HPLL 2014ALL DIVISION RULES

Each coach has been provided with a copy of “Little League Baseball – Official Regulations and Playing Rules”. It is important that you familiarize yourself with these rules. Following is a list of additions to, clarifications of, deletions from this rule book that will be in effect for the 2014 season.

To the extent that any of the following rules conflict with or vary from the rules in Section VI of the Official regulations or 3.05, 4.03(b), 6.05(b), 6.08(a)-(b), 7.04(a) and 8.01 through 8.06, the HPLL local rules shall govern.

  1. General Rules
  • All players must wear a protective athletic cup
  • NO on-deck circles are permitted. All players must remain in the dugout.
  • Two adult base coaches are allowed on the playing field when their team is at bat. (Amends Official Little League Regulation XIV© and Rule 4.05 (1)).
  • Official Playing Rule 3.09 is amended to allow Coaches to warm-up a pitcher at home plate or elsewhere
  • Once a pitcher hits 2 players in one game, a warning is given by the umpire to the pitcher and the pitcher’s coach. If the pitcher then hits one more batter, he will be automatically removed from the pitching position and will not be allowed to pitch for the rest of the game. Umpire has discretion if he feels batter leaned into pitch. If so, it will not count as a Hit by Pitch.
  • Scorekeepers and stat persons must remain in the dugout or behind the fence.
  • Official Playing Rule 4.09 is amended to add:
  • A team is allowed to score no more than 7 runs in any half inning. Upon scoring the 7th run, the half inning will be over, unless 3 outs are made first.
  • If a team leads their opponents by 10 runs or more when it comes to bat, that team is allowed to only score 4 runs, unless 3 outs are made: and
  • If a team is losing by 10 runs or more in their final at-bat of regulation play, the 7 run rule shall not be in effect and said team shall be permitted to score until the third and final out is made
  1. 10 Run Rule
  • If the home team has a lead of 10 runs or more upon the completion of four and one half innings (the top of the 5th inning), then the Coach of the visiting team must concede victory to the home team.
  • If the visiting team has a lead of 10 runs or more upon the completion of five full innings, then the Coach of the home team must concede the victory to the visiting team. For statistics and final score, the game ends at this point.
  1. Batting Order/Field Positions

The following rules replace Official Playing Rules 3.03 through 3.08.

  • All team members will bat in continuous batting order without regard to when or whether they are playing in a defensive position. No batter substitutions are allowed.
  • Any late player will be placed at the bottom of the batting order.
  • Any batter hit by a pitch will be allowed to continue the at bat if willing and able, orbe awarded 1st base at the discretion of the batting team’s Head Coach. No substitute batters will be allowed to continue an at-bat if a batter is hit by pitch and unable to continue that at-bat. The last out will be assigned as the substitute runner to take 1st base.
  • Each player must play a minimum of 3 innings in the field in a regulation game. Rotation of players is encouraged but for continuity players may be rotated from game to game rather than inning to inning. Defensive substitutions may be made at any time without notification of the umpire or the opposing team’s coach. There are no limitations on the number of times that a player may leave or re-enter the game defensively (exception: Pitcher position – if a player plays the position in any given inning, that player cannot leave and re-enter the pitching position in the same or any other inning). If a game is ended by the “10-run rule” a player only has to play a minimum of 2 innings in the field. I.e. By the end of the 4th inning, all players need to have played 2 innings.
  1. Time Limits
  • All games are subject to NO time limit. However, a new inning may not start after 1 hour 40 minutes. A game that is ended prior to the completion of six full innings will be deemed a complete game upon completion of 4 full innings (3 and one half innings if the home team is ahead).
  1. Teams
  • Each team must field a minimum of 8 players to play an official game. If a teamis unable to field 8 players, that team must concede victory to the opposing team with 8 or more players. A team that fails to field 8 players on game day shall be permitted to contact the VP, if time permits, to obtain a replacement player(s) from a list of approved “play up” players.
  • Each team shall appoint an adult scorekeeper for each game. Scorekeepers shall record each team’s batting order, uniform numbers and last names. The scorekeepers from each team shall consult with each other so there is agreement on the number of runs and pitch counts in each inning.
  • The coach/scorekeeper ofeach team shall be responsible for submitting the game results and information (including the score, pitch counts for each pitcher, 2 Game MVPs from the other team, location and time of game) via the league web site.
  • Each team is encouraged to maintain complete and accurate statistics for each player on the team. Each team will be required to complete 2 player/team evaluations towards the end of the season that will be submittedto the VP of baseball.
  1. Sliding
  • Official Playing Rule 7.08(a) describes a base runners responsibility to slide on a close play. This is a judgment call by the umpire. The intent of the rule is to prevent intentional or unintentional contact between the base-runner and a defensive player, applying a tag. If, in judgment of the umpire, a base runner’s failure to slide into a base when a close play is imminent (except first base in the case of a batter-base-runner) results in forceful contact between the runner and a defensive player, the umpire can declare the base-runner out.

Note:

  • A base runner need not slide if not sliding poses no potential risk of contact or injury.
  • No headfirst slides are allowed when advancing toward a base. A player who slides headfirst is automatically out.
  • A player may slide headfirst, only if sliding back to a base
  1. Pitching/Batting Rules
  • See specific division rules for this section.
  1. Base Running Rules
  • See specific division rules for this section.

3/3/13