GENERAL INFORMATION

SHETLAND LEAGUE 6U™ is an instructional league to teach three, four, five and six-year-old players the fundamentals of baseball and softball by the simplest method possible - letting them play the game. If this purpose is kept paramount, SHETLAND 6U™ LEAGUE can be a valuable addition to the more formally organized leagues for older players. Emphasis must be on instruction, not on the league championship. 
SHETLAND 6U™ LEAGUE coaches are allowed on the field to offer instruction during the game. The rules require that players be given the opportunity to try different positions, and that all of them get to play in every game. 

Players in this age range have a short attention span in any single activity and games must move rapidly. Only the basic fundamentals of the game should be brought out. It is not uncommon for players of this age, initially, to be unfamiliar with which is first base, which is third base, and which field is left and which is right. Lack of knowledge indicates merely that the player has not yet been introduced to the game and has no relationship to the player's potential athletic ability. 

SHETLAND 6U™ LEAGUE was developed more than 40 years ago as a Tee-Ball League, using a batting tee instead of a pitcher. There is considerable medical opinion that players of this age who actually pitch may develop arm and/or shoulder injuries that may not be evident until several years later. In addition, pitchers of this age often have control problems, resulting in longer games which may become boring to the participants. 

SHETLAND 6U™ LEAGUE provides an excellent opportunity to teach basic catching, throwing, batting and fielding, and a love of the game of baseball without making the experience a course of intensified instruction. The best approach is to let the teams play with little thought to victory or defeat, but merely for the joy of participation while, at the same time, learning the fundamentals of teamwork, group discipline and sportsmanship.

RULES

1. Games will be 1-hour drop dead.
   
2. Coaches are encouraged to have each player play each position during the season.
   
3. Coach Pitch will be 30’ and the machine will be 38’ pitching distance from the tip of home plate to the front of the pitching line, inside the circle.
   50’ Bases.
   
4. A 10-foot arc should be drawn from baseline to baseline.
   
5. Hash marks to be drawn in the center between 1st/2nd, 2nd/3rd and 3rd/Home. The hash marks should be centered between the bases and located 3ft towards the outfield, that will be considered the “infield”.
   
6. A pitcher’s circle must be drawn around the pitching machine.
   
7. The offense provides two coaches on the field when at bat. 1) behind the plate and 2) in the Pitchers circle. The defense provides two coaches on the field, left side and right side of the infield.
   
8. Maximum of four coaches on the field during a game. Coaches cannot interfere with the ball in play, this will be considered an out.
   
9. Continuous batting order with all players on the roster. Switch sides after 7 batters, 5 runs or 3 outs.
   
10. A player will receive 5 attempts, any combination of machine or tee, but it must be continuous and not switching back and forth (ex: machine to tee and back to machine is not allowed). The LAST attempt to put the ball in play is missed or foul tipped it will result in an out. Batter is not out on a foul or foul tip unless it is a LAST attempt.
    
11. When hitting off the tee, the tee should be placed on home plate.  The coach is responsible for removal after every play.  There are no base restrictions when hitting off the tee.  
    
12. No walks, no strikeouts (only on 5th missed or fouled attempt).
    
13. If a player is out they must come off the field. 
    
14. No stealing or leading off, until the ball is put in play by the batter.
    
15. Runners can advance on an overthrow when in play, runners can be tagged out. 
    
16. The ball is considered “dead”, at the discretion of the umpire, when the player has the ball in the infield and raises both hands in the air. 
    
17. Runners can advance or must return to the base depending on which side of the hash mark they are on when the ball is dead.
    
18. No bunts, No throwing bats, 2 warnings for the team, after that, it is an out (safety precautions).
    
19. No infield fly rule.
    
20. There will be no forfeits. Teams can borrow current rostered PONY players to assist in the outfield,
    infield if necessary.
    
21. Defense up to 12 players – Catcher, Pitcher, 1st, 2nd, SS, 3rd, and 6 outfielders, no infield rover.
    
22. The catcher is required to wear a cup (boys only), girls are highly recommended.
    
23. The defensive catcher will be in full gear and can use their own glove. The catcher shall stand away from the plate until the batter swings, then field the position defensively. (There is no dropped third strike rule.)
    The home team is the official scorekeeper and is the official recorder for the game. Only for the purposes of changing sides each inning and not to keep the actual score of the game.
24. Pitching Machine Rules: 
    
    1. The player pitcher shall take position, always to the rear of the pitching machine, and on the left or right side of the circle.
       
    2. The pitching machine is not moved when hitting from the tee.
       
    3. If a batted ball hits the pitching machine, if it goes into foul territory, it is dead, otherwise it is a fair ball and is counted towards their 5 attempts, foul or fair.

The Official Baseball Rules published by PONY apply to all instances unless superseded by MPK Baseball rules.
Last Revised: 031324

FIELD REGULATION

BASES: 50 feet

PITCHING: Shetland Baseball : 38 feet

FAIR PLAY AREA: Within the first base and third base foul lines and a fence or marked line 150 feet from home plate. A ball hit beyond that distance on the fly will be a home run. A minimum home run distance of 125 feet or a maximum of 200 feet will be recognized, with the recommendation that the home run distance be 150 feet at the foul lines and 200 feet in center field to a six or eight foot barrier wherever possible.

BASES, PLATES: The home plate, pitcher's rubber and the bases shall be official size as used in regulation baseball.

PITCHING MOUND: Flat surface.

RESTRAINING LINE: Located along first base, beginning 25 feet from home base and extending three feet beyond the first and second base line. The line, paralleling the first base foul line and extending three feet (36 inches) into foul territory, shall be marked with chalk or other white material two inches wide.

DISTANCE TO BACKSTOP: Recommended distance from home plate to the backstop is 20 feet.

CATCHER'S BOX: By local option, the catcher's box may be rectangular in shape 43 inches wide and eight feet deep from the point of home plate or it may be triangular in shape extending eight feet from the rear of home plate, being a continuation of the foul lines, in which case the line closet to the backstop shall be 16 feet in length.

FIELD DIMENSION DRAWING: