Mandatory Play-Time/Rotations –
● OFFENSE:
○ Teams will bat all rostered, present players in a continuous batting order.
○ Coaching on Offense: 1 coach may occupy the coach’s box at first and another at third, while 1 coach operates the pitching machine. When players are in the dugout 1 coach must be present.
● DEFENSE:
○ A maximum of 10 players will be on the field for defense. If 10 are used, 4 must take positions in the outfield grass area. Players can rotate between any positions.
○ Each player must play 1 inning in the infield and 1 inning in the outfield. The catcher position is considered an outfield position. ○ No player shall play the same infield position in consecutive innings. ○ No player may sit TWICE before every rostered, present player has sat ONCE
○ Coaching on Defense: Coaches must remain in or just outside the dugout.
Time Limits –
● Saturday: 1 hr 45 min
● Weekday: 1 hr 30 min
● A complete game is 6 innings.
Game Play –
● The first 3 innings will continue until the offense has scored 5 runs or the defense has recorded 3 outs. The 4thinning and on will be unlimited runs (or until 3 outs) or the game reaches the time limit.
● Games can end in a tie
● If a batted ball goes under, over, around, hits the machine or operator of the machine and leaves the area of the machine, then the ball shall be considered a live ball.
AA MACHINE PITCH RULES
● Pitching Machine -
○ League pitching machines are to be used unless both Managers agree on another Blue Flame machine.
○ The pitching machine will be set to 36 mph using the Blue Flame Pitching Machine. Speed will be 4 in the back & 7 at the bottom. ● The machine settings as listed above may only be changed by the AA commissioner and will be followed by ALL AA teams.
● Under no circumstances will a player reach under, through or into the machine to retrieve a ball in the area the machine occupies. If a batted ball comes to rest under the machine, gets stuck in the machine, or any circumstances that appears that the player could be in danger, the operator should yell “Time, Dead Ball” and remove the ball himself. The batter will be awarded first base and the runners will advance 1 base.
● Bunting is NOT allowed.
● Pitcher must occupy the mound with one foot in the clay on either side of the machine but not in front of the pitching rubber or machine. Pitchers may not leave the mound until the hitter has made contact.
● There will be stealing of 2nd and 3rd bases only during the first 3 innings of play. After the 3rdinning, there will be no stealing of bases. Stealing may occur once the ball has crossed the plate. If a runner leaves early and successfully steals a base, he will be sent back. If tagged before reaching safely he will be called out. If runner attempts to steal home and is off the base and tagged out runner will be called out. There will be no delayed stealing.
● Each batter will be given a total of 6 good pitches, 3 swings or 1 fair hit ball. If the last pitch is fouled off, the batter will be given another pitch. This will continue until the batter hits a fair ball or strikes out. (Good pitches are hittable pitches and will be a judgment call by the umpire.)
● If the batter, on the sixth hittable pitch, does not swing, it will be considered a strikeout.
● If a batter swings at a pitch and misses that is considered a pitch and counts towards the batter’s pitch count. If a batter does not swing and the pitch is declared ‘bad’, it will not count towards the batter’s pitch count. If a batter swings at a ‘bad’ pitch (declared by the umpire), it will be considered a strike. A pitch cannot be declared bad until the ball is past the plate. ● On balls batted to the infield, play stops at the earliest of the infielder possessing the ball and deciding NOT to make a play on a runner/batter OR when the infielders’ play on a runner/batter has been completed.
○ Scenario 1: For example, with a runner on 2nd, if the 2nd baseman fields the ball and holds it without making any play, the runner on 2nd must stop at 3rd base and cannot continue home, and the batter must stop at 1st base.
○ Scenario 2: Similarly, in the scenario above, if the 2nd baseman throws the ball to 1st base to try and get the batter out, the runner from 2nd may only continue home if the play at 1st base has not been completed before the runner passes 3rd base…if it’s close we will err on the side of the runner being able to continue, but if the play at 1st had obviously been completed prior to the runner reaching 3rd base (say the runner is only ⅔ of the way to 3rd) the umpire should note that any further advancement by the runner is at their own risk unless Scenario 3 below applies. If the runner makes it safely home, they will be sent back to 3rd. If they are tagged out between bases they will be out.
○ Scenario 3: Finally, in Scenario 2 above, if the play at 1st base has been completed and the defensive player then attempts to throw the runner out going to 3rd, this allows the play to continue (i.e. the runner may then advance past 3rd and score). In this scenario, if the defensive player does not attempt to get the runner out but then the runner continues past 3rd, Scenario 2 above applies.
● On balls batted to the outfield, play stops when the ball is in possession of an infielder in the infield. Once the infielder has possession in the infield (i.e. inside the outfield grass), the runner cannot proceed to the next base.
● Runners WILL NOT be allowed to take extra bases on overthrows that occur during an attempted steal. The base stealer may not advance another base but can be tagged out if off the base. On a pitch that is declared ‘bad’, a base stealer will be required to return to the previous base occupied. ● Runners may not leave the bag until the ball reaches the batter.
● There is no infield fly rule.
● All other rules of baseball apply.
