is one of the things that make Little League special. Every child is guaranteed one (1) at bat and six defensive outs, per game, regardless of ability.

Some leagues have adopted a local rule that guarantees their players one (1) at bat and nine (9) defensive outs per game. The thought is, that this will ultimately be better for the kids, because they will get to play an extra inning of defense.

Unfortunately, when minimum play is increased to 3 innings, substitutions are normally made after 3 innings, so teams end up with 6 players getting their 9 out minimum and 6 playing the entire game (assuming a 12 man roster).

I have had several managers approach me recently, asking if there was a way to give the kids more playing time without violating substitution rules.

What I discovered was, the Little League requirement of one at bat and six consecutive defense outs is the requirement for re-inserting starters. The additional 3 defensive outs required by local rule are still the Manager's responsibility, but they do not affect the Little League substitution rule.

With this in mind, I will attempt to illustrate a line-up that will give most players on the team 4 innings of play, and will not create a protestable situation. This method was originally demonstrated by Mike Wright, former Little League Western Region Umpire Coordinator, at the Little League Western Region Umpire School.

When substitutions are made after the 2nd inning, the starters can re-enter the lineup as substitutes in the 5th inning (provided. original substitutes have met the requirements of ).

12 player team, this will give:

• Starters 1, 2, 3, 7, 8 & 9 will play 4 innings
• Substitutes 10, 11 & 12 will play 4 innings
• Starters 4, 5 & will play 6 innings

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