Des Plaines Youth Baseball Ltd
Des Plaines Youth Baseball Ltd. P.O. Box 2774 Des Plaines, IL 60017 http://www.desplainesyouthbaseball.org _________________________________________________________________
A Specific Rules: The League shall consist of 7 and 8 yearold players (as of May 1st of playing year) Baseball Bats Please see the section on Baseball Bat Rules found on official rules document. Bats must meet the requirements below: Length Maximum = 33inches Diameter Maximum = 21/4inches Drop = Unlimited (Drop = Length Weight) Regulation Game A Regulation Game shall be of 6 innings duration, or 51/2 innings if the Home team is winning. A game is considered an Official Game v 4 full innings have been completed or 31/2 innings if the Home team is ahead. Official Game It is an Official Game if it is called by the Umpire on account of darkness, rain, or other causes which, in the Umpire’s judgment, interferes with play, provided 4 or more equal innings have been played, or 31/2 innings if the Home team is ahead. If the Home team is leading after 31/2 innings, the Home team is declared the winner. After it is an Official Game, but before both teams have had an equal number of bats, and the game is called by the Umpire on account of darkness, rain, or other causes which, in the Umpire’s judgment, interferes with play – the final score will revert to the score in effect at the end of the last complete inning. If the last complete inning results in a tie score it will be considered a suspended game and is to be rescheduled and resumed from the point of curtailment. During the regular season, if a game is called before it is an Official Game, it will not be resumed, or rescheduled. During post season playoffs, if a game is called before it is an Official Game, it will be considered a suspended game and is to be rescheduled and resumed from the point of curtailment.
Game Time Limits No inning can start after 2 hours from the game start time. Game time limit is 2 hours, 15 minutes after the start time. Games will end at Regulation time or if the Umpire calls it an Official Game. No extra innings or suspended games during the regular season. The team managers in the “A” will keep score at games, but there will be no standings to be posted or kept for regular season games. Pitching Pitchers can only pitch one inning per game . 2 innings per week. Ending an Inning: 4pitch walk An inning cannot end on a 4pitch walk, or a hit batter with 0 strikes. If the 9th batter of the inning is walked on 4 straight pitches, or is hit by a pitched ball with no strikes on him, the inning will not end. The next batter(s) will bat and the same rule applies. Run Limits Run limits will be in effect for this division. No batting team shall score more than 6 runs per inning. Mercy Rule. Mercy Rule shall be in effect. If a team is leading its opponent by at least 15 runs after 4 or more equal innings (31/2 if the home team is ahead),or 10 runs after 5 innings, have been played, the game is ended, and the team leading by more runs is declared the winner. In this case, both team managers and umpire should agree to complete the regulation game between the teams, but use it as a learning experience for the kids on both sides. In effect teach them skills. Substitutions. A Managers can “Call up ” as many as 4, 6 yearolds from the Stars of Tomorrow. The substitute Stars of Tomorrow player(s) that are brought up cannot pitch or catch and must bat last in the batting order.
Playing Time All rostered players must play a minimum of 3 defensive innings of 3 consecutive outs each by the end of the 5th inning. In a game that is called after 31/2 or 4 innings, all rostered players must have played at least 3 full defensive innings. Penalty: Forfeiture All players must play 3 defensive innings by the end of the 5th inning; before any player sits out a 2nd inning. Penalty: Forfeiture.
Every rostered player must sit out one inning. (providing there are enough players to fill the roster) Penalty: Forfeiture. No player shall play any position more than 2 full innings per game. During the game, each player must play 2 positions (besides pitcher or catcher). They must play 1 full inning in the infield (1st, 2nd, 3rd or shortstop) and 1 full inning in the outfield (right, center or left). Penalty: Forfeiture. SPIRIT OF THE RULES Team Managers and Coaches will stress the importance of building a baseball team community, sportsmanship and skills, by instructing all kids on how to correctly play and demonstrate the skills related with every position on the baseball field. The importance of this is significant, as this single act will build the future for all kids and provide them the platform to grow as a player. This means that even in tough situations, all team members need to Catch, Pitch, Play all infield Positions and outfield Positions. At the same time, the Team Manager needs to realize that If a child on the team, simply does not have the coordination to catch a thrown ball, the team manager should not place that person at catcher or 1st base. Just because a player cannot throw all strikes does not mean that he does not deserve a shot at taking the mound, and leading his team. This is how we grow baseball players. Penalty: Forfeiture Batting Order. Coaches will determine a batting order. This order will rotate through the first 10 games of the regular season. This batting order must be submitted to the A League coordinator prior to playing the 1st game in the regular season. Example: Batter 2 in game 1 becomes batter 1 for game 2, batter 3 for game 1 becomes batter 2 for game 2. This rotates for the first 13 games of the regular season. For the first 5 full innings, the maximum number of batters in an inning will be 9. The inning will end with 3 outs or a maximum of 9 batters. At the start of the 6th inning, there is no batter limit; play will continue until there are 3 outs. Bunting Not permitted. There shall be no bunting allowed at any time. Any bunt attempted, regardless of if the ball was batted fair, foul or missed, shall be a strike on the batter, including a 3rd strike, in which case the batter will be called out. Dropped Third Strike Rule does not apply. The 3rd strike does not have to be held. Catcher’s Speed Up Rule is in effect. If the offensive team’s catcher is on base with 2 outs, the player who made
