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Minor B Rules

Minor B Rules

All Little League baseball rules will apply in addition to those listed below.

Kids play baseball to have fun, and it should be our primary goal to make that happen. Our main job as coaches is to provide a safe and fun environment for players to learn the game and develop their skills as well as to foster an atmosphere of teamwork, cooperation and sportsmanship.

Please avoid arguments at all costs! If a situation arises where a decision cannot be reached, please send the base runners back to the bases before the play commenced and replay it.

The Game

  1. Evening games will begin with a set warm-up starting at 5:15, followed by a 6:00 pm start time. The visitors shall have the infield for warm up from 5:40 - 5:50 and the home team shall have the infield for warm up from 5:50 - 6:00. Please start the game on time.
  2. There is no umpire, so the coach from the home team will designate a coach or parent from their team to act as umpire and resolve any issues.
  3. Dugouts - Home team takes the third base line dugout while the visiting team takes the first base line dugout.
  4. Home team is responsible for field set up (to be completed not less than 25 min. before game time) and take down. This includes installing the bases, setting up the pitching machine, painting the base paths from home plate to first base and from home plate to third base, painting the batter’s boxes, painting the dead ball circle around the pitching machine and painting the pitcher positioning lines on either side of the dead ball circle.
  5. Subject to weather and daylight, games are scheduled for three innings:
  6. The first two innings are limited to 4 runs each or once through the order, whichever comes first
  7. The final inning is unlimited runs or once through the order, whichever comes first.
  8. The number of players in “the order” is the number of players on the team that has the greater number of players. Players on the team with the lesser number of players may bat twice in an inning until that team has reached the number of players in “the order”.
  9. Teams cannot, at any time during an inning, hit batters “out of order”.
  10. No new innings to start after 7:15.
  11. In the event that the first 2 innings are completed in a timely fashion and the coaches agree that they will try and play 4 innings, then the 3rd inning should be played under a 4 rule maximum as well and the 4th inning can be the "open" inning.
  12. In the event a game is rained out or otherwise postponed, the teams involved may re-schedule and complete the game at some later date. A good time to reschedule such games is during the regularly scheduled practice time for one of the teams.

 

Pitching

  1. Teams must use the pitching machine. There is no "Coach Pitch" - except upon agreement of the coaches in the case of pitching machine malfunction.
  2. The pitching machine should be placed 35 feet from home plate.
  3. The offensive team coach will operate the pitching machine. Under no circumstances may a child operate the pitching machine either during the game or at practice.
  4. The defensive team is allowed to have one player playing the position of pitcher either to the left or right of the pitching machine. The pitcher is not permitted to be positioned closer to home plate than the front of the pitching machine. A small line should be painted on either side of the dead ball circle indicating where the pitcher can be positioned.
  5. A circle measuring 6 feet in diameter is to be marked with line paint around the pitching machine. This is referred to as the "dead ball circle". A ball hit cleanly through the circle is a fair ball and in play. Any ball that comes to rest within the dead ball circle, or that hits either the pitching machine or the pitching coach, is a dead ball. The pitch is replayed and no runners advance.
  6. If a player fields the ball from inside the dead ball circle and makes an out, the hitter and all runners will be deemed safe. Please stress to your players the safety concerns around them rushing into the circle where the pitching machine is located to field the ball.

Batting

  1. There are no walks.
  2. Kids to be encouraged by coaches to swing at each pitch that is delivered to home plate at a reasonable height at or around the strike zone. Each batter is entitled to a minimum of five pitches, unless they have a hit first. If, in the coaches' discretion, a pitch is determined to be unhittable, the pitch shall not be counted in the pitch count. A pitch that is outside of the strike zone is not automatically considered to be "unhittable". The most common pitch that should not be counted is one that comes into home plate very low. The goal is to encourage the players to swing and keep the game moving along while at the same time not encouraging bad habits such as swinging at wild pitches. If a batter does not swing at a pitch that is in your opinion, hittable, please call the pitch a strike and count it as one of the 5 pitches.
  3. A strike out occurs if the batter is unsuccessful in hitting the ball after 5 pitches. If the 5th pitch is a foul ball, the batter shall remain "alive" and will continue to receive additional pitches until the batter either makes a hit, or does not make contact with the ball on a pitch. Upon striking out, the batter is considered to be "out" and shall return to the dugout.
  4. Teams hit through their lineup in order.
  5. All batters and base runners must wear helmets. Batters and baserunners are not to remove helmets until they are back in their dugout.
  6. On Deck - There is NO "on deck" circle in Little League due to safety reasons. No players other that the batter should be swinging bats during the game. The player "on deck" and all other players must remain in the dugout waiting for their turn to hit. There must a coach or parent present in the dugout with the players at all times while they are waiting for their turn to bat.
  7. Adult base coaches are permitted at 1st and 3rd bases (one coach per base) and must stand in foul ball territory only.
  8. Bunting is not permitted.
  9. A batter is to be called out if he/she throws the bat.

