|
Changes to the 2008 Tournament Pitching Rules
For Baseball Divisions of Little League ®
(Updated 10-4-07 to clarify Rule 4. NOTE for all baseball
divisions)
TOURNAMENT PLAYING RULES
4. PITCHING RULES – LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL, 9-10
YEAR OLD, 10-11 YEAR OLD DIVISION, JUNIOR LEAGUE AND SENIOR LEAGUE
These rules replace the regular season pitching regulations.
Violation of these
pitching rules is subject to protest and forfeiture by decree of the
Tournament Committee in Williamsport if protested before the umpire(s) leave
the playing field.
a. Any player on a tournament team may pitch. ( NOTE:
There is no limit to the number of pitchers a tournament team may use in
a game.)
b. A tournament pitcher may not pitch in regular season
or Special Games while the team is still participating in the
tournament.
c. Pitchers once removed from the mound may not return
as pitchers. Junior/Senior League:
A pitcher remaining in the game, but moving to a different position, can
return as a pitcher anytime in the remainder of the game, but only once
per game.
d. The manager must remove the pitcher when said pitcher
reaches the limit for his/her age group as noted below, but the pitcher
may remain in the game at another position:
League Age: 13-16 95 pitches per day
11-12 85 pitches per day
9- 10
75 pitches per day
Exception:
If a pitcher reaches the limit imposed above for his/her league age while
facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until any one of the
following conditions occurs:
1. That batter
reaches base; 2. That batter is put out; 3. The third out is made to
complete the half-inning. NOTE: A pitcher
who delivers one or more pitches in a game cannot play the position of
catcher for the remainder of that day.
e. Pitchers league age 16 and under must adhere to the
following requirements:
• If a player pitches 46 or more pitches in a day,
two (2) calendar days of rest,
and a
game (see f. below),
must be observed.
• If a player pitches 21 to 45 pitches in a day, one
calendar day of rest,
and a
game (see f. below),
must be observed.
• If a player pitches 1 to 20 pitches in a day, no
rest is required.
f. A player may not pitch in consecutive games.
Exceptions – A
player may pitch in consecutive games if:
1. less than 21 pitches were pitched in the previous
game, or,
2. the previous game was at another level, and the
pitcher has received the required number of days of rest as noted in
(e.) above. (Levels are District, Section, State, Division, Region,
and World Series.)
g. A player may not pitch in more than one game in a
day.
h. In a game suspended by darkness, weather, or other
causes and resumed the following calendar day, the pitcher of record at
the time the game was halted may continue to the extent of his/her
eligibility, provided he/she delivered 40 or less pitches, and subject
to each of these conditions:
1. If the pitcher delivered 20 or less pitches before
the game was suspended, that pitcher’s pitch count will begin at zero
for the continuation portion of the game;
2. If the pitcher delivered between 21 and 40 pitches
before the game was suspended, that pitcher’s pitch count will begin
with the number of pitches delivered in that game;
i. In a game ("Game A") suspended by darkness, weather,
or other causes and resumed more than one calendar day later, the
provisions of (h.) above shall apply, unless the pitcher of record
pitched in another game or games after Game A was halted. In that event,
eligibility to pitch in the continuation portion of Game A shall be
determined by the number of pitches delivered in the game or games after
Game A was halted.
j. Failure to remove a pitcher who has reached his/her
maximum number of pitches required by league age or use of an ineligible
pitcher is basis for protest. Violation protested before the umpires
leave the playing field, shall result (by action of the Tournament
Committee) in the suspension of the team’s manager for the next two
scheduled tournament games, even if those games are played at the next
tournament level. Additional penalties (up to and including forfeiture
of a game and/or disqualification of the team, managers or coaches from
further tournament participation) may be imposed if, in the opinion of
the Tournament Committee:
1. a manager or coach takes any action that
results in making a travesty of the game,
2. a team fails to meet the requirements of this
rule more than once during the International Tournament, which
begins with District play and ends at the World Series level
(State level for 9-10 and 10-11), or;
3. a manager willfully and knowingly disregards
the requirements of this rule.
