Nick Caringi
Nick is the Little League Baseball and Softball director of
operations.
Nick fielded your questions about the new pitch count regulation
in the baseball divisions of Little League.
October 18, 2006
(2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern U.S. Time)
|
|
| Hi! This is Nick... Let's get started. |
| Brian, a local Little League vice
president in Sharon, Pa., asks: |
| |
I think the pitch count rule is a great idea,
but a bit difficult to track. What have other leagues done to
track pitch counts and what have been some of the problems they
have faced while using the pitch count rule? |
| Nick: |
| |
Great question Brian. In most cases, the
scorekeeper keeps track of the pitches thrown. Since
scorekeepers already keep track of the balls and strikes (as a
backup to the umpire), the only additional duties will be to
mark down the number of foul balls hit with two strikes, and to
total up the number of pitches after each inning for each
pitcher. In some leagues, a helper was assigned to the
scorekeeper to track the pitches on a separate sheet of paper.
In some leagues, they had the managers keep track of the number
of pitches, and that worked well too. Some leagues found that
the base umpire could handle this chore, using a hand-held
counter that is available. (Check out the link here:
http://www.littleleague.org/media/e_and_s_catalog1_06.asp)
Each league will decide for itself which is the best method, but
most leagues that used the Pitch Count Pilot Program used the
scorekeeper or managers. Over the next few months, Little
League will be providing lots of advice (sample tracking sheets,
for instance) on how to do it. |
|
| Dave, a local Little League
manager, coach and webmaster in New Jersey, asks: |
| |
Nick, first of all, I love the pitch count
program and am all for it. However, many people I have spoken
with wish that Little League International would require in the
2007 regular season some sort of pitching affidavit like the one
used for tournaments. After all, if a question of a pitcher's
eligibility came up, it was easy enough to review an opponent's
scorebook to see how many innings the player pitched. It won't
be that easy now trying to count up all the pitches he pitched.
What are your thoughts on the subject and what are the chances
of this happening? |
| Nick: |
| |
Dave, that’s a great suggestion. In the next
few months, local Little Leagues will be receiving information
on doing just what you suggest. The scorekeeping rules for the
baseball divisions of Little League will require the league to
maintain a register for the number of pitches, and that will be
used to determine eligibility. The local league can come up with
a form of its own, or it can use the sample form that we will be
providing. |
|
| Eric, a local Little League
information officer in Springfield, Va., asks: |
| |
What do you think is the best way to handle who
is actually responsible for counting the pitches? Is it too much
to ask of the scorekeeper? Should it fall on the managers?
Someone else? |
| Nick: |
| |
Eric, the answer lies within your own league.
Some of the leagues that used the Pitch Count Pilot Program in
2005 and 2006 found it best to assign the duty to the
scorekeeper. Others assigned it to the managers, but that
requires the league to be very trusting of its managers. (It SHOULD
be, by the way.) Still others found it easier to simply assign
the duty to an assistant to the scorekeeper, who tracks only the
pitches. Some even had the base umpire do the counting. |
|
| Alan, a District Administrator in
Massillon, Ohio, asks: |
| |
With the new pitch count, when you
intentionally walk a batter, does this count against your pitch
count? |
| Nick: |
| |
Good question Alan. When we released the text
of the new pitching regulation last month, it included a
provision for intentional walks. You can see the regulation
here:
http://www.littleleague.org/media/Rule_Changes_09-06.pdf. |
|
| Gary, a local Little League
president in Clifton Forge, Va., asks: |
| |
I like the pitch count rule, but doesn't it
allow for a coach to actually have a 12-year-old pitch 170
pitches in a calendar week? |
| Nick: |
| |
Excellent question, Gary. The answer is yes,
but the notion of the “calendar week” needs to be disregarded.
For example, under the old regulation, a 12-year-old pitcher
could have thrown six innings on Friday and, after three days of
rest, six more innings on Tuesday. That’s 12 innings (and
potentially more than 300 pitches!) in a five-day period. Under
the new regulation, a 12-year-old pitcher could throw up to 85
pitches on a Monday and, after three days of rest, throw 85 more
pitches on Friday – a maximum of 170 pitches. That’s also a
five-day period, but the pitcher under the new regulation is
limited to fewer total pitches. There’s NO difference between
the two, in terms of the amount of rest. With the new
regulation, the “calendar week” is not used.
