anywhere near home plate; my catcher throws to the third baseman touching the bag as I tell the umpire that we're appealing the batter-runner missing third, and the runner slides in after. The teenagers (plate and base) look at each other and look back at me without making a call. Of course it's not worth arguing about, so I said that if they didn't have him missing third they should give the kid the run, and that's what happened. But I'm curious: 1) If the runner returns to retouch third in that situation, should he remain on third even if the umpires have him legally touching third and scoring previously? (Do codes differ on this?) 2) If the answer to (1) is yes, I assume that I can appeal him missing home on the run back to third on the last-time-by approach? 3) Anything else to consider that I'm missing?

I assumed this, after umpiring LL games for seven seasons. Alas, coaching my 10-year-old's team this year, I've appealed three times on missed bases, to no avail. I've had the umpire look sort of blankly at me twice, and one ruled safe.

Foul Only the position of the ball when it's first touched matters when it's in front of the base. If every part of the ball is entirely outside the foul line, it's foul.

Is this a change? When I worked LL (2013 through 2019), there was language in 7.13 about the umpire determining the value of a hit. Runners only totally disappeared if the batted ball stayed in the infield. Given the OP's description of the play as a "clean single" I would assume that, were all runners safe, the run would score.

Presumably this has to do with some sort of time limit---perhaps they're past a no-new-inning point but before an "end the game" time. I've umpired youth games with such a system (eg, no new inning after two hours, and games end at the 2:30 mark) in which the score would revert back to the score at the last completed inning if the outcome changed in the last inning and the home team didn't get a chance to bat. As @Jimurray said, you might get a consensus for a team to stop batting if the game was out of hand and it was a very low-level game. But that would have to be arranged and agreed to by both coaches. If it's competitive enough that they're concerned about managing the clock in extra innings, you should talk to the league administration/umpire-in-chief/assignor about how they want you to manage this situation. In the league where I worked (a competitive Little League chapter): -- If they're refusing to bat or literally pulling people off the field, that would be a forfeit. -- Penalize overt stalling tactics with balls or strikes as appropriate. After multiple offenses in the last inning, warn that they're approaching forfeit territory, and get ready to call it. (I only ever got as far calling one ball or strike in the last inning.) -- Assuming that pitchers were pitching (legally, not quick pitching), we should not be too concerned with the outcome (pitchers intentionally walking batters on four pitches, or batters intentionally striking out). -- There are ways to guarantee that you get out (swinging at every pitch, and walking to the dugout if the catcher drops the ball). -- We were not to allow anything that we deemed dangerous or obviously unsporting. (Another thread in this forum asked about a runner bunting and running after and grabbing the ball for an interference call. That, to me, would probably cross the line, given the likelihood of a collision.) To go back to your original question, no, no major code of baseball allows the offense to formally end its inning early. (Other bat-and-ball games, notably cricket, do have such a provision.)

The leagues had different offices through the 1990s, though power consolidated slowly in the commissioner's office, culminating the leagues' dissolution as legal entities in late 1999. (That's why the AL was able to adopt the DH, and the NL didn't have to follow suit.) The leagues maintained their own rosters of umpires, too.

Agree with @Velho re the approved LL mechanic. That said, when I was working LL Majors a lot: -- If it was 1st and 3rd, I would usually move into B to have the steal. -- If there was R3 only, especially with two out, I would move to B on the assumption that the play was going to first. But I would be hustling inside the diamond after every pitch to get a good angle on any potential pick at third Both of those were done at the urging of the league UIC, who was pretty active in district and state LL matters, when I voiced concerns similar to the OP. He taught the approved mechanic to everyone, but once you had his trust that you were hustling and had a good reason he encouraged us to do other things that made sense and made us more comfortable.

Is there an OBR, NCAA, or LL analog to this, either by rule or interp?

@Lou B is correct. Relevant rule is 5.12(b)(3)(A): "If an accident to a runner is such as to prevent him from proceeding to a base to which he is entitled, as on a home run hit out of the playing field, or an award of one or more bases, a substitute runner shall be permitted to complete the play."

Here's video of umpires using shoe polish to decide whether a player gets first. In this case, it's Cleon Jones of the Mets; the announcers reference the similar play involving Nippy Jones in 1957. More prosaically, umpires often take batter reaction into account on close pitches---including, for example whether a ball hit the bat handle or a batter's hands. Having just gotten behind the plate again after taking a few years to focus on coaching my kids, I find that it's actually often *harder* to tell hit by pitch with younger players. Batters aren't set in the box, the pitches aren't as fast so batters can move more in reaction (but are less skilled in actually avoiding the pitch), slow pitches change direction less dramatically if they glance something, catchers stand up or otherwise move to block your view...

Earlier this summer someone asked if there was a rule against blatant/intentional missing of the bases.

I should have specified league rules on stealing: The local league allows advancing to second and third after the ball is past the batter. The penalty for leaving early is one team warning and then the runner is out.