A manager or coach suspended for any reason is
not permitted to be at the game site and must not take any part
in the game, nor have any communications whatsoever with any
persons at the game site. Violation may result, by action of the
Tournament Committee, in further suspension, forfeiture of a
game and/or disqualification of the team, managers or coaches
from further tournament participation.
4. PITCHING RULES – BIG LEAGUE BASEBALL
These rules replace the regular season pitching regulations.
Violation of these pitching rules is subject to protest and forfeiture by
decree of the Tournament Committee in Williamsport if protested before the
umpire(s) leave the playing field.
a. Any player on a tournament team may pitch. (NOTE:
There is no limit to the number of pitchers a tournament team may use in
a game.)
b. A tournament pitcher may not pitch in regular season
or Special Games while the team is still participating in the
tournament.
c. A pitcher remaining in the game, but moving to a
different position, can return as a pitcher anytime in the remainder of
the game, but only once per game.
d. The manager must remove the pitcher when said pitcher
reaches the limit for his/her age group as noted below, but the pitcher may
remain in the game at another position:
League Age: 16 – 18 105 pitches per day
Exception: If a pitcher reaches the limit imposed below for
his/her league age while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch
until any one of the following conditions occurs: 1. That batter reaches
base; 2. That batter is put out; 3. The third out is made to complete the
half-inning. NOTE: A pitcher who delivers one or more pitches in a game
cannot play the position of catcher for the remainder of that day.
e. Pitchers league age 16 and above must adhere to the
following requirements:
• If a player pitches 61 or more pitches in a day,
two (2) calendar days of rest, and a game (see f. below), must be
observed.
• If a player pitches 36 to 60 pitches in a day, one
calendar day of rest, and a game (see f. below), must be observed.
• If a player pitches 1 to 35 pitches in a day, no
rest is required.
f. A player may not pitch in consecutive games.
Exceptions – A player may pitch in consecutive games if:
1. less than 36 pitches were pitched in the previous
game, or,
2. the previous game was at another level, and the
pitcher has received the required number of days of rest as noted in
(e.) above. (Levels are District, Section, State, Division, Region,
and World Series.)
g. A player may not pitch in more than two games in a
day.
h. In a game suspended by darkness, weather, or other
causes and resumed the following calendar day, the pitcher of record at
the time the game was halted may continue to the extent of his/her
eligibility, provided he/she delivered 50 or less pitches, and subject
to each of these conditions:
1. If the pitcher delivered 25 or less pitches before
the game was suspended, that pitcher’s pitch count will begin at zero
for the continuation portion of the game;
2. If the pitcher delivered between 26 and 50 pitches
before the game was suspended, that pitcher’s pitch count will begin
with the number of pitches delivered in that game;
i. In a game ("Game A") suspended by darkness, weather,
or other causes and resumed more than one calendar day later, the
provisions of (h.) above shall apply, unless the pitcher of record
pitched in another game or games after Game A was halted. In that event,
eligibility to pitch in the continuation portion of Game A shall be
determined by the number of pitches delivered in the game or games after
Game A was halted.
j. Failure to remove a pitcher who has reached his/her
maximum number of pitches required by league age or use of an ineligible
pitcher is basis for protest. Violation protested before the umpires
leave the playing field, shall result (by action of the Tournament
Committee) in the suspension of the team’s manager for the next two
scheduled tournament games, even if those games are played at the next
tournament level. Additional penalties (up to and including forfeiture
of a game
and/or disqualification of the team, managers or coaches
from further tournament participation) may be imposed if, in the opinion
of the Tournament Committee:
1. a manager or coach takes any action that
results in making a travesty of the game,
2. a team fails to meet the requirements of
this rule more than once during the International
Tournament, which begins with District play and ends at the
World Series level or;
3. a manager willfully and knowingly
disregards the requirements of this rule.
A manager or coach suspended for any reason is not
permitted to be at the game site and must not take any part in the game,
nor have any communications whatsoever with any persons at the game
site. Violation may result, by action of the Tournament Committee, in
further suspension, forfeiture of a game and/or disqualification of the
team, managers or coaches from further tournament participation.
|