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|
| Steve, a vice president of the
Minor Division in a local Little League in Santa Barbara,
Calif., asks: |
| |
The new rule is really going to put a premium
on finding pitchers that can throw strikes in our Minor
Division. What suggestions can you recommend to prevent blowouts
for those teams that may not have enough pitchers that can throw
strikes? It is very demoralizing for an 8- or 9-year-old to lose
a baseball game 32-3. |
| Nick: |
| |
Steve, that’s a valid point. Your league might
want to consider adopting a five-run limit for each half-inning.
That ensures a more competitive balance, and keeps the game
moving. It also will keep the number of pitches down. Besides,
developing more pitchers is a GOOD thing, and this gets more of
them in the game. Little League International’s umpire-in-chief,
Andy Konyar, would tell you that umpires in this division should
have a very liberal strike zone. It keeps the game moving! |
|
| Manny, a district umpire consultant
in Alexandria, Va., asks: |
| |
There is no mention in the new Pitch Count
Regulation on whether to count pitches delivered in innings that
"never happened." For example, a 12-year-old pitcher delivers 24
pitches in the top of the first inning, but then the game is
called in the bottom of the first. Is he required to observe one
day's rest? Or both opposing pitchers deliver pitches in the
sixth inning, but then the outcome of the game reverts back to
the end of the fifth under rule 4.11 (d). Do their pitches count
towards their totals for the day? |
| Nick: |
| |
Great question Manny. First, pitches delivered
in the first inning of a game that does not advance beyond that
inning will not be counted. This is the same as in previous
years, when that inning was not charged to that pitcher. In
answer to your second question, we treat it the same as in
previous years, i.e., the pitches do count in that situation. |
|
| Kathi, a local Little League
secretary in Henderson, Nev., asks: |
| |
What type of document is being used by other
Little Leagues to record and verify the pitch counts? And will
Little League create something standard to be used? It would
seem as if there would need to be some type of a log book that
the manager would keep with him so that at the end of each game
the pitches could be signed off on by both teams, then kept with
the manager at all times for pitch verification at future games. |
| Nick: |
| |
Kathi, that’s an important point to make. Over
the past two years, we’ve had several hundred leagues involved
in a Pitch Count Pilot Program. We knew that those leagues could
come up with some pretty creative ideas, so we left it up to
them. Over the next few months, we will be giving you free
access to the best of the materials those leagues created, so
the transition can be made easier, and will take the guesswork
out of the pitch count regulation. |
|
| Tom, a player rep in a local Little
League in North Canton, Ohio, asks: |
| |
In a situation where a local Little League runs
its own chartered league on weekdays, and “select” players
participate in tournament play or an external travel league on
weekends, should days rest restrictions incurred in one league
apply against the other? |
| Nick: |
| |
Tom, that’s a good one. We can only monitor and
protect the children in the Little League program with our
rules. It is the hope that the parents of such players monitor
their own child’s participation outside of our program –
knowing what the limits should be. That’s one reason for the new
regulation – to educate everyone. Be mindful that your local
Little League cannot use resources, uniforms, equipment, etc.,
to facilitate participation in games not permitted by Little
League regulations. |
|
| Willis, a local Little League vice
president in South Harrison, N.J., asks: |
| |
At the Junior/Senior/Big League level, does a
pick-off attempt count as a pitch? |
| Nick: |
| |
Willis, that gives me a chance to answer more
than one question. Pick-off attempts are not pitches, so they
would not count. Also, warm-up pitches are not counted. Also not
counted are the times a pitcher has to throw the ball to make a
play (such as, on a bunt the pitcher might field). The key is in
the definition of a “pitch,” located in Rule 2. It is defined as
a “ball delivered to the batter by the pitcher.” |
|
| Tom, a local Little League vice
president in Grosse Pointe, Mich., asks: |
| |
How does the new pitch count rule affect the
number of innings that 12-year-olds year olds can pitch in a
given week? |
| Nick: |
| |
Tom, the limit on the number of 12-year-olds
that can pitch and innings was removed last year in the Pitch
Count Pilot Program regulation. We’ve decided to leave it
out going forward in the new regulation as well. Many leagues
have only 11- and 12-year-olds in the Major Division, so that’s
why it was removed. Keep in mind, however, that 12-year-olds
cannot pitch in the Minor Division (as was the case in the past
as well). |
|
| Chris, a board member and manager
in New Iberia, La., asks: |
| |
When the new pitch count regulations were
written, was there any discussion as to how this new regulation
may impact players who are talented hitters? I'd hate to see a
tendency for the more talented or hot hitters to get
intentionally walked now (especially when a pitcher is nearing
his maximum pitch count) because the pitcher will no longer have
to throw the customary four pitches. |
| Nick: |
| |
Great question Chris. Yes, this was considered,
as it has been in the past under the old regulation as well. But
we can’t legislate based on the perceived talent of the hitters.
