MANAGER’S HANDBOOK
ANDOVER LITTLE LEAGUE
MAJORS DIVISION
2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword
3
The Mission of Little League
Goals / Philosophy
5
5
The Tryout / Player Evaluation Process
The Draft / Team Selection Process
6
6
Replacing Players on the Roster
Introducing Yourself to the Team
7
7
Using the Database for Communication
Fund Raising
Snack Shack
Equipment
9
9
9
9
Practice Scheduling
Practice Program
10
10
Assistant Coaches Role
Player Punishment & Discipline
15
16
ALL Supplemental Rules
Little League Rule Book Highlights
17
18
Field Maintenance
Pre-game Field Preparation
19
20
Umpires
Game / Player Management
In Game Protocol
Lights
21
21
23
23
Post Game Trash Pickup
Reporting Game Results to the Database
Make-up Games
24
24
24
11 and 12 Year Old District Tournament Team Selection Process
Challenger Games
25
25
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FOREWORD
“I learned how to play the game, how practice makes perfect, how to win and lose with grace,
and some key life lessons about being part of a team. Most of all, I had a blast.” While, we
are not sure any son or daughter of Andover Little League would quite put it this way, our
goal is that would certainly think this and gain this … and it is our goal for players of all
levels of skill and interest.
There is no one who has more impact on achieving this goal than the manager. The skills the
manager teaches and the messages they send (through their words and their behavior) makes
all the difference. To provide some support to the manager in playing this critical role, we
have developed this handbook. It is not perfect and it is not complete, nor do we want it to be.
Our aim is for this to be a dynamic document that gets improved each year through your
experiences and recommendations. If you have ideas, questions, or feedback (especially if
something seems out of date or inconsistent with current practice), please let your VP know.
Use this as a guide and just that. In the end, your own personal good judgment, planning,
outside reading on drills and skills, clinic work, etc. is what will be most critical.
As you dive into this, just a few starter suggestions from the seasoned managers:
(1) Understand and take care of all of the logistical stuff as early as possible in the season.
Communicate your schedule, method for informing parents about practices, snack shack and
field prep responsibilities, and the like. If you get it and you can get the team parents to get it
and help you, you can focus – 95% of your time ‑ on coaching.
(2) Know the rules inside and out, and if you do not understand something, ask questions.
Prepare your line‑up and substitutions (especially for pitchers) well before the game. Doing
it in the moment often leads to costly mistakes. As well, help each other out on the field …
watching a fellow manager lose a game by forfeit when you knew how to help them avoid it
is not the preferred way to win.
(3) Manage the parents first. Set expectations with them before the season even begins, over
communicate before and throughout the season, and make sure they feel comfortable reaching
out to you if their player(s) needs some extra help.
(4) Manage the kids. That is your core responsibility from the start of pre‑season practices
until dropping off your equipment bag. If parents are getting in the way, and you need help,
turn to your league VP. Otherwise, when you are on the field, the kids are your responsibility.
Keep in mind they are not even teenagers yet. They can do and absorb a lot (do challenge
them), yet you need to have a solid practice plan prepared every time, keep things moving at
practices, have a set pre‑game warm‑up which they can expect, be clear about your
expectations, treat them with the same respect you expect back, etc. They are not high school
players … do not treat them as if they are. As well, you need to be there or you need
assistants to be there at all times – whether for a drill or ensuring that the last player gets
picked up from a game or practice. No players should be left unattended at any time.
(5) Have fun. If you have fun, they will too. If you are not having fun, something is wrong,
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and you can bet the kids will feel it soon after you do. Ask your VP if you need help or even
just a sounding‑board.
(6) Rely on others. Many managers (ourselves included) often think we know it all.
However, there are many experienced managers out there with lots of good ideas. Chances
are you will find that you have a player (or few) that needs help or is struggling with
something that you just cannot address. Maybe you have never seen this problem before, or
just do not have a drill to get at the precise issue, or you simply cannot explain it in a way that
this player can hear right now. Asking a fellow manager to take a look, share a drill, or even
lend a hand (since sometimes a different voice/approach makes all the difference) is strongly
encouraged.
(7) Use common sense. Just as an example ‑ if a field becomes too wet for play, even though
you really, really, really want to get the game in, call the game. Safety first!
(8) Winning is important, but it is different than healthy, strong competition. Think real hard
before you intentionally walk the other team’s great hitter (see ALL Supplemental Rule about
intentional walks). Hitting the ball may be the best thing this player has going for him or her
in their week. Think real hard about the difference between getting a secure lead and running
up the score. Think real hard before playing someone just four innings who comes to practice
and loves the game.
(9) Everyone makes the playoffs, so keep the goal of development front and center. Give
players a chance to play, and to try out at least a few positions during the season. In practice,
teach players all the positions, not just “theirs”. Make time to work with individuals players
on their own specific needs … that’s one of the reasons we keep teams to 11 players.
(10) You have many roles (organizer, motivator, strategist, etc.) and every manager has their
favorite, but the most important role for each is that of teacher. Some of us are trained
teachers, some are natural teachers, and others are not. So, a final few suggestions about
teaching – (a) keep in mind that people learn in different ways, so use a blend (even a
sequence) of explaining something, demonstrating it, allowing your players to try it out,
reviewing it with them, and then practicing it with drills; (b) anything you teach in one
practice would be well worth coming back to again and again – repetition is critical; (c) break
skills down into their component parts (for example, for batting – gripping the bat in the
fingers, measuring up to the plate, getting one’s balance, loading, striding, looking down the
V as you drive through, etc.) and while you might demonstrate what it all looks like together,
focus on developing skill by isolating and working on one component part at a time; (d) few
people learn well in the moment, so leave the teaching to post‑game and practices, and
let the players play during the game; (e) few learn from being singled out and yelled at
(even if you do), and most learn from positive reinforcement of what they are doing right,
even if you can only reinforce small things that build to bigger things; (f) don’t confuse being
positive with being undisciplined, or not challenging every player, or not striving for
greatness; (g) routine is useful in practices and pre‑game; and, perhaps most importantly, (h)
in making a correction, tell players what to do vs. what not to do, and share one piece of
advice/one thing to work on at a time (few people can fully process, never mind change, three
things at once).
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Inside the handbook, there is huge amount of additional advice. Read it, share key pieces
with your assistants, and reread it once you have practiced a couple of weeks and perhaps
again after you have played three or four games. We hope it helps.
Thanks again for all you do. Let your league VPs or other members of the Board know how
they can help.
THE MISSION OF LITTLE LEAGUE
Little League Baseball, Incorporated is a non-profit organization whose mission is "to
promote, develop, supervise, and voluntarily assist in all lawful ways, the interest of those
who will participate in Little League Baseball and Softball."
Through proper guidance and exemplary leadership, the Little League program assists youths
in developing the qualities of citizenship, discipline, teamwork and physical well-being. By
espousing the virtues of character, courage and loyalty, the Little League Baseball and
Softball program is designed to develop superior citizens rather than superior athletes.
