2018 Coaches Rules Clinic March 24, 2018

1. 2018 Coaches Rules Clinic March 24, 2018 Terry Dimka SMLL UIC (Umpire In Chief) Email = tdimka@aol.com Cell # = 301-758-5632

2. 2018 Rule Changes • New USA-Bat Logo’ed bats (Can be up to 2-5/8 diameter) • ALL BPF 1.15 bats are prohibited in 2018) • Juniors can still use BBCOR bats in addition to USA bats • Rule 9.01(d) Any Mgr/Coach caught stealing signs will be ejected • No Pine tar allowed at all on bats/gloves etc. (will be removed from game) • Pitcher cannot pitch on 3 consecutive days (and other normal pitching restrictions apply) • 15-run Mercy rule after 3 innings (2.5 innings if Home Team ahead) • For Juniors (13-14) 15-run rule after 4 innings (3.5 if Home Team ahead) • This rule 4.10(e) is in addition to 10-run Mercy rule. ALSO this rule change did not make the printed version of rulebook (late LL Congress change) • If game halted in 1st inning, all stats/pitches count and game is suspended (previous rule was to throw out all stats) • This rule 4.10(d) also did not make printed rule book • Mound visits 8.06(a) 1/inning & 2/game (per pitcher) 2nd visit in inning or 3rd per game requires replacement

3. Pitcher/Catcher Rules: • Pitch Counts (Minors=75/day, Majors=85/day) • Days Of Rest Requirements ^---(8-yr old=50 pitch max) • 1-20 Pitches = 0 days rest • 21-35 Pitches = 1 days rest • 36-50 Pitches = 2 days rest • 51-65 Pitches = 3 days rest • 66 or more = 4 days rest (discuss threshold) • Pitcher who delivers 41+ pitches in a game cannot play catcher position • Player who catches 4+ innings in a game cannot pitch that day • No limit on number of pitchers in a game (Cannot pitch in 3 consecutive days) • Pitchers removed from the mound cannot re-enter to pitch in game • No Balks in Little League (It’s an Illegal Pitch, counted as a ball-pitch count) • No longer required to pitch 4 balls for an intentional walk (new rule in 2017). Must announce to umpire before 1st pitch (ask for ‘Time’) • Mound visits, 1 per inning & 2 per game (2nd in inning/3rd in game=replace) • No complete stop required in LL for Set position

4. 2018 Other Rules/Policies • Implementing Continuous Batting order (free defensive substitutions) • Game Time limits (Need to coordinate w/ Laurel LL) • Weekday games governed by darkness • Weekend games: (All games including last game) • No new inning starts after 2:05 • Drop dead at 2:30 (will allow batter to finish) • 9 players required to start/complete a game (LL Rule) • Locally we’ll allow 8, with NO out for missing 9th batter • Sharing defensive players is between coaches (umpires will not enforce anything here) • Minors 5-run limit per inning except “last” inning (Laurel wants 6th inning)? • Injured player removed is NOT an out in continuous batting order. If injured player recovers, he/she can be reinstated. • Be sure to have pitch counts and scorekeepers stay in tough every half-inning • Umpires require a lineup card from each Manager • Mgr’s/Coaches CANNOT warm up pitchers • Catchers must have dangling throat protector (keep an extra in your equipment bag)

5. Fair/Foul: • All “foul” lines, bases, and home plate are in fair territory (any part of ball rests on line/plate or is on line/plate when touched by fielder is fair) • Batted ball hitting batter in batters box is foul/Dead ball • Fair/Foul is based on position of the ball, not the fielders feet/body • “Foul” is verbalized by umpire, “Fair” is only directionally pointed • Home plate umpire (In LL 60-ft diamond) has all Fair/Foul • Runner hit by batted ball is out unless ball went past a fielder who had an opportunity to make a play on the ball (even if standing on base unless it’s Infield Fly) • Batted ball hitting runner or Batter/Runner in foul territory is foul (unless intentional). • Foul pole is fair • Ball hitting 1st or 3rd base is a fair ball • Batted ball bounding off pitches plate (rubber) and bounce back foul before anyone touches it, is foul

6. Catch/No Catch: • No Catch if dropped upon collision with player/fence/pole • No Catch if pinned against body (unless subsequently “caught”) • Valid Catch if dropped upon the exchange, a.k.a Voluntary release (making subsequent throw) • “Foul tip” is a catch if it goes directly from the bat to the catchers glove • Live ball on Foul Tip (runners can steal) • If it’s 3rd strike, batter is out • “Foul Tip” term often mis-used (EVEN by MLB commentators!) • In 11-12 majors LL, dropped 3rd strike allows batter to advance to 1st if 1st base unoccupied with less than 2 outs, or anytime with 2 outs. • Players/coaches must know rules as to when a batter can advance on dropped 3rd strike. • A ball that bounces in front of plate and subsequently gloved by catcher is not a catch, it is a Gloved ball (it is a “dropped 3rd strike” if on strike 3).