the previous out will replace the catcher on base. Headfirst slides Only permitted when a player is returning to a base after having j reached that base safely. Any player/team who violates this rule should be given a team warning, and any subsequent acts will be called out. Leadoffs Not permitted. Base Runners Leaving Bases Early When a pitcher is in contact with the pitcher’s plate with the ball in his possession, and the catcher is in the catcher’s box ready to receive the ball, base runners shall not leave their bases until the ball has been delivered and has crossed the front plane of home plate. Base runners leaving early as described above will be given a warning, a second offense will result in the runner being called out. Stealing Stealing is “not” permitted Avoid Contact Rule is in effect. Infield Fly Rule does not apply. Base Runners Advancing A base runner may continue to advance if the ball is in the outfield, and not in possession of an infielder. Base runners will be stopped at the base they are going to, once an infielder has possession of the ball within the boundaries of the infield dirt, not when it hits the infield. Base runners are subject to tag out as soon as an infielder has possession. Based on the Umpire’s judgment… If the runner was half of the way or more to the base they are running to when the infielder gains possession, the runner may advance and stop at that base. If the runner was not half of the way or more to the next base, then the runner will return to the base from which he came. A base runner cannot advance beyond base stolen or advance in the event of an overthrow to that base. If a runner tries to advance, the runner is liable to be put out if a play is made on him. Even if a runner is safe on this illegal advance, the runner must return to the original base stolen or advanced from. This rule does not apply on an overthrow resulting from a play on a batted ball.
No Walks. On odd innings No walks will be called during the entire Regular Season. Coach Pitch will be in effect. Coaches will pitch a maxiumum of 3 pitches with the strike count continuing. On even innings when full coach pitch is in effect coaches will throw a maxiumum of 5 pitches. No swinging strikes will be in effect on full coach pitch. Dead Ball Rule. A “Dead Ball” shall be called if a batted or thrown ball hits the coach pitching on the playing field. The batter is awarded 1st base and any or all base runners advance 1 base.
A Specific Rules: The League shall consist of 7 and 8 yearold players (as of May 1st of playing year) Baseball Bats Please see the section on Baseball Bat Rules found on official rules document. Bats must meet the requirements below: Length Maximum = 33inches Diameter Maximum = 21/4inches Drop = Unlimited (Drop = Length Weight) Regulation Game A Regulation Game shall be of 6 innings duration, or 51/2 innings if the Home team is winning. A game is considered an Official Game v 4 full innings have been completed or 31/2 innings if the Home team is ahead. Official Game It is an Official Game if it is called by the Umpire on account of darkness, rain, or other causes which, in the Umpire’s judgment, interferes with play, provided 4 or more equal innings have been played, or 31/2 innings if the Home team is ahead. If the Home team is leading after 31/2 innings, the Home team is declared the winner. After it is an Official Game, but before both teams have had an equal number of bats, and the game is called by the Umpire on account of darkness, rain, or other causes which, in the Umpire’s judgment, interferes with play – the final score will revert to the score in effect at the end of the last complete inning. If the last complete inning results in a tie score it will be considered a suspended game and is to be rescheduled and resumed from the point of curtailment. During the regular season, if a game is called before it is an Official Game, it will not be resumed, or rescheduled. During post season playoffs, if a game is called before it is an Official Game, it will be considered a suspended game and is to be rescheduled and resumed from the point of curtailment.
Game Time Limits No inning can start after 2 hours from the game start time. Game time limit is 2 hours, 15 minutes after the start time. Games will end at Regulation time or if the Umpire calls it an Official Game. No extra innings or suspended games during the regular season. The team managers in the “A” will keep score at games, but there will be no standings to be posted or kept for regular season games. Pitching Pitchers can only pitch one inning per game . 2 innings per week. Ending an Inning: 4pitch walk An inning cannot end on a 4pitch walk, or a hit batter with 0 strikes. If the 9th batter of the inning is walked on 4 straight pitches, or is hit by a pitched ball with no strikes on him, the inning will not end. The next batter(s) will bat and the same rule applies. Run Limits Run limits will be in effect for this division. No batting team shall score more than 6 runs per inning. Mercy Rule. Mercy Rule shall be in effect. If a team is leading its opponent by at least 15 runs after 4 or more equal innings (31/2 if the home team is ahead),or 10 runs after 5 innings, have been played, the game is ended, and the team leading by more runs is declared the winner. In this case, both team managers and umpire should agree to complete the regulation game between the teams, but use it as a learning experience for the kids on both sides. In effect teach them skills. Substitutions. A Managers can “Call up ” as many as 4, 6 yearolds from the Stars of Tomorrow. The substitute Stars of Tomorrow player(s) that are brought up cannot pitch or catch and must bat last in the batting order.
