Running A Little League Baseball Fall League By Marty Schupak

Youth baseball seasons seem to be going longerinnings the whole fall season. If it is an eight game
and longer. Some leagues enter All Starseason, no more than eight innings, total for the
tournaments all the way through August. ComeFall league season. One inning per game per
the fall, do some of these players who havepitcher should be the average. This is forcing the
played the last six months really want to enter amanager to use different pitchers. Also how
Fall League? The answer is yes. More and moreabout having a batting order comprised of the
fall leagues are cropping up around the country.whole team, let's say one thru twelve. With this
Even with the competition from football andwe have free fielding substitutions. The point here
soccer leagues, some baseball purists still can't getis to get each player up. You can add other rules
enough. How should a youth baseball organizationto keep the game moving like nine players
run a fall league? The first thing the league has tomaximum at bat per inning or seven walks per
do is see if their league insurance covers theminning.
for the whole year or just the baseball season.There are a number of other creative rules a
The league Board should look into this andleague can try. The league has to make sure if
determine the fee for the league. As forthey have certain rule changes it is aloud by the
uniforms, nothing more than colored t-shirts fromLeague Board of Directors and the League
the league are really necessary.Charter. The main point is some kids prefer
The games themselves can be played a numberplaying baseball to soccer or football in the fall. If
of ways. I happen to think that the league shouldthere is enough interest, it's a shame to keep
be as non competitive as possible. This is a greatthese fields empty during the months of
opportunity for players to play different positionsSeptember and October and when timed
that they didn't do during the season. Pitcherscorrectly a youth baseball fall league can be run
innings should be limited. For example, if it is a fourright up to league tryouts for the next Spring
game season a player can't pitch more than fourseason.