Major Legion Changes for 2018

[COHAZE]

As you may have heard, the National Legion has made several changes for 2018.
1. All State Tournament and National Tournament games will be 7 innings. As I understand it, this does not apply to playoff games leading up to the state tournament. But, see below
2. Max pitch count reduced from 120 to 105.

The S.C. State Committee is planning additional changes that have a lot of coaches upset. In essence, Senior Legion rules would be more like Junior Legion rules.
1. During the regular season, courtesy runners allowed for pitchers and catchers.
2. A STARTER removed from the game may later re-enter the game, at his original place in the batting order.
3. Regular season games would also be reduced to 7 innings. Apparently some coaches were hoping that they would remain 9 innings until the playoffs start.
4. Playoffs would be best of 3 series rather than best of 5. Lot of coaches opposed to this for some reason..
5. There is also talk of eliminating the state tournament, and have the last two teams standing play a best of 3 series.
6. The number of teams making the playoffs would also be reduced substantially, probably cut in half.

Apparently, there is far more opposition to some of these proposals than I would have anticipated. Not sure how it's all going to shake out.

 

[baseballfan155]

I can confirm they will not be doing a state tournament! From my knowledge Sumter lost a lot of money last year and the state will not give them any money to help run it! Again that is a different conversation for another day!

I heard playoffs will be (2 out of 3) or (3 out of 5) all the way through. There will be a championship best of 3 for the upper state vs the lower state at Columbia fireflies stadium.

In order to do this there is going to have to be conference realignment in the upper state. It won't work with only 3 leagues. The two options I have heard is dividing league 6 up between League 5 and 7 but the issue with that is then one league will have 8 and the other will have 9. Breaking it up into 4 leagues may cause 1-2 teams in the lower state to move up to the upper state. Either way teams won't be happy!

Only will be 8 teams making the tournament from the upper state and lower state. Last year 16 teams made it in the lower state and 12 in the upper state.

I think it needs to stay best 3 out of 5. Remember in 2015 when Gaffney and Fort Mill played. Fort Mill won first 2 games and Gaffney came back to win the next 3.

With the 7 innings, rentry rule, and courtesy runners. I think we should do exactly what the state playoffs, regional's and world series will be. 7 innings and no rentry rule or courtesy runners! I have heard leagues may vote among their coaches to just play 7 innings and not do the rentry rule and only courtesy runners!

My concern with only 8 teams making the playoffs. You may have teams like Chester, and the Union teams that are pretty bad. If they are playing a 12 game league schedule and start out 0-6, then are then eliminated from the playoffs only half way through the season, my concern is the kid's will not show up and there could be a lot of forfeited games. Unfortunately that is the world we live in now!