WEBVTT 00:00:14.269 --> 00:00:17.269 Welcome to Blue Crew Diaries, an umpire podcast. 00:00:17.570 --> 00:00:20.449 My name is Daryl and I will be your host as we 00:00:20.449 --> 00:00:23.230 take a look behind the mask, so to speak, sharing 00:00:23.230 --> 00:00:26.449 stories, insights, and experiences from the unique 00:00:26.449 --> 00:00:30.129 perspective of the baseball umpire. In this episode... 00:00:30.359 --> 00:00:33.700 We're going to kick off the 2026 season with 00:00:33.700 --> 00:00:36.039 the significant updates to the Little League 00:00:36.039 --> 00:00:39.159 rulebook. As always, if you have any questions, 00:00:39.280 --> 00:00:42.000 comments, or ideas for future episodes, drop 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:46.420 me a line at bluecrewdiaries at gmail .com. So 00:00:46.420 --> 00:00:48.600 if you're ready, grab your indicator and plate 00:00:48.600 --> 00:00:56.829 brush, and let's hit the field. All right, everybody, 00:00:57.009 --> 00:01:01.229 welcome to the third season inaugural episode 00:01:01.229 --> 00:01:05.849 of Blue Crew Diaries and Umpire podcast. If you 00:01:05.849 --> 00:01:08.629 are here for the first time, simply welcome. 00:01:09.329 --> 00:01:14.209 If you are returning, welcome back. Glad to have 00:01:14.209 --> 00:01:19.670 you here. Ah, yeah, I took a couple of months 00:01:19.670 --> 00:01:24.489 off. Not really a whole lot in the world of. 00:01:25.209 --> 00:01:28.810 Little League baseball going on as far as from 00:01:28.810 --> 00:01:31.849 an umpiring standpoint. So I just took a couple 00:01:31.849 --> 00:01:36.670 of months off. I did just to kind of bring you 00:01:36.670 --> 00:01:39.829 up to speed on some current events. I did run 00:01:39.829 --> 00:01:45.769 back in November for my local Little League board 00:01:45.769 --> 00:01:50.129 of directors. I unfortunately was not successful 00:01:50.129 --> 00:01:55.250 in getting on the board. But that's a topic for 00:01:55.250 --> 00:01:59.189 another episode. In this episode, as you heard 00:01:59.189 --> 00:02:01.010 in the intro, we're going to be going over the 00:02:01.010 --> 00:02:04.329 significant updates to the 2026 Little League 00:02:04.329 --> 00:02:09.050 rulebook, specifically the updates that pertain 00:02:09.050 --> 00:02:14.969 to us umpires. If you want to read all of the 00:02:14.969 --> 00:02:17.310 significant updates, they are right on the Little 00:02:17.310 --> 00:02:22.000 League website at littleleague .org. But before 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:26.099 we get into that, we have some announcements. 00:02:26.419 --> 00:02:32.879 So let's get to them. All right, starting off 00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:36.139 the announcements with, if you have not already, 00:02:36.479 --> 00:02:39.699 be sure to sign up for the Little League Umpire 00:02:39.699 --> 00:02:44.039 Registry. That is littleleagueumpire .org. A 00:02:44.039 --> 00:02:48.620 lot of good stuff on there. Not to mention, you 00:02:48.620 --> 00:02:52.409 can complete. your little league volunteer application 00:02:52.409 --> 00:02:56.629 and background check on the little league umpire 00:02:56.629 --> 00:03:00.050 .org website once you are signed up for the registry 00:03:00.050 --> 00:03:02.969 signing up for the registry is completely free 00:03:02.969 --> 00:03:06.229 in the background check or submitting the background 00:03:06.229 --> 00:03:09.590 check request is i believe it's five dollars 00:03:09.590 --> 00:03:14.750 not really too big of a deal but what that gets 00:03:14.750 --> 00:03:18.340 you is it gets you your background check complete 00:03:18.340 --> 00:03:23.159 and your volunteer application complete for any 00:03:23.159 --> 00:03:27.419 league. So that means if you plan on working 00:03:27.419 --> 00:03:31.460 multiple leagues in your area, you only have 00:03:31.460 --> 00:03:33.840 to fill out the application and go through the 00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:38.479 background check one time versus having to do 00:03:38.479 --> 00:03:41.699 those for every single league that you umpire. 