Playing Time All rostered players must play a minimum of 3 defensive innings of 3 consecutive outs each by the end of the 5th inning. In a game that is called after 31/2 or 4 innings, all rostered players must have played at least 3 full defensive innings. Penalty: Forfeiture All players must play 3 defensive innings by the end of the 5th inning; before any player sits out a 2nd inning. Penalty: Forfeiture.
Every rostered player must sit out one inning. (providing there are enough players to fill the roster) Penalty: Forfeiture. No player shall play any position more than 2 full innings per game. During the game, each player must play 2 positions (besides pitcher or catcher). They must play 1 full inning in the infield (1st, 2nd, 3rd or shortstop) and 1 full inning in the outfield (right, center or left). Penalty: Forfeiture. SPIRIT OF THE RULES Team Managers and Coaches will stress the importance of building a baseball team community, sportsmanship and skills, by instructing all kids on how to correctly play and demonstrate the skills related with every position on the baseball field. The importance of this is significant, as this single act will build the future for all kids and provide them the platform to grow as a player. This means that even in tough situations, all team members need to Catch, Pitch, Play all infield Positions and outfield Positions. At the same time, the Team Manager needs to realize that If a child on the team, simply does not have the coordination to catch a thrown ball, the team manager should not place that person at catcher or 1st base. Just because a player cannot throw all strikes does not mean that he does not deserve a shot at taking the mound, and leading his team. This is how we grow baseball players. Penalty: Forfeiture Batting Order. Coaches will determine a batting order. This order will rotate through the first 10 games of the regular season. This batting order must be submitted to the A League coordinator prior to playing the 1st game in the regular season. Example: Batter 2 in game 1 becomes batter 1 for game 2, batter 3 for game 1 becomes batter 2 for game 2. This rotates for the first 13 games of the regular season. For the first 5 full innings, the maximum number of batters in an inning will be 9. The inning will end with 3 outs or a maximum of 9 batters. At the start of the 6th inning, there is no batter limit; play will continue until there are 3 outs. Bunting Not permitted. There shall be no bunting allowed at any time. Any bunt attempted, regardless of if the ball was batted fair, foul or missed, shall be a strike on the batter, including a 3rd strike, in which case the batter will be called out. Dropped Third Strike Rule does not apply. The 3rd strike does not have to be held. Catcher’s Speed Up Rule is in effect. If the offensive team’s catcher is on base with 2 outs, the player who made
the previous out will replace the catcher on base. Headfirst slides Only permitted when a player is returning to a base after having j reached that base safely. Any player/team who violates this rule should be given a team warning, and any subsequent acts will be called out. Leadoffs Not permitted. Base Runners Leaving Bases Early When a pitcher is in contact with the pitcher’s plate with the ball in his possession, and the catcher is in the catcher’s box ready to receive the ball, base runners shall not leave their bases until the ball has been delivered and has crossed the front plane of home plate. Base runners leaving early as described above will be given a warning, a second offense will result in the runner being called out. Stealing Stealing is “not” permitted Avoid Contact Rule is in effect. Infield Fly Rule does not apply. Base Runners Advancing A base runner may continue to advance if the ball is in the outfield, and not in possession of an infielder. Base runners will be stopped at the base they are going to, once an infielder has possession of the ball within the boundaries of the infield dirt, not when it hits the infield. Base runners are subject to tag out as soon as an infielder has possession. Based on the Umpire’s judgment… If the runner was half of the way or more to the base they are running to when the infielder gains possession, the runner may advance and stop at that base. If the runner was not half of the way or more to the next base, then the runner will return to the base from which he came. A base runner cannot advance beyond base stolen or advance in the event of an overthrow to that base. If a runner tries to advance, the runner is liable to be put out if a play is made on him. Even if a runner is safe on this illegal advance, the runner must return to the original base stolen or advanced from. This rule does not apply on an overthrow resulting from a play on a batted ball.
No Walks. On odd innings No walks will be called during the entire Regular Season. Coach Pitch will be in effect. Coaches will pitch a maxiumum of 3 pitches with the strike count continuing. On even innings when full coach pitch is in effect coaches will throw a maxiumum of 5 pitches. No swinging strikes will be in effect on full coach pitch. Dead Ball Rule. A “Dead Ball” shall be called if a batted or thrown ball hits the coach pitching on the playing field. The batter is awarded 1st base and any or all base runners advance 1 base.
