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Little League Umpire Basics

Pregame 

Meet with your Umpire partner 15 to 30 minutes prior to game

Introducions, Review Coverage (Fair/Foul, Fly Balls, Touches, etc)

Equipment Check

Bats – USA or Wood (Majors and below); USA, BBCOR or Wood (Int & Juniors)

Helmets – check for cracks and padding / C flaps (brand matching, no drilled holes)

Catcher Masks – check for cracks and padding, no missing screws & must have dangling throat guard

Plate Meeting (5 to 10 minutes prior to game time)

Introductions of Umpires and Managers

Ask the Managers if their Players are properly equipped for Little League Baseball (need a verbal yes)

Receive and Exchange Lineups (home team first, then away team)

Continuous Batting Order (all levels); confirm number of players at the game

Ask if the teams have any Ineligible Pitchers (home team first, then away team)

Ask the Managers to Report any pitcher or catcher changes to the umpire and scorekeepers

Remind the Managers they must Request Time and then Wait for an Umpire to Grant Time

Ask the teams to Hustle between innings (1 min); get a player with mask to warm up pitcher if needed

Review any Ground Rules for the day (time limits, field conditions)

Pledge and take the field

Introduce yourself to the official Scorekeeper

Scorekeepers are part of the officiating team

If they notice batting out of order, they do not notify anyone or say anything, they are game officials like the umpires

Plate Postitioning

Get in the Slot Position (see graphic below)

See the outside of the plate

Follow the ball with your eyes, head still

See the pitch, pause, make call loudly

Strike Zone - Space over Home Plate

Batter’s armpits to the top of the knees

Assuming batter’s usual stance swinging

Be Consistent – strike zone, calls, rules, etc.

Call all fly balls (catch / no catch)

Enforce all the rules

Back up the base umpire when you can 

Base Positioning

A, B and C Positions (2-man crew)

No One on Base - A Position

Man on First - B Position

Everything Else - C Position

Responsible for all calls at all the bases

Stealing - Watching the baserunners, Majors and Below, runners cannot leave until the pitch reaches the plate

Ball stays In – Umpire stays Out

In A Position, play at 1st, step into field, get 90o to throw, watch ball, check base, make the call 

Ball goes Outfield – Umpire comes In

Watch runners tag the bases and pivot to stay ahead of the runner

Keep chest to ball when possible

Be stationary at time the play happens

See the play, pause, make the call loudly

Game Notes

Time starts when home team takes the field

Woodfield Curfew | Call games @ 9:55

AA

Call Last Inning - 1:30 if game following

No New Inning - 1:50 if game following

Time Limit hard stop - 2:15 regardless

5 Run Inning Limit | Unlimited last inning

Home Plate Closed till Spring Break

AAA

Call Last Inning - 1:45 if game following

No New Inning - 2:05 if game following

5 Run Inning Limit | Unlimited last inning

Unlimited runs last Inning

Majors

Uncaught Third Strike (Majors & Above)

No time limits outside of curfew

Mercy - 10 after 4 Innings

Intermediate and Juniors

Leadoffs and Balks

Headfirst slides okay

Metal spikes okay

Mercy – 15 after 4 / 10 after 5

Juniors – No new inning - 2:15

Basic Calls

The following quick videos cover how to perform the "Basic 6" signals for an umpire (Strike, Ball, Out, Safe, Fair / Foul, Time)

Strike

Ball 

Out

Safe

Foul (Base)

Foul (Plate)

Fair (Plate)

Time