00:03:42.879 --> 00:03:45.759 Definitely can save you a lot of time. Trust 00:03:45.759 --> 00:03:51.259 me. And a lot of headache. Also, if you're planning 00:03:51.259 --> 00:03:56.419 on attending any of the in -person training opportunities 00:03:56.419 --> 00:04:02.639 that Little League offers, you will need to do 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:07.060 this on the umpire registry. Simply filling out 00:04:07.060 --> 00:04:10.620 the volunteer application and going through the 00:04:10.620 --> 00:04:13.379 background check will not cut it. You need to 00:04:13.379 --> 00:04:16.579 do it on the registry. Also, on the registry 00:04:16.579 --> 00:04:20.339 is where you would sign up for all of those actual 00:04:20.339 --> 00:04:25.000 Little League, you know, proper Little League 00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:29.420 organization trainings. All that is on the LittleLeagueEmpire 00:04:29.420 --> 00:04:35.540 .org website. Also on the website, a lot of educational 00:04:35.540 --> 00:04:39.040 tools. You can submit your tournament application 00:04:39.040 --> 00:04:41.959 if you are interested in working at tournament. 00:04:42.899 --> 00:04:45.819 There's some... links you can buy some basic 00:04:45.819 --> 00:04:49.459 umpire gear, shirts, base running flags, ball 00:04:49.459 --> 00:04:52.699 bags, indicators, all that kind of stuff. And 00:04:52.699 --> 00:04:56.699 you can also select what leagues you want your 00:04:56.699 --> 00:05:01.279 information to be in front of. So when these 00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:04.680 local leagues are looking for umpires, they can 00:05:04.680 --> 00:05:09.620 go on littleleague .org or whatever data center 00:05:09.620 --> 00:05:13.509 that they use. And they can see your information 00:05:13.509 --> 00:05:17.230 and then they can reach out to you and say, hey, 00:05:17.250 --> 00:05:21.350 would you like to umpire for us? So speaking 00:05:21.350 --> 00:05:24.949 of upcoming trainings, I am not going to go through 00:05:24.949 --> 00:05:29.949 them all, but there are a bunch of upcoming trainings 00:05:29.949 --> 00:05:34.889 and clinics on the Little League Umpire Registry. 00:05:36.430 --> 00:05:40.089 Two biggest ones, if you are in and around the 00:05:40.089 --> 00:05:48.449 area of Maine, like I am, March 28th, 2026, Brewer 00:05:48.449 --> 00:05:52.050 Little League in Brewer, Maine, will be hosting 00:05:52.050 --> 00:05:55.750 a Little League Outreach Clinic. That's going 00:05:55.750 --> 00:05:59.310 to be held at the Brewer High School. Again, 00:05:59.490 --> 00:06:03.350 that's March 28th, starting at 9 a .m. Plans 00:06:03.350 --> 00:06:08.149 to be a whole day. Only cost you 30 bucks. I've 00:06:08.149 --> 00:06:10.569 already signed up for it. I would highly suggest 00:06:10.569 --> 00:06:13.730 that you do so as well. And that link can be 00:06:13.730 --> 00:06:19.050 found on the umpire registry. Looks like, yeah, 00:06:19.089 --> 00:06:23.170 a week or so after that is a umpire academy. 00:06:24.310 --> 00:06:27.550 This one is a little different. Normally, they're, 00:06:27.709 --> 00:06:31.670 you know, the umpire academies on this side of 00:06:31.670 --> 00:06:34.019 the country. at least in the Northeast, are held 00:06:34.019 --> 00:06:36.319 in Bristol, Connecticut at East Region Headquarters. 