GOALS / PHILOSOPHY
At the risk of being cliché, a Little League manager plays a very important role in the
development of a young person. So, when one decides to be a Little League manager, he must
ask himself why he is doing it. Everyone has different personalities and coaching styles.
However, there are certain basics that we should strive to pass along to players in order for
them to have the best possible experience. Good or bad, our players will remember us and
how we treated them well beyond this year’s team. We need to pay more than “lip service” to
the credo “it’s about the kids and not about me.” We all have egos and want to win, but since
only one team ultimately wins, our goal should be to teach the game and give each player the
best possible baseball experience.
The Majors Division is the highest competitive level for Little Leaguers through age 12. Kids
of this age really like to compete and win. However, our goals as coaches should be to teach
the game first, with winning an important but secondary goal. Baseball experts say that the
two most important skills for this age group are throwing and hitting, so we as coaches should
be investing time teaching those skills. If a developing player can make contact at the plate,
he is much more likely to want to play the next year. Not everyone will feel confident
teaching these skills to Little Leaguers, but there are a number of good quality resources
available to help teach baseball skills. Among the resources available to managers include the
following:
1. Little League sponsored The Al & Al clinic and coaches manual.
2. Little League Coaches Resource center available on the Andover Little League website at
https://www.sportsmanager.us/AndoverLittleLeague.htm
3. Andover Little League sponsored coach’s clinics
As a manager the overriding goal should be to create a fun, learning and competitive
environment so the players will want to continue playing next year. If kids give up playing
due to a poor Majors experience, we haven’t done our job. While they will give up the game
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for other reasons, we hope that is isn’t because we did a poor job as a manager.
This manual is not meant to be “one size fits all” bible to managing/coaching a Majors team,
but a guideline for your use. While much of it contains rules that everyone must follows, the
rest are suggestions that you can use as you will.
THE TRYOUT / PLAYER EVALUATION PROCESS
2009 was a huge transition as the Andover Little League Majors program as completely new
teams were selected for the first time since the league was started. This change was made to
bring our league in conformity with National Little League rules requiring that all 12 year old
players be placed on a Majors team. This year’s team selection process will take the form of a
draft.
All players seeking to be placed on Majors teams will need to attend one tryout / evaluation.
The tryout itself will look like those done in the past, where managers will have a few
moments with each player to talk, play catch and evaluate fielding skills. Each player will also
hit in a tunnel and each manager will be able to evaluate these skills as well.
Managers will be solely responsible for evaluating all players for the purposes of draft
selection. All 12 year olds must be selected on the draft (unless a waiver is provided, allowing
them to play AAA). While managers will evaluate 11 and 10 year old player candidates,
League volunteers will also independently rate the 11s and 10s for the purposes of deciding
which players will be eligible to be drafted. This is being done to ensure that all “deserving”
11s and 10s are placed on a team. However, the pool of 11s and 10s rated by the league will
be slightly larger than the number required to fill the available slots. This will ensure that the
manager will have more than one choice when the final 11 or 10 year old player is selected.
10 Year olds are also eligible to be drafted to a Majors team. Each year the number of 10s that
make the Majors will vary. There is no set limit to determine how many 12s, 11s or 10s need
to be placed on a team. In any case, a 10 year old that makes the Majors should be a clear
stand out and should be able to compete with the other 12 and 11 year olds in the Majors.
Since managers will not have coaches from the previous year to help them at the tryouts, they
will be allowed to bring one adult volunteer as a helper. However, this helper cannot be the
parent of a player who is participating in the tryout process of either league. In the event that a
manager cannot supply his own helper, there will be volunteers available at the tryouts who
can help out.
THE DRAFT / TEAM SELECTION PROCESS
Each league will have its own draft meeting. Managers will draw numbers for draft order.
Number 1 will have the first pick and so on. In each subsequent round, draft order will
reverse, so in the second round the manager picking last in the first round will have the first
pick in the second round and so on. Each league, American and National, will conduct their
own draft, which will be administered by that respective league’s VP, the Vice President and
President of Andover Little League, and the Player Agent.
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Under League rules, all 12's must be placed on a team. However, managers can select players
from whichever age group they want until such time that the maximum number of 11's and
10’s are selected at which point any / all remaining 12's must be picked. For example, in a
league with six teams, there are total of 66 roster spots to fill. Say that there are 40 of the 12s
to be picked, then a maximum of 26 of the 11s and 10s will be allowed to be selected.
Managers will be selecting assistant coaches as well as players during the draft process. While
it is often tempting to choose a good friend as a coach in lieu of a stronger player, please keep
in mind that managers who focus too much on choosing coaches over players often end up
with weak teams, which is not the best thing for the players and not the League’s intention.
The manager’s primary goal should be to field the strongest team possible for competitive
balance. Once the teams are chosen, emails will be sent to the 11 and 10 year old players
who were not selected. Managers will be allowed to contact players on their teams once
all emails have been received by players from both leagues.
The precise date and time will be announced at the draft meeting. It is extremely important
that player not be contacted prior to the appointed time to ensure that all players are notified
on the same day and during the same time frame. Since AL and NL drafts are being held on
different nights, all managers (especially those from the earlier draft) will need to resist the
temptation to tell even their own sons who has been selected to the team until everyone is
allowed to know.
REPLACING PLAYERS ON THE ROSTER
If a player decides that he no longer wants to play in the Majors, he has the option to quit the
team. Also, players lost for the season due to injury need to be replaced in order to keep
league rosters balanced at 11 players. A replacement player will be assigned to the team from
a AAA (minors) team based on the rankings from the independent evaluations. The highest
rated player from the evaluations not on a major league team will be offered for first spot. If
that player refuses, the next rated player will be asked and so on until one accepts. The
process of communicating with the replacement players and families will be done by the
Majors VP’s in cooperation with the AAA VP’s. Majors mangers will not have the option of
selecting a Minors player of his choosing to replenish his roster. Ideally, a replacement player
filling the spot of an American League team would come from the same district. Although
preferred, this will not always be the case.
INTRODUCING YOURSELF TO THE TEAM
Once the draft is completed, the next step is to get the team together and get the season
started. The first step in this process is to notify the parents. By now, everyone should have
contacted his player and parents by email and / or telephone. Some managers like talking to
the players on the phone and some don’t, but it certainly is a good way to introduce yourself.
Once the initial introduction is completed, it is a good idea to send an email to the parents
with a letter attached introducing yourself. The goal of the letter is to communicate to parents
and coaches something about your background, coaching experience, why you love coaching
and some goals for the upcoming season. No team meetings of any kind (practices or parent
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meetings) are allowed prior to April 1st (per the Little League Handbook), so please refrain
from doing so.
