As Little League District 54 all-star tournament play commenced over the weekend, I was anticipating the drama as coaches adjusted to the district’s new pool play format.

I like the idea of pool play, as it’s guarantee of additional games for even the least strong of all-star teams, but I am intrigued with some of the strategic areas that have changed with the new system. Add Little League’s pitch count regulations to the mix and you have an interesting dynamic.

The first thing I have noticed is the expansion of game times as coaches change pitchers with great regularity in order to save arms for another day. The rule that seems most in effect is the one that allows a pitcher who throws 20 pitches or fewer on a given day to come back in the next game, even if that game is the next day. Exceed 20 tosses and you are done for the next game.

I have lost count of the number of game stoppages as coaches ask for an official pitch count to make sure they save pitchers. The 11-year-olds of Maidu and Roseville West had to play on three consecutive days – talk about your pitching nightmares.

With pitching being of such great importance in Little League, you can imagine the difficulty of these decisions, and as a game gets out of hand, instead of having someone take one for the team and stay out there, coaches end up changing the guy on the bump every 20 pitches.

In the past, with double-elimination, you always looked for the Woodcreeks and Lakesides in your path, knowing you had to save your top pitching for them, but now the key to pool play is finishing first or second in your group, so it almost seems advantageous to use your ace against the other teams while putting a secondary guy on the hill to face the big boys.

The matchup against those teams that matters most is the one in the double-elimination finals, so the key to the pool play round is to survive and advance. Every coach approaches things so differently, and that is why this is so fun to watch.