Farm East AAA-89ers Minors Majors
INTERLEAGUE FASTPITCH LOCAL RULES AND
GUIDELINES
2006 PLAYING
SEASON
MINOR LEAGUE
LEVEL
(North
Bothell, Northshore, Woodinville, Woodinville West, Kenmore, North Kenmore,
Playing Rules:
Playing Rules are
those found in the 2006 Little League Official Regulations
and Playing Rules book provided by Little League Baseball,
Inc. The following is a list of local
rule variations and options that will be used during the regular season at the
Minor level. Some of the following items
are identical to those found in the Official Regulations and are
listed for clarification purposes. When
in doubt, refer to the Official Regulations.
1. An eleven inch (11”) Little League
approved ball will be used as a game ball.
Incrediballs© and other training-type balls will not be used for
games. The game ball may be white or
fluorescent yellow/green (high visibility/optic yellow) in color. The white game ball will have white
stitching. Red, green and other colored
stitching may be used for practice, but not in games. See Rule 1.09 for
specifications.
2. There is no mandatory 10-run rule at
this level for regular season play.
3. A maximum of five runs may be scored in
any inning preceding the sixth inning, regardless of whether a ground-rule
double or home run is hit. In the sixth
inning and any extra innings, unlimited runs may be scored.
4. (a) The entire
roster will make up the batting order (i.e., the “bench-bat rule,” or continuous batting order,
applies). (Regulation VIII
- Minor League Section 4.04)
(b) If a player misses a turn at bat due to leaving a game early, an
out will NOT be recorded. (Reminder: A player who misses a turn at bat
due to injury is not allowed to return to the game without a signed medical
release.)
(c) A player who arrives late may enter the game upon arrival at the
bottom of the batting order. (Note: A late-arriving player must still get
minimum playing time if possible.)
5. Minimum play rule is six defensive outs
and one at-bat per game required for each player on the roster. A player may be entered and/or re-entered
defensively in the game anytime provided the requirements of mandatory play are
met. A pitcher remaining in the game, but moving to a
different position, can return as a pitcher anytime in the remainder of the
game but only once in the same inning as he/she was removed (see Rule
VI-Pitchers(c)). Managers are
encouraged to give all players their minimum playing time before the end of the
fourth inning to ensure compliance in the event the game cannot be completed
due to darkness, weather or time limit.
Violation of this rule will result in game forfeiture and possible
disciplinary action.
6. A time limit shall apply to all games, even if no game is scheduled following the game in progress.
(a) No new full innings may begin after 2 hours from the scheduled
start of the game. No new batter will come
up to bat after 2 hours, 15 minutes from the scheduled start of the
game.
(b) Games played Sunday through Thursday while school is in session are
subject to curfew. No new innings may
begin after
*Note: In early season games, darkness may precede the time limits. For safety reasons, coaches should agree to
halt play as soon as darkness makes further play hazardous. The ultimate decision relative to stopping a
game belongs to the home plate umpire. A
called game ends at the moment the home plate umpire terminates play. (See Rule 4.11 (d) and
(e).) To mitigate controversy
with differing opinions of darkness, and to ensure the highest level of safety,
it is suggested that coaches agree to a modified time limit prior to the start
of the game when darkness may be an issue.
(c) If a player is at bat when time expires, the player shall complete the at bat before the game is called.
(d) The ultimate decision relative to stopping a game belongs to the
home plate umpire. Note: Because time
limited games sometimes end in controversy (e.g., when the team behind is
rallying or team ahead is stalling), coaches and umpires are encouraged to keep
the game moving (by starting on time, limiting time between innings, limiting
the number of warm-up pitches, having players hustle to their positions,
keeping one team’s catcher out to warm up the other team’s pitcher, etc.) so
that as many innings as possible may be completed prior to time running out.
(e) For games played at the Woodinville Complex, the Complex rules regarding time limit shall be followed.
7. A full game is six innings, five and
one-half if the home team is ahead. If a
game is called (due to time limit, weather, etc.), a “regulation game” is four
innings, three and one-half if the home team is ahead. A regulation game is a complete game, and the
score should be called in. If a game is
called before completion of a regulation game, but after one or more innings
have been played, it will be considered suspended and will resume from the
exact point where it left off. If a game
is called before one full inning has been played, it will be replayed from the
beginning. (See Rule 4.10)
8. Cones should be used on fields with dirt
outfields, if available. Cones may be
used on fields with grass outfields. Cones
should be placed at 165 feet from home plate.
If cones are not placed, play proceeds as an open field (i.e., a ball
rolling into the outfield is live and not subject to ground rule for passing
beyond 165 feet). If cones are not
available, a chalk line may be substituted.
When games are being played simultaneously at both ends of an open field
(e.g., Westhill Elementary), cones must be used for safety reasons
(e.g., so that outfielders on one team do not run onto the other field chasing
a ball and collide with other players or get hit by batted or thrown balls).
Note: Any live ball that continues beyond the cones is out of play
(dead ball), even if it has been touched by a defensive player.
9. Pitching is from 35 feet. The distance should be measured prior to the
start of the game. (See
Rule 1.07.) An 8-foot
radius (16-foot diameter) circle must
be drawn.
10. Players pitch the entire game. There is no coach pitching at this level.
11. Pitchers are limited in the number of
innings they can pitch in a week, in a single game, and from game to game. See Minor League Regulations
Section VI - Pitchers for rules regarding limitations on
pitching eligibility.
Scorers
are required to keep track of innings pitched by each pitcher during
each game. Managers shall inform the
umpire and scorer of all pitching changes.
Managers are required to keep a separate tally of innings pitched
by each pitcher during each of the preceding seven days, and to make the same
available to the umpire and opposing manager prior to each game, if
requested. Each team’s scorebook shall
be open to the other team, upon request.
