COACHES HANDBOOK for AA (Kid Pitch) Thank you for stepping up to volunteer as a coach for the Fife-Milton-Edgewood Little League AA program. Little League wouldn t be the world-wide leading youth baseball program without volunteers like you! FME will work hard to make your coaching experience as easy and rewarding as possible. The Mission of Little League (in part):...through proper guidance and exemplary leadership, the Little League program assists youth in developing the qualities of citizenship, discipline, teamwork and physical wellbeing. By espousing the virtues of character, courage and loyalty, the Little League Baseball program is designed to develop superior citizens rather than superior athletes. Table of Contents: Page 1
Foreword... 3 FMELL AA Standing Rules... 4-7 Board of Directors... 8 If you ever have any questions, please contact your AA Director or anybody on the Board of Directors list on page 6. Page 2
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FMELL AA Standing Rules 1. Code of Conduct a. Coaches are responsible for their team s players, parents and spectators conduct at all times. 2. Home Team a. Receives third base dugout. b. Drags and chalks the field for play. c. Responsible for reporting scores and pitch counts. d. Keeps the official scorebook. e. Puts all of the equipment away at the end of the game and secures the field. 3. The complete roster will be the batting order. After that a player may only be skipped due to injury. a. Bunting is not allowed. b. No on-deck batters. 4. Playing time is based on a six inning game. a. All players must play at least two (2) innings in the infield (pitchers and catchers are considered infield). b. All players must play in an outfield position for at least two (2) innings. c. Players should sit out no more than two (2) innings per six (6) inning game. d. Each game shall be no more than six (6) innings or 1 hour and 45 minutes, whichever comes first. If the current inning is not complete at the 1 hour and 45 minute mark, the inning shall continue until full completion. 5. Mandatory Play. No minimum amount of players is required to play a game. No forfeits. Share players on opposing team for defensive purposes. 6. Equipment. Only Little League approved bats with barrels under 2 ¼ inches may be used. No big barrel bats. Regular baseballs are utilized and provided with other needed equipment by the League. Batters, runners, and catchers must wear protective helmets approved by Little League. 7. Defensive Rules. Page 4
a. Fielders may not block base paths without possession of the ball. b. No balks will be called. Pitcher will be instructed and warned. c. Infield fly rule is in effect. d. The 40-foot pitching rubber is to be used for the entire season. e. Ball is considered live until pitcher toes rubber or time is given by umpire. f. Stealing is allowed. No leading off of any base. The base runner may not leave the base until a pitched ball passes the catcher and is deemed, by the umpire, to be a catchable ball (this encourages better catching and better base running). If a player leaves early, and is thrown out, the player is out. If he is safe, he must return to the previous base. If the ball is hit, the defensive team has the option of the result of the play or a dead ball and runner returns and hitter hits again. If ball is not hit, result of pitch (ball or strike) will count. A player may only steal one base per pitch. No player may steal home. g. All nine (9) defensive players shall be positioned in the location where that position is traditionally played: Three outfielders (left field, center field, right field), four infielders (first base, second base, third base, shortstop), one pitcher and one catcher. 8. Offensive Rules a. Each offensive team shall be limited to 5 runs per inning or 3 outs, whichever occurs first. b. Feet-first sliding is allowed. c. Head-first sliding is not permitted, unless returning to previous base. It is the base runners responsibility to avoid contact with the fielder that has the ball. d. No on-deck batter is aloud. e. The batter may not attempt to advance to first base on a dropped third strike. f. Bunting and soft swings are not permitted. 9. Pitching. Little League pitching rules are as follows: Regular Season Pitching Rules - Baseball VI PITCHERS Page 5
(a) Any player on a regular season team may pitch, unless said player is Little League age 12 on a minor league team and has signed a waiver. (NOTE: There is no limit to the number of pitchers a team may use in a game.) (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 85 pitches per day 9-10 75 pitches per day 7-8 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 1: 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. (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 Page 6
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) A player may not pitch in more than one game in a day. (Exception: In the Big League Division, a player may be used as a pitcher in up to two games 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. Note: The use of this regulation negates the concept of the calendar week with regard to pitching eligibility. President Steve Russell fmellsteve@gmail.com 253-561- 4242 Vice President Corey Watson coreydeanwatson@gmail.com President Emeritus Todd Morton fmellbb@hotmail.com Player Agent Deanna Vandecar dvandecarfme@gmail.com 253-332- 1714 Page 7
Secretary Mary Peterson bopete57@yahoo.com Treasurer Heather Russell russell9313@aol.com Safety Officer Mark Stack mark.stack70@gmail.com Coach Coordinator VACANT Director A Erica Sanoy esanoy@gmail.com Director AA Erica Sanoy esanoy@gmail.com Director BB, AAA & Majors Jim Jacobsen jjfoodguy@hotmail.com Director Softball Kristine Phillips kristinephillips2909@hotmail.com Director Teeball Larry Burns jaxburns@comcast.net 206-851- 4912 Director Fall Ball VACANT Field Manager Richard Copeland richard.copeland@wpcs.com Umpire in Chief VACANT Umpire Scheduler David Gallagher jagmyd1@yahoo.com Practice/Game Scheduler David Gallagher jagmyd1@yahoo.com Equipment Manager Steve Rees fourrees@gmail.com Uniform Manager Jody Stack proudmomgreatkids@yahoo.com Parent Coordinator VACANT Sponsor Agent Todd McKellips email@toddkm.com Information Officer Scott Earle scott.earle@hotmail.com Page 8