Your board, however, could decide to discipline a manager if it
feels he/she is using this ploy to excess. |
|
| Butch, a local Little League
president in Bressler, Pa., asks: |
| |
Will alternatives to the pitch count be
considered if submitted by a league? We find the logistics and
potential problems with enforcing the pitch count in its current
form to be nearly impossible. We are 100 percent behind the
reasoning for it but would prefer a change to the innings
allowed per game/week. |
| Nick: |
| |
Thanks for your question Butch. We understand
that any change seems like it will be difficult at first. But
you need to give this a chance to work by taking the information
we provide, and putting it into effect. Other leagues just like
yours have done it, and they found it workable and beneficial.
There is some leeway on how the counting is done at the local
league level, to give your league a chance to use what works
best. We are confident that Little League volunteers are capable
of making this work. Of course, any league can apply for a
waiver of any rule or regulation, but without a league even
trying the pitch count as a way to protect young arms, my
personal thought would be to deny such a request. |
|
| Randy, a local Little League vice
president and manager in Oceanside, Calif., asks: |
| |
Is the pitch count regulation for 2007 going to
be adjusted at all? For example, three days of rest instead of
four? Although most of us believe in the pitch count rule, we
have a hard time with a four-day mandatory rest. |
| Nick: |
| |
Randy, you must be referring to the limitations
on the Pitch Count Pilot Program, in which a 12-year-old pitcher
was required to have four days of rest if he/she threw 61 or
more pitches in a day. Your position was a common one among the
leagues that took part. For that reason, the rest has been
reduced exactly as your suggest. |
|
| Brent, a local Little League vice
president and coach in Esko, Minn., asks: |
| |
I am a supporter of the new pitch count
regulation, but I was wondering about the way it was put into
affect. I thought that rule changes needed to be approved at the
Little League International Congress? |
| Nick: |
| |
Good question Brent. This change in particular
has been in the works for several years, involving thousands of
children and volunteers, hundreds of local leagues, district
administrators, medical professionals, and experts in the field
of sports medicine. The International Congress gives local
leagues (through their District Administrator) a chance to
suggest new rules or changes to the rules. That occurs once
every three years, and occurs again in Houston in April 2007. In
the non-Congress years, Little League has always instituted
changes to the rules when required. There is no requirement that
rule changes be approved at a Congress. A good example of a
non-Congress year rule change was in 2006, when the league-age
determination date that was changed for all divisions. |
|
| Don, an administrator in
Connecticut, asks: |
| |
Nick, will pitchers be allowed to pitch in
approved doubleheaders if they keep their pitch count at or
below the pitch count requirements? |
| Nick: |
| |
Good one Don. Under section “j” of the
regulation, a pitcher cannot pitch in more than one game in a
day, for Senior League and below. In Big League, a pitcher can
pitch in up to two games in a day.
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|
| Bill, a softball vice president in
a local Little League in Jersey City, N.J., asks: |
| |
Is there a requirement to report pitch counts
to Little League? |
| Nick: |
| |
Thanks for your question Bill. The answer is
no. We already received excellent feedback over the past two
years from thousands of volunteers in hundreds of leagues that
took part in the Pitch Count Pilot Program. |
|
| Heather, a local Little League
president in Pollard Pines, Calif., asks: |
| |
In the new pitch count rules it has a category
for players 10 & under? |
| Nick: |
| |
Heather, that’s an important question. Yes, the
regulation (which you can see here:
http://www.littleleague.org/media/Rule_Changes_09-06.pdf)
applies to all baseball pitchers, regardless of their age. |
|
| Walt, a local Little League coach
in Flagstaff, Ariz., asks: |
| |
I applaud the new pitch count rule to help save
injury to young arms. Is Little League considering banning curve
balls to further protect these young arms? |
| Nick: |
| |
Walt, I’ve been hoping someone would ask about
that. The truth is, there is currently no solid medical evidence
that curve balls (or any other breaking pitch) are detrimental
to young pitching arms. There are a lot of people who THINK
breaking pitches are detrimental for Little Leaguers, but
nothing to support it. Little League has always discouraged
breaking pitches for pitchers under 14, but without evidence to
support a ban on them. That said, we ARE doing something about
it. For the first time, an epidemiological study is being
conducted on Little Leaguers through the University of North
Carolina, thanks to a grant from the Yawkey Foundation. The
study will be completed in five years. At that point, we hope to
have the evidence we need to make an informed decision. We DO
know, however, through medical evidence, that throwing too many
pitches (of any kind) IS detrimental. A pitcher who is fatigued
is more likely to begin using poor mechanics, and thus increases
the chance of being injured. That’s why we have a pitch count
regulation. |
|
| Chris, a local Little League coach
in Rhode Island, asks: |
| |
Based on the new pitch count, have the studies
looked at the possibility that players (mainly 12/13 years old)
will not develop the arm strength if they are throwing limited
pitches?
|
| Nick: |
| |
Good one Chris. There is much more involved in
arm strength than simply throwing pitches. Proper mechanics and
overall physical conditioning play an important part as well.
This very subject is one that will be included in the
information Little League will provide to local leagues in the
coming months. Also, lots of great information is coming in the
coach’s newsletter (Coach’s Box).
|
|
| Stella, a secretary and Assistant
District Administrator in Texas, asks: |
| |
With all the new changes in pitching rules, how
is a scorekeeper suppose to keep up with the book and Pitch
Count Datasheet, if one is being used in their league? I take it
foul balls and foul tips will count as pitches for pitcher as
well.
|
| Nick: |
| |
Stella, thanks for your question. You are
correct, in that foul balls and foul tips (which are actually
just strikes) will be counted as pitches. If your league has the
scorekeepers keeping track of the pitches, I would suggest
looking into a scorebook that includes a pitch-count tally in
it. We are working with several scorebook manufacturers to add
this, while some already have them. Even without that, it’s a
relatively simple process to use another piece of paper to count
the pitches. Little League also will be producing templates your
league can use.
|
|
| Bob, a local Little League umpire
in Coon Rapids, Minn., asks: |
| |
The pitch count rules for 2007 regular season
state a pitcher may throw 20 pitches and require no rest, yet
for many years prior, "one pitch constitutes an inning" and
would require a day of rest. This rule appears to allow my star
pitcher to pitch every day, just not more than 20 pitches a day.
Why the variance?
|
| Nick: |
| |
Bob, you are absolutely correct. The reason it
is different is that the experts we consulted said that a low
number of pitches does not require a full day of rest. Just
because “we’ve always done it that way,” it does not mean we
cannot change. |
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| Daniel, a vice president and player
agent in a local league in New Castle, Ind., asks: |
| |
What is going to define a legal pitch when
considering the total pitch count? |
| Nick: |
| |
Same as always, Daniel. The definition of a
pitch is in Rule 2.0. It is a pitch delivered to a batter. |
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| Jim, a local Little League
president in Medford, N.Y., asks: |
| |
Who is going to count the pitches? What happens
when two managers disagree on the count? Don't tell us a
volunteer will count, we can't get enough people to help rake a
field. |
| Nick: |
| |
Jim, we answered that above. Your league makes
the final decision, based on your own situation. Little League
will be following up with lots of advice. Ultimately, your
league has to decide which person (ONE person) has the official
count. This might be a manager, but not both. A game could be
protested, and your local Protest Committee decides the final
outcome. (Regular season.) |
|
| Rich, a treasurer in a local Little
League, and an Assistant District Administrator in a local
Little League in Elmwood Park, N.J., asks: |
| |
Are we going to see the same pitch count rules
in the Tournament as we now have for the regular season? P.S. I
agree with this rule and it has been a long time in coming! |
| Nick: |
| |
Rich, thanks for your support. The answer is
yes, with some slight modifications. You can see the latest
tournament rule changes here:
http://www.littleleague.org/media/T_Rule_Changes_10-06.pdf |
|
| Gary, a local Little League
president in Kenton, Ohio, asks: |
| |
Will the results of the league surveys
regarding our position on this issue be made available and do
you see any leagues dropping from Little League with this new
rule change. |
| Nick: |
| |
First of all, the survey results will be shared
at the District Administrator Clinics and League Administrator
Clinics this fall and winter. They will then be posted for all
to see on the Little League web site. Second, as with any
significant change to the rules or regulations, it is possible
some leagues may decide not to re-affiliate with Little League.
