Northern Valley Recreation Baseball

NORTHERN VALLEY BASEBALL LEAGUE

2014 Pee Wee (1st and 2nd Grade) League Rules

Eligibility

Pee Wee League players shall be in either the 1st grade, 2nd grade or under, regardless of age.

Roster

Nine players shall be allowed to play in the field. All players must be in batting order and play at least two innings in the field. Players may be substituted freely into any position except pitcher. Once a player is removed as pitcher, they may not return as pitcher. Players substituted into different positions must remain in their same spot in the batting order. If a team is short the requisite number of players then it must use "call-ups" from either another Pee Wee team, or players from a lower level. Program directors will give coaches a list of five qualified players that are available to play in upper level only on an “as needed basis” – as the 9th or 10th player. Players can only play one grade up. All five players must rotate their turn of play. No more than two players can be called up to play by one team. This two-player restriction is waived when there is a risk of forfeit due to insufficient number of players. A player called up from the Tee Ball level will only be allowed to play outfield, and will bat at the bottom of the batting order.

Staff

Each team may have a maximum of four adults in the dugout (3 coaches and a scorekeeper). All coaches must be certified by an approved certification program. This rule is the head coach’s responsibility to enforce.

The names and phone numbers of all coaches will be listed in s separate NVBL contact document which will be circulated to all coaches in advance of a season.

Three Coaches’ from the defensive team are allowed on the field for instruction of players. Two must be on the outfield grass and one behind home plate.

Home Team

The home team must supply baseballs. The visiting team must be notified at least one hour and fifteen minutes before the scheduled start of the game regarding any cancellations.

The home Team should line the fields before their game. There is to be a halfway line drawn between third base and home plate to assist the umpire in making any decisions regarding base running.

Protests

There will be no protests.

Rules of the Game

Pre-game Rules

1.  Visiting team will conclude its 15 minutes practice 5 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the game. The home team has the right to sole possession of the field until 20 minutes before the scheduled start.

2.  Coaches shall exchange lineup cards before the game, including starting batting order with uniform numbers and/or player names.

3.  Once the game begins, all late arrivals will be placed at the bottom of the batting order.

4.  A team with 7 players may start the game. Those with 6 players must forfeit the game after 15 minutes waiting time after the scheduled start.

5.  All games are to be played at the scheduled times unless other arrangements have been made and both teams agree.

Game Rules

1.  The Little League Rule Book is always in effect unless specific individual Northern Valley Baseball League Rules supersede.

2.  Baseballs allowed are Rif 10 Baseballs.

3.  Weekday games will start at 6:00 PM. Saturday games will start at 9:00 AM and end promptly at 10:45 AM

4.  No inning can start after 1 hour and 30 minutes from the starting time of the game. All games must end within 1 hour and 45 minutes.

5.  An official game is 4 innings or 3 ½ innings if the home team is ahead.

6.  Bunting is not permitted.

7.  In-Field Fly rule is not in effect.

8.  A 5-run rule per inning (except for 6th inning) is in effect. All runs count on a continuous play. Intentional walks are not permitted.

9.  A 15-run superior rule is in effect. The losing team shall concede the victory to the opponent after 4 innings or 3 ½ innings if the home team is ahead.

10.  No gum chewing or food allowed.

11.  Games cancelled due to bad weather, etc. will not be rescheduled.

12.  Only six infielders, including the pitcher and the catcher shall be in the infield at one time. The balance of players will play outfield. Outfielders must be off the dirt and the infielders must be on the dirt when the ball is pitched.

Batting

1.  A running batter order must be used. Any batter who bats out of order is automatically out and must be identified by the opposing team while at bat in order for the out to be recorded.

2.  During innings with Coach pitch, the batting team will bat each player in the batting order regardless of how many “outs” are made. If a batter strikes out, he or she will take first base.

3.  During innings of Player pitch/catch, all other game rules apply, including 3 outs per inning and the 5 run rule.

4.  Batting orders must be exchanges before the game. Once line-ups are exchanges, any late arrivals cannot be inserted into the batting order, if they have already gone through the entire line-up. All late arrivals are placed at the bottom of the order.

Base Running

1.  No stealing of any base is allowed.

2.  No leading is allowed. The runner may leave the base as the pitched ball crosses home plate. The runner is out if he or she leaves the base early. There will be no head first sliding at any base, except going back to a base.

3.  A batter may not run to first on a dropped 3rd strike.

4.  It’s the responsibility of the runner to slide or avoid a collision in order to reduce injury. A runner is out if the runner creates a collision with the catcher.

5.  A courtesy runner for the catcher is allowed. Runner must be last out.

7.  Tagging up on fly balls is prohibited.

8.  There will be no In-Field Fly rule.

9.  Runners can advance only one base on any overthrown ball whether that ball remains in play or out of play. Runners can also only advance one base on a batted ball that remains in the infield. Balls hit into the outfield allows base runners to advance unrestricted.

10.  Play stops when the pitcher has control of the ball in the vicinity of the pitching mound, or when the umpire grants a time out. If the runner is more that half way to the next base, with the exception of third to home, the runner will be awarded that base. Each field will be marked with a hash mark 35' down from third base. If not, then the umpire will scratch it in. If the runner has passed this mark, when a player has control of the ball and is on the pitching mound, the runner will be awarded home.

11.  There must be a courtesy runner for catcher with two outs. The runner will be the player who last batted out.

Pitching

Player pitch/catch at this level will begin on Saturday May 10, 2014 and will run through the rest of the season. The first and second innings of these games will be Coach pitch. Player pitch/catch will begin in the third inning and continue for the duration of the game. A coach should be on the mound to call balls and strikes while another coach should be behind the catcher to assist with passed balls.

1.  Pitching week runs from Saturday through Friday with Little League rest rule enforced at all times. (NO EXCEPTIONS FOR ANY REASON).

2.  Pitching rubber is placed 40 feet from the back apex of home plate to mound.

3.  No Pitcher can pitch more than 2 innings per game, 4 innings per pitching week. Each Manager is responsible to make sure every pitcher abides this rule.

4.  The throwing of one pitch, including warm-ups constitutes an inning pitched.

5.  A pitcher hitting 2 batters in 1 inning or total of 3 batters in a game must be removed as a pitcher.

6.  Once a pitcher is removed from the mound, he may not return back as a pitcher.

7.  A bounced pitch that hits a batter is a “hit by pitch” and the batter is awarded first base. If the batter swings and hits the ball, then it is a live ball.

8.  No balks.

9.  No intentional walks are permitted.

10.  There is no limit to walks in an inning. However, three (3) walks in an inning will result in an out. Two (2) more walks will constitute a 2nd out (as long as it’s not the 3rd out). The 3rd out must be made in the field. A batter hit by a pitch is not charged as a walk.

11.  A “Hit Batter” does not constitute a walk

Behavior

1.  No player penalty for injury, illness or emergency departure. The play can be removed from the line up without penalty – there will NOT be an automatic out.

2.  Use of profanity will result in ejection and batters spot in order will be an automatic out every time up.

3.  A coach is expected to warn his player if that player unintentionally throws a bat, helmet, or other equipment. A second incident will be an automatic out.

4.  A coach is expected to warn his player if the player intentionally throws a bat, helmet or other equipment. A second incident involving that player will result in his removal from the game.

5.  A head coach is responsible for crowd control/fan behavior for his own town's representatives (either home or away).

Safety

1.  All players must wear protective athletic cups, cleats and hats for all practices and games. Anyone coming to the game unprepared will not be allowed to play.

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