Rules - Minor League

The rules for the Minors are essentially those of 'real' Little League baseball, with some exceptions. The league is competitive, so scores are kept and the rules matter - it is the first occasion with the LBA that the kids experience real baseball.

1. The field will be 60 feet down the base paths, and 40 feet to the mound. The area of play shall be considered to be the area comprised by the 'fair' area of the field itself plus the area to each side of the base paths to first and third limited by a line from the edge of the backstop parallel to the base path. Balls hit outside the area of play shall be deemed 'dead' prior to being caught to avoid danger to spectators by fielders running into the spectators to catch the ball. If a ball is caught in live territory and carried into the dead area the out stands and runners may advance at their own risk.

2. The strike zone will be from the "top of the lettering" (i.e. from about the underarm level) to the knees, based on the player's height while in a reasonable knees-bent stance. If a player has a very small crouch stance strikes may be called at shoulder level.

  3. Five balls will constitute a walk, three strikes for an out.

4. In order to keep the game moving and to encourage the kids to swing umpires will give the benefit of the doubt to pitchers when calling balls and strikes - close decisions will always be called as strikes. As coaches you have to encourage the kids to swing.

5. Each game will last six innings, although no inning may start later than 25 minutes prior to the end of the scheduled playing session. Once an inning is started it should be finished even if time runs slightly over. Games are scheduled to begin one hour and a quarter after the scheduled start of the Minor league session.

6. Four completed innings will constitute a minimum regulation game for which the results will count. If the home team is ahead after three and a half innings and the game is called, it shall be declared the winner.

7. There will be a maximum of 10 players on the field at any onetime, a pitcher, catcher, four infielders, and four outfielders. Substitute the fielders to keep only 10 on at any one time but let fielders sitting out continue to bat when it is their turn. A team must have at least seven players at game time (which is one hour and a quarter after the scheduled start of the Minor league session) to make the game official. A team with less than seven players will forfeit the game. If both teams have less than seven they both are assessed a tie. If a team has seven players at the start but the numbers subsequently diminish that team will be permitted to continue playing without a forfeit being declared. If for any scheduled playing session, more than 2 Minor league games are forfeited due to a lack of players, then all games for the league shall be considered "rained-out" and any games played will be considered "friendlies" and not count in the standings.

8.  No player in the Minor League may pitch more than THREE innings in a game including any game that involves extra innings. The delivery of a single pitch constitutes pitching an inning. A pitcher who hits three batters must be removed from pitching and cannot continue to pitch again in that game.

  9.  Each player must play at least THREE full innings in the field , assuming a complete game (except for injury or disciplinary reasons). Players may be substituted during a game at any time the ball is dead. Re-entry is possible for ALL players at any position, even if they have been previously removed from the field.

10. Every team member must be allowed to bat in a batting order established before the game, whether or not they are currently playing in the field. Late arrivals must be added at the end of the established batting order.

11. All players on deck, at bat, and on base, as well as all 1st and 3rd base player-coaches, MUST wear a batting or running helmet. Catchers MUST wear a mask, helmet, chest protector, leg protection, and a cup. Keep all children well back from the plate to avoid injuries. Players may only hold a bat in their hands if they are approaching or leaving home plate or in the designated on-deck circle. No metal cleats are allowed, though rubber ones are fine.

12. Bunting is NOT permitted.

13. The infield fly rule will NOT apply.

14. A third strike makes an out whether the catcher drops the ball or not.

15. Base stealing is NOT permitted. Also, base runners are NOT allowed to lead. Runners must remain in contact with the base until a pitch crosses the plate or they are forced to advance by another runner. If a player is ruled to have left the base before the pitched ball crosses the plate, time is automatically called and a warning issued. If, after one team warning , a player is caught leaving a base early, the player will be ruled out.

16. The base runner may not advance on a wild pitch or a passed ball.

17. Any time a ball in play is overthrown and goes into dead territory, runners may advance one base. If, in the judgment of the umpire, a runner was more than halfway to a base at the time the ball entered the dead territory, the runner may be awarded one base in addition to the base to which the runner was advancing. There shall be unlimited base advancement if the overthrow remains in live territory. For the avoidance of doubt, a ball that gets caught in the backstop is "dead" and no further advancement is allowed.

18. Sliding is permitted at any base and is encouraged on any close play at home plate. If a runner attempting to reach home plate intentionally and maliciously runs into a defensive player in the area of home plate, he will be called out on the play and ejected from the game . The objective of this is to penalize the offensive team for deliberate, unwarranted, unsportsmanlike action by the runner for the obvious purpose of crashing into the defensive player, rather than trying to reach home plate.

19. Play ends and runners may not advance when the ball is in the pitcher's possession and he/she is within 5 feet of the rubber. Runners between bases can advance at their own risk and are eligible to be thrown out regardless on what base they are heading for. If the pitcher attempts to throw a runner out the ball becomes live again.

  20. If a team is in a position to score at least six runs in their half of an inning before making three outs, all runs scored as part of the play in which the sixth run is scored will be counted. Thus, the maximum number of runs, which can be scored in an inning, is nine. Once the ball is dead following the play in which the sixth run is scored, that half of the inning is over and the batting team must take the field. This rule does not apply in the last inning or extra innings only.

21. If there is a tie at the end of the 6 innings, play will continue until a team wins, with a limit of 8 innings. No innings should start later than 25 minutes prior to the scheduled end of play. If the teams remain tied under these conditions, the game will remain a tie. The 6 run rule as specified above will not apply in extra innings.

22. The umpires shall provide two new baseballs for the game. At the end of the game, each team should retrieve one of the game balls and add it to the equipment bag as a practice ball.

23. In the event of the absence or unavailability of an official league umpire, the managers should agree to an acceptable coach/ spectator umpiring arrangement.

24. The home team is responsible for keeping the official score. At the conclusion of the game, the home team should provide a score sheet, signed by each of the managers, to the League Director for use in maintaining league standings. Managers should check scores after each inning to ensure that the final score will be agreed.

25. The Minor League will have one division consisting of ten teams. Standings will follow a traditional baseball format with wins/loses and percentage points determining position. In the event two teams are tied the first tiebreaker will be head to head competition. If three or more teams are tied the tiebreaker will be least amount of total runs allowed. The next tiebreaker will be a coin flip.

26.  The eight teams at the top of the standings prior to the playoffs will participate in the playoffs. Seedings for the playoffs will be based upon the final, regular season standings. The higher-seeded team will be the home team during any playoff game. All teams, however, will play during the weekends of the playoffs with the non-playoff teams competing in 'friendlies'.

27. The LBA League Director will be the final authority on any dispute.

28. Rosters are set at the beginning of the season. Any child wanting to join a team after the season has started must be referred to a league director.

29. Rain-outs

THE SAFETY, HEALTH AND COMFORT OF OUR PLAYERS AND UMPIRES ARE THE PRIMARY FACTORS IN DETERMINING WHEN TO CALL A GAME.

(a) Rain-outs before the start of play will be called by consensus of the LBA commissioners and posted on the LBA website.

(b) In the case that fields need to be cleared because of rain either during practice or after the games have begun then:

(1) The commissioners will agree by consensus after a maximum of 15 minutes to either:

•  Call an end of play for the day;

•  Allow for an additional 15 minutes wait because of possible improving conditions

(c) After a maximum 30 minutes of interrupted play, the games will be called.

(d) In the case of (b)(1)(i) above, if any game has completed 4 innings, that shall be called a completed game. If the home team is ahead, and batting in the bottom of the 4th when a game is called, that is also a completed game.