I spend a lot of time on the road at this time of year, bouncing from park to park, checking out the Little League all-star action.

It has been an eventful year so far, and there are a few things that stand out to me.

This has been a year for big offense in District 54. There have been a few low-scoring games, but for the most part, double-digit scoring has been the norm.

That’s not bad if you like hitting and home runs, but it sure makes for long games.

It has not been that long since 14-player rosters were expected in all-star play. When my oldest son (now 24 years old) played Little League all-stars, there was no minimum play requirement and leagues carried 14 all-stars, giving the honor of being selected to more players.

Now, with minimum play of one inning and one at-bat in the mix, even huge leagues often enter tournament play with just 12 players. That does not seem like much, but with five different age groups per league, that can be as many as 10 kids denied the chance to be an all-star.

I have coached many all-star teams and I know it is hard to get those extra players in the game, so there is a tough decision there. Little League tried to encourage leagues to go back to larger rosters by taking away a coach from teams who carry just 12, but that does not seem to have helped much.

Most teams seem content to have a player coach first base in exchange for facing fewer substitution situations.

I am always amazed at the incredible x-ray vision that exists in the bleachers at these games. You watch a tag play at a base some 100 feet away, with the tag on the back side away from the stands, and the spectators are absolutely certain the glove did not touch the player.

How can they see that from there? I guess the problem the umpires are having is that they are too close to the play. Perhaps we should move them to the stands.

Once again this year, the Roseville/Granite Bay area has owned District 54. Of the 10 finalists in the five divisions, just Folsom American’s 9/10-year-old team has crashed the local party.