7. Infield Fly rule: • Designed to disallow a “cheap” double play (however it often ends up in a double play as players do not know what to do on Infield Fly call) • Infield Fly Situation: • Less than 2 outs • Runners on 1st & 2nd or bases loaded • “Infield” fly (pop up) that can be caught w/ ordinary effort (not a bunt or line drive) • Ordinary effort different for 11-12 Majors vs 9-10 Minors • Sunlight in eyes not a consideration, but wind is, for ordinary effort • Umpire calls “Infield fly, batter’s out” or “Infield Fly if fair” at balls apex • Batter is out immediately upon that call, and runners are NOT forced • If fielder drops ball after umpire has called “Infield Fly” batter is STILL out and runners do NOT have to advance. • Infield fly does not have to be caught by an infielder • Infield fly does not have to be in the infield • Best to advise players that if they hear “Infield Fly” called, just stay on your base.

8. “Overthrows” to Dead ball area: • Applies only if “out of play”, i.e over fence, in dugout, hits angled fence • Does NOT apply for any overthrow that stays in play- that is live ball • 2 bases on all overthrows (except 1 base if a ball thrown by pitcher on the pitching plate (rubber). If pitcher is off the rubber, he is a fielder • i.e. Pitched ball bounces off catcher into dugout (1 base award) • i.e. Overthrow from short stop to 1st goes into dugout or over fence. Award is 2 bases from Time Of Pitch (TOP), UNLESS batter had already reached 1st, then he gets 3rd base (1st base + 2) • Throw from outfielder or 2nd/subsequent play is 2 bases from Time Of Throw (TOT) • Overthrow on double play, 2nd throw from 2nd to 1st is TOT award • Scenario: Bases loaded, ball hit to center field. R3 and R2 have scored, R1 rounding 2nd trying for 3rd. Throw from center fielder goes over 3rd baseman’s head over fence out of play. R1 had acquired 2nd already, so he gets 2 more bases from TOT, which was when he was between 2nd/3rd. He is awarded home. B/R is awarded 3rd base if he had rounded 1st before the throw from centerfield

9. Strikes: • It is a strike if ball touches batter swinging (even if it bounces) • It is a strike if ball touches batter in the strike zone and it is a dead ball (i.e. when bunting) • If a pitch hits batters hands, he is awarded 1st base (hit by pitch), UNLESS he is swinging, or if it hits him in the strike zone (The hands are not part of the bat!) • A pitch that bounces and hits batter is a “hit by pitch” and dead ball, awarded 1st, UNLESS batter swings (a bounced pitch CAN be hit (and swung and missed too for a strike)) • Batter setting up to bunt must offer at the pitch to be a strike if not in the strike zone. Batter does NOT have to pull bat back in order for it to be called a ball. (common misconception) • Little league strike zone, armpits to knees However for 9-10 Minors we’re a bit more liberal (small kids, pitching challenges) • New Rule for 2017 (& 2018) - Once batter enters batters box he must keep 1 foot in box throughout at bat, (except 6.02(c))

10. General Rules: • Umpires call “Time”, players/coaches “ask” for time (and it may not be granted) • Do not enter field until Time is granted (we wait for all play to stop) • Player may not get Time granted to stand up after slide or brush his pants off (Stay on base and learn to stand up always contacting the base (part of learning baseball) • Excessive “Time” calls delay and slow down the game • “Time” is not to be used as a defensive tactic (i.e. to get a runner back to his base) • After any “Time” call, the umpire must put the ball back in “Play” • Running Lane: • Last half of distance from home plate to 1st base (last 30 feet in LL) • If play being made (i.e throw from catcher) the Batter/Runner (B/R) must be in that 30-foot running lane (to the right of foul line and 3 feet wide) • Allows catcher (or other player) to make a throw to 1st • If B/R is out of running lane and he is hit by thrown ball to first, he may be called out if it was deemed a catchable throw. • Catcher MUST throw the ball in order for their to be a violation • Catcher can’t claim “hey the Batter/Runner was in the way” • Do NOT tell your catchers to peg the B/R in the bat, but……

11. General Rules…continued… • A proper tag is w/ ball in hand or tagged with ball in glove. (with ball in hand/glove, a “tag” with the elbow or a shoulder is NOT a proper tag/out) • Game halted by weather/darkness before a complete game, is suspended, including (incomplete) 1st inning • Umpires are requiring Lineup cards again this year…also be sure • scorekeepers stay in touch w/ each other during game. (& pitch count)