12. A
batter hit by a pitched ball will be awarded first base, unless the batter made
no attempt to avoid the ball. A pitched
ball that hits the ground before hitting a batter entitles the batter to first
base if the batter made an attempt to avoid the ball. The umpire shall be the sole judge of whether
the batter made an attempt to avoid the ball.
(Reminder: No courtesy runner allowed.
If a batter awarded first base leaves the game due to injury, the last
player declared out shall be substituted.
A player who leaves the game due to injury after being hit by a pitch or
for any reason may not return without a signed medical release. Umpires should allow a reasonable time for
the player to be treated for and recover from the injury so the player may stay
in the game.)
13. Base
coaches shall be two players, or one player and one adult, or two adults. (See Rule 4.05.)
Only one base coach is permitted in
each coaching box. Managers and coaches
who are not acting as base coaches must remain in the dugout, and may not coach
runners from the dugout. Player coaches
must wear helmets, and must pay attention to the game. Player
coaches who do not pay attention to the game should be replaced.
14. Managers
and coaches are allowed beyond the foul line when visiting the pitcher. A manager or coach may confer with any other player(s) on the field,
including the catcher, during the visit with the pitcher. A manager or coach who is granted a time out
to talk to any defensive player will be charged with a visit to the pitcher. (see Rule 8.06-d)
15. Bunting
is allowed at this level.
16. Stealing
is allowed at this level.
(a)
Runners must remain in contact with their bases until a pitched ball reaches
the batter. A runner who leaves base
early shall be called out. The pitch is
declared “no pitch” and any action resulting from the pitch is nullified.
(b) A
pitch that hits the ground is a live ball, but runners are not free to advance
on a pitched ball until the ball reaches the batter. A pitched ball is a ball that is delivered by the pitcher to or toward
the batter. Runners may advance
on a dropped ball. A dropped ball is a
ball that is released by the pitcher and falls to the ground and is not
delivered to the batter. Runners may not
leave base until the dropped ball hits the ground. If a runner leaves base early, a “no pitch”
is declared and any action resulting from the pitch is nullified.
17. Continuation
is not allowed at this level. A batter
awarded base on balls shall not advance beyond first base until the following
pitch.
18. For the safety of the batter in the
batters box, there will be no stealing of home.
This will avoid any potential collisions between batter, third base
runner and the catcher. In order to
encourage catchers to throw to third base on an attempted steal, a runner
attempting to steal third base may not advance to home as a result of an errant
throw by the catcher. Additionally, to
encourage catchers to throw to second base on an attempted steal, the runner
stealing second and any runner on third base at the time may not steal home due
to an attempt to throw out the runner stealing second base. For each pitch, each base runner may only
advance one base, unless a defensive play is being made directly on that base
runner. For example, if a defensive
player other than the catcher throws to a base in an effort to put out a base
runner and the throw is wild, the base runner may proceed at their risk to any
open base, except home plate, as a result of the defensive play. This includes any attempt by a pitcher to
“pick-off” a base runner. In the
instance of base runners advancing as a result of a wild throw going out of the
field of play, the “out of bounds” rule will apply. (See Rule 7.05-g)
19. The
infield fly rule is in effect at this level.
However, since many players at this level have difficulty catching fly
balls, and very few know the rules well enough to take advantage of a dropped
infield fly, umpires should declare an infield fly only when it appears that
the fly ball will more likely than not be caught in the infield with little
effort. This is a judgment call.
20. Managers
and players may not employ tactics designed to delay a game, especially the
leading team when time is running out.
If in the umpire’s judgment a team employs tactics to delay a game
beyond the time limit, the umpire shall warn the offending team. If the delay tactics continue, the manager
may be subject to disciplinary action.
Other Rules:
21. The
home team is responsible for providing two game balls (one of which is new) and
providing the home-plate umpire. The
visiting team may provide a field umpire.
Managers are encouraged to umpire games for other teams on a reciprocal
basis when possible.
22. If a
game needs to be made up, or a suspended game needs to be completed, the home
team is responsible for rescheduling the game.
The home team manager should contact their league’s field representative
to determine field availability. Since
many leagues have fields available on Sundays, it is suggested that this be
considered as a viable option for make-up games. Teams should also consider playing make-up
games during their practice times when other fields are not available.
23. Post-season interleague tournament seedings will be determined
by a draw, and will not be based on team record. The drawing will be done by the interleague
tournament committee representatives.
This will enable scheduling of tournament game dates, times, and
locations prior to the last game of the regular season.
24. The
home team is responsible for field preparation at elementary school, junior
high and Woodinville Complex fields.
Both teams are responsible for cleanup at all fields. It is understood that all coaches will help
wherever they can.
Important! At school fields, both teams are responsible
for cleaning up the field and emptying garbage cans if necessary. Failure to do so may result in loss of use of
field.
25. A
player who does not play in at least 50 percent of scheduled regular-season
games will not be eligible for All-Star participation.
26. No team
shall take batting practice of any kind with any type of ball (i.e. regulation
ball, whiffle ball, soft-touch or Incrediball©,
etc.) before any game. Any team that
violates this rule will be subject to disciplinary action.
27. Recognizing at this level, that most
umpires may be parent volunteers, any umpire’s decisions which involves
judgment, such as, but not limited to, whether a batted ball is fair or foul,
whether a pitch is a strike or a ball, or whether a runner is safe or out, is final. No player, manager, coach or substitute shall
object to any such judgment decisions.
(See Rule 9.02-a)
28. If medical assistance (sideline medical
professional, emergency medical services, etc.) is required on a player due to
a field injury, medical release from a physician is required and an incident
report must be filed with the league safety officer before the player is
allowed to continue play.