00:06:36.939 --> 00:06:42.540 This one, April 8th through the 12th in Dover, 00:06:42.579 --> 00:06:49.079 New Hampshire at the high school there. That 00:06:49.079 --> 00:06:53.079 one is obviously a few days. It's more of an 00:06:53.079 --> 00:06:56.379 umpire academy than just a simple clinic. Cost 00:06:56.379 --> 00:07:03.250 for that one is $200. And I believe... Lunch 00:07:03.250 --> 00:07:07.329 will be provided, but you will have to provide 00:07:07.329 --> 00:07:10.069 your own accommodations, unless obviously you 00:07:10.069 --> 00:07:13.810 live down that way. So again, littleleagueempire 00:07:13.810 --> 00:07:17.810 .org. Be sure to sign up for those if you are 00:07:17.810 --> 00:07:21.670 interested or any of the trainings or clinic 00:07:21.670 --> 00:07:24.269 opportunities on there. They've got everything 00:07:24.269 --> 00:07:28.529 from two umpire system clinics to umpire academies 00:07:28.529 --> 00:07:32.100 to four umpire system clinics. And a little bit 00:07:32.100 --> 00:07:37.100 of everything in between. So that is pretty much 00:07:37.100 --> 00:07:41.759 it for announcements. So let's get into our main 00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:49.519 topic. All right. And again, today's main topic 00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:55.360 is the 2026 significant rulebook updates. These 00:07:55.360 --> 00:08:01.660 just dropped last week officially. downloaded 00:08:01.660 --> 00:08:06.220 the Little League umpire or the Little League 00:08:06.220 --> 00:08:10.860 rulebook app on either your phone or your tablet, 00:08:10.959 --> 00:08:14.959 what have you. Be sure to do that. All the rules 00:08:14.959 --> 00:08:18.240 have been updated, including the significant 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:23.199 updates. So like I said in the intro, we're just 00:08:23.199 --> 00:08:27.180 going to touch on the significant updates that 00:08:27.180 --> 00:08:31.529 we are directly going to deal with. as umpires 00:08:31.529 --> 00:08:37.649 some of the like mandatory play stuff and things 00:08:37.649 --> 00:08:40.649 like that really don't we don't normally deal 00:08:40.649 --> 00:08:44.769 with that that's kind of an admin thing that's 00:08:44.769 --> 00:08:48.809 out of our purview so to speak so we're just 00:08:48.809 --> 00:08:51.470 going to be going over the stuff that we are 00:08:51.470 --> 00:08:55.710 going to deal with uh starting off with one of 00:08:55.710 --> 00:09:00.370 the biggest ones of this year in my opinion is 00:09:00.370 --> 00:09:07.809 the use of pine tar or any other similar adhesive 00:09:07.809 --> 00:09:16.009 substance is now permitted at all levels of baseball 00:09:16.009 --> 00:09:23.669 and softball. That is huge. Before, you could 00:09:23.669 --> 00:09:30.700 not use pine tar at all. you were done you could 00:09:30.700 --> 00:09:36.980 not use it now there are some caveats to this 00:09:36.980 --> 00:09:41.539 you cannot just lather the bat up with vine tar 00:09:41.539 --> 00:09:49.799 and call it good um it's just no so looking at 00:09:49.799 --> 00:09:56.850 the new rulebook rule 1 .10 uh note two Of course, 00:09:56.870 --> 00:09:59.370 there's a couple of Note 2s under that particular 00:09:59.370 --> 00:10:02.629 rule, but it's the one that's all in red and 00:10:02.629 --> 00:10:05.909 underlined. That states, the use of pine tar 00:10:05.909 --> 00:10:09.889 or any other similar adhesive substance may be 00:10:09.889 --> 00:10:13.169 applied to the handle or grip of the bat at all 00:10:13.169 --> 00:10:17.529 levels of Blue League Baseball. Pine tar or any 00:10:17.529 --> 00:10:21.629 other foreign substance shall not be added to 00:10:21.629 --> 00:10:25.669 the surface of the barrel or taper of the bat. 00:10:26.409 --> 00:10:31.429 And shall not cover the USA Baseball logo. Or 00:10:31.429 --> 00:10:34.850 the BB Corps logo for Intermediate, Junior, and 00:10:34.850 --> 00:10:39.389 Senior Division. Or other key identifying information 00:10:39.389 --> 00:10:45.309 or logos on the bat. So it can only be on the 00:10:45.309 --> 00:10:47.870 handle. It cannot be on the barrel. It cannot 00:10:47.870 --> 00:10:52.549 be on the taper. And it cannot cover the bat 00:10:52.549 --> 00:10:57.960 logo. the USA Baseball logo for those of us in 00:10:57.960 --> 00:11:03.080 majors and down. Penalty for this is if the bat 00:11:03.080 --> 00:11:06.220 has pine tar or a foreign substance on the barrel 00:11:06.220 --> 00:11:09.279 or taper or covers key identifying information 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:13.799 on the bat, the bat must be removed from the 00:11:13.799 --> 00:11:21.080 game and the player shall be warned. Now, if 00:11:21.080 --> 00:11:25.080 the player repeats the infraction, that player 00:11:25.080 --> 00:11:30.200 and their manager are at that point ejected. 