North Bothell Little League 2015 Baseball Supplemental Rules – Local Rules, Policies and Procedures
BASEBALL – Collegiate
1. All players league age 7, 8 and 9 (Birthdays from May 1st through December 30th, 2006) are eligible for the Collegiate division. League age 6 players who have played one year of T-Ball and have participated in a player evaluation with the Collegiate division coordinator may also participate.
2. Each manager is allowed four player options to their roster (Not including their own child). Each player may have one friend request. If selected as one of the manager options, that player forfeits his / her right for a friend request. In all cases, these requests will be accommodated as much as possible, but never guaranteed.
3. Absolutely no pre-game batting practice (Free swing, Hitting stick, whiffle balls, etc) of any kind is allowed on the field. Point of emphasis – Players this age should not have a bat in hand unless they are in the batter’s box hitting.
4. Managers and coaches should make every attempt to keep the game moving along at a good pace. Catchers should be identified in advance of their assigned inning, get geared up and be ready to play when their team takes the field. The umpire will remind managers of this requirement as needed.
5. In addition to the manager and two coaches, each team must have two parents, with approved background checks, in the dugout at all times to monitor and prepare the players. Players must remain in the dugout or on the bench during games.
6. The entire player game roster shall be used as the batting order, regardless of defensive position. Players arriving after the game has started shall be placed in the batting order after the last player named in such batting order. “Free” substitution is allowed.
7. If playing on a non-fenced field, the home run line will be marked by cones a distance of 120 feet from home plate. A batted ball that passes over the coned home run line on the fly shall be a home run. A batted ball that touches a fielder’s glove, or any other part of said fielder, and passes over the coned home run line on the fly, without ever touching the ground prior to passing the cones, shall be a home run. A batted ball that passes the coned home run line after first touching the ground shall be a ground-rule double, regardless of whether a fielder touched it or not.
8. A safety base (Flat, rubber base) will be placed next to first base to reduce collisions and to give batters a better chance of running through first base on a ground ball to the infield. In general, the defense is entitled to the inside base, while the batter / runner is entitled to the outside flat, rubber base. Coaches should instruct their players to make plays to the inside base while playing defense, and to run through the outside base while running to first.
9. Each team must provide a scorekeeper who is not a manager or coach. The home team is considered the official scorekeeper.
10. Each team must supply a shaggier behind home plate when their team is batting. The main responsibility of a shaggier is to collect thrown balls and give back to the coach pitcher between batters.
11. Managers are required to follow a defensive player rotation provided by the league. This rotation encourages equal playing time for all players in all positions:
TWELVE / ELEVEN / TEN / NINE / EIGHT / SEVENPlayer / Player / Player / Player / Player / Player
Roster / Roster / Roster / Roster / Roster / Roster
P / P / P / P / P / P
C / C / C / C / C / C
1B / 1B / 1B / 1B / 1B / 1B
RF / RF / RF / RF / OF / OF
2B / 2B / 2B / 2B / 2B / 2B
OUT / RC / RC / CF / OF / SS
RC / SS / SS / SS / SS / 3B
SS / LC / LC / LF / 3B
LC / 3B / 3B / 3B
3B / LF / LF
LF / OUT
OUT
Once a manager has determined their playing roster (12 player, 11 player, etc) for any given game, players are assigned a starting position per the table above. Each player then rotates one position down for each subsequent inning played. Each manager is required to continue the rotation as initially defined until all players have had a chance to play all positions. Only after all players have played all positions can a manager readjust the defensive player rotation. All managers are required to provide the opposing manager a copy of their defensive rotation Point of emphasis – All players rotate through all positions as defined above. If there is a player “Safety issue” that prevents a manager from doing so, it must be negotiated with the opposing manager prior to the start of the game.
12. The league does not permit managers or coaches on the playing field during live play at the Collegiate division, except for a coach pitcher and two (2) adult base coaches.
13. The home team is responsible for supplying an umpire for the game. If agreed to by both managers, a second umpire can be added by the visiting team.
14. The game will be played using a Wilson Safety Ball with a league provided pitching machine.
15. For safety reasons, players are not allowed to hold a bat in the dugout / bench area, or swing a bat outside of the batter’s box. Practice swings will be allowed in the batter’s box only under the coach’s direction.
1. No new inning can be started after 1 hour and 45 minutes, no pitch may be thrown after 2 hours. Games not completed after the two hour time limit will revert to the last completed inning (Ties are allowed).
