Fort Hunt Little League General Regulations

1
Fort Hunt Little LeagueGeneral Regulations
Rules forManagers and Coaches
Tony AlbanoChief Umpire8 March 2008
2
Rule 1.01 Little League Baseball is a game

• These kids (coaches/umpires) are not
  professional ballplayers (coaches/umpires) and LL
  is not about winning games. ...
• - from Life Lessons from LL Revisited (from
  Renes presentation)

3
Managers and Coaches

• Know the LL rules
• Read, know, adhere
• Maintain your copy bring to games
• Recommend designate a team rules expert
• FHLL web site Umpires Corner http//www.fhyaa.or
  g/Baseball/Umpires/index_E.html
• Little League 2008 Rules Instruction Manual
  http//www.littleleague.org/umpires/2008_Umpire_S
  chool_Rules_Manual.pdf Not the full set usually
  those that may be confusing or get
  misinterpreted. This IS NOT just for umpires. Any
  FHLL Board member in a position to make potential
  decisions or rulings should become familiar with
  this document and refer to it often as
  necessary.  Ditto for managers/coaches ...
  experienced, returning or aspiring.

4
Managers and Coaches

• The Manager
• Is ultimately responsible for the team
• Should attend plate conference
• Is who the umpire talks to when there is a
  problem
• Is the only one allowed to appeal or protest
• Coaches may request time to talk to pitcher,
  batter, report subs, etc.

5
Umpire Judgment Calls

• Rule 9.02
• (a) Any umpires decision which involves
  judgment, such as, but not limited to, whether a
  batted ball is fair or foul, whether a pitch is a
  strike or a ball, or whether a runner is safe or
  out, is final. No player, manager, coach or
  substitute shall object to any such judgment
  decisions.

6
Reg. XIV Field Decorum

• Only players, managers and rostered coaches
  allowed on field
• No batboys/batgirls
• All game participants must stay in
  dugouts/bullpens
• Two adult base coaches allowed but one adult in
  dugout at all times
• Managers/coaches cannot go on the field without
  umpires permission
• No alcohol or tobacco anywhere
• No adults can warm up pitchers anywhere
• All participants must display the highest
  standards of conduct and discipline

7
Regulation VI Pitch Counts

• Definition A ball delivered by pitcher to a
  batter
• League Age
• 17 18 105 pitches per day
• 13 16 95 pitches per day
• 11 12 85 pitches per day
• 10 and under 75 pitches per day
• Managers
• Ultimately responsible to remove pitchers at max
  limit
• Read, reread and memorize rest requirements

8
Pitch Counts

• Official counter must inform UIC when pitcher
  reaches limit
• Reaches max limit while pitching to a batter
• Can continue until batter reaches base or is put
  out
• If third out is recorded on a base, pitcher
  cannot continue pitching to same batter in next
  inning
• Pitcher illegally exceeds max limit
• Pitcher must be removed from the mound
  immediately
• Opposing team manager may protest before umpires
  leave the field
• Pitcher cannot subsequently catch the same day
• Delivers one pitch, no longer eligible to catch
• Restriction is for the whole day, even for double
  headers
• Applies at all levels, even Big League
• Catcher can move to the pitcher position

9
Umpire Role on Pitch Counts

• Verify eligibility at plate conference
• Identify official counter before game starts
• Prevent protests If youre aware a pitcher has
  reached limit, have pitcher removed
• Resolve disputes Any question on validity of
  pitch count, go with the official counter
• Clarify ambiguities Know what is/isnt a pitch
• Count pitches NO! NO!! NO!!!

10
The Field

• Coaches boxes will be marked stay in them
• Foul lines (especially some of those prepared at
  FHLL fields) are advisory.
• - Umpires judgment as to Fair/Foul ball.
• On-deck position not allowed on 60 field

11
Plate Conference5 minutes before Scheduled Start

• Managers exchange lineups
• Umpires in charge of the game then
• Late arrivals not required to play
• Umpires will cover
• Players properly equipped?
• Ground rules associated with any field conditions
• Encourage to keep game moving
• Remind managers announce subs thru them
• Umpires will NOT
• Conduct a rules clinic
• Describe their strike zone
• Allow defense to warm-up during the conference

12
Bats

• Baseball bats only wood bats are legal
• Must be smooth and rounded
• Check with bat ring umpire should have one
• If cracked, get rid of it!
• White bats are illegal!
• Donuts are illegal!
• Abide by size limitations (see Rule 1.10)

13
The Uniform

• All players should be in the same uniform
• Be prepared for early season cold weather
• Umpires will try not to get too picky!
• Uniforms for adults allowed only in JR and above
• Whats not allowed
• Long white sleeves on pitchers
• Arm/wrist bands on pitchers
• Frayed/ragged sleeves
• Attachments of different color from uniform
• Metal or glass ANYTHING
• Jewelry (including rubber bracelets)
• - Except medical alert bracelets
• Casts on field (even base coaches)

14
Gloves Mitts

• Catcher must wear a catchers mitt
• First baseman may wear glove or first basemans
  mitt
• Fielders glove cannot exceed 12 in length
• Pitchers glove restrictions
• Any color but white or grey
• No attachments
• Batting glove under fielding glove okay
• - Pitcher can not rub ball with batting glove on!

