Umpiring Little League after some time off

[keydetpiper]

I haven't worked a game in over a year; life happened and I couldn't reliably make myself available for the spring season. Yesterday I was called to help with a fall ball game, which I'm happy to do, but I feel a bit rusty. With only a few hours notice, what rules do you recommend I review to knock the dust off? Are there any new LL rules for 2014 that I should know?

 

[KLAH316]

Don't do it!

[DVA7130]

Avoid LL if at all possible.

[Rich Ives]

No longer need long model chest protector.

[BigUmpire]

Make up rules as you go. They did in the LLWS.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[blue23ll]

If you can't figure out what to call, just do it over. There is precedent for that now.

[MB_Ump]

It's fall ball-if somebody takes it seriously straighten them out quick.

[grayhawk]

Avoid LL if at all possible.

Why?

[Rich Ives]

Make up rules as you go. They did in the LLWS.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

If you're talking about the do-over that was already in the tournament FAQ.  Maybe dumb but not made up on the spot as many seem to think it was.

[stevis]

Little League is what the locals make of it.  Could be great, could be a cluster.   Just like any youth rec stuff.

 

Those that don't want to do that ball, don't. 

 

OP, fall ball is perfect for getting back on the horse.   As said, anyone taking it seriously is a jerk and a candidate for an easy EJ.  I'm throwing a lot of new kids out there in our league to get a taste of it before spring.

[keydetpiper]

Little League is what the locals make of it.  Could be great, could be a cluster.   Just like any youth rec stuff.

 

OP, fall ball is perfect for getting back on the horse.   As said, anyone taking it seriously is a jerk and a candidate for an easy EJ.  I'm throwing a lot of new kids out there in our league to get a taste of it before spring.

 

It's not bad here. The coaches are generally pretty good, and since I don't have a kid in the league they appreciate that I'm there at all. When I showed up at the start of the game the coaches looked at each other and said "We get an umpire today? Great!" It took me an inning or two to get back into my rhythm, and I definitely didn't get all of the calls, but as you say it's fall ball. I might go back next week.

[reggie]

"Fall ball" in LL is purely instructional.  You didn't mention what level of ball in LL (Majors? Intermediate (50/70)? Juniors?).  Fall ball is an excellent time for those players transitioning from the 60-foot diamond to the 70/90 foot diamond - learning about balks, especially.  Coaches can ask for time to explain things to the players, and you can chime in, too.  There is nothing wrong with LL, only the adults causing the drama.  Kids just want to play. 

[1umpire2love]

I did two major level LL games for a friend a couple weeks ago. I haven't worked a LL game in about 10 years. I think we were in the 3rd inning when I saw a red cloth near the feet of my BU. All I thought was, where did that come from? The BU picked it up and put in his pocket. About two innings later, I saw him pull it out and throw it on the ground. He then sent the runner who was stealing back to his previous base. I then put 2 and 2 together. They throw a red flag when a runner leaves early?

I thought to myself, this isn't baseball! Who thinks up this stuff? 

In the next game, one of the managers came up to me and asked me to tell his coach to respect the game and turn his hat around and wear it the right way (he was wearing it backwards on the field). I said "Ummm, No!"

This is a few reasons why people make fun of LL. The mentality and the funky rules. 

I will say though, the kids were great and they were having fun.

[blue23ll]

"Fall ball" in LL is purely instructional.  You didn't mention what level of ball in LL (Majors? Intermediate (50/70)? Juniors?).  Fall ball is an excellent time for those players transitioning from the 60-foot diamond to the 70/90 foot diamond - learning about balks, especially.  Coaches can ask for time to explain things to the players, and you can chime in, too.  There is nothing wrong with LL, only the adults causing the drama.  Kids just want to play. 

Well Hi there!!   Hows things going? Oh, and I agree with you 100% on this. Fall ball was always fun to work, no pressure and we can actually try working on different things. 

[stevis]

I did two major level LL games for a friend a couple weeks ago. I haven't worked a LL game in about 10 years. I think we were in the 3rd inning when I saw a red cloth near the feet of my BU. All I thought was, where did that come from? The BU picked it up and put in his pocket. About two innings later, I saw him pull it out and throw it on the ground. He then sent the runner who was stealing back to his previous base. I then put 2 and 2 together. They throw a red flag when a runner leaves early?

I thought to myself, this isn't baseball! Who thinks up this stuff? 

In the next game, one of the managers came up to me and asked me to tell his coach to respect the game and turn his hat around and wear it the right way (he was wearing it backwards on the field). I said "Ummm, No!"

This is a few reasons why people make fun of LL. The mentality and the funky rules. 

