Rules

Adams Central Little League will follow the Little League Rule Book with the exception of the following rules:

1. A player may not participate until a registration form is completed and filed with the league.

2. No metal cleats shall be allowed in the league games.

3. Unsportsmanlike conduct on the part of the coaches or players will result in an appearance before the coaches for review.

   The above conduct shall also include, but not limited to, language, gestures, or throwing of equipment. A decision of the

   coaches with a majority vote (4) will be the final word.

4. Drafting will be made according to previous year league standings (last place team will draft first). Any boy eligible for the draft with a brother playing on a team will be an automatic on that team but does not have to be taken in any order.

5. Each team will receive a first round draft pick. After the first round draft pick each team will fill their roster to match the team with the lowest returning number of players. The team with the most returning players will not receive a second round draft pick until all the teams have reached the same number of players as that team.

6. Teams are to consist of 11 players. Cuts are to be made before the start of the season. Players who are cut will be placed on a minor league team. These players may be brought up by any team in case of an injury, vacation, etc.

7. Teams can carry a bat boy on the roster and play him in the game at any time as long as the other 11 players get their required playing time.

8. If a boy is cut, he has the option to try out for the same team the next year or go back in the draft for a new team.

9. If the draft is completed, any boy/boys wishing to play will be required to sit out until the following season.

10. You can cut a 12 year old if it is their first year. However, if a 12year old has been cut from a Little League team and played as an 11 year old on a minor league team the previous year, he cannot be cut his 12 year old year.

11. Age of umpires: must be 18 and a high school graduate to umpire behind the plate and at least 16 to umpire in the field.

12. All 2nd games will start no later than 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.

13. Time limit of 90 minutes will be enforced during the season while school is in session (no inning will start after 90 minutes). Time limit of 2 hours will be enforced on Saturdays and after school is out (no inning will start after 2 hours). The only exception will be tied games or tournament games.

14. There will be no time limit during tournament games. There will be no rain outs during tournament games.

15. Only participating players, 1 head coach, 2 assistants, 1 scorekeeper and 1 batboy for each team will be allowed on the field and in the dugout. All others are asked to remain in the bleacher area or away from the playing field, dugout, or surrounding fence area. All parents are asked to refrain from bringing refreshments to the dugout unless asked to do so.

16. The home team will take the third base dugout and will bat second. The visitors will take the first base dugout and bat first. The team listed first on the playing schedule will be the home team.

17. The home team of the first game is responsible for preparing the field for play. The home team of the last game is responsible for putting the equipment away at the end of their game. This will apply for a called game as well as a full game.

18. Teams must field a minimum of 8 players or forfeit.

19. Regular season playing rules are as follows:

    a. Only 9 players will play on defense
    b. If both teams have 10 players on the roster, each team must bat 10 players
    c. If one team has fewer than 10 players, the other team does not have to bat 10 but can still choose to do so
    d. If a team can only field 8 players, the coaches can agree to allow that team to not take an out each time through

    the lineup. Both coaches must agree.

20. Tournament playing rules are as follows:

    1. Only 9 players will play defense

    2. Each team can choose to bat only 9 players

    3. If a team only fields 8 players, that team must take an out each time through the lineup

21. A player removed from the field must sit out 6 consecutive outs before he is eligible to return to the game, with the exception being if an injury occurs. Only a player in the starting line-up may re-enter the game. A pitcher removed from the mound may not return as a pitcher in that game.

22. Each player must play 6 defensive outs and must bat at least once in a game. An exception to this rule would be if the game is called because of rain or run rule. If you are unable to get a player in, he must start the next game.

23. A pitcher shall not throw more than 7 warm-up pitches between innings. 24. One pitch constitutes an inning.

24. If a pitcher hits 4 batters in a game, he shall be removed from the mound for that game.

25. If a manager or coach goes to the mound more than once in any inning he must change his pitcher.

26. A batter may not slash bunt. If he attempts to slash bunt or hits the ball he is automatically out.

27. If a batter hits a homerun but misses a base or home plate and this is observed by the opposing team, the opposing team must make an appeal.

28. If one team is leading by 12 runs after 4 innings or 10 runs after 5 innings the game shall be considered a complete game.

29. A ball stuck in the backstop will be considered a dead ball.

30. A ball stuck in the outside fence will be considered a ground rule double and must be signaled by the outfielder. Should the outfielder attempt to remove the ball he must continue to play the ball because the ground rule has been forfeited at that time.