15
Batting Helmets

• Minimum of six (seven in Juniors/above)
• Required for all batters, base runners, players
  in coachs boxes, and bat retrievers
• Must be NOCSAE certified
• Chin straps, face guards optional
• No cracks or unauthorized paint/decals

16
Catchers Gear

• Chest protector, helmet/mask, and shin guards
• - Males need long-model chest protector Majors
  below
• Cup for male catchers
• Helmet/mask must
• - Be NOCSAE certified
• - Have dangling throat guard even on
  hockey-styled mask
• - Not have cracks or unauthorized paint/decals
• Helmet/mask required for
• - Player warming up pitcher between innings
• - Player warming up pitcher in the bullpen
• - Catcher during pre-game warm-ups
• Skull caps are not permitted
• Cup for warm-up catcher not required
• Correct any violations!

17
CATCH
SECURE POSSESSION (hand or glove)
COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE BALL (3 seconds?)
VOLUNTARY RELEASE
CATCH IF FIELDER DROPS BALL IN THE ACT OF THROWING
NO CATCH IF FIELDER DROPS BALL AS A RESULT OF
COLLISION OR FALLING
NO CATCH IF BALL TOUCHES OFFENSIVE PLAYER,
GROUND, FENCE OR UMPIRES
18
Fair/Fair Territory

• Foul lines, bases and plate
• Bouncing ball that travels past 1B/3B while in
  fair territory
• Bouncing ball that travels over any part of the
  1B/3B bag
• Untouched ball in flight that lands in fair
  territory at or beyond 1B/3B
• Ball touched in fair territory, regardless of
  fielder's position

19
Foul/Foul Territory

• Bouncing ball that travels past 1B or 3B while in
  foul territory
• Untouched ball in flight that lands in foul
  territory
• Ball touched in foul territory, regardless of
  person's position
• Ball which touches anything foreign to natural
  ground" in foul territory before 1B/3B
• Batted ball that hits batter while in the box

20
Foul Tip

• Batted ball that goes sharp and direct from the
  bat to the catchers hands and is legally caught
• Must hit the hand or mitt first
• Must be caught by the catcher
• A short-hop is not a legal catch
• A Foul Tip is a Strike. Ball is live and in play
  runners may run!
• Umpires Do not call Foul Ball! or Foul Tip!

21
Force Play

• Runner that HAS to advance because batter-runner
  is going to first
• Forced runner can be retired by tagging runner or
  forced-to base
• Force is removed when
• - Batter-runner is retired (all forces removed)
• - Following runner retired (force is removed on
  lead runner)
• When force is removed, runners must be tagged

22
Infield Fly Rule

• Rule to prevent defense from getting a cheap
  double play
• Must have
• - Less than two outs
• - Runners on 1st and 2nd, or bases loaded
• - Fair fly ball (not line drive or bunt)
• Ball may be caught by an infielder using ordinary
  effort
• - Can be outfielder positioned on the infield who
  catches it
• Umpire calls Infield Fly (Infield Fly if
  Fair) when ball reaches its apex
• When called, batter is out and force is
  immediately removed
• If ball caught, runners must tag up
• If dropped, ball is live and runners may advance
• - but dont have to

23
INTERFERENCE
Act of offensive player or team member which
impedes or confuses a defensive player attempting
to execute a play.
CONTACT IS NOT NECESSARY!
Umpire Judgment
BATTER
RUNNER
DELIBERATE CRASH
COACH
AIDING RUNNER
SPECTATOR
UMPIRE
RUNNERS RETURN TO BASE LAST TOUCHED AT TIME
OF INTERFERENCE
ALL OCCUR
BALL IS DEAD
OUT
24
UMPIRE INTERFERENCE

• ONLY TWO WAYS
• INTERFERENCE WITH CATCHER'S THROW 5.09(b)
• HIT BY BATTED BALL BEFORE PASSING A FIELDER
  5.09(f) 6.08(d)

• NO UMPIRE INTERFERENCE
• BEING HIT BY A THROWN BALL
• BEING HIT BY FIELDER
• BEING HIT BY A RUNNER

25
OBSTRUCTION
The act of a fielder while Not in possession of
the ball impedes the progress of any runner. A
defensive player may not block a base, baseline
or home plate without the ball.

