ORWALL

LOCAL LEAGUE RULES

T-BALL 6 – Fall 2016

All rules contained in the “2016 LITTLE LEAGUE -Official Regulations and Playing Rules” shall apply unless expressly changed by the rules contained herein. In such case, the rules contained herein shall apply.

THE PLAYERS

o  Free Defensive Substitution is allowed.

o  Players not starting the game on defense, unless absent, must start the next game.

Minimum Play Requirements (For teams that have 12 or less players):

·  Each Player must play two complete innings in the infield (P, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, C) by the end of the 4th inning

·  Each Player must play a minimum of one inning in the outfield by the end of the 4th inning

·  A Player may only play catcher once in a game

·  A player may only sit out one inning per game

Minimum Play Requirements (For teams that have 13 or more players):

·  Each Player must play one complete inning in the infield (P, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, C) by the end of the 3rd inning and a second complete inning in the infield by the end of the 5th inning

·  Each Player must play a minimum of one inning in the outfield by the end of the 4th inning

·  A Player may only play catcher once in a game

·  A player may sit out more than one inning in a game, but not before all other players have sat out at least one inning. No player shall sit out in consecutive innings. No player shall sit out two innings in two consecutive games.

Violation of the minimum play requirement will result in the following penalties: The manager shall for the : 1st offense - is a written warning; 2nd offense - suspension from next scheduled game; 3rd offense suspension for the remainder of the season.(Regulation IV- The Players)

SELECTION OF PLAYERS

o  Players will be pre-assigned to rosters by the Player Agent based on schools when possible.

o  Each team may have one manager’s freeze and one coach freeze, to be determined prior to roster assignment.

o  No players will be allowed to “play up” above their league age.

FIELD DECORUM

Maximum of 1 manager and 4 coaches are allowed in the field and dugout for each team. No batboys, batgirls or siblings are allowed in the dugout during the game.

o  One coach for the defensive team may be positioned in the outfield for the purpose of placing players back in their assigned positions after a defensive play. Coaches must be along the fence prior to the ball being put into play and may not interfere with a play in progress.

o  A batting coach will place the ball on the tee for the players. Physical Positioning of the batter is allowed. The only Positioning allowed shall be for the coach to “Square” the batter up appropriately with home plate. “Square” is defined as positioning the batter within the Batter’s Box with the Batter’s feet parallel with the front and back lines of the Batter’s box. If no Batter’s box is visible, the Batter’s feet shall be parallel to home plate. The Coach shall NOT be allowed to position a player’s feet at any angle within the box other than parallel with the front and back lines of the box or home plate. Clarification – A player may position their feet at any angle within the Batter’s Box on their own. If the coach positions the batter in any way other then as described above, the umpire shall award the opposing team an out. No runners shall advance and the batter shall hit again.

o  The batting tee will be placed in the middle of home plate. After the batter has hit the ball, the batting coach must remove the tee from the plate so that base runners and fielders can safely make a play.

o  There is no on-deck position in Little League. All batters shall remain in the dugout until it is his/her turn to bat.

OBJECTIVES OF THE GAME

o  A chalked arc shall be drawn in the outfield midway between the back of the infield and the outfield fence for the purpose of identifying the minimum distance from home plate that an outfielder may take a defensive position. The outfielder must not cross that line until the ball is put in play.

o  The pitcher's mound shall be encircled by a line ten feet in diameter which shall be known as the "pitcher's circle".

o  An arc measuring 12 feet from the back of home plate shall be marked in fair territory from foul line to foul line and be known as the "dead ball area".

o  A league issued ball will be used for all games.

o  A catcher may wear a fielder's glove in place of a catcher's mitt.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

o  FOUL BALL - In addition to the definition found in the Little League rulebook, a batted ball that fails to clear the “dead ball area” shall be considered a foul ball. A ball resting on the dead ball line will be considered fair.

STARTING AND ENDING THE GAME

o  "Play" shall be called when the pitcher is in contact with the rubber and the batting coach has placed the ball on the tee.

o  10 defensive players shall be allowed on the field. If a team is unable to field 10 defensive players, 9 may be fielded. The opposing team will still field 10 players if possible. Exception: In the Fall

league, games may be played with as few as 8 players on a team.

o  No defensive player, other than the catcher, may take a position closer to home plate than the pitcher. This distance will be determined by taking the distance from the pitcher’s mound to the point on home plate and then projected out in an arc shape from the 3rd base line to the 1st base line.

o  No outfielder may take a defensive position closer to home plate than the outfield arc.

o  Outfielders will not be allowed to tag base runners or tag bases for force-outs.

o  A maximum of five runs per inning may be scored by a team in every inning.

o  No ten-run rules will be enforced.

o  No inning may start one hour and ten minutes after the scheduled start time. It will be held that an inning starts the moment the third out is made in the preceding inning or the 5th run has been scored.. Any inning started will be completed. Exception: When the visiting team has completed its at bat after time expires, if the home team is ahead (or goes ahead) then the bottom half of the inning will not be completed.

o  Games played the full-allotted time limit will be considered a complete game regardless of number of innings completed.

o  There are no protests in Tee Ball 6.

THE BATTER

o  The infield fly rule will not be enforced.

o  Donut-type swing weights are not allowed in Little League.

THE RUNNER

o  Each runner may be permitted to advance one base at a time, unless the ball is batted past the outfield arc, then runners may advance up to two bases at their own risk. A ball resting on the outfield arc shall be deemed past the arc.

o  No runners may advance unless a batted ball has been put in play (no stealing).

THE PITCHER

o  The pitcher shall have both feet on the pitcher's rubber until the bat contacts the ball. If, in the umpire's judgment, the pitcher leaves the rubber early to make a play, the batter/runner or runners will be awarded one base without liability to be put out.

o  If the pitcher fields the ball within the pitcher's circle, he/she must throw the ball to a base and cannot tag a player running to any base, or step on any base, including home plate, to record an out. If fielded outside the pitcher’s circle, he/she may tag any runner or base.

o  The Pitcher must wear a batting helmet at all times while playing defensively.

THE UMPIRE

o  One (1) Paid umpire will be provided.

GENERAL RULES

o  No soft toss with baseballs allowed against the fences.

o  Home team is responsible for keeping the official score book. Visiting team is responsible for running the scoreboard.

o  Responsibility of both teams to rake and line the field in order to get it ready for play. Also, after the last game of the day, it is the responsibility of both teams to rake the field. Managers should encourage parents and players to assist with these duties.

o  All bench areas shall be free from trash following each game. Suggest assigning a player each game to have dugout duty to ensure we keep the park looking good.

o  No jewelry is to be worn during warm-up or games, except medical I.D.

o  No noisemakers (horns, bells, rattles) are allowed during play.

T-Ball 6

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