This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

A Whole New Ballgame

Little League baseball's changed a lot in about 10 years. When did you need a math degree to handle your pitching staff?

It had been around 10 years since I went out to cover a Little League game.

So I knew I was in for some changes when I went out to cover Loma Linda Little League during its games in the District 21 Tournaments.

I knew about the changes to pitching rules, with the introduction of pitch counts, but wasn't sure exactly how it would affect the game or teams.

Find out what's happening in Redlands-Loma Lindawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The answer: A lot.

And now that I've spent two weeks watching baseball, it became evident what skills a team will need to advance in a tournament, and maybe even make a trip to Williamsport for the Little League World Series.

Find out what's happening in Redlands-Loma Lindawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Of course, it starts with the basics of throwing, catching and hitting. But it's much more than the basics these days. So, I thought I'd break down some observations bit by bit.

PITCHING

Pitchers have always been required to get rest between starts, but the criteria had been innings pitched, not actual pitches. So teams used to be able to get away with carrying three or four pitchers. Great ones had five.

Now, you better have at least six players who are comfortable on the mound, and really, I'd want eight or nine on my team.

You really might need an advanced degree in mathematics to figure out how to get the most out of each player you put on the mound.

A player throws more than 20 pitches, they need a day's rest. Which puts managers in a tough spot, especially in an elimation game. Do you keep a pitcher in there or do you pull him after he throws 20 pitches? One team gambled in an elimination game and pulled its starter after 20 pitches ... and then lost and were out of the tournament.

The best way to avoid the problem: win. Winner's bracket teams will play less games and usually get more days off. But once you have that first loss, better hope you have an extra few arms available.

DEFENSE

Beyond simple throw and catch, your team has to be sound both fundamentally and mentally.

Mental mistakes will kill a team, because they lead to extra outs, which leads to more pitches and the greater need for pitchers.

Hold the ball an extra second, a runner's going to take advantage. Don't get a tag down, the inning will be extended. Try to make a pretty play without stopping the ball, and it's going by you.

Then it comes back to the fundamentals: Hitting the cut-off man, know where the ball needs to go when it's hit to you and thing like that.

HITTING

Patience at the plate is key in the new Little League.

Not swinging needlessly at marginal first pitches. Not helping the pitcher by swinging at that fastball over your head. Patience in the batter's box waiting for the slower-than-your-used to pitcher. Fouling off as many pitches as you can.

All that patience will pay off in a quicker outing for the opposing pitcher.

And, of course, the mantra of coaches everywhere: Don't swing for the fences, keep your head down and stay in the box.

BASERUNNING

Once you hit the ball, you have to be smart on the basepaths. And fast.

Speed can kill. Speed will get an extra base on a single. Speed will give you a chance to score on a wild pitch. Speed will force the opposing defense to possibly throw wildly, allowing for extra bases.

It will get in the other team's head. Hurried throws almost always lead to errors and extra baserunners.

INTANGIBLES

There has to be a sense of everyone working together. Cheering each other on, picking up the other players.

One thing that I miss out on the field is the chatter. The rules eliminating addressing the batter have had the unintended consequence of quieting the players on the field completely.

Players shouldn't be afraid to talk to one another when they're out there. Constantly reminding others of the amount of outs. Signaling their intentions for the next play. Picking up their pitcher with an attaboy or even calling time out themselves to calm everyone down after a rough play.

I realize I'm writing about children, but I don't think they're incapable of stepping up and taking on that level of leadership. I've seen it. I've coached teams that have had players do that.

So that's it. That's what it's going to take to win these days.

Obviously, winning isn't everything. But trying to win is.

And from my two weeks of watching these players, that part isn't the problem. Loma Linda's players have plenty to be proud of. I didn't see an ounce of quit in any of them. Just hope they're able to take the lessons they learned during this year's tournament and build upon it.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Redlands-Loma Linda