I want to remind everyone about Cedar Mill Little League's expectations regarding team and coach behaviors, specifically sportsmanship. As an umpire, you manage the game, enforce rules, and ensure sportsmanship. This is simply a means to align expectations and is not calling out any particular situation.

Game Schedule

• Games are to start at the scheduled time
  • Many games follow one another and there's no room for late start times
• Be mindful of inning switch times
  • 8 pitches maximum for a pitcher to warm up, or one minute. 
• Encourage quick inning switching
• Encourage that batters get in the box in a timely manner

Umpire's Calls

1. Remember this: in the eyes of the rules, the Umpire is always right!
2. THEIR calls that are subject to THEIR judgment such as fairs and fouls, safes and outs, plus balls and strikes are not arguable.
3. Coaches can ask them to go to their partner for extra information that they may not have, but this is up to the umpire!
4. Before ejecting they'll first warn by putting their hand out (palm facing the coach) and saying "coach that's enough," or "we are not going there today," or "this is a warning coach, please stop." If they continue, then they can eject them.
5. If a coach cusses then they should be automatically ejected.
6. They can remember these three P's:
   1. Profane -- If they use cuss words (automatic ejection).
   2. Prolonged -- If they are talking or arguing with the umpire for a long time.
   3. Personal -- If they say things like "you're horrible," or "you should go see an eye doctor."

See the MLB Umpire Manual (attached to this email) for more information about these situations (pgs. 1-4).

Pitchers and Distracting Wearables

Rule 1.15(a) and (b) states "The pitcher’s glove may not, exclusive of piping, be white or light gray nor, in the judgment of an umpire, distracting in any manner. No pitcher shall attach to the glove any foreign material of a color different than the glove. The pitcher may wear a batting glove on the non-pitching hand under the pitcher’s glove provided the batting glove is not white, gray or optic yellow."

Therefore, remove any white/gray gloves or undersleeves from the mound! Pitchers can't wear anything that would distract the batter. A good test is to ask yourself if this also distracts you before removing it as coaches will sometimes try and abuse the rule.

Also, a reminder that rule 1.11(j)'s prohibition against jewelry still applies to pitchers! "Players must not wear jewelry such as, but not limited to, rings, watches, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, nor any hard cosmetic/decorative items. This rule applies regardless of the composition of such jewelry, hard cosmetic item, or hard decorative item. Hard items to control the hair, such as beads, are permitted."

To conclude, Umpiring is not about pleasing people. The word itself comes from the high German word for nobility, meaning to be above everyone else! It’s about being fair and impartial, enforcing the rules in an effort to "get it right." In youth sports it’s also to (in some cases) engender a sense of sportsmanship and fair play while ensuring a smoothly functioning game that is safer with you there than without.

Attached is the Little League Rules Instruction Manual (RIM). This has all the official rules intpermatins and approved enforcement mechanisms. Also is the MLB Umpire Manual. This is a FANTASTIC RESOURCE. We use the MLB's rulebook for the most part, so I would suggest reading through that in conjunction with the RIM.

Dugout Cheering

This is not an issue in the MLB but it certainly is in high school and college baseball. Pitchers need to overcome the pressure at some point. Allowing a young pitcher to develop without being discouraged by "cheering" pressure is more important at younger ages. We want to encourage players to pitch without fear, giving them the best chance to develop into a pitcher. Umpires will take into account the division of play and age of players for any judgement. So...

1. We encourage positive cheering directed towards their own team (e.g., the dugout cheering on their batter)
2.  Cheering should respect the opposing teams pitcher's wind up and release (e.g., cheer on the batter but stop to respect the pitcher)
3. Our little league teams consist of neighbors, friends, and our community members.

The relevant rule is 4.06(c): "No manager, coach or player, shall at any time, whether from the bench or the playing field or elsewhere ... make any move calculated to cause the pitcher to commit an illegal pitch [a balk in BASEBALL: Intermediate (50-70) Division/Junior/Senior League]."

Little League adds the following interpretation: "Stop this maneuver immediately. This could involve many acts, such as the batter stepping out of box or raising their hand toward the pitcher, the base coach yelling “Go” or “Balk”, the base runner yelling, or the manager yelling “Time” from the dugout. The base runner clapping his/her hands or kicking the dirt is normally not a problem and should be ignored. Cheering and chanting from the dugout can be of any intensity as long as it is positive and directed toward players on their own team. There should be no crescendo as the pitcher is delivering a pitch (or a fielder is attempting to make a play). The umpire should warn the manager that this will not be allowed."

If after warning the actions continue, eject the offending player from the game. If you cannot figure out who is doing this, then eject the manager. 

This is because any player, manager, or coach who fails to comply with an order from an umpire to do or to refrain from doing anything that affects administering the rules and regulations governing play is subject to ejection.

Examples

During the plate meeting, you could start each game by introducing yourself this way "Hi I’m Troy, let’s have a good clean game today, I’m 13 years old and I’m not experienced with crowd control. I know you, your staff, and players will not argue calls or do anything to create an anxious environment for me to enforce the rules of the game fairly for both teams. Please ensure that everyone is observing good sportsmanship. It'll really make the game a great environment for all to learn and enjoy the game today. Go get'em, if you have any questions or tips please make sure to discuss with me between innings. Have a good game!"