RBLL 2015 Upper Divisions Ground Rules Read the Little League Green Book!!! AA 1) Game Length: * No New 1:40 * Drop Dead 1:55 * 3) Can t miss 2 successive Defensive innings 4) 4 inning game, must play 2 Defensive innings 5) 5 inning game, must play 3 Defensive innings 6) Infield Play Time Minimum 1 inning 7) 5 Run Limit per Inning 8) Umpire declared Last Inning is Unlimited Runs 9) Mercy Rule 10 run lead after 4 innings 10) Runner cannot leave base until Pitched ball Crosses Plate 11) Runner may steal 2 nd or 3 rd only on Passed Ball, which is defined as outside the Catching / Umpire area (to the side or behind, but not in front). Example: Ball gets behind the Umpire or goes to the side of the Catcher an equal distance. 12) Runner may only advance 1 base on a passed ball no advancing on a Catcher overthrow. Development Goal is for the Catcher to throw the ball when runners steal. 13) No advancing Home not on passed ball (from a pitch), nor throw back to Pitcher (from the Catcher after a pitch) 14) No advancing to any base when Pitcher has the ball and is in the Mound Circle (defined as the dirt around the rubber). Development Goal is for Pitchers is to learn through on-going instruction by Coaches that they need to be directly on the rubber. 15) No Infield Fly Rule 16) Pitching Rules / Counts / Rest Days see Appendix A, attached 17) If Drop Dead time is reached before an inning is completed, the score reverts back to the last AAA 1) Game Length: * No New 1:45 * Drop Dead 2:00 * 3) 4 inning game, must play 2 Defensive innings 4) 5 inning game, must play 3 Defensive innings 5) 6 inning game, must play 4 Defensive innings 6) Infield Play Time Minimum 1 inning 7) 5 Run Limit per Inning, except all runs score over 5 on an over-the-fence Home Run 8) Umpire declared Last Inning is Unlimited Runs 9) Mercy Rule 10 run lead after 4 innings 10) Runner cannot leave base until Pitched ball Crosses Plate 11) Stealing Allowed - All Bases 12) No Advancing to any base when Pitcher has ball on the Rubber and the Catcher is within his box 13) Infield Fly Rule in Effect 14) Pitching Rules / Counts / Rest Days see Appendix A, attached 15) Dropped 3 rd Strike in Effect (see below) 16) If Drop Dead time is reached before an inning is completed, the score reverts back to the last 1
RBLL 2015 Upper Divisions Ground Rules MAJORS 1) Game Length: * No New 2:00 * Drop Dead 2:15 * 3) 4 inning game, must play 2 Defensive innings 4) 5 inning game, must play 3 Defensive innings 5) 6 inning game, must play 4 Defensive innings 6) No Positional Requirements 7) No Run Limits 8) Mercy Rule 10 run lead after 4 innings 9) Runner cannot leave base until Pitched ball Crosses Plate 10) Stealing Allowed All Bases 11) No Advancing to any base when Pitcher has ball on the Rubber and the Catcher is within his Box 12) Infield Fly Rule in Effect 13) Pitching Rules / Counts / Rest Days see Appendix A, attached 14) Dropped 3 rd Strike in Effect (see below) 15) If Drop Dead time is reached before an inning is completed, the score reverts back to the last Please refer to Little League rule book for complete pitching rules!!! All Divisions A runner must slide or veer to avoid contact when a defensive player is in possession of the ball while in proper defensive position, or the runner is out. A runner who willfully and/or dangerously collides with a defensive player without a reasonable attempt to avoid the collision shall be ejected from the game. Defensive players shall keep clear of their base and base path if there is not a play imminent. Any player who deliberately throws equipment while either on the field or in the dugout may be immediately ejected by the umpire. Such behavior is unsportsmanlike conduct and shall not be tolerated within RBLL. Miscellaneous AA Division Rules 1) Three (3) Hit Batters per Game = Removal of Pitcher 2) All Pitchers will throw from 46 feet Miscellaneous AAA and Major Division Rules 1) Dropped 3 rd Strike a) Not caught before touching ground includes bounced pitches b) With 1 st Base UNOCCUPIED or always when 2 outs ** Unoccupied means empty at Time of Pitch (beginning of motion); therefore, a runner at 1 st attempting to steal does not qualify the base as unoccupied. c) If batter doesn t realize a dropped 3rd strike has occurred and leaves the batter s box for the dugout, he or she shall be called out. This is a judgment call by the Umpire as to when he or she has ceased being a potential runner by being out of the baseline. Miscellaneous 1) 50 Pitch maximum for all Ages in all Divisions during Spring Training 2) Reporting of Game Result, Pitch Counts, and Player Attendance by Home Team is Mandatory 3) No Umpire? Contact Pete Milczus 310-739-7827 but NOT for umpire complaints 2
GAME RESPONSIBILITIES RBLL 2015 Upper Divisions Ground Rules HOME TEAM 1) Field Set Up AND Breakdown (a) Set up includes Dragging, Watering, Chalking of Batter s Box / Baselines; Pitching Mound readiness Dirt / Clay packed and groomed (b) Set up includes Base Plugs placed into bottom of fence just past Home Team Dugout during games (c) Breakdown includes Bases and Field Prep Tools put away, Plugs reinserted, pitching mound covered, Iron Mike covered, batting cage doors locked, and all equipment and trash removed from the dugout 2) Keep Official Scorebook (a) Reconciling with Visitor Scorekeeper the Score / Pitch Counts by Player / Player Attendance i. Reconcile every ½ inning ii. Visitor scorebook makes the walk iii. Home scorebook is official in case of dispute 3) Reporting Manager responsible to forward to Commissioner by following morning VISITOR TEAM 1) Operation of Scoreboard 2) Game Announcer 3) Provide two (2) Game Balls 4) Scorekeeper to reconcile with Home scorebook every ½ inning 5) Take down Flag, Fold, Put Away (Perry can stay up because of light) 6) Remove all equipment and trash from the dugout 7) Assist the Home Team in Field Breakdown PRE-GAME PROTOCOL 1) Home Team is in the 1 st Base Dugout At all 3 of our venues, we have the Batting Cages on the 1 st Base side. This lends to consistency venue to venue, a perk to the Home Team for doing Field Prep, and a perk for RBLL when we play inter-leagues or host tournaments. 