Also, a parents only (no players) meeting it good idea as a “meet and greet” as the season is
getting underway. This meeting is a good opportunity for parents to get to know you and each
other. You can take some time in a relaxed atmosphere to tell them about yourself, your
coaching philosophy, playing rules, your philosophy about how playing time is handled, etc.
It is important to let parents know that you are the manager and under no circumstances will
you tolerate coaching by parents (or siblings) from the sidelines during games. In a positive
way, you can let them know that players get confused when they are being coached by parents
and coaches at the same time. You might have told the player to do something completely
different from what the parent or sibling is telling him.
Open lines of communication with parents is extremely important. Frequent emails are a good
way to keep parents updated on what is going on with the team. Not all of you will do a parent
meeting, but it is a very good way to get acquainted and get most of the questions answered
before the team starts practicing. It is a good opportunity to let parents know about what you
will be doing with the players during practices and games.
Encourage open communication with parents and that you will answer any questions they
may have. However, it is fair to let them know that you will not stop practices to answer
questions, but will give them all the time they need at a mutually convenient time. With field
space at a premium and practice time precious, the message will be sent that you are putting
the team first.
Issues to Discuss in a Parent Meeting:
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Tell them about you: why you coach, your experience and philosophy
Introduce assistant coaches
Communication: email, phone chain, etc. / get all parent cell phone #’s
Expectations with respect to practice attendance
Philosophy and Little League Rules about playing time, positions, etc.
Fund Raising
Snack Shack explanation and find a coordinator
Secure Volunteers to fill key roles including:
 Coaches (if you haven’t already)
 Field Preparation & post game trash pickup
 Snack Shack
 Score Keeper (use of an iPad App is the most efficient way of keeping
records)
 Game snacks & drinks
Opening Day
Challenger Game
Other stuff
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USING THE DATABASE FOR COMMUNICATION
The league’s database can be used as an email communication tool for distribution to parents.
While most managers will choose to their own distributions lists, feel free to use the database
for this purpose. Prior to relying on this tool as your sole source of communication, please
confirm with all in the distribution channel that they are receiving the communications.
FUND RAISING
Andover Little League needs to develop its three new fields on Blanchard Street in the next
two years, as the town will be closing the Deyermond complex on Chandler Road to re-cap
the landfill that lies underneath. As a result, the league needs to raise a significant amount of
money as we will need to construct lights and other accommodation on these fields with our
own funds. The goal is to raise amount north of $100,000 in 2014 via it fund raising efforts.
Other goals related to fund-raising include keeping registration fees relatively low as well as
maintaining quality facilities and equipment.
The manager is the point person for each team, but it is strongly recommended that you find /
appoint a responsible parent as a fund-raising coordinator for your team. You will be far too
busy organizing and running practices and games and the fund raising effort is so important
that you should be able to sell the parents in its importance. A parent meeting is a good time
to briefly explain the fund raising process to the parents and hopefully find someone who will
do this very important job for the team and the program.
SNACK SHACK
The league clears a significant amount of money from the sale of refreshments at the snack
shack each year. Furthermore, the players (and spectators) love the convenience of grabbing a
last minute drink, or a quick bite to eat prior to / during the game. Several years, ago the
league decided that each team would have a “Snack Shack Coordinator” to be responsible for
scheduling volunteers to staff the snack shack during games. This person will communicate
with the League VP of Food Service and ensure that the schedule is made and followed. Like
with the fund raising, you will need to find a parent (hopefully not a coach) who will take this
job on so you won’t have to be bothered with finding snack shack volunteers with you are
trying to get players ready to start a game. Again, a parent meeting is a good time to handle
this. For games, the visiting team is responsible for supplying two volunteers for the snack
shack. Assigned snack shack coverage will be provided to the Major League VP, who will
post this information on the ALL Game Scheduler tool on the website. During the 2014
season, if a team misses one snack shack coverage assignment, they are issued a warning.
The second miss of coverage will result in a forfeit of the game being played. This is a harsh
penalty for any team, and only hurts the players, so this responsibility is to be taken seriously.
EQUIPMENT
Mark Rumson is the Equipment Manager for the league. Equipment pick-up for Majors
Teams will be in the morning of Saturday April xx. You will be provided with an equipment
bag, team uniforms / hats and game balls, ice packs and scorebook. If you run out of game
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balls during the season, please contact your League VP (John Anastasi - NL / Patrick Grecco AL).
PRACTICE SCHEDULING
You will have the opportunity to schedule a fairly significant number of practices during the
pre-season. Early season practices can be a real challenge, as the weather is often not great
and the fields can be closed. Historically, it has been very difficult to have consistent outdoor
practices in Andover during the first half of April. The Town of Andover decides whether or
not fields are open on a daily basis. It is of utmost importance to use the fields only when
authorized to do so. If you are practicing your team on fields when they are officially closed
or you are practicing on a field you and the league is not authorized to be on, the league can
get in serious trouble with the town and we can lose our field privileges. All teams must obey
the field usage rules.
If fields are not open, managers can be creative in running practices. In the past, managers
have used paved parking areas to run practices when they are able. There are a number of
local facilities that rent batting cages if you feel so inclined to pay for them (the league will
NOT reimburse you for this charge). It is not advised to run practices at your houses, as your
homeowners’ insurance policy will most likely not cover injuries. In the early part of the
season, it is good to be flexible and patient, as all managers have had to deal with this in the
past.
Once the regular season starts, each team will have one practice slot per week, either at the
Deyermond (Blanchard Street or Chandler) complex or at South School. Managers will
choose practice slots based on prior years protocol. Practice slots will be assigned by the
Major League VPs. Please respect the scheduled times for other teams. Managers are allowed
to trade practice slots times if they so desire.
Inevitably, some Sunday practice slots will be lost due to the need to schedule make-up
games. Again, managers will need to be flexible and creative when scheduling in-season
practice time. The Deyermond complex will be available for teams to practice on weekday
afternoons to those managers who have the scheduled flexibility to do so. When doing this,
keep in mind that the field needs to be vacated 60 minutes prior to the scheduled starting time
for games.
PRACTICE PROGRAM
With limited practice time, the goal is to get the most work done in the shortest period of
time. There are many resources available on how to run a successful practice. The Big Al
coach’s manual (endorsed by Little League Baseball) is an excellent resource on how to run a
successful practice. Those of you who have attended the Big Al clinic know that they do a
superb job and their materials are excellent.
The first issue with running any practice is SAFETY. For this reason, it is typically best to
limit “playing catch” until the team is together and everyone can throw together and in the
same direction. Accidents happen when kids are playing catch unsupervised with balls flying
in several different directions at the same time. Also, you will want to teach throwing
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technique as part of your warm-up routine and keep track of the number of throws.
The best way to start practice is with a good warm-up, which the experts now call “dynamic
stretching.” It is important to warm-up properly before doing any other baseball related
activities, particularly throwing. Dynamic stretching gets the blood flowing to the muscles
and joints. With young players, it doesn’t have to be a long time but it is important
nevertheless.