2. The side retires when there are three (3) outs, when five (5) runs score, or when the entire batting order has batted, whichever comes first. EXCEPTION: If a batter hits a home run over the fence or outfield boundary line, or a ground rule double, all runs driven in by that play will score (Maximum of two runs on ground rule double). During the sixth inning, and every inning thereafter, there is no five run limit, but the number of runs is limited to one rotation through the batting order.
16. A batter or runner will be allowed to advance a maximum of one base on a batted ball hit in the infield, and a maximum of two bases on a batted ball hit to the outfield. A ball hit over the cones / fence on the fly will be considered a home run. For dirt fields (No grass outfield), a ball must travel at least 10 feet beyond the baselines to be considered in the outfield. A runner may only advance to second base if the outfielder does not yet have control of the ball, or if the outfielder has control of the ball, but has not yet thrown it to the infield. Note: The play does not automatically stop when the ball is in possession of the defensive player in the infield. The play continues until time is called, at which time the umpire will rule as to which base the runner is entitled to. Defensive players are encouraged to make the correct play by throwing to the appropriate base. For that reason, runners will not be allowed to advance on an overthrow.
17. Pitching shall be by machine, at a distance of 46 feet from home plate (Pitching machine placed at edge of pitching plate). The player assuming the defensive position of pitcher shall begin each play with a foot no farther than 18” from the actual pitching plate.
18. Both teams must bring their pitching machines to the game. The home team’s pitching machine should be used as the primary pitching machine unless an alternate plan is agreed to by both managers. Each manager should test their pitching machine for accuracy before the game. The home team should provide 5 NEW balls to be used throughout the game. Shaggiers are reminded to collect balls after each pitch and return to the coach pitcher after every batter. A bucket or ball bag may be used provided it is stored as close to the pitching machine as possible.
19. Each batter is allowed five (5) live pitches. If not successful after five (5) live pitches, they are out. A player fouling off the fifth pitch, or any subsequent pitch, is allowed another pitch, unless the foul ball is caught on the fly, at which point the batter is out.
20. A batter hit by a “Machine pitch” does not take first base.
21. Gloves may be worn by the adult pitcher during pitching as a safety measure; however, all defensive handling of the ball is to be done by the players. A live ball coming into contact with the adult pitcher is considered incidental contact, and the ball is in play.
22. Each team will be allowed to use ten (10) defensive players, four (4) of which will be in the outfield. A “Rover” position is not allowed. Note: If a team has only (7) players, the game may be played, but the team must use a player at the catcher position.
23. The “Infield fly” is not enforced for the Collegiate division.
24. A runner will be ruled safe if he / she does not have free access to the base because a defensive player has blocked the base while not making a play on the ball.
25. A pitcher must always throw the ball to another player to get the batter / runner out, unless it is considered a natural baseball play. For example, a ball fielded down the first baseline and pitcher is able to tag the batter. Or a ball fielded down the third baseline and pitcher is able to tag the runner trying to score.
26. An infielder must throw the ball to a base to make an out, unless it is considered a natural baseball play to run to the base for an out. For example, a first basemen is hit the ball and he runs to first and tags it for an out. A second basemen is hit the ball towards second base with a runner on first and he/she runs to second base and tags it for an out. A shortstop is hit the ball towards second base with a runner on first and he/she runs to second base and tags it for an out. A third basemen is hit the ball towards third base with runners on first and second and he/she runs to third base and tags it for an out.
27. For fields with a grass outfield. An outfielder must assume a defensive position in the grass and may not field a ball in the infield, unless backing up a base. For fields with a dirt outfield, a chalk line will be drawn 110 feet from home plate around the field. An outfielder must assume a defensive position behind the chalk line and may not field a ball in the infield (Edge of infield defined as 10 feet beyond the baselines), unless backing up a base.
28. An outfielder must throw the ball to a base to obtain an out, rather than running to the base and touching it. A batter / runner who is tagged out by an outfielder or forced out by an outfielder touching a base with the ball will be declared safe. Managers are asked to instruct each player of the proper play once the play has ended.
1. It is the responsibility of the winning team to report all scores and pitchers used to the Information Coordinator by 10:00 PM that evening.
Violation Penalty
First (1) Offense: Warning by League Vice President or Division Coordinator.
Second (2) Offense: One game suspension handed down by NBLL President.
2. Collegiate division teams cannot draw a replacement player from a T-Ball Division team during the last two weeks of their regular season schedule.
1