Major League Baseball Division

2012 GROUND RULES

The Major division of the Taconic Little League will follow the “Official Regulations and Playing Rules” of Little League Baseball, unless specifically covered by the Local League rules described below.

Continuous Batting Order – All players on the team roster present for the game shall bat. Players that arrive late for the game will be added to the bottom of the batting lineup.

Minimum Play Rule – In a regulation 6-inning game, Every Player Must Play a Minimum of 2 Defensive Innings and each player must bat in the continuous line-up.  Defensive player substitutions may be made freely throughout a game. However, once a player has been removed from the game as a pitcher the player cannot return to Pitch in that game. Coaches should attempt to get all players relatively equal playing time. If a player or players consistently miss practices and/or games (or have discipline issues) the coach may waive this rule. 

Ten-Run Rule In Effect - If, after 4 innings (3½ if home team leads) 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.  This rule is waived for all playoff games.

Forfeit - A team must consist of a minimum of eight (8) players in order to start a game. Teams not having at least eight (8) players at the start of the game will forfeit the game. Forfeit time is fifteen minutes (15) minutes after the scheduled start of the game. In games where a team is reduced to seven players or less during the course of the game, the opposing team shall provide ball players to be used as designated defensive players. These players will not bat for the team they are helping out. They are only defensive replacements. We hope that this situation does not occur often during the season. If the Player Agent sees a pattern of non-attendance of players, the Player Agent will discuss this with the coach that is involved.  The goal here is to get every game played. The use of defensive players for the other team is encouraged and highly recommended. 

Rainouts - Will be re-scheduled by the Home team as soon as possible, preferably within the same week.   

Game Umpires - All individuals involved with the Taconic Little League Baseball program should show respect for all of our umpires. ABUSE OF UMPIRES IN ANY FORM, VERBAL OR PHYSICAL WILL NOT BE TOLERATED BY THE TACONIC LITTLE LEAGUE.  Individuals found being abusive to umpires, whether it is coaches, players or parents will be asked to behave in an appropriate manner. Where the abuse continues, the offending individual will be asked to leave the area surrounding the ball field. Future occurrences of abuse can lead to expulsion from the Taconic Little League.

Replacement Players - If a team losses any player(s) on the roster during the current season through illness, injury or any other justifiable reason and such absence will last more than two weeks, another player shall be obtained through the Player Agent to replace the one lost (see LLB Regulation III-d).

· The manager will have a period not to exceed two weeks to comply with selection of a replacement.

· The Minor Division player, who refuses to come up to Majors, cannot come up later during the season.

· No player shall be called up with two-weeks or less remaining in the season.

· An injured player has the opportunity to return to the team with a medical release.

Pitching Rules
The two opposing managers will confer with each other prior to the start of each game to determine which players are eligible to pitch (and how much) on that day.  Pitching rules will follow the 2010 Regular Season Pitching Regulations adopted by Little League Baseball and fully explained below:

Changes to the 2012 Regular Season Pitching Regulations

For Baseball Divisions of Little League®

Regulation VI – PITCHERS –

(a) Any player on a regular season team may pitch. Exception: Any player, who has played the position of catcher in FOUR (4) or more innings in a game (catching one pitch constitutes an inning), is not eligible to pitch on that calendar day.

(b) Players once removed from the mound may not return as pitchers.

(c) The manager must remove the pitcher when said pitcher reaches the limit for his/her age group as noted below, but the pitcher may remain in the game at another position:

League Age 11-12: 85 pitches per day

  9-10: 75 pitches per day

Exception: If a pitcher reaches the limit imposed in Regulation VI (c) for his/her league age 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 put out; 3. The third out is made to complete the half-inning. NOTE: A pitcher who delivers forty-one (41) or more pitches in a game cannot play the position of catcher for the remainder of that day.

(d) Pitchers league age 16 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 35 - 50 pitches in a day, two (2) calendar days of rest must be observed.

• If a player pitches 21 - 35 pitches in a day, two (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.

NOTES:

1. The withdrawal of an ineligible pitcher after that pitcher is announced, or after a warm-up pitch is delivered, but before that player has pitched a ball to a batter, shall not be considered a violation. Little League officials are urged to take precautions to prevent protests. When a protest situation is imminent, the potential offender should be notified immediately.

2. Pitches delivered in games declared “Regulation Tie Games” or “Suspended Games” shall be charged against pitcher’s eligibility.

3. In suspended games resumed on another day, the pitchers of record at the time the game was halted may continue to pitch to the extent of their eligibility for that day, provided said pitcher has observed the required days of rest.

Example 1: A league age 12 pitcher delivers 70 pitches in a game on Monday when the game is suspended. The game resumes on the following Thursday. The pitcher is not eligible to pitch in the resumption of the game because he/she has not observed the required four days of rest.

Example 2: A league age 12 pitcher delivers 70 pitches in a game on Monday when the game is suspended. The game resumes on Saturday. The pitcher is eligible to pitch up to 85 more pitches in the resumption of the game because he/she has observed the required four days of rest.

Example 3: A league age 12 pitcher delivers 70 pitches in a game on Monday when the game is suspended. The game resumes two weeks later. The pitcher is eligible to pitch up to 85 more pitches in the resumption of the game, provided he/she is eligible based on his/her pitching record during the previous four days.

Managers from each team shall select a person to represent their team as official counter.  Pitch counters will confer with each other at each half inning to make sure they are together on the count.  Once confirmed they will be recorded on the pitch count log (discrepancies will be resolved by the two managers).

 Coaches are allowed two (2) visits to the pitcher per inning. The pitcher must be removed at the third visit in any one inning.  The only exception for this is due to injury.