TeaysValley Youth Baseball League

T-Ball Rules

General League Rules

  1. THIS IS NOT A WIN AT ALL COSTS LEAGUE.
  2. Any deviation from any league or playing rules could result in a forfeit.
  3. All coaches are required to attend all mandatory coaches meetings or have a representative attend on their behalf. Assistants are welcome. COACHES WILL BE REQUIRED TO SIGN IN AND OUT OF ALL MEETINGS.
  4. All coaches are responsible for their assigned equipment. They shall return it to theequipment manger at the conclusion of their final regular season game or scheduledturn in date (TBA).
  5. Coaches are to report all injuries occurring during practices or games to a league officerimmediately.
  6. All coaches will be required to umpire games for Coach Pitch. The penalty for a coach that does not show up to umpire his/her scheduled game is a two game suspension. NOTE: This rule will be strictly enforced and could affect your team at tournament time.
  7. Concessions stand duty: Each team will be assigned concession stand duty. A schedule will be provided in the program. It is the responsibility of the head coach to ensure that adequate coverage is provided during their scheduled time. Everyone is required to be there one-half hour before scheduled work time. You will need 4-6 parents for sufficient coverage.
  8. A coach may request, through the TVYBL Board, to discipline player including a players who have missed two games or three practices without a proper excuse. Proper excuses are: illness, death in the family, vacation, school activities or religious activities. In the event that a player is dismissed, there will be no refund made to that player. The only mandatory practices are those scheduled by TVYBL.
  9. Coaches that do not comply with league rules or that represent the league in an unacceptable manner may not be permitted to coach in the league the following season. Please remember that you are here to teach the community’s children the rules and techniques of the game and to have fun! Teach the children to make the plays.
  10. Do not use foul language! Control your temper!
  11. Coaches, parents, or players ejected from the game, by the umpire or league officer, must leave the premises immediately. They will also be suspended for additional game or games as determined by the TVYBL Board. Any ejections refer to the code of conduct.
  12. No smoking around the diamonds, dugouts or benches.
  13. If parents do not wish for their child to play for a certain coach, they should approach a league officer with an explanation of why. Parents may put one (1) coach down on their sign up sheet but will be asked to attend a league meeting.
  14. The league will provide a practice schedule. Coaches may add non-mandatory practices if they wish on available diamonds. If the diamonds are not in use, by scheduled practices or games, they are available on first come, first serve basis.
  15. Officers on duty will determine rainouts. Rainouts will be played on Saturday or Sunday afternoon (and other days where needed).
  16. If time allows, teams should share infield time. All games will start on time.
  17. All umpires must turn in stat sheet after each game to the concession stand. Home and visiting coaches must sign the sheet. Any unsigned stat sheet will be considered official.
  18. It will be the umpire’s decision to stop play if he/she believes a player is injured.
  19. If a player is sick or hurt, skip their turn and bat without an out. If player is feeling better put them back in the same position in the lineup.
  20. A team short of players can pick up a replacement player. They must come from a younger division. The player can not pitch and shall play in the outfield. Replacement players must be a player of TVYBL. Note: girls with girls and boys with boys. No existing player on the team will sit the bench that game. Maximum- 3 players can be drawn up.
  21. Players are encouraged to avoid contact at home plate. If they don’t avoid contact, it will be determined by the umpire, if the runner made malicious contact. If so, the runner will be out. AVOID CONTACT.
  22. TIME LIMIT RULE: No new inning after 1 hour and 45 minutes. No games will end in a tie.
  23. Boy’s Baseball: Bat size 2 ¼ diameter max, 31 inch length max. Minor and Major only.
  24. Rules for Coach Pitch, Minor, and Major boys not in these league rules fall under Little League Rules. Pony Boys and Babe Ruth fall under OHSAA.
  25. Girl’s Softball: All bats must be ASA certified or regulation.
  26. Rules for Coach Pitch, Minor, and Major Girls not in these league rules fall under ASA.
  27. In the event any TVYBL boys or girls divisions have to merge with another league, the rules of the host league will be adopted.
  28. Travel Ball- TVYBL Travel teams will be required to abide by the TVYBL rules and code of conduct where applicable.
  29. Except for T-ball, final standings will be determined by an end of the year tournament.
  30. All Star Regulations: Do not apply for T-ball
  31. There will be no protests for any divisions exceptMinor and Major Boys pitching rule. A $50.00 fee to review must be received within 48 hours. It must be given any league officer.
  32. Player Eligibility: Age cut off for all boys divisions will be May 1st and all girls divisions will be January 1st.
  33. T-ball: Age not over 6 before May 1st of the current year. Must be 4 by May 1st.
  34. Coach Pitch Boys: Age not over 9 before May 1st of the current year.
  35. Coach Pitch Girls: Age not over 9 before January 1st of the current year.
  36. Minor Boys: Age not over 10 before May 1st of the current year.
  37. Minor Girls: Age not over 10 before January 1st of the current year.
  38. Major Boys: Age not over 12 before May 1st of the current year.
  39. Major Girls: Age not over 10 before January 1st of the current year.
  40. The umpire will be the sole judge of all plays. No protests on any games. There will be no protest of an umpire’s decision on a judgment call. The umpire shall have complete control of starting and stopping of the game
  41. Opposition has access to the score book prior to the game. Home team will be the official scorekeeper. The umpire will settle any questions concerning the score using both score books.