I umpired through a Little League chapter in Northern VA, doing games on fields of all sizes but focusing on the 60' mechanics. Having moved and now that my own kids are playing, I've primarily switched to coaching, though I umpire occasionally. In my son's U10 game last night in an independent league that roughly follows the PONY rulebook, I noticed that on a 60' diamond that the field umpire would be stationed pre-pitch behind the mound with runners on. This was not a traditional B or C; on the other hand, on such a small field he would have been blocking F4 or F6 had he taken a normal B or C position. I know LL has umpires stationed on the outfield grass in B or C on a 60' diamond. Is there any association or guidance that encourages umpire placement inside the diamond on a 60' field? Genuinely curious---but also the field umpire was not catching anyone on either team leaving early.

A bit earlier than you were looking, but "Haney's Base Ball Book" from 1867 includes rules and instructions to the umpires. This edition is from 2004 and reasonably priced: https://www.amazon.com/Haneys-Reference-Henry-Chadwick-2004-10-01/dp/B01FIWYYO2

It took about five years of doing a lot of LL games for this to show up for me, but it did. I called it in normal league play; a runner from second was taking a HUUGE lead every pitch and I warned the coach (verbally once, and I actually used the flag that LL recommends). A dribbler that advanced everyone without a play and I had to wipe it off the board. Both scorekeepers were confused about how to score that in their apps.

Yes, Dana DeMuth signaled safe before signaling either "Time" or "Obstruction". Video here:

It depends on the situation for me. From 2013-17 I worked in one organization and I appreciated it that coaches learned and used my name. I always made a point to introduce myself before the game, usually at the plate conference. There was one coach who used "Mr. Umpire," and others used "Blue" in a respectful tone, which was fine with me, but names were preferred. In 2018 I moved and my kids started playing, so my umpiring became more sporadic and scattered as I focused on coaching. While it would be nice if at least head coaches could match my ability to use first names, I don't mind if they use "Blue" respectfully. This thread brings to mind a story from last fall umpiring softball: There was an assistant coach who kept referring to his team by their color, blue. Given the age of the players (U10) I didn't say anything. At one point later in the game I called one of his batters out on strikes and then called a strike on the first pitch to the next batter. He (coaching first) yelled, "Come on, Blue!" My head swung toward him and he's looking at his dugout, urging them to swing. It was obvious he didn't realize what he was doing. At that inning break his head coach explained what he did and he apologized profusely. Another assistant (an obvious baseball/softball lifer) said he expected me to eject him.

The section in OBR on retired runners does also apply to scored runners (6.01(a)(5)). The comment there clarifies that "continuing to advance" "shall not by that act alone be considered as confusing, hindering or impeding the fielders". If a scored runner is advancing from the plate to the dugout and is struck by a wildly off the mark throw, as in the OP, there's no way I have unintentional interference.

You should either have this as no interference and nothing---which I'm inclined to agree with based on the original post---or interference and an out. There's either intent or not. Rule 5.09(b)(3): "[Any runner is out when] He intentionally interferes with a thrown ball; or hinders a fielder attempting to make a play on a batted ball" You either rule that he has intent, or don't. If a scored runner interferes, call out a runner if there's a play being made (6.01(a)(5)). If no play is being made (as in your scenario, presumably), call out the runner closest to the plate.

At the risk of further deviating from the main thread: Having cut my teeth as an umpire in LL before umping in other leagues and coaching in non-LL baseball, there's a lot that LL umpires have to do as representatives of the LL chapter and thus LLI that umpires in other leagues don't. Some of that would certainly be officious officiating in other situations (no adults warming up pitchers, other safety rules in warmups), but I was expressly told by my LL umpire coordinators as well as other league officials to enforce that little stuff for insurance purposes, since LL sees the umpire (or the adult game coordinator, if the umpire is a minor) as the league official as well as the on-field official.

I did LL baseball, 7-17, for five seasons full time and a couple more part-time, easing back as I focused on coaching my own kids. (I also moved in 2018 from a jurisdiction that paid umpires very well for LL to an area where youth umpires don't make much at all.) Last year, I moved houses and realized that the small field basically in my new backyard hosts girls' rec softball all year. I figured out who the assignor was and introduced myself, looking to pick up a few games within easy walking distance. I got a few last fall, maybe 8 or 10 games at the U10, U12, and U15 levels. Like you, I was terribly nervous about stuff like the lookback rule and other softball-specific stuff. The local league uses the NSA rulebook and I noticed "blocked balls" as a thing. Small sample size, but: -- None of the softball-specific rules came up. Maybe it was because it was fall ball, but no one was pushing the envelope on the running game. -- Introduce yourself as an experienced umpire who's new to softball (or the code or age level, or however you want to proceed) and you get a lot of grace to discuss things like D3K or no, IFF or no, etc., at the plate meeting. -- The stuff that wins over baseball coaches also wins over softball coaches. Hustle into position and have a consistent strike zone and experienced coaches will notice. They might even say so! -- My only semi-ugly incident was when a base coach in U10 basically pushed a runner to advance and I called her out for the coach's actions. But that's not softball-specific!

The rabbit or the ball?