General Information
1) It is the Head Coach’s responsibility to inform your assistant coaches and parents of these rules.
2) The Head Coach is responsible for the behavior of his players, coaches and parents.
3) Common sense shall govern play.
4) Scores and standings are not kept during league play. Coach your team as such and give all players on both teams a positive experience. The 8-and-UNDER Program is ultimately about FUN AND FUNDAMENTALS
8U MINORS, MAJORS, AND KID PITCH - Common Rules and Guidelines
1) Bases shall be set at 60 feet. The pitching machines/pitching rubbers are set 40 feet from the back of home plate.
2) All normal infield positions will be filled and the remaining players dispersed in the outfield on the grass, or at least 20 feet behind the base paths.
3) Outs on the bases should be made by infielders and outfielders should be taught to throw the ball into the infielders or to a cut off person from the infield.
4) Coaches can, and are encouraged to position their batters and help them during their at bat.
5) A hit ball that strikes the pitching machine is a dead ball and the player is awarded a single.
6) 2-3 defensive coaches may be on the field to assist positioning the players (Minors and Majors ONLY)
7) There will be no bunting, leading off, or stealing in any 8U games.
8) Rotate your players from infield to outfield, and in different positions.
9) Don’t "Windmill". Teach the kids how to identify and listen to the base coaches.
10) The last batter of the inning does NOT clear bases (unless it is an earned home run).
11) There is NO infield fly rule.
Modified Kid Pitch (7-8 yr olds)
1) Game times: 1 hour and 30 minutes or six innings. New innings shall not be started after 1 hr and 15 minutes. Manage the game - start and end ONTIME.
2) Each batter will be pitched up to 7 pitches by the opposing pitcher. 3 strikes constitute an out. After 4 balls, the coach for the batting team will pitch the remaining pitches until the player strikes out, or puts the ball in play. If a batter has two strikes, he can keep fouling off balls until he strikes out or puts the ball in play.
3) A coach or parent will call balls and strikes and umpire the bases.
4) All kids should play on defense in every inning unless the coach chooses to field the normal 9 positions. If a coach chooses to field the 9 normal positions, then the coach shall make sure that No player shall sit out 2 innings consecutively. There will be a one-for-one mandatory sit and play rule.
5) Offense will bat 9 batters or 3 outs per inning; whichever comes first. The coach will announce "ninth batter" when he/she comes up. The inning is over if a third out is made or the ball is controlled within the infield, or inside foul territory within the infield area.
6) Any runner, who is not at least halfway to the next base at the time of control, shall be sent back to the previous base.
7) If a player is hit by a pitch, the coach should choose whether the player takes first base or not.
8) Award one base on an overthrow. A ground ball to the infield does not constitute a home run, no matter how many times the ball is thrown around.
9) Coaches shall develop multiple pitchers on each team. In no case shall a pitcher pitch more than 2 innings in a single game.