An example is the mandatory background check of the sex offender
registry that was instituted a few years ago in Little League.
That measure, too, was taken to protect our children – just as
the pitch count regulation is. We ended up losing roughly 20
charters because of that. If a league is going to abandon its
charter with Little League because Little League’s rules offer
too much protection, then so be it. |
|
| Joe, a local Little League vice
president in Mountain View, Calif., asks: |
| |
The verbiage for implementing the new rule
seems to say that the official scorer tracks the pitches, but
that the coach is ultimately responsible. This implies that the
coach must also be counting. Will Little League be selling a
"flip count" mechanism, so that a new number can just be turned
over with each pitch, making the total count transparent to
everyone at the park? |
| Nick: |
| |
Thanks for your question, Joe. We’re not aware
of such a mechanism, but it might be a good idea. Most of the
leagues that used the Pitch Count Pilot Program in 2005 and 2006
simply used a piece of paper to keep track. |
|
| Frank, an Assistant District
Administrator in Somerville, Mass., asks: |
| |
A pitcher reaches his max pitch-count
mid-batter. The pitch-count regulation states he/she can
continue to pitch until that batter is either out or reaches
base safely. What if the third out is made by a base runner
being picked off with the count on the batter 2 and 1. The same
batter becomes the leadoff batter in the next inning. Can our
pitcher also come back with his/her pitch-count reset to when
the batter first came to bat in the previous inning? |
| Nick: |
| |
Great question Frank. Yes, the pitcher can
pitch to that same batter in the next inning. The pitches
delivered to that batter at the end of the last inning WOULD
count, but the regulation clearly allows that pitcher to finish
pitching to that batter.
EDITOR’S NOTE, MARCH 14, 2007: This issue
caused Little League International to rewrite the exception to
Regulation VI (c). As a result, the answer to the above
question, as of March 14, 2007, is no. Such a
pitcher would not be permitted to return to the mound in the
next inning under the circumstances noted. The text of the
addition to the regulation can be found
here. |
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| Ron, a district umpire in Tuolumne,
Calif., asks: |
| |
What would an umpire do after a manager
notifies him or her that the pitcher is "over" the pitch count
by a few pitches? |
| Nick: |
| |
Good question, Ron. It’s the same as before,
when a pitcher was allowed to pitch in an inning while not being
eligible. The pitcher is removed, the other manager may protest,
and the game is completed. The issue then goes to the local
league Protest Committee. (During the International Tournament,
the game would be stopped, and immediately referred to the
Tournament Committee through proper channels.) |
|
| Bill, an information officer in
Pittsburg, Calif., asks: |
| |
If a manager decides to intentionally walk the
batter after a pitch is thrown, may that batter be sent to first
base with no further pitches being thrown? |
| Nick: |
| |
Thanks for the question, Bill. The answer is
no. The only time a “no-pitch” intentional walk can be granted
is if it is indicated before a pitch is delivered to that
batter. |
|
| Jeffrey, a District Administrator
in Palmdale, Calif., asks: |
| |
I like the idea of the pitch count, but to be
effective don't the other programs really need to get on board
also? |
| Nick: |
| |
Jeff, I agree. For this to be truly effective,
all youth baseball programs should adopt it – INCLUDING
so-called “elite” or travel programs. Little League encourages
other youth baseball programs to join us in protecting
children’s pitching arms. |
|
| Scott, a local Little League
information officer in Redondo Beach, Calif., asks: |
| |
The new pitch count regulations worked well for
our league last year. We rolled out the new regulation last year
as a pilot and found it to be easy to manage and obviously
beneficial for the kids... Let's keep their arms strong and
spread the pitching duty around the team! |
| Nick: |
| |
Scott, thanks for your input. I encourage you
to share your successes with us, and with your surrounding
leagues. We heard many reports just like yours, which led us to
the new regulation! |
|
| Roger, a vice president in a local
Little League in Sacramento, Calif., asks: |
| |
How does the new pitch count pilot program
affect Little League Softball? |
| Nick: |
| |
Good question, Roger. The new regulation
applies ONLY to baseball. |
|
| J.C., a local Little League
president in Tucson, Ariz., asks: |
| |
How would you handle the pitch count in coach
pitch for instance, where we don't keep score, so there are no
scorekeepers? |
| Nick: |
| |
J.C., that’s a good one. Not to sound flippant,
but the number of pitches thrown by a coach are really of no
concern in this case. As for players pitching in the Minor
Division, again, the league determines who counts the pitches.