00:11:30.200 --> 00:11:34.279 So they get a warning first. It's not an automatic 00:11:34.279 --> 00:11:39.080 ejection. You give the player a warning. I may 00:11:39.080 --> 00:11:41.940 also say something to the coach. Hey, this player 00:11:41.940 --> 00:11:45.059 is being warned for using a bat that has pine 00:11:45.059 --> 00:11:48.000 tar where it's not supposed to be. That way everybody 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:53.720 knows what's going on. If they do it again, Now 00:11:53.720 --> 00:12:01.740 they're tossed. Now, in such cases, all results 00:12:01.740 --> 00:12:09.580 from the use of such bat will stand. And the 00:12:09.580 --> 00:12:12.059 infraction is not cause for calling the batter 00:12:12.059 --> 00:12:16.899 out, nor shall the bat be declared illegal. So 00:12:16.899 --> 00:12:21.399 basically what they're saying there is, if, say, 00:12:22.029 --> 00:12:25.629 the player hits a home run with a bat that has 00:12:25.629 --> 00:12:29.509 pine tar on the barrel. And this is discovered 00:12:29.509 --> 00:12:34.250 after the home run is hit and everybody rounds 00:12:34.250 --> 00:12:40.629 the paces legally. That home run stands. All 00:12:40.629 --> 00:12:46.590 the runs that cross the plate will score. And 00:12:46.590 --> 00:12:50.190 nobody is declared out just because that bat 00:12:50.460 --> 00:12:56.220 is not proper. The bat's taken out of the game. 00:12:56.399 --> 00:13:06.460 The player is warned. That's it. So let's get 00:13:06.460 --> 00:13:15.299 into rule 1 .10 AR2. This significant update 00:13:15.299 --> 00:13:19.389 updates the wording To permit the use of thumb 00:13:19.389 --> 00:13:24.090 protectors. So thumb protectors are now allowed 00:13:24.090 --> 00:13:30.710 on the bat. Or on the player. And clarifies that 00:13:30.710 --> 00:13:33.529 paradox such as but not limited to choke knobs 00:13:33.529 --> 00:13:36.629 or choke up assists are still not permitted. 00:13:38.370 --> 00:13:43.750 Now notice I said. Not permitted. Not illegal. 00:13:44.750 --> 00:13:49.769 Just not permitted. So, this is directly from 00:13:49.769 --> 00:13:54.169 the rulebook. AR2. No bat in any level of Little 00:13:54.169 --> 00:13:56.110 League Baseball or Softball is permitted to be 00:13:56.110 --> 00:13:59.629 altered. Products such as, but not limited to, 00:13:59.769 --> 00:14:04.129 choke knobs or choke assist are not permitted. 00:14:05.690 --> 00:14:10.250 Penalty. If a bat has such a product, the product 00:14:10.250 --> 00:14:15.769 must be removed from the bat, and the bat shall 00:14:15.769 --> 00:14:22.559 not Be declared illegal. So if there's a choke 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:26.600 -up knob or a choke -up assist on the bat, hey, 00:14:26.779 --> 00:14:32.419 you got to take that off. That's it. They take 00:14:32.419 --> 00:14:36.320 it off, they can use the bat. No problem there. 00:14:38.899 --> 00:14:42.799 Player shall be warned, obviously. And if they 00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:47.210 repeat the infraction, then that... particular 00:14:47.210 --> 00:14:50.429 offending player and the manager are ejected. 00:14:51.230 --> 00:14:54.470 In such cases, all results from the use of a 00:14:54.470 --> 00:15:00.110 bat will stand, same as with the pine tar, and 00:15:00.110 --> 00:15:02.169 this infraction is not caused for calling the 00:15:02.169 --> 00:15:05.850 batter out, nor shall the bat be declared illegal. 00:15:06.210 --> 00:15:09.470 So, once again, we have a situation where there 00:15:09.470 --> 00:15:15.710 is a warning, and the Assist or whatever it is 00:15:15.710 --> 00:15:18.830 that's on the bat that's not proper or not allowed 00:15:18.830 --> 00:15:22.490 needs to be taken off the bat. Player is warned. 