12. Appeals: • Appeals can NOT be made on judgement plays (i.e. Strike/Ball, Fair/Foul, safe/out) • Appeals are on rule interpretations, runners leaving early on fly ball, runner missing base etc. • Interpretation rules appeal is made once time is called. Talk to umpire who made the call • We will discuss and/or ask for help from partner if appropriate (i.e 1st baseman foot pulled off the bag (Home Plate umpire has best view of that) • Appeals for leaving early on tag, missed base etc are all “Live Ball” appeals. • You can ask for time to discuss how to appeal with your player. Then once it’s “live” again the player can make the appeal. • Appeal should be such as… • “I am appealing that Smith (or player #4) left 3rd base early” • “I am appealing that Jones (player #7) missed 1st base” • Once a subsequent play has been made (i.e. a throw, tag attempt, pitch, ball thrown out of play) your right to appeal is gone.

13. Batting Out Of Order: • If batter goes up to bat and he was not the correct next batter in the lineup….. • If you are the offensive team, you can ask for time and correct it. Put proper batter in and he assumes the count. • If you are the defensive team, SShhhhhhhh…let the improper batter complete his at bat and then you can appeal that they batted out or order. With proper appeal, the “Proper” batter will be out. • As defensive coach you can elect NOT to appeal the Batting out of order. (i.e. improper batter hit into a double play) • After one play/pitch after the improper batter bats, an improper batter becomes legalized. Make the appeal BEFORE the next batter takes a pitch • Once an improper batter is legalized that becomes your new position in the batting order. • Example: Batter #3 was supposed to bat, but instead batter #5 went up to bat, got a hit and then batter 6 came up to bat and took 1 pitch. Batter #6 is now the proper batter and batter #3 and #4 just got skipped, and batter #7 will be next.

14. Leaving The Base Early: • Base runners cannot leave their base until the pitch reaches the batter • Penalty is Runner is returned to his base if able to • Any runner leaving early affects ALL runners • i.e. Bases loaded, R2 leaves early, but pitch is a passed ball and all runners advance 1 base including R3 who scores. ALL runners returned to their base. • If runner(s) leave early and batter gets hit and advances, runners are returned as much a possible w/ available bases. • i.e. Bases loaded, R3 leaves early but Batter hits a clean double clearing the bases. Batter gets 2nd, R1 returned to 3rd base, and R2/R3 scored. • Umpires should drop red flag when base runner leaves early (before pitch reaches batter ideally) • Umpire does NOT drop red flag when base runner leaves early on a fly-ball/tag situation. That is an appeal play by defense.

15. Interference/Obstruction: • Commonly confused terms/rules • Obstruction is a violation by the defense (obstructing a base runner) • Interference is “generally” a violation by the offense but not always • Many types of Interference (runner/catcher/coach/umpire)

16. Obstruction: • “Obstruction” is the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball, impedes the progress of a runner • Contact is not required to have obstruction called. A runner forced to veer around a fielder in the base path can be obstruction. • Obstruction is a “delayed dead ball call” unless a play is being made on the obstructed runner. • Umpire will point and verbalize “that’s obstruction” and allow play to continue • Once all play has stopped, the umpire will award bases accordingly, based upon, what would have happened had the obstruction not occurred. How far would the runner have gotten without the Obstruction. A judgement call, where the runner always gets the benefit of the doubt. • Umpire may only “protect” a runner to say, 2nd base on obstruction. If the runner attempts to take 3rd, he may not be protected by the obstruction call. • Bottom Line is…….if you are NOT in possession of the ball, you cannot block the base path or Home plate.

17. Interference: • Offensive Interference is a member of the team at bat which interferes with obstructs, impedes, hinders, or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play on the ball. (i.e runner collides with fielder who is trying to field a ball….immediate Time/Dead ball and all runners return) • Fielder must be “in the process” of making a play on a ball. If he is chasing a ball or running to a position in order to be able to make a play, he might be called for Obstruction. • Catchers interference is when the batters bat strikes the catchers glove. Batter is awarded 1st base (unless unusual intent to strike the catchers glove made by batter - Judgement call) If batter hits ball on catchers Interference, delayed dead ball call and offense may elect to take play • Coaches interference is when a coach impedes/interferes with a fielder making a play (Intent is not necessary) • Umpires interference is usually when the umpire impedes the catcher from throwing to a base on steal. • Base umpires are behind fielders in LL so should be no umpire interference by base umpire • Discuss batter interference on catcher throw to base

18. Thank you! • I am available to any Manager, Coach, team, or player to discuss any rules or situations. Have a great season, and most importantly, Have Fun!!