• When may I approach the umpire?
  • Before the game - introduce yourself, share something about your team or pitching staff that might be useful for the umpire to know, ask him how he wants to be addressed
  • Between innings – When your pitcher is struggling this is the time to ask where he is missing. DO NOT QUESTION BALL AND STRIKE CALLS but ask for his help so you can guide your pitcher back to the umpire’s strike zone.
  • NOT AFTER THE GAME IS OVER – Umpires are instructed to leave the facility after their shift. If you have an issue after the game consult your commissioner, do not elevate the situation with the umpire in front of parents and children. If you follow an umpire off the field of play you will be subject to suspension from the league.

• How and how not to approach an umpire
  • Never yell or address the umpire from the bench or coaching box. When was the last time you responded favorably to someone publicly calling your judgment into question?
  • Always confer with the umpire in a close range conversation. Remember to invite the other manager into the conversation if appropriate. Discussions outside of fan and children ear-shot usually produce better results. At the very least they keep the dispute/discussion where it belongs, on the field amongst adults.
  • Remain calm. Keep in mind that the children on your team consider you an authority figure worthy of role model status. Adversity is part of sports, how you handle it is a reflection on you.
  • DO NOT display obvious disapproval of a call. This behavior sends the same unwelcome message to the umpire, your team, and parents.
  • Treat the umpire the way you would want to be treated.

Softball Playoff Formats used in 2011
(Note that the 1^st day of the Playoffs constitutes the beginning of a
new period for your pitchers, regardless of when they last pitched in the regular season.)
 

Majors Playoffs (4 Teams in the Division):

3 game round robin, to determine seeds for semi finals.  

1. Team A plays each of Team B, C & D
2. Team B plays each of Team A, C & D
3. Team C plays each of Team A, B & D
4. Team D plays each of Team A, B & C

We then seed the teams for the semi finals, based on playoff records.  If necessary, tie breakers would include: 

• a) head to head record in playoff games,
• b) defensive runs allowed per inning, in the playoffs,
• c) head to head record in regular season and
• d) overall record in regular season.

Rowayton will not participate.
 

Pitchers are limited to a total of [9] innings during your 3 game round robin, and to a total of [6] innings across the Semi Final and Championship Games

Minors Playoffs (5 Teams in the Division):

4 game round robin, top 2 teams advance to championship game.  If necessary, tie breaker for semi final seeds would be a) head to head record in playoff games, in the playoffs, b) defensive runs allowed per inning, c) head to head record in regular season and d) overall record in regular season.  If still a tie, go to defensive runs allowed per inning, in the playoffs.

Rowayton will not participate.

Pitchers are limited to [9] innings across the first 3 round robin games, and to a total of [6] innings across the final round robin game and the Championship Game.

AAA Playoffs (6 teams in the Division):
 

Bracket A consists of Seeds 1, 4, 5; and Bracket B would consists of Seeds 2, 3, 6. 
Top 2 teams advance to the semi-finals. 
If there is a tie, the tie breakers would be (in this order): 

• 1) head to head record, in the playoffs.  
• 2) the record within the 2 intra-bracket games (this has the effect of making the inter-bracket game only relevant if the intra-bracket games result in all 3 teams being 1-1). 
• 3) runs allowed per defensive inning, in the playoffs. 
• 4) head to head record in the regular season, and
• 5) overall record in the regular season.

For the semis, the winner of bracket 1 plays 2^nd place in bracket 2 and vice versa.  If the inter-bracket games end up being meaningless, they still serve as a fun final game for the teams eliminated, and a no-pressure tune-up for the teams headed to the semis.

• Seed 1 would play Seed 4 and Seed 5 from its bracket, and Seed 6 from the other bracket
• Seed 2 would play Seed 3 and Seed 6 from its bracket, and Seed 5 from the other bracket
• Seed 3 would play Seed 2 and Seed 6 from its bracket, and Seed 4 from the other bracket
• Seed 4 would play Seed 1 and Seed 5 from its bracket, and Seed 3 from the other bracket
• Seed 5 would play Seed 1 and Seed 4 from its bracket, and Seed 2 from the other bracket
• Seed 6 would play Seed 2 and Seed 3 from its bracket, and Seed 1 from the other bracket

Pitchers are limited to a total of [6] innings during your 3 game round robin, and to a total of [6] innings over the Semi Final and Championship Games.