00:15:22.990 --> 00:15:25.070 If they come out with something on their bat 00:15:25.070 --> 00:15:29.490 again that's not allowed, now they are ejected 00:15:29.490 --> 00:15:32.990 along with their manager. But the result of anything 00:15:32.990 --> 00:15:36.629 that occurs with that on the bat will stand. 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:46.860 We as umpires would see that before they even 00:15:46.860 --> 00:15:48.919 step into the batter's box and go, hey, you got 00:15:48.919 --> 00:15:53.559 to take that off. I've seen stranger things happen, 00:15:53.700 --> 00:16:00.080 but hopefully we would catch that. That brings 00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:04.860 us to a couple of different rules here. Rule 00:16:04.860 --> 00:16:13.480 3 .04, 7 .14 Bravo and T3 Delta. regarding the 00:16:13.480 --> 00:16:17.299 courtesy runner. This clarifies the placement 00:16:17.299 --> 00:16:22.700 of runners when a team courtesy runs for the 00:16:22.700 --> 00:16:25.379 pitcher and or catcher of record with two outs 00:16:25.379 --> 00:16:30.279 at the same time. Now, if I was a little more 00:16:30.279 --> 00:16:35.559 prepared, I would have this up already. Let's 00:16:35.559 --> 00:16:44.149 see here. 3 .034. There we go. So, note three. 00:16:44.490 --> 00:16:47.870 If the pitcher and catcher of record are on base 00:16:47.870 --> 00:16:50.929 with two outs, the offense may use a courtesy 00:16:50.929 --> 00:16:55.129 runner for both the pitcher and catcher of record 00:16:55.129 --> 00:17:00.669 at the same time. This only makes sense, right? 00:17:01.509 --> 00:17:04.210 If they're both on base with two out, you want 00:17:04.210 --> 00:17:06.750 to get them back to the dugout so the pitcher 00:17:06.750 --> 00:17:10.410 can get ready, the catcher can get their gear 00:17:10.410 --> 00:17:13.539 on. And we can continue with the game without 00:17:13.539 --> 00:17:17.200 having to wait for everybody. When assigning 00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:22.200 courtesy runners in such situations, the player 00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:25.859 who is scheduled to bat soonest shall be placed 00:17:25.859 --> 00:17:31.539 on the base closest to scoring. For example, 00:17:31.720 --> 00:17:35.660 with two outs, the pitcher is on second, catcher 00:17:35.660 --> 00:17:38.839 is on third base. The offense elects to use courtesy 00:17:38.839 --> 00:17:41.859 runners for both the pitcher and catcher. The 00:17:41.859 --> 00:17:44.519 player who made the second out of the inning 00:17:44.519 --> 00:17:47.640 becomes the courtesy runner for the pitcher at 00:17:47.640 --> 00:17:51.339 second base. The player who made the first out 00:17:51.339 --> 00:17:55.380 of the inning, who is due up soonest, becomes 00:17:55.380 --> 00:17:58.440 the courtesy runner for the catcher at third. 00:18:01.480 --> 00:18:09.839 Fairly simple. Not really much to that. Rule 00:18:09.839 --> 00:18:16.440 3 .17 regarding a malfunctioning one -way communication 00:18:16.440 --> 00:18:18.940 device. Now, if you remember from last year's 00:18:18.940 --> 00:18:22.359 significant updates, 2025 season, Little League 00:18:22.359 --> 00:18:26.599 now allows a one -way communication device from 00:18:26.599 --> 00:18:32.079 the dugout to the catcher. I honestly didn't 00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:35.880 see any teams in my local leagues using this. 00:18:37.829 --> 00:18:40.309 I don't know if there was one being used. If 00:18:40.309 --> 00:18:45.789 there was, I didn't see it. This update adds 00:18:45.789 --> 00:18:50.349 a second note to that rule. Again, rule 3 .17. 00:18:52.269 --> 00:18:55.470 And that note states, a reasonable amount of 00:18:55.470 --> 00:18:58.809 time must be provided to a team to correct a 00:18:58.809 --> 00:19:01.769 malfunctioning one -way communication device. 