Base Runners

  1. Stealing - There is NO stealing.
  2. Lead Offs- Runners cannot leave the base until the pitched ball has been hit. In the event a base runner leaves early on a base hit (in a force situation) and reaches the next base safely, it is the umpire’s discretion to either allow that runner to advance to that base, or call that runner out if it is felt the base runner may have been out had they not left early.
  3. Runners may only advance one base on a hit that does not reach the outfield. On hits to the outfield, a runner may continue to advance until the ball has been returned to the infield (by crossing the plane into the area inside the proper baselines and backstop. The goal is to encourage outfielders to throw and not run the ball back into the infield. As such, it is not necessary for an infielder to catch or control a ball that has been thrown into the infield in order to stop the runners. However, a ball that is run into the infield by an outfielder will not be considered “returned to the infield” until such time as control of the ball has been passed to an infielder. If a runner is not more than halfway between bases at the time the ball is returned to the infield, the runner must return to the previous base. If the umpire determines that a runner was not halfway to the next base when the ball was returned to the infield, the runner shall be sent back to their previous base.
  4. If there is at least one runner on base when a ball is hit to the outfield and the runner(s) is(are) on adjacent bases, then it is the lead runner’s position when the ball is returned to the infield which will determine whether runners may or may not advance to the next base. For example, if the batter hits the ball to the outfield and is more than halfway between 1st and 2nd when the ball is thrown back into the infield, BUT the lead runner who is directly ahead (between 2nd & 3rd ) is NOT more than halfway between the bases, then both runners must return to the previous base.
  5. Overthrows to First base - batters cannot advance to second base on overthrows to first base.
  6. Overthrows to Second base - a runner cannot advance to third base on an overthrow that initiates from the infield, or an overthrow that initiates from the outfield and is considered “returned to the infield”.  However, if a ball is thrown by an outfielder to second base and the ball remains in the outfield (e.g. thrown from left field and the ball ends up in right field) then the runners may continue advancing until the ball is returned to the infield.
  7. Overthrows to Third base - no runs can be scored on an overthrow to third base. This is to encourage players fielding the ball to attempt to make the out rather than playing it safe.
  8. Tagged Outs - A runner that is tagged out between bases while the ball is live is out.
  9. Overruns - Unless the umpire has called a dead ball, a runner may be tagged out upon overrunning a base (including on a return of the ball to the infield or on an overthrow). Runners turning left at first base may be tagged out.
  10. Sliding - For safety reasons, if there is even the slightest possibility of a play at the plate, base runners must slide into home or umpire will call them out. No head first sliding is permitted at any base or the runner is out.
  11. Fly Balls - Where a batter hits a fly ball that is caught, the batter is out. Tagging up on fly balls is not permitted. Base runners advancing off their base on a fly ball that is caught may be tagged or thrown out at the base they left. Infield fly rule does not apply.
  12. Blocking Progress - Unless they have the ball, or are in the process of fielding a ball, fielders are not to block the base runners' progress by standing on the base paths. If this occurs, the runner shall be awarded the base that they are progressing to.

Defense

  1. Unless otherwise agreed between the coaches, a maximum of 10 players may play in the field at one time. Infield positions are pitcher, catcher, 1st, 2nd and 3rd base, shortstop and rover (between first and second base). Outfield positions are left, centre and right field. Catchers must wear all catchers equipment as provided. Upon agreement of the coaches a team may be permitted to play an additional outfielder to avoid having players on the bench while on defence.
  2. Teams are not permitted to play a 2nd player at the position of pitcher under any circumstances.
  3. Players in the position of rover, 2nd base and shortstop are allowed to be positioned no closer than 3 feet inside the base path towards home plate when a pitch is being delivered. Players at 1st and 3rd may be positioned no closer than 6 feet in front of their bases.
  4. The defensive team is allowed one coach in the outfield to provide instruction (but who may not touch the ball). There is no defensive coach allowed in the infield.
  5. Outfielders are allowed to be positioned no closer than 15 feet behind the base path when a pitch is being delivered.
  6. For player development purposes, each player should be given the opportunity to play each fielding position on a rotating basis unless there is a concern for the player's safety in playing that position. Coaches should use their reasonable efforts to ensure that no player plays the same position twice in the same game, and favouritism should not be given to better players when allocating infield positions. Pitcher and 1st base are key positions and a player should not play either of those positions twice in the same game.

General

  1. Equal defensive playing time for all players.
  2. Defensive substitutions are unlimited, and substituted players can re-enter the game.
  3. Catchers must wear a cup, and it is recommended that all players wear cups and mouth guards for every game and practice.
  4. All equipment should be kept in the dugout area away from the field of play.
  5. Once the game begins, the designated umpire is the ultimate authority over all aspects of the game.
  6. Arguing with umpires will not be tolerated and coaches or parents who do so may be ejected and asked to leave the park.
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