A PDF version of this can be downloaded from here.
Claremont American Little League Pool Player Policy
What is this? A pool of players from existing regular season teams created with players that are willing to participate in extra games during the regular season when teams face a shortage of rostered players for a regular season game within their respective divisions. The Pool Players will be managed and run by the league’s Player Agent (Green Book, Regulation V, Section C).
Steps to Obtain a Pool Player:
1) Determine that you are in need of a player to abide by Rule 4.17 which states that a game cannot be played with less than 9 rostered players.
2) Contact the league Player Agent and ask for a Pool Player. ONLY the Player Agent can assign a Pool Player to a team. Give as much notice as possible for the Player Agent to obtain a Pool Player for assignment.NOTE: Managers and/or coaches do not have the right to randomly pick and choose players from the pool within their divisions (Green Book, Regulation V, Section C).
Little League Rules for Pool Players:
1) Assigned Pool Player must be obtained through the Player Agent only.
2) Assigned Pool Player cannot play the position of pitcher
3) The player agent should have each Pool player listed in random order (at the beginning of the season) and contact the pool players in that order. If player denies request to be a pool player and/or parents does not respond, then that Player goes to bottom of list.
4) Before the start of the season, each manager must identify at least 3 players willing to participate ine the pool player program. It is the manager’s job to market this program to players and parents. If a team does not identify, in writing, at least 3 players, that team will not be allowed to avail itself of the pool player program for the remainder of the season. Any failure to field nine players in a game will result in a forfeit.
Local Rules for Pool Players:
1) Assigned Pool Player will take the defensive position in the outfield only.
2) Assigned Pool Player will bat last in the lineup. EXCEPTION: If a team member arrives late to the game, that player will be placed last in the batting order (Green Book, Rule 4.04/NOTE 2). The Pool Players that are called and show up at the game site must play.
3) This rule supersedes any guidelines in Regulation V, Selection of Players in the Green Book: Pool players that are called and show up at the game site must play at least 9 consecutive defensive outs. If other players are available to play defense due to rostered players showing up unexpectedly, pool players must play exactly 9 consecutive defensive outs. Violation of the rule is cause for protest by the opposing manager. (Note Pool players still continue to have offensive at bats).
Pool Players Obtained Improperly:
1) If a manager obtains a Pool Player improperly, that manager will be suspended for his/her next regularly scheduled game.
2) Any Pool Player that is not obtained properly should be considered an ineligible player and the opposing manager can protest the game base on that. See Green Book Rule 4.19.