Run Rules –
● Summary: 15 runs after 3 innings; 10 runs after 4 innings; 8 runs after 5 innings;
○ Rule Book: Rule 4.10(e):
■ “If after three (3) innings, two and one-half innings if the home team is ahead, one team has a lead of fifteen (15) runs or more, the manager of the team with the least runs shall concede the victory to the opponent. If after four (4), three and one-half if the home team is ahead, one team has a lead of ten (10) runs or more, the manager of the team with the least runs shall concede the victory to the opponent. If after five (5) innings, if the home team is ahead, one team has a lead of eight (8) runs or more, the manager of the team with the least runs shall concede the
victory to the opponent.”
■ Run Rules will be observed for AA games. If a Run Rule determines a game result (W/L), the result will be recorded and acknowledged by both managers. Then, the scoreboard will be turned off, and teams will continue to play until the time limit expires.
Pitching, Pitch Counts (per game/outing), Days Rest –
● Kid pitch begins on MONDAY APRIL 3rd
● Standard 4 ball, 3 strike count will ensue (as opposed to Machine Pitch rules)
● Bunts are still not allowed
● Teams should work with their pitchers every practice to prepare them for kid pitch games.
● Pitching distance will be 42 feet.
● Each pitcher can throw a max of 25 pitches per game or 50 pitches per week. 50 pitchers per week is a HARD count (can not exceed 50 even with threshold). A pitcher can exceed the pitch count of 25 to finish a batter. If the pitcher exceeds the 25 pitches to finish the batter, the pitcher’s pitch count is adjusted to the 50 pitch per week max. For instance, a pitcher throws 30 pitches on Monday, the pitcher can only throw 20 pitches for the next game that takes place during the same week.
● Rule Book: Regulation VI(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.
Exception: If a pitcher reaches a day(s) of rest threshold 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 retired; or (3) the third out is made to complete the
half-inning or the game. The pitcher will only be required to observe the calendar day(s) of rest for the threshold he/she reached during that at-bat, provided that pitcher is removed or the game is completed before delivering a pitch to another batter.
Pitcher/Catcher Regulations-
● Rule Book Rule VI(a)
○ “Any player who has played the position of catcher in four (4) or more innings in a game is not eligible to pitch on that calendar day. The catcher receiving one pitch to a better in the fourth inning constitutes having caught four (4) innings.”
○ “If a player delivers 41 or more pitches, and is not covered under the threshold exception*, the player may not play the position of catcher for the remainder of that day.
○ *Threshold exemption: NOTE: If a pitcher reaches 40 pitches while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch, and maintain their eligibility to play the position of catcher for the remainder of that day, until any one of the following conditions occurs: (1) that batter reaches base; (2) that batter is retired; or (3) the third out is made to complete the half-inning or the game. The pitcher would be allowed to play the catcher position provided that pitcher is moved, removed, or the game is completed before delivering a pitch to another batter.
○ A player who played the position of catcher for three (3) innings or less, moves to the pitcher position, and delivers 21 pitches or more in the same day, may not return to the catcher position on that calendar day.
Umpires --
● There will be one umpire per game. AA Teams will umpire each other’s games (including balls and strikes when changing to kid pitch - which may be done from either behind the mound or behind the plate). Umpiring schedule will be released at time of regular schedule. If a AA team is scheduled to umpire and is unable to, it is their responsibility to find a replacement. Failure to show for your team’s umpire duty will result in an added LOSS to your team standings.
Scorekeeping –
● Board Room/Upstairs/ScoreBooths:
○ Upstairs (only the Main door) & Back doors will be unlocked at start of duty.
○ Chain will remain at the bottom of the stairs; absolutely no one besides the scorekeepers (+ DOD) upstairs. For Machine Pitch:
○ Digital ScoreBoard will be done upstairs by Visitors. Please return pitch count sheets to the designated bin upstairs.
○ Scorekeeping will be kept on the GameChanger app - by SLL provided iPad by the Home team. Log-in will be SLL admin log-in. Gamechanger can be done upstairs or downstairs - at Home team preference. For the game to go “Live” (for others to follow along online), the ipad must be upstairs near wifi - or scorekeeper can use his/her phone as a hotspot.
For Kid Pitch scorekeeping-
○ Digital ScoreBoard AND the Pitch Count (recording the pitch counts for both teams – home & visitor – on the pitch count sheets. Upon completion of the game, placing pitch count sheets in the designated bin) will be done upstairs by Visitors. ○ Scorekeeping will be kept on GameChanger app - by SLL provided iPad by the Home team. Log-in will be SLL admin log-in. Gamechanger can be done upstairs or downstairs - at Home team preference. For the game to go “Live” (for others to follow along online), the ipad must be upstairs near wifi - or scorekeeper can use his/her phone as a hotspot.
Other Rules –
● Sportsmanship Games (for levels AA, AAA, Majors) - records do not count for that day:
○ Fri March 17 & Sat March 18 (second Sat of spring break) ○ Fri April 7 & Sat April 8 (Sat before Easter)
● Standings (W/L %) will be kept throughout the season and will be used for seeding for playoffs
● Playoffs: see playoff addendum (TBD)