1. Scorekeeper’s Guide Corona American Little League 2010 Official Scorekeeper - Jon Siemsen - jsiemsen@sbcglobal.net

2. Duties Home team provides Official Scorekeeper: records the game in the scorebook and maintains the official pitch count. Visiting team provides Assistant Scorekeeper: operates the scoreboard and assists in keeping the pitch count record. If home team does not have Scorekeeper, a coach or manager must sit at scoring table and keep score and official pitch count. If visiting team does not provide assistant Scorekeeper, a coach or manager must update the scoreboard and keep the pitch count. Arrive at the scorer’s table 15 minutes before the game time. Write your name on each score sheet (no signatures, please). Obtain lineup cards from the Home and Visiting team managers. Verify the “pitcher eligibility” in scorebook. Input starting lineups (names & numbers) and pitchers (numbers & age) into the scorebook as early as possible before the first pitch.  No first pitch before you are ready.

3. Duties - Continued During the Game:  Watch each play and record the results in the scorebook. Record an exact game situation (possible protests or suspended games)  Keep an accurate count of all pitches thrown and record in the scorebook each half inning. (You may want to cross check the pitch count each half inning with the Asst. Scorekeeper.)  Assistant Scorekeeper: Operate the “Pitch Counter” Update the scoreboard after each pitch/out/run. After the Game:  Record FINAL SCORE and have managers & umpires sign.  Record the pitch count totals for every pitcher on each team. Jr & Sr league enter the count into the “Pitcher Eligibility Tracking Form”. Sign the form and keep with the scorebook.  The formula for double checking your totals is: At bats plus bases on balls, plus hit batters, plus sacrifices, plus number of batters reaching first on interference by catcher must equal the following: runs, plus left on bases, plus opponent’s putouts.  Leave the scorebook and attached pitch counter in the storage bin.

4. Scorekeeping Tips Always use a pencil. Avoid Erasing (notes are better) Secure your coffee & drinks: spills are a bummer. Concentration & focus are important. Cross check your stats between innings and tally in the appropriate places. You work for and with the umpire and no one else. Provide info to the umpire, but do not publicly disagree.  Leave issues and arguments to the umpire to decide. You can ask manager/coaches to leave while you discuss the issue. If there are two or more players running the bases, fill out the score sheet “backwards” after every play.  Start with the batter and record what happened to that player. Then, go up the lineup to the previous player on the bases, and record what happened to that player. And so on…

5. Important To Get Right Pitch Count: Number of pitches delivered by each pitcher. Each inning and cumulatively. Don’t forget the pitch thrown on the play. (Juniors & Senior League: Balk and illegal pitches count even if not thrown.) Substitutions: Important to know at exactly what point a player entered/exited (e.g. top 4 th ) Pitcher substitutions main focus at Majors & Minor divisions. Mark the change with a line above the batter the change happened with. Mark a defensive change with a line on the left side of the players box at the inning the change took place. The Score

6. Pitch Count Rule 2010 Two main parts to the rule:  1) Pitch count limit per game  2) Pitcher rest requirements as determined by # of pitches  Pitch Count Limit Per Game:  The manager must remove a pitcher when the pitcher reaches the pitch limit for his/her age group: 17-18 years old:105 pitches per day 13-16 years old:95 pitches per day 11-12 years old:85 pitches per day 9-10 years old:75 pitches per day 7-8 years old: 50 pitches per day Exception: If a pitcher reaches the limit while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until that batter reaches base or is put out.  Each team’s Pitcher eligibility will be determined by Official Scorekeeper in book prior to game.  Provide pitch count totals to manager/coaches whenever they ask.  When a pitcher reaches ~ 75 pitches (11-12), proactively inform ONLY the plate umpire before the next batter.  Proactively inform ONLY the plate umpire when a pitcher reaches his/her limit.

7. Pitch Count Administration Each pitch delivered to a batter shall be counted. The total pitches for each pitcher must be entered in the score book pitch count column at the end of the game, or in the Eligibility Tracking Form for Jr & Sr divisions. Official Scorekeeper’s pitch count record is official & final.  It doesn’t matter if a manager’s, coach’s, or parent’s total are different than yours!  Do not get caught up in comparing whose record is right. The Official Scorekeeper’s record is right. Official Scorekeeper may or may not decide to use the count cross-checks provided by the Asst. Scorekeeper.

8. Shutting Down Checklist Tally up and cross-check the totals  Clearly indicate the final score and the winner/loser  Clearly indicate the pitch count totals per pitcher  Clearly indicate the number of innings pitched per pitcher.  Have the managers from each team sign off. Clean up and put the books & counters away in the storage bin.  DO NOT TAKE THE BOOK WITH YOU!

9. Some Do’s and Don’ts Show up—preferably early—or let the manager know you can’t make it well in advance (day before). Remind yourself you are a volunteer doing the League a service as best you can. Have fun. Always try to bring illegal substitutions (pitcher/player) to the attention of the head Umpire before the next pitch.  Insure and inform the umpire that EVERY PLAYER meets mandatory play. Substitute must play 6 consecutive outs and have one at bat before they can be removed.  Not your responsibility to notice, but always try to prevent illegal subs. Never identify “batting out of order” to the Umpire or anyone. Responsibility of the managers. If the managers have lineup changes, direct them to the umpire. The umpire will instruct you of the accepted changes. Scorekeepers can only give the score of the game and the pitch count to both teams, and nothing else w/o the umpires permission. Try your best to keep distractions down to a minimum. If you need a moment for clarification, ask the Umpire between innings, or if you absolutely need to, ask the ump for time between batters. Never interrupt live play. Don’t show or express favoritism. You may provide an unfair advantage to one team over another and put the umpire in a very embarrassing position. Never publicly disagree with the umpires or offer your own opinion.