00:19:03.369 --> 00:19:08.890 You as the umpire. are responsible for determining 00:19:08.890 --> 00:19:16.349 how long that reasonable amount of time is. Whatever 00:19:16.349 --> 00:19:24.789 is reasonable to you. So, let's see here. Now 00:19:24.789 --> 00:19:33.470 we go into Rule 4 .04, Note 2. If a player... 00:19:33.759 --> 00:19:37.079 is unable to complete a plate appearance due 00:19:37.079 --> 00:19:41.299 to injury, illness, or rejection, the next batter 00:19:41.299 --> 00:19:43.380 in the lineup shall take their place at the plate 00:19:43.380 --> 00:19:45.779 and assume the count of the original batter. 00:19:48.259 --> 00:19:53.339 If a batter becomes a runner by reaching base 00:19:53.339 --> 00:19:56.740 safely and then is unable to run the bases due 00:19:56.740 --> 00:19:59.299 to injury, illness, or rejection, they shall 00:19:59.299 --> 00:20:02.339 be replaced by the player who recorded the last 00:20:02.339 --> 00:20:07.180 out, or with a courtesy runner, if applicable. 00:20:09.059 --> 00:20:12.559 So, if they're in the middle of their plate appearance, 00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:16.819 and they get injured, or they're just unable 00:20:16.819 --> 00:20:19.200 to complete the at -bat for whatever reason, 00:20:19.380 --> 00:20:24.799 they get sick, or, heaven forbid, they get ejected, 00:20:24.819 --> 00:20:30.420 the next batter comes into the plate and assumes 00:20:30.420 --> 00:20:35.119 their count. If they are on the bases and they 00:20:35.119 --> 00:20:39.220 become injured, ill, or they get ejected, then 00:20:39.220 --> 00:20:45.119 the player who is scheduled to bat or who recorded 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:49.779 the last out takes their place. Or you could 00:20:49.779 --> 00:20:52.940 throw a courtesy runner up there if they were 00:20:52.940 --> 00:20:57.339 the pitcher or catcher of record at the time. 00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:04.670 Rule 4 .18. Regarding forfeited games, that's 00:21:04.670 --> 00:21:08.309 kind of an easy one. It removes the requirement 00:21:08.309 --> 00:21:12.549 for the scorebook to be signed by the umpire 00:21:12.549 --> 00:21:17.049 -in -chief for a forfeited game. Not really a 00:21:17.049 --> 00:21:21.630 big deal there. You really don't see too awful 00:21:21.630 --> 00:21:26.250 many forfeits in Little League, so really nothing 00:21:26.250 --> 00:21:34.289 we have to worry about. Rule 6 .06 Delta reworded 00:21:34.289 --> 00:21:37.890 to provide consistency with Tournament Rule 3 00:21:37.890 --> 00:21:46.789 Bravo. Rule 7 .15 Golf. This has to do with the 00:21:46.789 --> 00:21:52.789 procedures for use of a double first base. And 00:21:52.789 --> 00:22:00.440 essentially what this now says is that In the 00:22:00.440 --> 00:22:05.160 event of an uncaught third strike, again, uncaught 00:22:05.160 --> 00:22:07.839 third strike, not a drop third, like everybody 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:11.039 loves to call it, is an uncaught third strike. 00:22:12.359 --> 00:22:15.680 In the event of an uncaught third strike, the 00:22:15.680 --> 00:22:21.140 fielder and the runner, the fielder being the 00:22:21.140 --> 00:22:29.269 first baseman, they can use whatever. side of 00:22:29.269 --> 00:22:35.109 the base they want. Okay. That is very significant. 00:22:36.789 --> 00:22:40.369 So, direct from the rulebook. In majors, intermediate, 00:22:40.789 --> 00:22:44.329 junior, and senior league divisions, notice this 00:22:44.329 --> 00:22:49.289 does not apply to minors. When the batter becomes 00:22:49.289 --> 00:22:52.009 a runner on a third strike not caught by the 00:22:52.009 --> 00:22:55.170 catcher, the batter -runner and the defensive 00:22:55.170 --> 00:23:00.180 player may use either the colored or the white 00:23:00.180 --> 00:23:04.319 base. Note, when the batter becomes a runner 00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:06.480 on a third strike not caught by the catcher, 00:23:06.519 --> 00:23:11.319 the batter runner may run in fair territory when 00:23:11.319 --> 00:23:14.160 the throw is coming from the foul side of the 00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:19.740 base. And if hit by the throw, it is not interference. 