Supplemental Rules / Local Options of FPLL Baseball

Regular Season Pitching Rules - Baseball

PITCHERS

Exception: If a pitcher reaches the limit imposed in Regulation VI (c) for His league age while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until any one of the following conditions occurs:

Note 1: A pitcher who delivers 41 or more pitches in a game cannot play the position of catcher for the remainder of that day.

Pitchers league age 15 - 18 must adhere to the following rest requirements:

The umpire-in-chief will inform the pitcher’s manager that the pitcher must be removed in accordance with Regulation VI (c). However, the failure by the pitch count recorder to notify the umpire-in-chief, and/or the failure of the umpire-in-chief to notify the manager, does not relieve the manager of his/her responsibility to remove a pitcher when that pitcher is no longer eligible.

• Any player on a regular season team may pitch. (NOTE: There is no limit to the number of pitchers a team may use in a game.)
• A pitcher once removed from the mound cannot return as a pitcher. Junior, Senior, and Big League Divisions only: A pitcher remaining in the game, but moving to a different position, can return as a pitcher anytime in the remainder of the game, but only once per game.
• The manager must remove the pitcher when said pitcher reaches the limit for age group as noted below, but the pitcher may remain in the game at another position:
  • League Age (17-18): 105 pitches per day
  • League Age (13 -16): 95 pitches per day
  • League Age (11 -12): 85 pitches per day
  • League Age (9-10): 75 pitches per day
  • League Age (7-8): 50 pitches per day
  • That batter reaches base
  • That batter is put out
  • The third out is made to complete the half-inning
• (d) Pitchers league age 14 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 36 - 50 pitches in a day, two (2) calendar days of rest must be observed.
  • If a player pitches 21 - 35 pitches in a day, one (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.

Pitchers league age 15 and 16 must adhere to the following rest requirements:

• If a player pitches 76 or more pitches in a day, four (4) calendar days of rest must be observed.
• If a player pitches 61 - 75 pitches in a day, three (3) calendar days of rest must be observed.
• If a player pitches 46 - 60 pitches in a day, two (2) calendar days of rest must be observed.
• If a player pitches 31 -45 pitches in a day, one (1) calendar days of rest must be observed.
• If a player pitches 1-30 pitches in a day, no (0) calendar day of rest is required.
• Each league must designate the scorekeeper or another game official as the official pitch count recorder.
• The pitch count recorder must provide the current pitch count for any pitcher when requested by either manager or any umpire. However, the manager is responsible for knowing when his/her pitcher must be removed.
• The official pitch count recorder should inform the umpire-in-chief when a pitcher has delivered his/her maximum limit of pitches for the game, as noted in Regulation VI (c).
• Violation of any section of this regulation can result in protest of the game in which it occurs. Protest shall be made in accordance with Playing Rule 4.19.
• A player who has attained the league age of twelve (12) is not eligible to pitch in the Minor League. (See Regulation V – Selection of Players)
• A player may not pitch in more than one game in a day. (Exception: In the Big League Division, a player may be used as a pitcher in up to two games in a day.)

NOTES:

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

Note: The use of this regulation negates the concept of the “calendar week” with regard to pitching eligibility.

BORROW PLAYER RULE: If a team has less than 8 players available for a game, borrowing a player from another team is allowed within the same Division as long as the player is a current member of FPLL.

All Divisions, except Rookie, Camp, and T-Ball: The Borrowed player must play the outfield, they cannot pitch or catch & must bat last in the Line-Up.

NO BORROWING ALLOWED DURING PLAYOFFS.
Tie-Breaker for playoff determination is head-to-head.  If even, second tie-breaker is runs against.

All PLAYERS must wear a protective cup

LITTLE LEAGUE BAT RULES:

Rule 1.10 - Baseball - The bat must be a baseball bat which meets Little League specifications and standards as noted in this rule. It shall be a smooth, rounded stick and made of wood or of material and color tested and proved acceptable to Little League standards.

Little League (Majors) and below: it shall not be more than thirty-three (33) inches in length nor more than two and five-eights (2 5/8) inches in diameter. Non-wood bats shall be labeled with a BPF (bat performance factor) of 1.15 or less; EXCEPTION: For the 2011-2012 Little League (Majors) and below, for regular season play and Tournament, composite bats are prohibited unless approved by Little League International.

A list of approved and licensed composite bats can be found on the Little League website

Major Division and below:

• Wood and all aluminum bats (no composite materials in the bat are allowed) can be used even if they are older models.
• The moratorium (ban) on composite-barreled baseball bats remains in effect. However, some composite-barreled baseball bats that have been proven in laboratory testing to meet the BPF (Bat Performance Factor) standard throughout the life of the bat, through the Accelerated Break-In (ABI) process, have received waivers.

ILLEGAL BAT RULES

Rule 2.00 Definition of Illegal Bat

Illegal Bat – An Illegal bat is a bat that has been altered or a bat that is not approved for play because it does not meet specifications with regard to length, weight, barrel diameter, labeling or performance standard for the division in which it is used.

Rule 6.06 – Baseball

The batter is out for illegal action when - The batter enters the batter’s box with an illegal bat (see bat specifications Rule 1.10) or is discovered having used an illegal bat.

If the infraction is discovered before the next pitch following the turn at bat of the player who used an illegal bat:

• The manager of the defense may advise the plate umpire of a decision to decline the penalty and accept the play. Such election shall be made immediately at the end of the play.
  • Example 1: A player uses an illegal bat and hits into a double play, the opposing manager can accept the play.
  • Example 2: A player hits a home run with an illegal bat. The player is OUT and the homerun does not count.
  • If the illegal bat is NOT protested before the first pitch to the next batter, the play counts, but the bat will be removed.