• A fake tag is considered obstruction
• OBSTRUCTION is Umpire Judgment
• The defense has the right to the baseline on a
  batted ball.

26
Obstruction?
27
Obstruction?
28
Strike

• Live Ball Strikes
• Ball swung at and missed
• Ball not swung at that passes through the strike
  zone
• Foul tip
• Dead Ball Strikes
• Foul ball with less than two strikes
• Foul bunt
• Touches batter while in the strike zone
• Batter swings/attempts to bunt and the ball
  contacts the batter

29
Strike Zone

• Area OVER the plate between batters arm pits and
  top of knees
• Batter in natural stance - the position of the
  batter as he swings the bat

30
Tag

• Tag of person and bag are different!
• A person may only be tagged by
• Touching him with the ball while holding it
• Touching him with the glove while the ball is in
  it
• Touching him with the hand while the ball is in
  it
• A bag may be tagged with any part of the body
  while holding the ball in the hand or glove

31
Definitions of Interest

• Bunt bat must move towards ball and
  intentionally meet it or attempt to meet it
• Double header two games on the same day (dont
  have to be consecutive)
• Infield says nothing about dirt
• In Flight ball that hits a fielder stays that
  way
• Person body, clothing or equipment

32
RULE 3.03

• Starter may re-enter when his substitute has
  completed one time at bat and has played (6)
  consecutive defensive outs.
• Only starters may re-enter the game and may
  re-enter anywhere in the lineup
• If a starter re-enters too soon both reentering
  starter and player starter entered for must leave
  game Dont let this happen!
• Opposing manager can protest if nobody
  eligible to re-enter then opposing manager gets
  to choose Ejected players CANNOT re-enter

Regulation IV Every player on a team roster will
bat once and play six defensive outs.
33
3.08 Unannounced Subs

• An unannounced sub is official when
• Batter steps in the box
• Fielder in position and play begins
• Unannounced pitcher
• Delivers a warm-up pitch from the rubber
• Any player that delivers a pitch from the rubber
  between innings is in! (Prevent it!)

34
Other Rules Issues

• Keep players and coaches in dugout (unless they
  need a potty break)
• Adults DO NOT warm up pitchers
• 3.10 Who decides on field conditions?
• Before game Managers
• After game starts UIC
• Cannot use electronic comm devices on the field
  (includes dugouts)
• The Slide Rule 7.08 (a) (3) page 72
• Appeals ball must be Live
• House Rules

35
4.04 Continuous Batting Order

• Mandatory in Minors/below optional in
  Majors/above
• Free defensive substitutions
• Must meet requirements of Mandatory Play
• Cannot use special pinch runners
• Injured player skipped with no penalty
• Need house rule to decide replacement when
• Runner gets injured and cannot continue
• Batter gets injured and cannot continue

36
4.16 4.17 Nine Players

• Rules require nine players minimum to
  start/continue games
• Per Rule 1.01, only instructional Minors
  divisions can play with less than nine
• Instructional Minors AA and below?
• - Should be where scores are not kept and
  standings do not count

37
Protests

• Judgment calls are not protestable
• Protest of rule misinterpretation
• Before next pitch or play
• Umpires MUST discuss the call
• After decision, manager can formally lodge the
  protest
• UIC must submit a written report
• Protest of ineligible player before umpires
  leave the field

38
7.13 Leaving Base Early

• Runners cannot leave bases once the pitcher and
  catcher are ready
• Pitcher on the rubber with the ball
• Catcher with mask behind the plate
• Ball is live
• One guilty all guilty
• Let play continue all outs stand
• Penalty all runners return unless forced

39
7.13 Leaving Base Early

• Umpire must judge the value of the hit
• Runners advance no further, no matter what
  happens during the play
• If batter reaches on an error, nobody gets more
  than one base
• Bases loaded and batted ball stays in the
  infield, no runs will score (poof rule)
• Read the book examples! (16 of them!)

40

• Rule 8.00 The Pitcher
• Refer to D9 Presentation on FHLL web site Umpires
  Corner

41
Top Ten Rule Myths Heard at the Little League Park

• 10. Thats a Strike, Blue! He kept his bat over
  the plate on the bunt!
• 9. He cant high-five his coach on a home run,
  Blue!
• 8. He cant go to first, Blue! The pitch
  bounced before it hit him!
• 7. He caught it, Blue! He held that ball for
  three seconds!
• 6. He cant be out! He was on the base when
  the ball hit him, Blue!
• 5. Tag him! He cant turn to the left to go
  back to first base!
• 4. He broke his wrists, Blue! Thats a
  strike!
• 3. Tie goes to the runner, Blue! Hes safe!
• 2. He gets one plus one on an overthrow, Blue!
• 1. The hands are part of the bat!

42
Comments?Questions?Thanks for your
participation!