Mandatory Play-Time/Rotations – 

● Teams will bat all rostered, present players in a continuous batting order. 
● Defense will play 9 players in the field 
● Each player must play at least 3 defensive innings. They do not need to be consecutive. 
● There are free substitutions for player positions (players are not ‘married’ to positions) 
● If a game ends early (due to run rule) prior to a player playing his/her minimum innings, that player must start the next game 
● In the case of a game ending @ the half-inning (because the Home team was ahead), the bottom of that inning is recognized as a defensively-played inning for the players that were set to go in on defense. This applies to a) bottom of the 6th, b) bottom of the 3rd (15 run rule), c) bottom of the 4th (10 run rule), d) bottom of the 5th (8 run rule). This does NOT apply to innings missed beyond that bottom of the inning due to run rule game. 

· Time Limits – 

● Saturday: 6 inning game; no time limits 
● Weekday: 6 inning game; cannot start a new inning after 10pm 

· Game Play – 

● There are no runs/inning limits in place. Each half inning will continue until the defense has recorded 3 outs. 
● Games can end in a tie (if the game-time has gone @ least 1 hr 45min or it is otherwise considered an “official” game). This is not a time limit, however. 

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.” 

Days Rest – 

● 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.” 

Pitch Counts: 

● Per game/outing (these counts can go beyond with threshold) ○ 40 pitches – opening day/Feb 11-March 4 
○ 55 pitches – March 5-March 25 
○ 65 pitches – March 26 - April 6 
○ “Rule Book” – April 7- thru end of playoffs 
■ Rule Book Regulation VI(c): 
■ 11-12 year old – 85 pitches per day 
■ 9-10 year old – 75 pitches per day 
■ 7-8 year old – 50 pitches per day 
■ → ages are League Age (player age on August 31, 2022) 
● Per Week 
○ 100 pitches per week max – this is a HARD count (can not exceed 100 even with threshold) 
● 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 batter 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.” 

o “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.” 

Rule Book: 7.14(b) 

● Courtesy Runner: A local league may permit a “courtesy runner” for the catcher and/or pitcher of record when there are two (2) outs. A courtesy runner must be reported to the plate umpire. If the continuous batting order is used, the “courtesy runner” may be in the team’s batting order and must be the player in the batting order who made the last out. 

• Umpires – 

● Behind-the-plate Umpire will be provided and paid for by SLL. ● Field Umpire will be provided by another Majors team 
(manager/coach/parent volunteer from the team) as noted on the schedule released by SLL Schedule Team. 
● Teams will be responsible for checking their schedule for ump duties ● Failure to show for your team’s umpire duty will result in an added LOSS in standings. 
● Plate ump will be positioned behind home plate to call balls and strikes. 
● Umpires should not touch the players. 
● 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. 
○ Digital ScoreBoard & Paper Pitch Count 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. 

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