I will say though, the kids were great and they were having fun.

Runners are not allowed to leave early*--how would you choose to enforce that?

 

I admit that rule is cockamamie and the strangest rule to grasp in organized baseball.   I do think it's better than just getting an out--which I think most of us would be reluctant to do for getting a one step early advantage.

 

*before the pitch reaches the batter, by LL definition

[Rich Ives]

I did two major level LL games for a friend a couple weeks ago. I haven't worked a LL game in about 10 years. I think we were in the 3rd inning when I saw a red cloth near the feet of my BU. All I thought was, where did that come from? The BU picked it up and put in his pocket. About two innings later, I saw him pull it out and throw it on the ground. He then sent the runner who was stealing back to his previous base. I then put 2 and 2 together. They throw a red flag when a runner leaves early?

I thought to myself, this isn't baseball! Who thinks up this stuff? 

In the next game, one of the managers came up to me and asked me to tell his coach to respect the game and turn his hat around and wear it the right way (he was wearing it backwards on the field). I said "Ummm, No!"

This is a few reasons why people make fun of LL. The mentality and the funky rules. 

I will say though, the kids were great and they were having fun.

 

Leaving early is an out in softball and that's OK I guess?  Why is it funky here?  The no-lead rules prevent 99.99% certain stolen bases. It lets the pitcher focus on learning to actually pitch.

 

I have no problem with making them wear their hats properly. I had that as a team rule after the backwards thing came into vogue. You need to respect the game.

[blue23ll]

I did two major level LL games for a friend a couple weeks ago. I haven't worked a LL game in about 10 years. I think we were in the 3rd inning when I saw a red cloth near the feet of my BU. All I thought was, where did that come from? The BU picked it up and put in his pocket. About two innings later, I saw him pull it out and throw it on the ground. He then sent the runner who was stealing back to his previous base. I then put 2 and 2 together. They throw a red flag when a runner leaves early?

I thought to myself, this isn't baseball! Who thinks up this stuff? 

In the next game, one of the managers came up to me and asked me to tell his coach to respect the game and turn his hat around and wear it the right way (he was wearing it backwards on the field). I said "Ummm, No!"

This is a few reasons why people make fun of LL. The mentality and the funky rules. 

I will say though, the kids were great and they were having fun.

The manager asked you to tell one of HIS coaches to turn his hat around?  Hmmm, I would have told him, okay, let me make your substitutions for you too...

[basejester]

Closed bases aren't unique to Little League.  It's clearly the right thing for a certain skill level.  Teen-agers don't just magically appear on the high school diamond as competent players; they're developed over years with compromises appropriate to their skills.

[1umpire2love]

My original comment above about about the runners leaving early is not about the rule itself or runners not leading off. My comment is directed at the red flag being thrown. I personally think that is ridiculous. Why doesn't LL just have a delayed dead ball when the runner leaves early?

Also, Pony BB has players start leading off and have dropped third strike at age 9 and above. The base runners learn how to lead off properly and the pitchers learn how to pitch from the stretch and wind up. I believe that this is proper baseball and the way the game was meant to be played. I primarily do USSSA travel baseball in northern California when not doing high school. Runners lead off at all levels and is a much higher caliber than LL. 

As far as the hat backwards issue. I would never tell a coach to turn his hat around the right way. The same as when I see coaches wearing shorts to games. If they "don't get it", its not my job to teach them. 

[grayhawk]

My original comment above about about the runners leaving early is not about the rule itself or runners not leading off. My comment is directed at the red flag being thrown. I personally think that is ridiculous. Why doesn't LL just have a delayed dead ball when the runner leaves early?

Also, Pony BB has players start leading off and have dropped third strike at age 9 and above. The base runners learn how to lead off properly and the pitchers learn how to pitch from the stretch and wind up. I believe that this is proper baseball and the way the game was meant to be played. I primarily do USSSA travel baseball in northern California when not doing high school. Runners lead off at all levels and is a much higher caliber than LL. 

As far as the hat backwards issue. I would never tell a coach to turn his hat around the right way. The same as when I see coaches wearing shorts to games. If they "don't get it", its not my job to teach them. 

 

Some kids like to play baseball just for fun.  Not to be a stud in HS, nor to play in college or the pros.  LL provides an outlet for everyone to play, regardless of skill level.  This is not a bad thing.

 

As to the flag, I agree that we could enforce the rule without it.  But honestly, it's a nice tool to show that you saw the infraction when it happened, before anyone (including the umpire that called the leaving early) knew what the result of the play was going to be.  Is it critical?  No, but it protects the umpire from potential criticism that he made stuff up after the fact.