Equipment Rules:

  1. Baseballs (Incrediballs) supplied by TVYBL will be used.
  2. No metal cleats.
  3. Batter must use baseball bats as governed by the Little League Rule Book.
  4. No jewelry will be permitted. Sunglasses may be worn proper manner.
  5. Players batting, on deck, catching and running bases must wear protective head gear. Theymustleave helmets on until they leave the playing field. (NOTE: Only one on deck batter at a time, all other players must remain on the bench.)
  6. The pitcher will wear a helmet with a face guard and a heart guard.

***HEADWEAR IS MINDATORY***

All players must have a baseball hat on while on the playing field.

All players will wear the same color ball pants.

Playing Rules:

  1. Play all players in the field on defense and bat your entire team.
  2. No score will be kept. All roster players will bat each of the 3 innings. On any play that would result in an “out”, the player will be removed from the field.
  3. No infield fly rule.
  4. Normal game will run three (3) innings.
  5. A normal infield must be played. All other players will play the outfield.
  6. If a game is called due to weather or darkness, that game will be picked up at a later date. At the exact point where it was called. Note: After 2 innings, it is considered a complete game.
  7. Umpire calls “time” when play is dead. Players or parents do NOT call time.
  8. If the runners are in motion, the umpire cannot call time, but if the runner is leading off, time can be called.
  9. Any batter who throws the bat will be warned ONE time and will be called out on his/her next offense in any one game. Umpire will notify both coaches of the offense.
  10. No infielder may advance beyond the forty-foot infield line to make a play until the ball is hit. The team pitcher must stay within 3 feet of either side of the pitching rubber until the ball is hit. If the fielders leave the designated area before the ball has been hit, the batter will be safe at first and all runners may advance one base.
  11. All outfielders must be behind the baseline 20 feet to start play. Any violation of this rule will be considered a dead ball and the batter must bat over, all runners return to the base which they were occupying.
  12. Any outfielder cannot make an out by coming on to the infield to field a batted ball. Any violation of this rule will be considered a dead ball. The runners will be given the bases to which they where advancing.
  13. The catcher shall be in a designated area and must remain there until the ball has been hit.
  14. At no time will there be more than two (2) defensive players at home plate when a runner is advancing from third towards home.
  15. If a defensive player blocks any base or deliberately shoves a runner, the runner shall be given the base to which they were advancing.
  16. A fielded ball must be thrown to the base with a legitimate attempt to reach the base in the air. Example….The 1st base man cannot run down a player at third. The runner will be safe.
  17. If a ball is hit on the ground to the infield, runner can only go one base. A ball hit through the infield, on the ground, runner can only go two (2) bases. A ball hit in the air, to the outfield, runner advances all he/she can get. This pertains to runners already on base as well.
  18. Foul ball line will be 10 feet down the base lines. If the batter hits the tee and no ball. It will still be a foul ball even if it goes past the foul line (umpires judgment.)

Batting:

  1. When the coach is ready to start play he/she will tell the batter to step to the plate, place the ball on the tee and ready the defense by saying “defense ready, play ball.”
  2. The batting tee must be removed immediately by the coach after the ball is hit by the batter, with second base occupied or home plate being approached by a runner. The catcher is to stay clear of home plate before the coach removes the tee.
  3. In the final inning, any player has the option to have the first three (3) pitches pitched by the coach. If the player does not hit the ball after three (3) pitches then the player gets (3) swings off the batting tee. If there is still no hit, the player is considered “out” and they player’s turn at-bat is over.
  4. There will be no bunting allowed. The batter must take a full swing.
  5. All players will be on the batting lineups.

Base Stealing:

  1. There will be no stealing or leading off base. If a base runner leaves the base before the ball is hit, a warning will be given.

1 TeaysValley Youth Baseball League