Line-up

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  Getting ready for a gamebaseball kids image by Linda Mattson from Fotolia.com
  
  Start by filling the book using the official lineup cards from each manager. List the batting order, including each player's position and uniform number. There may be bench players who will enter the game at a later time, so be sure to get their names and uniform numbers to add to the bottom of the batting order.
  
  
• 2). To the right of each player's name will be columns with a picture of the base path, starting at first base, followed by second, third and home. Each column represents the inning that the team is batting. The first column is for the first inning, the second column is for the second inning and so on. When a team is done batting for the first inning, be sure to start the team's next at-bats in the second-inning column with the player who will lead off.
  
  
• 3). Keep track of balls and strikes within the box next to the player's name. There will be three tiny boxes to record "balls" and two tiny boxes to record "strikes." This is critical in Little Leagues because keeping pitch count is necessary per national rules for Little League.
  
  
• 4). The baseball diamond located in the box to the right of the player's name is where you will write down if the player reached base or if they were put out. Any player who reaches base will do so by either a base hit, a base on balls, hit by a pitch or a fielder's error. You will need to denote how the player reached base by writing an abbreviation such as 1B for a player who hits a single or BB for a player who earns a base on balls. HBP stands for a player reaching base by being hit by a pitch. 2B is a two-base hit, 3B is a three-base hit and HR is a home run.
  
  
• 5). When a player reaches base on an error by the defensive team, it is scored with an "E" and the defensive player's numbered position. The numbered positions are: 1-pitcher, 2-catcher, 3-first base, 4-second base, 5-third base, 6-shortstop, 7-left fielder, 8-center fielder and 9-right fielder. For example: a player reaches first base because the right fielder drops the ball. The entry in the score book should read "E-9."
  
  
• 6). Recording outs in your score book will be an abbreviated description of how the out was made. You'll use the defensive numbering system. For example, if a batter hits a ball to the shortstop and is thrown out at first base, you will record the out as follows: 6-3. That means that position player 6 threw the ball to position player 3 for the out. Any out that is a result of a caught fly ball will be recorded with an "F" for fly and then the position player who made the catch. For example, if the center fielder catches a fly ball, the out is recorded as F-8.
  
  
• 7). As a runner advances around the base path, be sure to color in the progress that the runner has made to the base where he is currently standing. If a runner scores, color the entire base path and shade in the infield.