Foul Has Nothing to do With Your Feet
Image by so.salem via Flickr
Today I saw a call incorrectly made that I wanted to clarify. A ball is foul based on where it is touched, not where the player is or where the players feet are. The ball is called based on the position of the BALL at the time it is contacted.
Therefore, if a player is standing fully in fair territory and reaches over into foul territory to make a play, and contacts the ball when the ball is in foul territory, the ball is foul. The position of the player or the player’s feet is irrelivant.
This is a call that is often made wrong and rarely understood in the stands.
Do you know any other strange rules that come into play often?
Playing Time
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Inclusive
Little League is inclusive. You don’t have to try out to get into the league , only to balance the talent among the teams. Anyone that signs up gets to play! That said, back in the olden days when I was playing, there were no minimum play rules. In fact, there were no reentry rules! Once you were out, you were out.
I also started playing as a 9 Year Old. There was no minors program, there were no developmental or t-ball programs either. The fact is that playing time in Little League has increased astronomically.
Earn Your Position
That said, this isn’t "feel good league", it is Little League. You have to earn your position on your team in the Major ’s. This is NOT a bad thing! This is a great life lesson . How many times have you thought Jimmy was going to be the shortstop but Johnny beat him out. Then Johnny worked real hard and won the spot back. What was the result? Two great shortstops!
Regulation IV (i) in the Little League rulebook requires that "every player on a team roster will participate in each game for a minimum of six (6) defensive outs and bat at least one (1) time."
In minors this year for the first time consecutive batting orders are mandatory. Many leagues already did this, but now it is the rule. The minimum play times in regulation IV still apply, but free substitution is now permitted on defense. Our league made a local rule that no player in minors may sit for more than three consecutive outs thereby guaranteeing that a kid in minors will play every other inning at a minimum.
What if Your Kid Isn’t Playing Enough?
What if you think your kid is not playing enough but is playing the league minimums? The board of directors has no choice but to hear your concerns, graciously console you, and then inform you that the manager is within their rights to manage the team as they see fit. As long as Jimmy is playing the minimum, there is nothing the board can or will do.
Now what to do? Some would be tempted to "take their ball and go home" and this reaction is understandable. But what are we teaching our kids if we allow them or even encourage them to do that? Wouldn’t it be better to take Jimmy to the field and work him out? Make it impossible for the coach to keep him out of the game? How about encouraging him to support his teammates? Stepping up as a moral leader?
There are so many valuable lessons to be learned in Little League. One of the most valuable is that you don’t always get your way, or what you want. You do what is best for the team and respect your manager’s decisions. Likely you are young or inexperienced if you are playing league minimums. Your time will come. Look up to the others, try to emulate them, try to make yourself better, and do everything in your power to improve.
Or you can take your ball and go home, another life lesson?
There is a kid waiting in minors that would consider it an honor to play 6 outs and bat once in the Majors.
How do you keep kids motivated that only play minimums?
Right Field/Key Attributes
Image via Wikipedia
Specialty Position
Right Field is a specialty position . We all know that in Little League the strongest players play in the infield. This doesn’t mean that outfielders are not important! Quite the contrary, picking up outs in the outfield is a huge bonus. The right fielder can be your weakest fielder but they need a strong arm and a will to back up first base on almost every play.
The right fielder need not be quick, but it is a bonus if the are. They will need to be able to track fly balls but the least of them are hit to them. They have to have the strongest arm because they often throw to first base and need to be able to fire to third base also.
Key Characteristics
Here are some characteristics of a good left fielder :
- Dedicated
- Strong Arm
- Committed to back up
- Able to track fly balls
A right fielder that makes every routine play as well as some spectacular ones can get a good pitcher some very key outs.
Can you think of any other valuable characteristics a right fielder should have? Please share them.
Shortstop/Key Attributes
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Key Position
"Strong up the middle" is one of the oldest adages in baseball . This holds true in Little League , the shortstop must be one of your strongest players. This is the position that the ball is hit to most often, and the one that needs to record the most assists and least errors.
Your shortstop should be agile and able to cover a lot of ground. They need to be able to pick up the play in the gap between them and the third baseman and have the ability to dive and cover up balls up the middle. The hardest play they make is in the hole and they have to be able to get into proper throwing position quickly. They need to be baseball smart as they have to move more than anyone else on the field .
Accuracy Counts
Shortstop should have one of the best arms on the field. They must be right handed because a lefty cannot make the throw to second or first w/o rotating.
Key Characteristics
Here are some characteristics of a good second baseman :
- Right Handed
- Strong Arm
- Baseball Intelligent
- Dedicated
- Accurate
- Solid throwing fundamentals
- Agile
An agile shortstop with a strong and accurate arm that can handle the ball up the middle and in the hole is a must.
Can you think of any other valuable characteristics a shortstop should have? Please share them.
Practice Ending Throw Around
You should always end your practice with something that encompasses
- Running
- Fun
The thing a child remembers about their practice is how they felt when it ended. Therefore, it is very important to end practice with something fun, competitive if possible, but definitely fun. Running is important also because the arms have been stressed and oxygen flow is the best form of repair for a sore arm.
Today we ran a modified run, throw-around, catch, slide, accuracy drill to end both the softball and the baseball practice.
Here is how it works:
- Set the 3B in position to field
- Set the 1B ready to field the 3B’s throw
- Set the C at home
- Set the SS strattling 2nd base
- Place the 2B backing up the SS in short outfield
- Any extra players line up at C and jump in line as the rotation continues
Once the players are in position, follow this procedure:
- Hit a grounder to 3B
- 3B throws to 1B for the out
- 1B throws home to the catcher who simulates a tag
- C throws to SS covering 2nd who simulates a tag
- SS flips back to 2B
- 2B throws home to C who simulates a tag
- C flips back to next in line
- 3B runs and slides into home plate and gets in line with catchers
- SS runs and slides into 3B then gets ready for the next play
- 2B moves up to SS position covering the bag
- 1B runs and slides into 2B then moves to 2B backup position
- C runs through first base and returns to cover 1st
- Batter/Coach hits a grounder to new 3B and the process starts all over
This whole thing should be run a the fastest speed possible to increase speed, accuracy, arm strength, base running skills, and teamwork. Both teams found it very fun and their success rate was impressive.
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