In your case, it might be the home team manager. Or, possibly,
the pitcher’s manager. Also, check out the response above
regarding keeping a Minor Division game moving. |
|
| Lisa, a local Little League board
member in Inwood, W.Va., asks: |
| |
If a pitcher has one pitch remaining before
he/she reaches the limit allowed are they able to pitch to the
next batter? Would it make a difference if that next batter took
10 pitches to get the out or drew a walk? |
| Nick: |
| |
Lisa, thanks for your inquiry. That pitcher is
able to complete pitching to that batter, regardless of the
number of pitches it takes. The regulation (located here:
http://www.littleleague.org/media/Rule_Changes_09-06.pdf)
clearly allows this. |
|
| Michael, a local Little League vice
president and coach in Boynton Beach, Fla., asks: |
| |
We have implemented the pitch count program in
our league this fall season. At this time we are relying on the
honesty of managers and their book keepers for accurate pitch
count records. On the Little League web site you talk of using
an official scorekeeper for the pitch count records. Can we
continue to use each team’s scorekeeper and compare counts at
different times during the games for accuracy? |
| Nick: |
| |
Michael, I commend your league for beginning
this program in your fall season. The answer is yes, you can
continue this process. However, your league must still designate
an official to be responsible for the pitch count, whether it is
a scorekeeper, a scorekeeper’s helper, a manager, or an umpire. |
|
| Ron, a local Little League
president in Alameda, Calif., asks: |
| |
We operated the Pitch Count Pilot Program with
great success last year. However, there is one small rule issue
related to the intentional walk that needs adjustment. Since it
is the intention to reduce the total number of pitches, a
manager should be able to walk a batter at any time during the
count, not being limited by the rule to so designate such
intention before the first pitch. |
| Nick: |
| |
Thanks Ron, we’re glad your league was
successful, as many have been. That’s definitely an idea we can
look at for the following season! |
|
| Lu, an Assistant District
Administrator in Petaluma, Calif., asks: |
| |
Reg. VI (j) says a player may not pitch in more
than one game per day. (Exception: In the Big League Division, a
player may be used as a pitcher in up to two games in a day.)