Big Al suggests that the team do a slow jog from foul pole to foul pole (“pole to pole”). You
can have the team do a slow jog together to promote team unity, with the group running at the
speed of the slowest runner. The goal here is not to have a race, but to warm-up.
Typically throwing is done next. In the interest of baseball protocol that is practiced at the
higher levels, warm-ups should always be done in the outfield, never on the infield. For
throwing, the players can pair-up, with one line along the foul line and the other in the
outfield facing each other. Everyone needs to be throwing in the same direction for safety
reasons. Also, it’s easier to coach the players and make corrections in throwing mechanics
when they’re lined up in this manner.
Before any throws are made, the players must be told that anyone throwing a baseball must
throw to a target. When playing catch, it is a good idea to have the catching player show both
hands to the thrower, indicating that he is ready to receive the throw. Starting out fairly close
together, having the players throw to each other, using proper technique (glove side shoulder
facing the target, break the hands with the throwing elbow at or above shoulder level).
The elbow height is most important, as throwing with the elbow below the shoulder can cause
injury. As the warm-up progresses, the players can move further away from each other.
However, encourage players to throw from the distance that allows the elbow to stay at or
above shoulder level. Always emphasize accuracy when playing catch. Remember, the first
rule of throwing is accuracy, the second rule is velocity.
It is important to teach all facets of the game, including base running, fielding and hitting.
Big Al does an excellent job of this in their manual. Teach your coaches to do drills properly
so the players get more repetitions.
Most managers typically play younger / weaker players in the outfield. Because outfield play
is so important, a significant amount of practice time (15 to 20 minutes each practice?) should
be used to hit balls to outfielders. Fly balls are important, but so are grounders and liners (not
too hard) as well. For managers / coaches who have difficulty consistently hitting fly balls off
the bat there is a racquet-type product available (“Accubat”) that allows for consistent
repetition for fly balls. The Accubat can be purchased through Baseballexpress.com as well as
other outlets for about $60. Or, coaches can throw fly balls.
It is also very important to teach outfielders the need to be “in motion” on every pitch and the
need to be backing up infield plays and throws from the catcher. This is particularly important
for the right fielder, who should be hustling in toward the fence behind first base on every
play to 1st base because over throws fairly often. Center fielders need to back up on catchers
throws to second and third. Managers need to constantly “coach-up” outfielders and
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emphasize the importance of outfield play. Tell the players that outfield errors cost more
bases than infield errors.
When doing hitting work, try to avoid doing live hitting with all players at the same time. It is
better to split the players into groups, with a small group hitting and shagging, perhaps
another group hitting off tees and another doing short toss (flips). This will allow the players
to get more swings and minimize the “standing around.” The players will enjoy the fast pace
of the practice and won’t believe that the time goes so fast. Managers can use whiffle balls,
tennis balls, even basketballs for hitting drills. Hitting basketballs (partially deflated) as a flip
drill is a good way to train hitters to make contact prior to rolling the wrist. Make sure that
you use safety nets and not the chain link fence for hitting drills. Live hitting should be done
in a manner that encourages “game simulation,” with batters seeing maybe 4 or 5 pitches, then
rotating out. Have 3 players ready to hit at once, to avoid the boredom that occurs when one
batter is seeing 10 or 15 pitches at a time and everyone else is standing around. This is when
“shaggers” start digging holes in the outfield grass, which needs to be discouraged at all cost.
Many managers end practice with the “hits game” (also called “one swing”). Typically, this is
done by splitting the players into two teams of more or less equal ability. There are many
ways to play this game, but the most common way is to give each hitter one swing and have
the other team make a play on the batter runner. You can either play hit around or three outs
and switch sides. Typically a coach pitches from 30-40 feet from the plate (behind an Lscreen) to speed things up (strikes). You can keep score. Encourage the players to manage
their own defense and coaches can participate on defense as well. To speed things up, have
the players change sides rapidly between innings (this is a form of conditioning). With an 11
player team, you should be able to get in 3-4 complete innings in 15 to 20 minutes. The hits
game is a good way to create “game speed” practice situations and the kids love to compete. It
can also be a reward for a good practice. The kids always want to play the “hits game.”
Practicing Game Situations
Majors teams must be prepared for in-game defensive and offensive situations like the ones
listed below:
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Base runners leading (secondary leads)
Delay Steal offense & defense
Base runners tagging up on fly balls
Base coaches
Special runner rule
Bunt offense & defense
1st & 3rd offense & defense
Cutoffs & relays
Big Al’s Coaching Manual (http://www.bigalbaseball.com/9-12-coaching-manual) has lots of
good ideas about how to teach your team about how to handle these situations.
Pretty much all of us have played baseball at a Little League level or higher. It is important to
remember that sometimes “the way you did it in high school or college” might not be the best
way to do it on the small Little League diamond. For a Little League team, usually “simpler is
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better” when dealing with in-game situations. Multi-faceted “plays” for bunt and 1st & 3rd
situations can lead to confusion for young inexperienced player and can lead to indecision
which results in misplays and giving up outs.
Base Running
Teaching base runners how to lead is a neglected part of the game and must be practiced like
any other skill. Remember, the base runner cannot leave the base until the pitched ball crosses
home plate. At that point the base runner should be leading off 2 to 3 steps, on the balls of his
feet, ready to respond to batted balls, wild pitches, etc. Big Al recommends teaching base
running skills as part of the beginning practice routine, with all players on the foul line,
simulating using their gloves as a base.
Coaches must teach players that when leading off 3rd base, always do so in foul territory so it
they are hit with a batted ball they are not out. When returning to 3rd after the pitch, teach the
runner to do so on the fair side of the line, which makes a pick-off throw from the catcher to
the 3rd baseman more difficult.
It is important to remember when teaching base running that head first slides are allowed in
Little League only when returning to a base, never when trying to reach base. A runner doing
this will be called out. You should teach your players that when running the bases, the rule is
“feet first going, head first returning”. Runners must slide whenever there is play at a base,
including home plate. Runners that do not slide should be called out by book rule. A catcher
is not allowed to block home plate even when in possession of the ball. Rather, the catcher
is only permitted to complete the play with a tag from the appropriate position (managers will
need to teach this). Umpires sometimes miss this call.
Delayed steal
Some coaches love to use this play to catch a pitcher and a catcher “napping.” It happens
when either the catcher is lazy in getting the ball back to the pitcher with runners on base or
the pitcher turns his back on the base runner with the ball but not on the rubber ready to pitch.
Under Little League rules, the runner must return to the base when the pitcher has the ball on
the mound on the pitching rubber and the catcher is ready. On defense, the best way to
prevent delay stealing for the catcher to ensure that the runner has committed to return to the
base prior to throwing the ball back to the pitcher. The catcher should never throw the ball
back to the pitcher with runners on base while on his knees. The pitcher should never turn his
back on the lead base runner until he is ready to deliver the next pitch.