[Jimurray]

My original comment above about about the runners leaving early is not about the rule itself or runners not leading off. My comment is directed at the red flag being thrown. I personally think that is ridiculous. Why doesn't LL just have a delayed dead ball when the runner leaves early?

Also, Pony BB has players start leading off and have dropped third strike at age 9 and above. The base runners learn how to lead off properly and the pitchers learn how to pitch from the stretch and wind up. I believe that this is proper baseball and the way the game was meant to be played. I primarily do USSSA travel baseball in northern California when not doing high school. Runners lead off at all levels and is a much higher caliber than LL. 

As far as the hat backwards issue. I would never tell a coach to turn his hat around the right way. The same as when I see coaches wearing shorts to games. If they "don't get it", its not my job to teach them.

Locally, some us just make a note and some take their hat off for leaving early. Nobody is going to buy a red hanky. But please tell me you dont' use the outdated symbol FED symbol for DDB.

[Rich Ives]

My original comment above about about the runners leaving early is not about the rule itself or runners not leading off. My comment is directed at the red flag being thrown. I personally think that is ridiculous. Why doesn't LL just have a delayed dead ball when the runner leaves early?

 

You throw a flag (the rules don't say what color) at the time of the infraction (just like football) so everyone knows it happened. Then you can't be accused of making it up.

 

If it is noticed by coaches who understand the rule it will then govern how play continues as certain consequences can be avoided by controlling the runners. (If you don't understand this comment then you don't understand the enforcement of the rule.)

 

There is no point where the ball automatically becomes dead so there can be no delayed-dead to signal and call. There are  plenty of cases where nothing needs to be fixed so time is never called and the game just continues.

[Rich Ives]

 

Also, Pony BB has players start leading off and have dropped third strike at age 9 and above. The base runners learn how to lead off properly and the pitchers learn how to pitch from the stretch and wind up. I believe that this is proper baseball and the way the game was meant to be played. I primarily do USSSA travel baseball in northern California when not doing high school. Runners lead off at all levels and is a much higher caliber than LL. 

 

 

"Proper baseball" is played on a 90' diamond with no FPSR, no re-entry, no pitching limits,  etc.

 

Still want kids playing proper baseball?

[blue23ll]

 

 

Also, Pony BB has players start leading off and have dropped third strike at age 9 and above. The base runners learn how to lead off properly and the pitchers learn how to pitch from the stretch and wind up. I believe that this is proper baseball and the way the game was meant to be played. I primarily do USSSA travel baseball in northern California when not doing high school. Runners lead off at all levels and is a much higher caliber than LL. 

 

 

"Proper baseball" is played on a 90' diamond with no FPSR, no re-entry, no pitching limits,  etc.

 

Still want kids playing proper baseball?

 

That's how we used to play, and we had wooden bats.  Nobody got really hurt badly either. 

[Richvee]

 

 

 

Also, Pony BB has players start leading off and have dropped third strike at age 9 and above. The base runners learn how to lead off properly and the pitchers learn how to pitch from the stretch and wind up. I believe that this is proper baseball and the way the game was meant to be played. I primarily do USSSA travel baseball in northern California when not doing high school. Runners lead off at all levels and is a much higher caliber than LL. 

 

 

"Proper baseball" is played on a 90' diamond with no FPSR, no re-entry, no pitching limits,  etc.

 

Still want kids playing proper baseball?

 

That's how we used to play, and we had wooden bats.  Nobody got really hurt badly either. 

 

Key phrase "used to"...Kids don't "play" anymore if it's not organized by adults. I can't tell you the last time I've seen more than 3 or 4 kids on a field at the same time playing a baseball game without uniforms, parents, and umpires and coaches. Times have changed. Even little kids don't go out and play..The parents organize "play dates". 

[Rich Ives]

 

 

 

Also, Pony BB has players start leading off and have dropped third strike at age 9 and above. The base runners learn how to lead off properly and the pitchers learn how to pitch from the stretch and wind up. I believe that this is proper baseball and the way the game was meant to be played. I primarily do USSSA travel baseball in northern California when not doing high school. Runners lead off at all levels and is a much higher caliber than LL. 

 

 

"Proper baseball" is played on a 90' diamond with no FPSR, no re-entry, no pitching limits,  etc.

 

Still want kids playing proper baseball?

 

That's how we used to play, and we had wooden bats.  Nobody got really hurt badly either. 

 

 

So at age 10-12 you had 18 kids there playing on a 90' diamond.   I'm 70.  We played on a 60' diamond at that age if it was a real game. If we did pickup back yard ball there were only a handfull of guys.