Does that include continuation game? |
| Nick: |
| |
Good question Lu. For Senior League and below,
that would not be permissible, since the regulation clearly says
a player can pitch in only one game in a day. This applies even
if one of the games is only a partial game. It is permissible in
Big League, however. |
|
| Andy, a local Little League
umpire-in-chief in Desoto, Mo., asks: |
| |
How do you plan to regulate this rule among the
different leagues? |
| Nick: |
| |
Andy, I assume you’re referring to interleague
play situations. In that case, the leagues involved should form a
committee to decide who the official will be, as well as other
“local options.” I would recommend that the teams carry a pitch
count affidavit with them for these games. (We’re providing one
of those, too.) |
|
| Naomi, a District Administrator in
Maui, Hawaii, asks: |
| |
Thank you for a long overdue rule. Does it
apply to practices as well? Mahalo. |
| Nick: |
| |
Thanks Naomi, we agree. No, the regulation does
not apply to practices. (Nor did the old regulation, for that
matter.) |
|
| Steve, a local Little League
president in Lebanon, Maine, asks: |
| |
The new rule appears to have deleted the
12-year-old restriction (no more than 12 innings for
12-year-olds in a calendar week). As it appears now, 12
year-olds may play the entire week. I know you say many leagues
have just 11-12 in a division....but what about the small town
like us who can not due to number of kids playing? Now the
9-10's will be learning to pitch during the district and state
tournaments. How does that prepare future pitchers? |
| Nick: |
| |
Good question Steve, and an easy one to
answer. Your league can simply institute a local rule limiting
the number of 12-year-old pitchers a team can use in a game. For
instance, your league could limit this to one, or two, as your
board sees fit. |
|
| Art, a local Little League
volunteer in Sudbury, Mass., asks: |
| |
You wrote that pitchers may not pitch in both
games of a doubleheader. Yet, in the 2006 Rulebook, page 36,
Regulation VI (f) (3), it says a Majors Division pitcher may
pitch in both games if they had eligibility remaining. Why the
change? |
| Nick: |
| |
Thanks Art. We’re currently referring to the
2007 regulation (located here:
http://www.littleleague.org/media/Rule_Changes_09-06.pdf)
which takes the place of the 2006 regulations. The answer is
fatigue. Experts tell us that asking a pitcher at this young age
to warm up twice for two games in the same day is too much. |
|
| Chris, a local Little League safety
officer and umpire in Thorntown, Ind., asks: |
| |
Nick, my league has discussed quitting because
of this rule. We are a small league and don't have the volunteer
membership that a bigger league has. Has Little League thought
about this for the small league? |
| Nick: |
| |
Thanks for your comment Chris. Each team has a
manager and coaches, right? Adding a volunteer is not necessary.
For a small league, assigning the responsibility to one of the
managers or coaches is much easier to administer. |
|
| Phil, a district safety officer and
secretary in South Holland, Ill., asks: |
| |
I was wondering, should coaches keep track of
warm up pitches too? Also, is there a better way for the coaches
to keep track of all pitches and foul balls hit? |
| Nick: |
| |
Good question Phil. First, warm-up pitches do
not count in the tally. Second, yes, there are several ways.
Your league could use hand-held counters (available in many
places, such as an office supply store – the ones used to count
inventory). Or, your league could have a simple sheet of paper
used for this purpose, or check off pitches in a scorebook. |
|
| Elie, a local Little League umpire
in New Jersey, asks: |
| |
I umpire games in several different towns and
the feedback I'm getting is they will issue two counters to each
manager and have them track pitch counts for their pitcher as
well as the opposing pitcher. So my question is, what do I do if
there is a discrepancy between the number of pitches at the end
of an inning? |
| Nick: |
| |
Good question. Each league determines who will
be the designated official pitch count recorder. So, in your
case as an umpire, you would find out BEFORE the game begins who
this will be. That person’s count is the official count. |
|
| Garland, a local Little League
president in Harrisonburg, Va., asks: |
| |
Will someone be permitted in the dugout to
count the pitches? |
| Nick: |
| |
Garland, thanks for your question. The
manager/coach rule in terms of dugout participation remains the
same. An additional adult will not be permitted in the dugout
just to count pitches. However, if the league designates a coach
or manager to be the official pitch counter, that person can be
in the dugout, of course, if that person is a manager/coach for
that team. |
|
| Sal, a local Little League vice
president in Yakima, Wash., asks: |
| |
I totally agree with the pitch count and I have
seen in other leagues during a city tournament where the coach
let the kid (8-10) pitch for over 100 pitches, which was way to
long. But on the intentional walk we need to put a limit on it
so the coaches do not abuse that. |
| Nick: |
| |
Sal, thanks for your support. A handful of
others have suggested something similar. I will make sure these
suggestions are communicated to the Rule Committee for
consideration in the 2007 season.