Base Runners Tagging Up
Base coaches are responsible to make sure that base runners are aware of the situation. Young
players need to be taught by coaches to make sure that they tag up on fly balls when on 3rd
base with less than 2 outs. Most players will not do this instinctively. The 3rd base coach
should remind the player when he is on 3rd with less than 3 outs. This is typically done best in
the way of a question to the player: “what are you doing on a fly ball?” Base runners on 1st &
2nd may or may not tag up depending on the situation and the base runner’s read on the fly
ball.
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Base Coaching
Little League rules allow for any combination of adults and/or players coaching bases. Most
managers like to have adults coaching bases because they typically are more alert and have a
better knowledge of the game than players do. Most managers like to coach 3rd base because
the position carries more responsibility than coaching 1st base. The primary job of the base
coaches is to keep base runners alert. The 3rd base coach can provide help to runners
advancing from 2nd base by positioning. If the coach is standing behind the base, that tells the
runner that there will be a play at 3rd and he should slide. If the 3rd base coach is not behind
the bag and instead is down the 3rd base line, the runner should make a hard wide turn looking
to score. It is against baseball rules at any level for the base coach to physically assist a base
runner.
Bunt Offense & Defense
Some managers like to bunt as an offensive weapon because it causes the defense to react and
hopefully make a mistake. However, most players do not bunt well and unless taught and
practiced properly, most bunt attempts will not be successful. Strategically, most managers do
not want to “give up outs” to advance runners, perhaps only with a runner on first and no outs
with a weak hitter at the plate and a strong hitter coming up behind him. Often what happens
in Little League is a batter “squaring to bunt” results in the catcher getting distracted and
missing the ball altogether, then allowing the runner to advance without giving up the hitter.
There are a number of ways to defend bunt situations. Many managers like to have set “plays”
for various situations. In the interest of keeping things simple, it is good to remember that
Little League pitchers are usually among your best athletes and most bunts can be fielded by
pitchers on the small Little League diamond. That allows for the first and third basemen to
cover the base. When first and / or third basement charge the bunt, those bases must be
covered by someone. Any sacrifice bunt not directly at the pitcher will be very difficult to get
a lead runner out, particularly at 2nd base. In baseball, but in Little League especially, outs are
precious, so always get an out (“outs prevent rallies”). One thing to remember is with the
game on the line, and a runner on third with less than 2 outs, 1st and 3rd basemen both charge
because the only play that matters is at the plate in that situation.
Whatever defensive scheme you choose to handle bunt situations, practice them often so that
players are comfortable and won’t panic during the game. You can practice bunt defense and
offense at the same time, getting everyone involved (defenders, bunters & base runners).
1st & 3rd Offense & Defense
Runners on 1st and 3rd present opportunities on offense and challenges on defense in Little
League. With less than 2 outs, the offense will be trying to get the runner home. In Little
League, it is next to impossible to try to throw out a runner at 2nd and prevent the runner on 3rd
from scoring. So, depending on the score, you may choose to throw the runner out at 2nd and
let the runner on 3rd score. If you choose this play, your defense must be drilled to make sure
you get the runner on 1st, because he might fake the steal and you end up getting no one out. If
the game is close, you’ll end up letting the runner take 2nd. Some managers have “clever”
defensive plays in these situations, like throwing the ball to the shortstop or the 2nd baseman
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in an attempt to goad the runner on 3rd into leaving early. Sometimes they either throw to 3rd
in an attempt to pick off the runner or simply fake a throw to 3rd.
Some managers have had success in picking off runners at 1st and 3rd. However, this typically
happens only with very experienced catchers and infielders and with lots of practice. The
downside to pickoff attempts is that errors end up deep in the outfield and runners can score.
When attempting pickoffs, the outfielders must be engaged as well and need to be in position
to prevent disastrous results. In Little League, it will be challenging to get young corner
outfielders engaged in the back-up process and you must take this into consideration when
deciding if / when to use pickoff plays.
Cutoffs & Relays
Many managers find that the simplest way to handle relays from the outfield is to have your
strongest armed player (typically the shortstop) handle all outfield relays. Remember most
outfielders in Little League do not have strong arms. The key is to get the ball to the infielder
as quickly as possible (whether he is lined up or not) then he can make a strong throw to the
required base. Most Little League shortstops have the arm strength to make a throw to 3rd or
home from short to mid outfield. The second baseman must cover 2nd.
It is good (and simple) to have the pitcher handle all cutoffs in the infield. On the big
diamond, the 1st and 3rd basement typically handle cutoffs and the pitcher back up home plate.
However, on the small Little League diamond, the pitcher can handle the cutoffs. On over
throws, the catcher can go get the ball and the pitcher can hustle in and cover the plate.
There is more than one way to handle these situations but these are among the simplest and
are easy for the younger and more inexperienced players to understand.
ASSISTANT COACHES ROLE
There many very good coaches who cannot manage due to time constraints and available
positions. Coaches will have different skills to help the team, just like any other organization.
Some know the game better than others; some may know the game better than you. However,
you are the manager and it is your job to find ways for everyone to help. Some managers have
allowed really strong coaches to have significant practice and game roles, like running drills
or coaching 3rd base. Some managers may prefer to be on the bench in order to have constant
input with the players. Find out what each person does well and turn them loose on the job.
Some are good at keeping the score book but maybe not coaching the bases. Try to maximize
everyone’s skills, including your own. Don’t feel like you have to do something a certain way
just because it seems like everyone else is doing it differently. It is good to have a separate
coach or parent handle the pitch count, then verify it with the other team after each half
inning, so there are no disputes later on.
Coaches must submit a SORI form to the league before they will be allowed on the field with
the players. These are available on the League’s Website.
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PLAYER PUNISHMENT & DISCIPLINE
We have had instances in the recent past where managers have gone overboard in attempting
to discipline players and the result has been players quitting teams in mid-season and losing
interest in baseball. Players should not be disciplined for being late for practice or even
missing practice. Prescribing punishment like running extra laps or requiring push-ups for
tardiness or mistakes in practice is not in the spirit of Andover Little League and will not be
tolerated. Habitual tardiness can be dealt with in the form of reduced playing time.
Managers set the tone for the team and must remember that Andover Little League is not high
school baseball nor it is a military organization. Keep in mind that players and parents are
over scheduled and baseball is not as important to some as it is for others. Also keep in mind
that the primary role of the manager and coach is to develop talent and love of the game.
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ALL SUPPLEMENTAL RULES
All rules for Andover Little League are the same as for Little League around the U.S., with
just a few exceptions. Based on past experience, there are some of the regular rules that
require more emphasis with the managers than others. Those are listed in the section entitled
“Little League Rule Book Highlights” which is on the following page. In ALL, the only
exceptions to the LL Rule Book are:
1. No curve balls will be allowed.
A curve ball will be deemed an “illegal pitch” and will be treated as such (see below under
Little League Rule Book Highlights on the next page)
2. No slash bunting will be allowed.
A slash bunt is when a batter “shows bunt” to the defense then takes a full swing instead. Any
slash bunt attempts will result in the batter being declared “out.”