00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:26.799 So this kind of throws the runner's lane a little 00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:33.920 bit out of the window. If the runner sees the 00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:37.720 first baseman set up on the foul side of the 00:23:37.720 --> 00:23:41.640 base, they can be pretty sure the throw is going 00:23:41.640 --> 00:23:44.579 to be coming from the foul side, from their right. 00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:47.660 They can cross over that line into fair territory 00:23:47.660 --> 00:23:52.640 to run to the white part of the base. That is 00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:57.099 now allowed only on an uncaught third strike. 00:23:59.220 --> 00:24:02.819 And if they get hit by the throw, well, it's 00:24:02.819 --> 00:24:09.519 not interference. However, if intentional, one 00:24:09.519 --> 00:24:14.119 very key word here, if intentional interference 00:24:14.119 --> 00:24:20.160 is ruled, the runner is out. So if the runner 00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:23.269 had no idea, that the throw was coming from the 00:24:23.269 --> 00:24:27.609 foul side and they stayed on the foul side, they 00:24:27.609 --> 00:24:33.089 get hit in the back with the ball. Eh, you really 00:24:33.089 --> 00:24:35.829 can't call that interference because it wasn't 00:24:35.829 --> 00:24:42.730 really intentional by this ruling. But if they 00:24:42.730 --> 00:24:45.170 look back, they see that the ball is going to 00:24:45.170 --> 00:24:47.849 be coming from the foul side. or they see the 00:24:47.849 --> 00:24:49.549 throw is going to be coming from the fair side, 00:24:49.730 --> 00:24:52.569 and they intentionally step over to block that 00:24:52.569 --> 00:24:56.950 throw, that is intentional. That runner is going 00:24:56.950 --> 00:25:00.809 to be called out. So that's going to do it as 00:25:00.809 --> 00:25:05.049 far as the 2026 significant updates are concerned. 00:25:05.710 --> 00:25:08.150 One thing I forgot to put in the announcements 00:25:08.150 --> 00:25:13.349 is please be sure to... complete the Little League 00:25:13.349 --> 00:25:16.349 Abuse Awareness Training for the 2026 season. 00:25:16.609 --> 00:25:19.910 That does need to be done every single year, 00:25:20.089 --> 00:25:24.170 so make sure you get on that. And if you plan 00:25:24.170 --> 00:25:28.029 on attending any of the trainings or clinics 00:25:28.029 --> 00:25:30.170 that Little League International puts on throughout 00:25:30.170 --> 00:25:33.789 the season, you will need to have that done. 00:25:34.690 --> 00:25:37.410 Also, again, you will need to be a member of 00:25:37.410 --> 00:25:41.609 the Umpire Registry. And when you complete the 00:25:41.609 --> 00:25:44.130 abuse awareness training, it would probably be 00:25:44.130 --> 00:25:49.210 a good idea to print out your certificate of 00:25:49.210 --> 00:25:53.390 completion as they may ask for it at the training. 00:25:54.089 --> 00:25:57.650 Always a good thing to have in case you do end 00:25:57.650 --> 00:26:00.990 up needing it. So that's going to do it from 00:26:00.990 --> 00:26:05.049 here. Again, if you have any questions, comments, 00:26:05.170 --> 00:26:07.650 ideas for future episodes, send me an email. 00:26:08.580 --> 00:26:11.960 at bluecrewdiaries at gmail .com. Also be sure 00:26:11.960 --> 00:26:15.259 to hit the subscribe or follow button on your 00:26:15.259 --> 00:26:18.059 podcast player. That way you are alerted every 00:26:18.059 --> 00:26:21.559 time a new episode drops. I'm going to try to 00:26:21.559 --> 00:26:26.119 get back into the monthly routine as we get geared 00:26:26.119 --> 00:26:29.579 up for the season. So that's going to do it from 00:26:29.579 --> 00:26:31.880 here. Thank you all very much for listening and 00:26:31.880 --> 00:26:34.200 I will see you on the diamond.