2) Batting Cages will be available 60 minutes before game time 3) Home Team has choice of Batting Cage Alley, either the Iron Mike lane or the Free Pitch 4) Home Team takes IF Warm-Up first, 25 minutes before game start time. 10 min max. Exits field.* 5) Visitor Team takes IF Warm-Up next, 15 minutes before game time. 10 min max. Exits field.* 6) Both Teams immediately take to Baselines for Pledge of Allegiance and the Little League Pledge 7) Home Team retakes the field for Game Start 8) Start Time is called to both Scorekeeper and Announcer * Game scheduling may impact these times, but use as a guideline. Managers will reach an agreement on IF warm-up time if the above protocol cannot be followed. 3
APPENDIX A - LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL PITCHING REGULATIONS Regulation VI - PITCHERS (a) Any player on a regular season team may pitch. Exception: Any player, who has played the position of catcher in four (4) or more innings in a game, is not eligible to pitch on that calendar day. (b) A pitcher once removed from the mound cannot return as a pitcher. (c) The manager must remove the pitcher when said pitcher reaches the limit for his/her age group as noted below, but the pitcher may remain in the game at another position: League Age: 11-12 year old 85 pitches per day 9-10 year old 75 pitches per day 7-8 year old 50 pitches per day Exception: If a pitcher reaches the limit imposed in Regulation VI(c) for his/her league age while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until any one of the following conditions occurs: 1.That batter reaches base; 2. That batter is put out; 3. The third out is made to complete the half-inning. Note: A pitcher who delivers 41 or more pitches in a game cannot play the position of catcher for the remainder of that day. (d) Pitchers league age 14 and under must adhere to the following rest requirements: If a player pitches 66 or more pitches in a day, four (4) calendar days of rest must be observed. If a player pitches 51-65 pitches in a day, three (3) calendar days of rest must be observed. If a player pitches 36-50 pitches in a day, two (2) calendar days of rest must be observed. If a player pitches 21-35 pitches in a day, one (1) calendar days of rest must be observed. If a player pitches 1-20 pitches in a day, no (0) calendar day of rest is required. Exception: If a pitcher reaches a day(s) of rest threshold while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until any one of the following conditions occurs: 1. That batter reaches base; 2. That batter is retired; 3. The third out is made to complete the half-inning. The pitcher will only be required to observe the calendar day(s) of rest for the threshold he/she reached during that atbat, provided that the pitcher is removed before delivering a pitch to another batter. (e) Each league must designate the scorekeeper or another game official as the official pitch count recorder. (f) The pitch count recorder must provide the current pitch count for any pitcher when requested by either manager or any umpire. However, the manager is responsible for knowing when his/her pitcher must be removed. (g) The official pitch count recorder should inform the umpire-in-chief when a pitcher has delivered his/her maximum limit of pitches for the game, as noted in Regulation VI(c). The umpire-in-chief will inform the pitcher s manager that the pitcher must be removed in accordance with Regulation VI(c). However, the failure by the pitch count recorder to notify the umpire-in-chief, and/or the failure of the umpire-in-chief to notify the manager does not relieve the manager of his/her responsibility to remove a pitcher when that pitcher is no longer eligible.
(h) Violation of any section of this regulation can result in protest of the game in which it occurs. Protest shall be made in accordance with Playing Rule 4.19. (j) A player who has attained the league age of twelve (12) is not eligible to pitch in the Minor League. (See Regulation V Selection of Players) (k) Pitching in more than one game in a day: Minor League, Little League and Intermediate (50/70) Division - A player may not pitch in more than one game in a day. NOTES: 1. The withdrawal of an ineligible pitcher after that pitcher is announced, or after a warm-up pitch is delivered, but before that player has pitched a ball to a batter, shall not be considered a violation. Little League officials are urged to take precautions to prevent protests. When a protest situation is imminent, the potential offender should be notified immediately. 2. Pitches delivered in games declared Regulation Tie Games or Suspended Games shall be charged against pitcher s eligibility. 3. In suspended games resumed on another day, the pitchers of record at the time the game was halted may continue to pitch to the extent of their eligibility for that day, provided said pitcher has observed the required days of rest. Example 1: A league age 12 pitcher delivers 70 pitches in a game on Monday when the game is suspended. The game resumes on the following Thursday. The pitcher is not eligible to pitch in the resumption of the game because he/she has not observed the required days of rest. Example 2: A league age 12 pitcher delivers 70 pitches in a game on Monday when the game is suspended. The game resumes on Saturday. The pitcher is eligible to pitch up to 85 more pitches in the resumption of the game because he/she has observed the required days of rest. Example 3: A league age 12 pitcher delivers 70 pitches in a game on Monday when the game is suspended. The game resumes two weeks later. The pitcher is eligible to pitch up to 85 more pitches in the resumption of the game, provided he/she is eligible based on his/her pitching record during the previous four days.