3. No intentional walks will be allowed in innings 1 through 5. In the 6th inning or later, they
will be allowed subject to the following limitation. They will only be permitted if the tying or
winning run is on base, and there is a base open (in past seasons, “baseball purist” managers
have walked runners intentionally to try to put a force play on at home or to set up the double
play in the 6th inning to prevent the tying or winning run from scoring). ALL wants to make
sure no “star hitters” are intentionally walked more than twice in the regular season. Thus,
any such intentional walks will be reported after the game to the league VP.
4. Each player is required to play 4 full defensive innings, and must have at least one plate
appearance.
5. In the ALL Majors, the managers have agreed to use Continuous Batting Order (“CBO”)
for the first half of the regular season (7 games), and Regular Nine-Player Lineups with
traditional substitution rules for the second half of the regular season (7 games) plus the
playoffs.
Managers are asked to notify the umpires about these rules in the pre-game meeting. These
are the only supplemental rules this year.
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LITTLE LEAGUE RULE BOOK HIGHLIGHTS
This section provides managers with the “highlights” of the rules which come up most
frequently or which are most important. The Little League Rule Book is a comprehensive
document (the good news), but is quite dense and a bit convoluted (the bad news). This list of
highlights can help you navigate it. However, it is not meant to replace a thorough review of
the Little League Rule Book. Each manager is responsible for knowing the rules backward
and forward.
Hopefully this list gives each of you a great head start. If any questions come up during the
2014 season, John Kirks (our ALL Rules Commissioner—john.kirks@stanfordalumni.org)
has volunteered to make himself available to consult on any questions. If he is unable to
resolve the matter, he will consult with the league VPs to get you an answer ASAP.
p. 40- Pitch count rules (very important). Note pitchers can complete the batter if they exceed a
pitch-count limit during the at bat, and the pitcher only needs to observe the days of rest requirement
as if he had not exceeded that threshold.
p. 40- Pitching “days of rest” rules (very important)
p. 40- A player who has played 4 or more innings at catcher is not allowed to pitch on that day (if has
played 3 2/3 innings at catcher, then can pitch later)
p. 40- A pitcher who delivers 41 or more pitches in a game cannot play the position of catcher for the
remainder of that day.
p. 55- Composite barrel bats are not permitted unless approved by Little League Int’l
p. 56- White long sleeve T-shirts not permitted.
p. 57- No metal spikes allowed
p. 61- Illegal pitch (in ALL, a curve ball falls under this definition). Note on p. 94: Illegal pitch
called a “ball” or batting team can decide to take the play at their option
p. 62- Infield fly rules
p. 67- No coach can warm up a pitcher either at home plate or in the bullpen
p. 68- Manager responsible for giving lineup to the umpire
p. 69- Continuous order substitution rules (very liberal)
p. 69- Base coaches talk to their own players only
p. 70- When to count a run as scored on a play on which the third out is made (no run scored if third
out is a force play, either at 1st or elsewhere)
p. 71- No “10-Run Mercy Rule” in Little League
p. 77- Dropped third strike rules
p. 79- Batting out of order
p. 84- Runner is out if running 3 feet outside baseline (unless avoiding interfering with fielder)
p. 85- Runner is out if using a head first slide while trying to advance (OK if diving back in)
p. 85- Runner touched by batted ball in fair territory (before has passed on infielder) is out
p. 88- Baserunners can’t leave base until pitch reaches the batter
p. 88- If base runner leaves base early: if “safe” can go back, if “out” he’s “out”
p. 90- Special pinch runner rules. Player can only be subbed for once per game. Pinch runner must
not be in the lineup (or in continuous order rules, must not be in the game defensively).
p. 95- Limits on manager visits to the mound (3rd visit to a pitcher in one inning must result in
removal of the pitcher; 4th visit to a pitcher in one game must result in removal)
p. 99- Managers should carry their rule books
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FIELD MAINTENANCE
All dirt areas should be raked level after each practice and game. While this doesn’t always
happen, it is particularly important that the LAST TEAM on the field rake the dirt areas. If
this is not done, puddles will develop in the low areas if it rains before the next day’s practice
or game. Because our fields sit on a landfill, there are areas where the ground has settled and
the outfields do not drain particularly well. On the infield, low areas typically develop at the
sliding area at each base, in front of the pitchers plate and the batter’s box areas around home
plate. The raking and compaction of the dirt areas will promote even distribution of water on
the infield when it rains.
How the raking is done really matters as well. Raking should always be done AWAY FROM
THE GRASS, NOT TOWARD THE GRASS. When the dirt is raked toward the grass, the
build-up of dirt along the edge of the infield grass creates a “lip” that will only continue to
build-up over time and eventually creates an unsafe situation for infielders, as the lips act as a
“ski jump” and hard grounders can hop into the infielders’ upper body or head. When our
infields are not properly raked, infielders become timid and often will not field ground balls
with proper technique. The league has invested a lot of its own money to re-build and
maintain the fields. The town does not maintain our fields, we do.
When there are puddles and you are trying to get a field ready to play a game or practice,
AVOID RAKING THE MUDDY WATER ONTO THE GRASS. Because there is clay in the
muddy water, pushing this water onto the grass contributes to the aforementioned lips / ski
jumps. It also makes the low areas wider and deeper, increasing the chance for an even larger
puddle after the next rain.
Other than waiting for the puddles to evaporate, there are two ways to get rid of this water.
The best way is to broom the water from the puddle, “painting” the dry areas of the infield dirt
with the puddle water. If the sun it out or there is some wind, these “painted” areas will dry
out very quickly.
If you have some time, you can turn the dirt under the puddle with a shovel, as this will allow
the water to drain into the subsoil, and expose the clay / mud to the air and allow it to dry
faster. Once it dries, it can then be re-graded and packed down. It is important to know that
our infields are clay based and clay doesn’t drain very well, especially when it is packed. The
proper raking of the fields will help to minimize the puddling and the aggravation that goes
along with it.
If there is a BRIEF downpour during a game and the infield gets muddy in areas, the mud can
be piled up and piled up off to the side to dry. Dry dirt (if available) can be brought to the
infield by wheelbarrow and raked (painted) in. The dry dirt will usually absorb the last little
bit of remaining mud on the infield and the game can resume. However, a long downpour will
usually result in a postponement because there’s just too much mud.