|
|
| Chris, a local Little League
manager in Los Angeles, Calif., asks: |
| |
How will Little League avoid the tendency for
coaches to have their hitters take more pitches to raise the
pitch counts and get the pitcher out of the game? |
| Nick: |
| |
Thanks for your inquiry, Chris. Many hitters
are very selective to begin with. The best way to solve it is to
simply throw more strikes. This places more responsibility on
the managers and coaches to train their pitchers in accuracy,
not just trying to overpower hitters. |
|
| Dave, a local Little League manager
and webmaster in New Jersey, asks: |
| |
Just so I am clear on one of your answers; You
said "The scorekeeping rules for the baseball divisions of
Little League will require the league to maintain a register for
the number of pitches, and that will be used to determine
eligibility." Does this mean that there should be a position on
every league board for someone to be in charge of tracking the
total pitches on a game by game basis for the league or at the
very least, someone in the league assigned to do it? |
| Nick: |
| |
Dave, no, there is no such requirement
(although some leagues might do this). It is much more likely
that the manager will simply carry the register from
game-to-game, or it will be kept in a common area, such as the
concession stand or press box. |
|
| Jim, a local Little League board
member in Chicago, Ill., asks: |
| |
We are thinking about using our website for
posting pitch counts. Did some of the 2006 pilot leagues use
their websites to post, postgame, pitch counts by player? And
then to list players ineligible in the coming days based on that
data? Did the process work? Was it overkill or useful? By any
chance does Little League have a standard program or template to
offer? It seems this is an alternative to the affidavit or a
supplement and could create a nice tracking record for all
coaches and officials. |
| Nick: |
| |
Good question Jim. Some of the leagues surveyed
did actually use their web sites as a vehicle to communicate
eligibility. How well this might work is dependent on how
efficiently the web site is updated. As far as templates are
concerned, in the coming months we will be providing many
additional resources on our web site. |
|
| Bill, a local Little League
president in Bolton, Mass., asks: |
| |
Did anyone track pitch count for the Little
League Baseball World Series even though it wasn't required? |
| Nick: |
| |
Yes we did, Bill. In fact, we’ve been counting
pitches at the Little League Baseball World Series for about
eight years. With the current regulation, many of the pitchers
would have been removed. Some pitchers threw more than 130
pitches in a game. |
|
| Dave, a local Little League
president in Arlington, Texas, asks: |
| |
We have a Minor Division that is only 8 year
olds and 9 year olds not on the next level of the Minor
Division. We have had a local rule in the past that limited 8
year olds to pitching a maximum of three innings a game. Can we
institute a local rule for them that sets a maximum of three innings
or 75 pitches, whichever comes first? |
| Nick: |
| |
Great question, Dave. Sure, there’s no problem
with that, because your league is adhering to the maximum pitch
counts in the regulation. A further restriction, set by your
local league for the Minor Division, is permissible. |
|
| Lee, a local Little League coach in
Black Rock, Conn., asks: |
| |
What is the ruling on a pitch count for a game
called in the third inning due to rain? |
| Nick: |
| |
Great question. All the pitches count in such a
game. This is not changed, as the INNINGS counted in such a game
in previous years. |
|
| Jim, a local Little League
information officer in North Miami Beach, Fla., asks: |
| |
Some of us down here in Florida are already
getting started for the 2007 season. We have already promulgated
a local rule that requires the home team of each game to provide
an official scorekeeper/pitch counter, and requires all teams to
keep careful track in their scorebooks of total pitch count for
each pitcher in each game. It would have been helpful--and still
would be now--if we could learn off the experience of those
leagues that went through this last year in the pilot program.
How soon will Little League be providing guidance on how to
implement this rule |
| Nick: |
| |
Thanks for your input, Jim. We are in the
process of compiling the input from many of the leagues
surveyed. Our goal is to provide this information in a
meaningful and complete way. Since the regulation was approved
only in late August, that was our starting point. However, we
did make the pilot program available to all leagues last year,
letting them know that was the best way to prepare for the
change.
|
|
| Art, a local Little League
volunteer in Sudbury, Mass., asks: |
| |
What if a pitcher is ambidextrous? May he
double his pitch count? |
| Nick: |
| |
Thanks for your follow-up, Art. We’ve had this
same question for 60 years in Little League, so you’re not the
first to ask it. The regulation deals with PITCHERS, not arms. |
|
Hey, thanks to everyone for writing
in. We received well over 275 questions, and we were able to get
to more than 50. Sorry we couldn’t answer them all, but watch
for another session soon! Keep checking the Little League web
site for more updates.
|
|
For more information contact
Little League International
Media
Guide
