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