Because of the way the fields are graded and settlement, there are areas on each field that
collect water after heavy rains. Both outfield areas at Deyermond - Chandler Road collect
water, but if the grass is intact, they tend to dry out pretty well and not show much standing
water. There are areas behind 3rd base on each field at the edge of the grass that collect water
19
and must be swept out (away from the grass). The low area behind 3rd base on D1 is the worst
by far. The best way to remove this water is to carve a narrow channel in the dirt from the
puddle toward the 3rd base dugout, where the water can be swept and gravity will then carry
the water away behind the backstop. Once the water is gone, the channel can be re-graded so
it is safe for play. If the area behind 3rd on D2 is bad as well, the same thing can be done in the
dirt area from the puddle to the outer fence near the bleachers.
If you know that you have a game on the field after a rain storm, it is a good idea to get to the
field a little extra early if possible.
All tools needed for field work are located in the equipment shed, which is adjacent to the
snack shack. Each manager will be provided with a set of keys for the padlock on the roll up
door and the snack shack as well. When it starts to get warm, hornets and wasps will usually
build nests in the top of the roll-up door. The league will provide some wasp spray (in the
equipment shed) for the fields this year.
PRE-GAME FIELD PREPARATION
The home team is responsible for field preparation. As is the case with other team duties like
fund raising and the snack shack, it is good to have a schedule for parents to help out with
getting the field ready for games. If you have a few parents who like raking and can show up
consistently to do this important job, it may not be necessary to set a separate schedule.
Field preparation should be started no later than 30 minutes prior to the scheduled starting
time. If there are back to back games, the field preparation for the second game starts
immediately at the conclusion of the first game. Field preparation includes raking the infield
dirt areas, including the pitcher’s mound and the home plate area. The infield foul lines should
be re-done, always with a string. Chalk lines should never be done without a string.
Remember when doing lines that first and third bases are in fair territory, so the line should
cross underneath the edge of the base.
The wood templates need to be used to do the batters boxes. The guides across the center of
the batter’s box template line up with the front and rear of home plate. As a test, the batter’s
box extends into the fairground area in front of the plate. The easiest way to chalk the boxes is
to lay the template in the proper spot (about 5"-6" from the plate) then draw lines in the dirt
with a sharp edge (screwdriver), then pull the template out and apply the chalk lines. Once
that is done the field should be ready for play.
A few years ago we installed new “break away-type” bases as required by Little League.
These bases are a two piece set-up where the base top snaps onto a bottom section that is
anchored into the ground by a metal spike, which slides into a sleeve that is anchored by a
concrete filled box. The base plates can be left in the ground but the top of the base plate must
be completely clean so the base top fastens properly. Often, mud gets caked on to the base
plate and it must be cleaned to ensure proper operation. The base top is designed to pop off
during a hard slide so as to avoid injury. It is designed to snap right back on.
20
UMPIRES
One certified (“patched”) umpire is assigned for each game. If the game is postponed due to
bad weather, it is the responsibility of the home team manager to call and cancel the umpire.
If the umpire shows up because the home team manager did not call him, the league is on the
hook for the umpire fee. Each manager will be provided with a spreadsheet with contact
information for all umpires. John Shaheen is the umpire scheduler for our league.
Umpire fees are not yet finalized but are expected to be $50 per game this year. The home
team is responsible for paying the umpire and supplying new baseballs. Prior to the start of
the season, each manager will receive as check from the League Treasurer to cover umpire
costs for the season.
A petty cash receipt will be supplied as well. This must be filled out each game and returned
to the Treasurer at the end of the season. Any petty cash not used for umpires must be
returned to the league at the end of the season.
Inevitably, umpires make bad calls, just like players make poor plays and coaches make bad
decisions. Please avoid yelling at the umpire at all costs. Many of these umpires are young
guys learning the craft and are doing the best they can. If you have a dispute with an umpire,
please call time and have a private, civil conversation with the umpire, then move on.
“Showing up” an umpire is considered “bad form” in the game of baseball and will not be
tolerated by Andover Little League. Coaches and parents need to be told in no uncertain terms
that yelling at an umpire is unacceptable behavior and will not be tolerated by Andover Little
League.
GAME / PLAYER MANAGEMENT
While Little League rules require that all players play six defensive outs and get a minimum
of one at bat in a regular six inning game, Andover Little League has adopted a supplemental
rule, whereas each uniformed player plays four complete defensive innings, and gets a
minimum of one plate appearance. There are differing views as to how playing time should be
administered. Typically, the better players play more innings. Many managers choose to play
the older (12 year olds) more than the younger players. The better 11 or 10 year old players
may earn more playing time as well, which relegates older players to more time on the bench.
With many first year Majors 12 year olds this year, some very weak players may have to earn
greater than 4 innings playing time. Most managers choose to play five players 6 innings
each, and six players 4 innings each.
There are many ways to create a line-up but Little League substitution rules must be followed.
Only starters can re-enter a game, substitutes cannot. So, a player can play the first two
innings then leave the game and re-enter in the 5th and play the last two innings. One player
can play the first four innings and another player can play the last four innings.
A good approach to dealing with playing time is to tell all players and parents that playing
time more than 4 innings is “earned,” not only by production, but by attitude, showing up for
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practice on time, paying attention and working hard in practice, etc. Communicate whatever
you judge to be appropriate / fair criteria in this regard. Playing time is a touchy issue for
everyone. It is important that both parents and players understand your philosophy before the
season starts. This is a good topic to cover in a pre-season parent meeting.
Most Little Leaguers want to play infield because “that’s where the action is.” Players may
not be capable of playing the positions they desire without hurting themselves or the team.
For instance, first basemen and catchers must be able to catch balls that are thrown very hard.
If a young player is afraid of the ball (and many are) these players should not be allowed to
play these positions until they get over their fear.
Managers must communicate to both players and parents the expectations associated with
playing certain positions and that playing outfield is not punishment. It is important to tell
players and parents that outfield errors cost more bases than infield errors. A well-coached
outfielder should be in motion on every pitch. Young players need lots of fly balls in order to
develop competence and confidence in tracking and catching them in games.
Sometimes players will ask to go the snack shack during the game. It is strongly
recommended that players not be allowed to leave the dugout area (other than the playing
field) during the game, except to chase foul balls use the port-a john. Encourage all players to
bring drinks from home or have the parents or other non- players go to the snack shack for
them. It is also not a bad idea to encourage the players to use the port-a-john before leaving
the batting cage area to take the field prior to game time.
Little League has a strict pitch count rule for pitchers and the required rest between
appearances. See the Rule Book for pitch-count rules. Beyond this, be very careful with
young arms, especially pitchers. Never risk a young player’s future in order to win a game.
Make it clear to your players and parents that you want to know whenever they arms are
hurting, whether in practice of a game. Most players will not “ask out” unless they are really
hurt. Keep in mind that very few 11 or 12 year old pitchers are physically ready to throw a
full game outing. If your best pitcher can no longer command his fastball it’s probably a good
idea to get him out of there.
Keep in mind that curve balls are not allowed to be thrown by pitchers in Andover Little
League. Umpires are instructed to warn pitchers and managers when he sees sharp breaking
action on a pitched ball. When teaching throwing, managers need to instruct players to keep
their hand “on top of the ball” when throwing. The curve ball is thrown with the hand on the
outside of the ball. Some players do this without even knowing it.
