minors rules modifications

LL minors (8-10 yo) softball coach. thinking of past rule mods in our district for minors, and what we should keep, modify, or add. want some feedback before I take it to our division rep and other coach

existing:

no D3K (keep)

no BB with bases loaded, offensive coach will pitch when 4 ball count is reached with bases loaded (keep) - probably need to formalize also rules on HBP with bases loaded, with permission of other coach, I left it up to batter. If girl was scared, she got base, and run scored. If girl wanted to hit, she could stay at bat (and of course pitch is a ball).

5 run limit per inning, except last two, then 10 or unlimited (keep)

no stealing when coach is pitching (keep)


suggestions for new rules mods

no continuation, if runner is more than halfway when pitcher gets ball in circle, they may advance. if they are less than halfway, they must return. last year we really had no one try continuation, but as our league and the league we did combined play with have shrunk significantly, we will playing more different leagues this year, some of whom had girls running on walks all the way to second. IMHO, this level in LL still needs to be about developing skills, focus on strategy in majors. just want to officially get it in rules.

when an attempt is made to throw out runner attempting to steal, no additional bases taken on overthrows/misses. I think last year I saw may be three throws to second all season, lots of coaches and pitchers yelling "HOLD IT". with our talent level, very little chance of making this play at this level, but I think we have to get them in the mindset of trying, but if say half of attempts will give offense extra bases, coaches will continue to yell "HOLD IT". Note, if runner from the base not being thrown to breaks on the throw, of course they may advance. That is not a steal based on the overthrow, that is based on good baserunning, to be encouraged.

no intentional walks - these girls need to hit. again, last year, we had a good group of coaches pretty much, but expanding our interleague this year to some leagues that in past have been very cutthroat at minors level (one coach made his own player cry one game)

Also pondering 4 inning limit for a pitcher in a single game. need to prod coahces to develop more pitching. don't care if they use ace pitcher 2-3 innings every game, but got to get other girls in the circle as well, and we have very few back to backs (so theorertically, with exception of maybe 2-3 games a year, coach could pitch one pitcher all game nearly every game).

Please provide feedback.

bmakj said:

no continuation, if runner is more than halfway when pitcher gets ball in circle, they may advance. if they are less than halfway, they must return. last year we really had no one try continuation, but as our league and the league we did combined play with have shrunk significantly, we will playing more different leagues this year, some of whom had girls running on walks all the way to second. IMHO, this level in LL still needs to be about developing skills, focus on strategy in majors. just want to officially get it in rules.

Click to expand...

The bolded section is what I would like to comment on.

According to the Look Back Rule, as long as the runner does not change directions, or pause (they get a second to determine direction if rounding a base with the ball returning to the circle) they are allowed to advance or return. The rule does not designate a distance. I feel your rule should not be distance related either.

If you are trying to control the number of bases allowed for a walk, then word it such that runners may only advance one base on a walk. Try to stay away from changing the Look Back Rule. I feel this is one of those rules that are essential to understand at all ages.

The rest of your rules are spot on. Best of luck this season and I hope your directors support you.

Those are really close to the rules DD played.

1 base per pitch was the rule so if the runner stole the defense had no reason not to attempt the play, no stealing home by the way.

We had inning limits on pitchers, I think it was 2 innings. I an in favor of this.

I would.set an inning limit that a team can get through a game with 2 pitchers, probably 2 or 3 innings. 1 pitch is considered an inning, no reason to make it complicated.

thanks for the feedback, that does sound better to me! really just trying to stop the multiple bases on walks. really to me teaches nothing that will help girls in long run, as when they are older, catchers are getting good enough to stop this pretty easily. just coaches focused more on Winning than development (honestly, after I am assured we will not be have at least 2-3 wins for the year (for girls sake not mine), I care nothing for our record).

BOD is easy part, hard part is our softball admin, who is just a complete rear. knows the game, but cannot communicate to save his life, and tries to run softball as dictator (see other threads), basically makes decisions, indicates to those affected but not on the BOD it is already decided, assuming no one will question it (which they don't, including myself in the past), and the BOD will rubber stamp (like most LL BOD, bball oriented, but slowly changing. but if I get our one other coach from our league to be on board, I think I can get other leagues to agree as well if they make sense.

almost forgot, we also limited stealing, 3 total per inning, no stealing home until midway through season, then max of one per inning. However, the limit was on stealing. my catcher tries to throw behind runner on, all runners are free to leave, without counting against limit, and I am fine with that (cannot have no additional bases on throwbehinds, as this makes it a no risk play for the defense. on the steal, the defense is reacting, but on the throw behind, the defense is initiating).

Your age groups span 2 of the age groups DD played.

8U there was no walks, offensive coach came in and pitched. 10U the pitchers were on there own, some really long games but it really got the pitchers practicing and getting better. A lot was put on their shoulders so they got better or stopped pitching.

At some point they need to be on their own, I am just not sure when.


I

our 8u is all coach pitch (and baseball only for that matter, not enough interest for multiple teams for softball, and parents did not like the travel time (30-40 min) for weeknight away games. 8s in minors are only there if they have played at least a year of coach pitch baseball.

in our minors, coach only pitches on BB when bases are loaded (ie no walking in of runs), last season I probably pitched 2-3 batters per game. will probably be a little rougher this year, as only returning P from my team is my Dd (LA8), who pitched about 5 innings total last year (did OK). Pretty certain other team will be about the same. League is running clinic including a pitching instructor from mid JAn through Mid MArch (ie start of practices), unfortunately my DD has/will miss at least half (winter swim meets, gonna do a short winter indoor soccer season too with her team, on same days as clinic, not certain of times yet).

For run limit why last two innings 10 runs? Aren't your games timed? If not is it 5 innings or 7? We usually just did last inning no run/110 run limit.
Like the idea of forcing two pitchers to be used however you end up doing it, smarter team would actually pitch #2 and #3 pitchers first so the run rule limits the damage meaning they always get a couple innings.
The stealing issue is hard because if this is played like most rec at this level a single becomes a triple almost every time, but its just hard to get around. I like no extra bases on steal attempts since it encourages trying to throw girls out but I wold definitely stick with no steals of home at least make them earn the run.

I missed the bumping up the run limit on the last inning, I am opposed to that.

If you have a run limit, which I like, it should be the same for all innings.

I have never played those rules but if I did my best pitcher is going to be on the bench until the last inning and might or might not pitch depending on the time limit.

quincy said:

I missed the bumping up the run limit on the last inning, I am opposed to that.

If you have a run limit, which I like, it should be the same for all innings.

I have never played those rules but if I did my best pitcher is going to be on the bench until the last inning and might or might not pitch depending on the time limit.

Click to expand...

The issue becomes if you don't do this games can basically be over after the first couple innings because the other team can not mathematically catch up, so any time a team is up by more than 5 going into the last inning the game is just over.