2018 LITTLE LEAGUE® INTERNATIONAL  CONGRESS AGENDA RESULTS

Approved by the Little League International Tournament Committee for 

2018 Implementation

ITEM 9

Affects: Player Eligibility – Little League (10-12) and Intermediate (50-70) Divisions of Baseball

Little League (Major) Division - Any player League Age 10, 11, or 12, with amateur status, who has participated as an eligible player in 60 percent (60%) of the regular season games by the start of Tournament Play in their respective District, with the exception of the school baseball season, on a: 

1.        Little League Baseball (Major) Division team, or;

2.        Intermediate (50-70) Division Team.

Synopsis: This allows players league age 11 and 12, who participated in 60% of their respective Intermediate (50-70) Division Regular Season games to be eligible for selection to the Little League Baseball (Major) Division tournament team. Special Games at the Intermediate (50-70) Baseball Division will NOT count towards Tournament eligibility.

ITEM 10

Affects: Player Eligibility – Little League (10-12) and Junior Divisions of Softball

Little League (Major) Division - Any player League Age 10, 11, or 12, with amateur status, who has participated as an eligible player in 60 percent (60%) of the regular season games by the start of Tournament Play in their respective District, with the exception of the school softball season, on a: 

1.        Little League Softball (Major) Division team, or;

2.        Junior League Softball Team.

Synopsis: This allows players league age 12, who participated in 60% of their respective Junior Division Regular Season games to be eligible for selection to the Little League (Major) Division tournament team. Special Games at the Junior Softball Division will NOT count towards Tournament eligibility.

ITEM 11

Affects: Tournament Protests – The Use of an Ineligible Player – All Divisions of Baseball and Softball

The use of an ineligible player.  

Ineligibility under this rule applies to league age, residence or school attendance (as defined by Little League Baseball, Incorporated), participation in other programs, or participation as an eligible player for sixty (60%) percent of the regular season in the proper division, or violation of Regulation I-XVII. 

1. If the facts establishing or verifying the ineligibility of a player become known to a complainant, Tournament Official, or Tournament Director after the ineligible player participated in a game during the International Tournament, that team shall be disqualified and removed from the International Tournament, subject to any of the following conditions:

(a)      A protest is lodged by the manager or coach with the Umpire-in-Chief, who shall consult with the Tournament Director or District Administrator. The Tournament Director or District Administrator must contact the Regional Director (or his/her appointed agent), who shall contact the Tournament Committee for a decision. The decision of the Tournament Committee shall be final and binding.

(b)     The Tournament Director, District Administrator, or Tournament Official become aware of the circumstances by any means, they must contact the Regional Director (or his/her appointed agent), who shall contact the Tournament Committee for a decision. The decision of the Tournament Committee shall be final and binding.

Synopsis: This would disqualify and remove any team from the Little League International Tournament who is found to have used an ineligible player during a game.

ITEM 12

Affects: Tournament Rule 9 – Mandatory Play – 8-10, 9-11, 10-12, Intermediate (50-70), and Junior Baseball and Softball Divisions

9.  MANDATORY PLAY: 8- to 10-Year-Old Division, 9- to 11-Year-Old Division, Little League, Intermediate (50-70) Division, and Junior League: If a tournament team has thirteen (13) or more eligible players in uniform at a game, then every player on a team roster shall participate in each game for a minimum of one (1) at bat. If a tournament team has twelve (12) or fewer eligible players in uniform at a game, then every player on a team roster shall participate in each game for a minimum of six (6) consecutive defensive outs and bat at least one (1) time.  

a.        At the conclusion of the third inning (Intermediate (50-70) Baseball/Junior Divisions: fourth inning), and prior to the start of play in the top of the fourth inning (Intermediate (50-70) Baseball/Junior Divisions: fifth inning), the umpirein-chief in consultation with the official scorekeeper shall notify both managers that all players who have not completed their mandatory play requirement must be inserted into the line-up. The manager shall insert any player who has not met the mandatory play requirement into the line-up in a position that will allow mandatory minimum play to be satisfied absent a shortened game. Managers are solely responsible for fulfilling the mandatory play requirements.  

b.        There is no exception to this rule unless the game is shortened for any reason. NOTE: A game is not considered shortened if the home team does not complete the offensive half of the sixth or seventh inning (or any extra inning) due to winning the game. 

c.        Failure to meet the mandatory play requirements in this rule is a basis for protest. If one or more players on a roster do not meet this requirement, and if protested or brought to the Tournament Committee’s attention, it shall result (by action of the Tournament Committee) in the removal of the team’s manager, without replacement, for the remainder of the International Tournament. Additional penalties (up to and including forfeiture of a game and/or disqualification of the team or additional coaches from further tournament participation) may be imposed if, in the opinion of the Tournament Committee:  

1.     a manager or coach takes any action that results in making a travesty of the game, causing players to intentionally perform poorly for the purpose of extending or shortening a game, or;  

2.     a team fails to meet the requirements of this rule more than once during the International Tournament, which begins with District play and ends at the World Series level (State level for 8- to 10- and 9- to 11-Year-Old Divisions), or;  

3.     a manager willfully and knowingly disregards the requirements of this rule.  

A manager or coach suspended for any reason is not permitted to be at the game site and must not take any part in the game(s), nor have any communications whatsoever with any persons at the game site. This includes pregame and postgame activities. Violation may result, by action of the Tournament Committee, in further suspension; forfeiture of a game; and/or disqualification of the team, managers, or coaches from further tournament participation.  

d.        For the purposes of this rule, “six (6) consecutive defensive outs” is defined as: A player enters the field in one of the nine defensive positions when his/her team is on defense and occupies such position while six consecutive outs are made; “bat at least one (1) time” is defined as: A player enters the batter’s box with no count and completes that time at bat by being retired or by reaching base safely.

Synopsis: This mandates a manager insert any player who has not met mandatory play in the top of the fourth inning for Tournament in the applicable divisions. A local league could adopt this rule for Regular Season.

*Y.O.I., Year of Implementation