Managers need to recognize when this happens and take corrective action with the player.
Change-ups are allowed but very few young pitchers can throw them well because their hands
are not yet big enough. Throwing a fastball consistently for strikes is the way to succeed in
Little League play. The kids love to experiment with curve balls and knuckle balls, but it is
best to discourage this. Players at this age should be working on throwing a fastball with
proper mechanics at all times.
Managers need to know the Little League playing rules. Please review the Official Rule Book
to avoid confusion and incorrect assumptions.
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Be a good sport. For instance, if you recognize that the other manager is making a substitution
error, try to let him know about is before the game resumes and there is the risk of a forfeit.
IN GAME PROTOCOL & CONDUCT
Most good coaches and managers adhere to the credo: “practices belong to the coach; the
game belongs to the players.” Many players, especially the younger and first year Majors
players, are pretty nervous during the game, often being more focused on “not screwing up”
than on making a positive contribution. To this end, managers should be encouraging to
players and it is typically best to for players to hear one voice as opposed to multiple voices,
particularly in tense situations. Managers want to win and sometimes it is easy to get caught
up in the moment and forget about what is best for the player(s) with respect to their
development and enjoyment of the game. Abusive language on the part of managers, coaches,
players and spectators will not be tolerated.
Our fields are surrounded by chain link fencing that separates the playing area from the bench
and spectator areas. In the interest of “leaving the game to the players” only one manager or
coach per team (other than base coaches) will be allowed to be inside the fenced in area
while the game is in progress. Little League rules require permission from the umpire to stop
the game to step on the playing field and talk to the players.
Protests
There is a protocol in the Little League Rule Book for official protests. Protests can be filed
only for rules violations, not judgment calls. If a manager wishes to file a protest, he must
notify the umpire at the time of the infraction. Protests will be resolved by the NL and AL
VP’s.
LIGHTS
Both D1 and D2 are equipped with lights for night play. The circuit breakers for each bank of
lights are located in the equipment shed. There a simple but important procedure for turning
on the lights so the electrical system does not overload. The boxes are marked with one each
for D1 and D2. Turn on one breaker at a time, waiting 40 to 60 seconds before turning on the
next one. There are four light banks for each field. The home team manager should assign a
parent to do this in advance when there will be night play.
The last team at the field is responsible for making sure that the lights are turned off and the
SNACK SHACK AND EQUIPMENT SHED ARE LOCKED. Typically this is the visiting
team whose family members are cleaning and securing the snack shack.
Each manager has been assigned a set of keys for the pad locks on the roll-up doors and the
snack shack itself. The last manager on site must ensure that the lights are off and the facility
is properly secured and locked before leaving.
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POST GAME TRASH PICK-UP
The home team is also responsible for post-game trash pick-up as well as pre and post-game
field raking. It should not be necessary to replace the plastic bags in the barrels after each
game, but make sure that all trash is picked up and the TOPS ARE ON THE BARRELS so
that they don’t fill up with water in the event of rain.
REPORTING GAME RESULTS TO THE DATABASE
The winning team manager is responsible for posting game results and pitching records to the
database. After each scheduled game, managers will be sent an email prompt for game result
posting. In addition to the game score, the manager will post the name of each pitcher used in
the game and the number of pitches thrown. Since there is no minimum pitching requirement
for non 12 year olds this year, it is not necessary to post the age of the pitcher. Managers are
asked to post the results immediately upon receipt of the email from the database.
MAKE-UP GAMES
The League VP’s are responsible for the re-scheduling for games lost due to weather or other
reasons. This will eliminate the temptation by managers to manipulate re-scheduling favoring
one team over another. The VP’s will make every effort to be as fair as possible when rescheduling games. Games on back to back games will be avoided whenever possible but will
be inevitable from time to time.
Managers must make every effort to play scheduled games when weather is not the reason for
the postponement. Examples in the past include science fairs, and class field trips to the Red
Sox, which can deplete rosters. When a team is guaranteed to have at least 9 or 10 players for
the game, the game should be played as scheduled.
Managers are responsible for letting the league VP’s know ASAP when games will not be
played. Remember, the home team is responsible for calling the schedule umpire to cancel.
Notifying umpires of game cancellations is extremely important because the League is
responsible for the umpire fee if the umpire is not contacted.
League VP’s
AL: Patrick Grecco
NL: John Anastasi
978-204-0763 cell
617-851-8008 cell
pdgrecco@comcast.net
janastasi@LALaw.com
When canceling games or practices, the manager should have a system for notifying parents
as well. When there is enough notice, emails can work. Phone chains work well when there is
little time. This is another good issue to address in a pre-season parent meeting. Typically a
parent can be found to take charge and organize the team phone chain.
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11 AND 12 YEAR OLD DISTRICT TOURNAMENT TEAM SELECTION PROCESS
Each year the league enters teams from each league (AL & NL) into the 11 and 12 year Little
League Summer Tournament. Locals refer to this as the “District Team” or “All-Stars.” The
team will be chosen by the managers of the league in early June, date and time TBA. Teams
are made up of 12, 13 or 14 players. Under Little League rules, teams with only 12 players are
allowed only 2 coaches on the bench during the game. Teams with 13 or 14 players are
allowed up to 3 coaches on the bench during the game.
There is no set formula with respect to a minimum or maximum number of players from
spring league teams. The primary goal of these teams is to win games and advance in the
tournament, so the goal is to put the best players in the league on these teams. Typically, only
12 year old players are selected for the 12 year-old team, but outstanding 11 years olds can be
selected as well. Same is true for the 11 year-old team with regard to 10 year-olds. Managers
for these teams are chosen by the League President, the VP of the League and the VP’s of the
AL and NL.
CHALLENGER GAMES
The Challenger division of Andover Little League enables special needs children to play
organized baseball. The program is open to boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 18, with
physical and/or emotional disabilities. The children are able to participate regardless of their
abilities, and receive on-field support in all aspects of the game - including batting, fielding,
running, and just having fun playing baseball!
The program utilizes a "buddy system" at the games to assist the Challenger players. These
buddies are players from the Major League division of Andover Little League. With the help
of the buddies, the children play baseball in a non-stressful, supportive environment. To this
end, all Challenger players are on the field at the same time, do not make outs, and are able to
bat (with or without assistance) until they hit the ball. The program was established
approximately 13 years ago, and the majority of the games are played on Saturday mornings.
Challenger games are played on Saturdays on D1 during the season. The precise times for
these games are TBA. These games are an opportunity for your teams to play a game with the
Challenger team as “buddies.” This has been a great experience for our teams in the past and
the players really enjoy it. Once the game schedule is out, teams can contact Rob Luber to
schedule dates for their teams. Typically, one Majors team is used to assist with each
Challenger game.
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