Active Community: Message List - What Rule(s) at Little League level would you change if you could dictate it?

Re: What Rule(s) at Little League level would you change if you could dictate it?

guest — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:24:51 GMT

Pete_Booth wrote:

I will break-down my answers into 2 groups 1 for administrative "stuff" and the other for rules

I. ADMINISTRATION: I do not like any system that says "everyone makes it" There should be try-outs and unfortunately not everyone will or should make it. When you are in school even in the small grades not everyone makes the debate team or spelling bee team etc. etc. You have to EARN it. LL at least from my experiences has been a baby-sitting service. Some parents simply drop off their kids and either pick them up or in some cases have their neighbor pick them up and drop off.

The 11/12 yr. old age brackets should play 50-70 so that F1's learn the nuances of pitching. You have DDK's etc. etc. In other words play at least some form of "REAL" baseball. From my experience the kids "love it" when they play this type of ball. Yes sometimes the games turn into trackmeets but so do some LL games as well even on the traditional 60 ft. diamond. LL will not or most likely never do this because of the success of their show which of coarse is the Regionals and ultimately the WS which are on TV.

II. RULES: If LL did go to the 50-70 format then 7.13 is "out the window" As it stands now you could put some 20 umpires in a room and still not fully understand rule 7.13. Get rid of 7.08(a-3) and replace it with an MC rule ala FED or a collision rule ala NCAA. For LL Juniors / SR.'s / BIG LEAGUE adopt the FED or NCAA FPSR.

When you get to the SR / BIG League level get rid of the F2 to F1 restrictions.

I agree with some others get rid of the SPR rule and replace with a more traditional CR rule.

Put in stricter penalties for CBO meaning if you bat the line-up and someone gets injured / hurt then when that spot comes up you get an out.

Have consistent rules from regular season right thru to the WS. As it stands now you have regular season rules and then Tournament rules. Use ONE set of standard rules throughout the year.

Those are a few things that IMO I would like to see changed but it most likely will never happen which is the reason Travel ball has excelled.

Pete Booth

How many leagues cannot change their fields to accommodate the 50-70 format? Many of our local fields are the HS softball fields that will never be allowed to change. What about the costs of changing the infield sizes and next the fences? Does anyone have an idea how much that would cost? {City owned parks would have to have city workers only do these changes).

With 12 year olds allowed to move up to JRBB and 13 year olds allowed now to play SRBB, those kids can EARN their way into playing more "REAL Baseball", prior to getting to HS, without the expense of travel ball which in my opinion is becoming more of a for profit business than preparing them for HS ball.

I have Umpired 5 kids out of one LL that that have been drafted and are now playing professional baseball, (minor league). All as pitchers. 2 of them played LL through JRBB, one of which pitched in the College WS.

Unfortunately, you end of with the same volunteer Managers and Coaches in JR/SRBB who will sacrifice arms to get the TOC or win their divisions to become the "ALL STAR MANAGER". The LL restrictions prevent this. Even now in MLB that are evaluating pitchers at 100 pitches that have 4-5 days of rest.

Real Baseball does not have CR so the SPR rule gets more kids involved. My understanding is that the CR is the one who made the last out, not a kid on the bench. I do not see a reason for the pitcher to have a CR, only the catcher, and that can be accommodated by the SPR rule.

Pete, thIs is not a knock on your post. I have always valued your insight and opinions on many issues, these are just mine.

What Rule(s) at Little League level would you change if you could dictate it?

guest — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:35:54 GMT

I agree with a lot of what you said but I disagree with "Put in stricter penalties for CBO meaning if you bat the line-up and someone gets injured / hurt then when that spot comes up you get an out."

So, your pitcher beans my batter and now every time my injured player isn't available to bat you get an out.

Let the beanings begin !!!

What Rule(s) at Little League level would you change if you could dictate it?

guest — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 21:07:13 GMT

Pete_Booth wrote:

I will break-down my answers into 2 groups 1 for administrative "stuff" and the other for rules

I. ADMINISTRATION: I do not like any system that says "everyone makes it" There should be try-outs and unfortunately not everyone will or should make it. When you are in school even in the small grades not everyone makes the debate team or spelling bee team etc. etc. You have to EARN it. LL at least from my experiences has been a baby-sitting service. Some parents simply drop off their kids and either pick them up or in some cases have their neighbor pick them up and drop off.

Interesting assessment. But the coaches son, or daughter, gets a pass, right? You pay, you play is the rule, how will the not so athletic kids ever learn in your world?

I was portly and having a bit of a coordination problem when I was 8-9, but I played because I loved the game. When I was taller, and thinner at 12-18 I was different and skilled.

some of your suggestions are brilliant, but I don't like anything that resricts children from playing if they want to. (Half the travel teams are who's who's kid from each league, really)

So if you coach, your kid plays, gets picked on Tournament and Travel, usually pitches and is hardly ever the best athlete. (If a dad has a travel 13 seat van, his kid gets in! (I've seen it all)

Me, I think the umpires should pick the travel team made up of the best players. I bet the chooses would be different, and some coaches would be nicer.

I do see some brilliance in some of your other thoughts though!!

Re: What Rule(s) at Little League level would you change if you could dictate it?

guest — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:02:47 GMT

I will break-down my answers into 2 groups 1 for administrative "stuff" and the other for rules

I. ADMINISTRATION: I do not like any system that says "everyone makes it" There should be try-outs and unfortunately not everyone will or should make it. When you are in school even in the small grades not everyone makes the debate team or spelling bee team etc. etc. You have to EARN it. LL at least from my experiences has been a baby-sitting service. Some parents simply drop off their kids and either pick them up or in some cases have their neighbor pick them up and drop off.

The 11/12 yr. old age brackets should play 50-70 so that F1's learn the nuances of pitching. You have DDK's etc. etc. In other words play at least some form of "REAL" baseball. From my experience the kids "love it" when they play this type of ball. Yes sometimes the games turn into trackmeets but so do some LL games as well even on the traditional 60 ft. diamond. LL will not or most likely never do this because of the success of their show which of coarse is the Regionals and ultimately the WS which are on TV.

II. RULES: If LL did go to the 50-70 format then 7.13 is "out the window" As it stands now you could put some 20 umpires in a room and still not fully understand rule 7.13. Get rid of 7.08(a-3) and replace it with an MC rule ala FED or a collision rule ala NCAA. For LL Juniors / SR.'s / BIG LEAGUE adopt the FED or NCAA FPSR.

When you get to the SR / BIG League level get rid of the F2 to F1 restrictions.

I agree with some others get rid of the SPR rule and replace with a more traditional CR rule.

Put in stricter penalties for CBO meaning if you bat the line-up and someone gets injured / hurt then when that spot comes up you get an out.

Have consistent rules from regular season right thru to the WS. As it stands now you have regular season rules and then Tournament rules. Use ONE set of standard rules throughout the year.

Those are a few things that IMO I would like to see changed but it most likely will never happen which is the reason Travel ball has excelled.

Pete Booth

What Rule(s) at Little League level would you change if you could dictate it?

guest — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:33:14 GMT

I would like to see JrLL be 13/14 with 80ft bases. I know this would cause problems with leagues that use public fields. Also I would take 2 1/4 inch bats out of JrLL completely.

What Rule(s) at Little League level would you change if you could dictate it?

guest — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:27:30 GMT

I think the real purpose of 7.13 is lost on some of you. Its purpose is not to restrain the runner, but to allow the pitcher to pitch without having to worry about holding a runner. This allows a young pitcher to focus on pitching and thowing stikes, which we all know is a major task at this level. They'll have plenty of time to learn how to deal with a runner as they get older. This does make for some bad baseball in junior league, but the move to the standard field size is a good place to start learning.

Leave the penalty the way it is...as others have said, this isn't softball.

What Rule(s) at Little League level would you change if you could dictate it?

guest — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:02:11 GMT

Just to make this thread a nice even number at 100, I will say I think the hit in the head caused the Phillies to lose in game 5 of the NLDS....

Just kidding, but I am a Phillies fan!!

What Rule(s) at Little League level would you change if you could dictate it?

guest — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 13:23:30 GMT

NELL;

I didn't know about the 2-day-[minimum]- MLB rest requirement until I read it in a excerpt about Utley in the Boston Globe sports page this past week.

It's noted, it's "days rest" not "games rest'" ---assuming the Globe got it right!

Also, it appears, the severity of the hit is of no measure---with the minimum 2-days rest requirement MLB is erring on the side of caution as to concussions.

Frank!

What Rule(s) at Little League level would you change if you could dictate it?

guest — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 01:09:20 GMT

I honestly didn't know that! Thanks for that education! But I did hear Utley is having headaches!

What Rule(s) at Little League level would you change if you could dictate it?

guest — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 22:35:24 GMT

Might also be able to file that under "INTENDED" consequence...with an "UNINTENDED" consequence being a fine and suspension of the throwing pitcher.

Frank!