You need to be properly suited up to play the game. American Legion baseball teams have been instructed to do so before arriving at the ballpark for the playoffs.

A Twin Cities Legion team tweeted out the rules changes for the playoffs, which include longer games, no re-entry and having your pants on before arriving at the field.

I have been around baseball in many capacities from fan to coach to broadcaster and I have seen players get dressed in the dugout, behind the dugout and along either baseline. Most ballparks don't have a clubhouse and many don't have indoor bathrooms. I'm not sure how this rule will be enforced.

The other rule differences from the rest of the regular season are more significant. Game length goes from seven innings to nine. With the pitch count rules that went into effect this summer at the Legion level, similar to the high school restrictions, teams will face a challenge in managing their pitching.

During the high school season the section tournaments were spread out over a few extra days than what Legion teams will deal with. Plus high school playoff games remained at seven innings. As the tweet indicates, there is a movement by coaches to have Legion playoff games also be limited to seven innings.

The restriction on courtesy runners may slow the game down a bit, by not allowing the catcher to leave the base paths to get his gear on for the next half inning. Not allowing re-entry also handcuffs the coaches on their use of reserves.

Owatonna Post 77 earned the No. 2 seed for their sub-state tournament, which will be hosted at Fuller Field in Dartt's Park starting Tuesday and will face the winner of Sunday's play-in game between the Rochester Eagles and Kasson. Austin is the top seed for the tournament. The state tournament is at CHS Field in St. Paul.

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