Majors Playoffs (5 Teams in the Division):

 
A two game round robin eliminates one team and principally determines seeds for the semi-finals. The regular season records determine the round robin seeds.
 
Tie-breakers for seedings going into the playoffs are:
            1- Head-to-Head record in the regular season
            2- Runs allowed over the course of the season
            3- Coin Toss

Playoff Format:
            Seed 1 vs. Seed 5
            Seed 2 vs. Seed 3
            Seed 1 vs. Seed 4
            Seed 2 vs. Seed 5
            Seed 3 vs. Seed 4
            Pitchers are limited to a total of six innings during the round robin.
 
The two-game playoffs determine the new seeds that are used for semi-finals.
 
Tie-breakers for semi-final seeds are:
            1- Head-to-head record in the playoff games, 
            2- Head-to-head record in the regular season, and
            3- Overall record in the regular season. 
            4- If there is still a tie, the number of defensive runs allowed per inning in the playoffs is used as the tie-breaker.
 
Semi-Final Format:
            New Seed 1 vs. New Seed 4
            New Seed 2 vs. New Seed 3
Pitchers are limited to a total of six innings across the Semi-Final, Consolation, and Championship games.
 
Consolation Game:
            Losers of the semi-final games.
 
Championship Game:
            Winners of the semi-final games.
 
 
Minors Playoffs (6 Teams in the Division):
 
A three-game round robin eliminates two teams and determines seeds for the semi-finals.
 
Tie-breakers for seedings going into the playoffs are:
            1- Head-to-Head record in the regular season
            2- Runs allowed over the course of the season
            3- Coin Toss
 
Teams are grouped into two brackets: A and B. Bracket A consists of Seeds 1, 4, and 5. Bracket B consists of Seeds 2, 3, and 6.  The top two teams in each bracket advance to the semi-finals.  
 
Tie-breakers going into the semi-finals are:
            1- Head-to-Head record in the playoffs
            2- Record within the two intra-bracket games.  (This has the effect of making the inter-bracket
                 game only relevant if the intra-bracket games result in all three teams being 1-1.)
            3- Runs allowed per defensive inning in the playoffs.
            4- Head-to-Head record in the regular season
            5- Overall record in the regular season.
 
Playoff Format: 
            Seed 1 (Bracket A) vs. Seed 4 (Bracket A)
            Seed 1 (Bracket A) vs. Seed 5 (Bracket A)
            Seed 1 (Bracket A) vs. Seed 6 (Bracket B)
            Seed 2 (Bracket B) vs. Seed 3 (Bracket B)
            Seed 2 (Bracket B) vs. Seed 6 (Bracket B)
            Seed 2 (Bracket B) vs. Seed 5 (Bracket A)
            Seed 3 (Bracket B) vs. Seed 6 (Bracket B)
            Seed 3 (Bracket B) vs. Seed 4 (Bracket A)
            Seed 4 (Bracket A) vs. Seed 5 (Bracket A)
Pitchers are limited to a total of six innings during their three-game round
robin.
 
Semi-Final Format:
            1^stplace team from Bracket A vs. 2^ndplace team from Bracket B
            1^stplace team from Bracket B vs. 2^ndplace team from Bracket A
 
Winners of the two semi-final games play in the Championship game.  Pitchers are limited to a total of six innings over the Semi-Final and Championship games.
           
 
AAA Playoffs (5 Teams in the Division):
 
A four-game round robin eliminates three teams.
 
Playoff Format:
            Seed 1 vs. Seed 5
            Seed 2 vs. Seed 4
            Seed 3 vs. Seed 1
            Seed 2 vs. Seed 5
            Seed 4 vs. Seed 3
            Seed 1 vs. Seed 2
            Seed 3 vs. Seed 5
            Seed 4 vs. Seed 1
            Seed 2 vs. Seed 3
            Seed 4 vs. Seed 5
 
The top two teams advance to the Championship game. If necessary, tie-breakers are:
            1- Head-to-head record in playoff games
            2- Head-to-head record in the regular season
            3- Overall record in the regular season
            4- Defensive runs allowed per inning in the playoffs.
 
Pitchers are limited to nine innings across the first three round robin games and a total of six innings across the final round robin game and the Championship game.