31. One additional base will be awarded to the baserunner(s) for an overthrow from the field into the dugout or outside of the fence.

32. A walked batter may take as many bases as he can. However, once he attempts to get extra bases, he may be played upon and thrown out.

33. A base runner must slide at home plate if there is going to be a close play at the plate.

34. Managers and coaches are to stress to all players to hustle on and off the field at all times.

35. Rainout games will be scheduled to be played at the next available time slot. In case of rain and lightning the umpire or league official will make the decision to cancel the game.

36. All teams are responsible for raking the base paths after each game and after practices.

37. Both teams are required to clean up along the fences, in dugouts, and the bleacher area following the last game of the night. Each team is assigned a trash schedule and is responsible for emptying the trash barrels and the trash taken out to the dumpster at the end of their scheduled night.

38. Baseball bat requirements: may not be any longer than 33 inches and 2 5/8 inches in diameter. They must have the USA stamp on it.

39. If – at the end of a season – there is a tie for season champion, the champion (and tournament seeding) will be determined by:

    1. The win/loss record (example: 7 wins-2 losses-1 tie would win over a 7 wins-3 losses)

    2. Head to head (better winning % on head to head games wins)

    3. Total runs given up head to head (fewest runs on head to head games wins)

    4. Total runs given up for the season (fewest runs given up wins)

    5. Total runs scored in the season (most runs scored wins)

    6. Coin flip

40. During the tournament, the top seeded team in each game will be the home team. In case of a 2nd championship game, the teams will alternate Home/Visitor.

41. Draft Rules

    1. Each team will draft until they have 10 players

    2. Each team will get one first round pick

    3. After the first round, teams with the fewest players will receive draft picks in each successive round until all teams

       have the same number of players

    4. Once each team has the same number of players, successive draft rounds will include all teams.

    5. Draft order in each round will be determined by the placing in the previous year’s tournament

    6. Siblings can be drafted in any round but must be chosen by the team carrying the other sibling

    7. In the case of a team being consolidated, the players on the consolidated team will be eligible for drafting by the remaining teams.

    8. In the case of an expansion team, the new team will take place in a “Round 0” where their team will be drafted to a point of being competitive. Once “Round 0” is complete, the process described above (starting at point B) will be followed.

42. Umpires reserve full authority to eject any player who publicly argues calls - directly or indirectly - or acts in a demeaning way toward an umpire. One bench warning to both teams is strongly advised. If a player is ejected, the team must take an out at that player’s position in the lineup and the player must sit out the next game.

Pitching Rules

These rules apply to the period of a week - Monday through Sunday. Any eligible innings not used by a pitcher will accumulate during the week.

Individual Pitching Rules

The individual rules stated below take precedent over 12-year-old rule and apply to the to the number of innings an individual can pitch in a single week.

Total Innings

• 1st or 2nd game: 6 total innings can be pitched

• 3rd game and beyond: each pitcher receives 3 additional innings for each extra game of the week

Maximum pitch count per day

• 11-12 year old: 85 pitches per day

• 9-10 year old: 75 pitches per day

Exception: If a pitcher reaches the limit while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until any one of the following conditions occurs:

1. The batter reaches base;

2. The batter is put out;

3. The third out is made to complete the half-inning of the game;

4. The pitcher is removed from the mound prior to the batter completing his/her at bat.

Example: Pitcher #1 pitches 6 innings in the first game of the week. Pitcher #1 cannot pitch again until the third game, in which he can then pitch 3 innings. Pitcher #1 also gets 3 extra innings in each successive game of the period.

Team Innings for 12 year old pitchers

Innings pitched by 12 year old players must meet the following guidelines. Any number of 12 year old players can pitch the total innings allowed.

• 1st game: 12 year old players can pitch 6 innings

• 2nd game: 3 additional innings. The total innings pitched by 12 year old players for the two games can not exceed 9 total innings.

• 3rd game: 3 additional innings. The total innings pitched by 12 year old players for the three games can not exceed 12 total innings.

• 4th game: 3 additional innings. The total innings pitched by 12 year old players for the four games can not exceed 15 total innings.

Example: A 12 year old pitcher pitches all 6 innings of the 1st game of the week. In the 2nd game of the week, that player cannot pitch due to the Individual Pitching rules take priority. Any other 12 year old player can pitch 3 innings in game 2.

Additional Notes

• If two 12 year olds pitch in the same inning, it is considered only one team inning

• League Tournament: pitching rules apply for the entire tournament whether single or double elimination or if the tournament goes into a 2nd week.