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| 11/12 Division Information |
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Philosophy
Recommended for those who have played at the competitive lower level for 9 and 10 year-olds. Scores and team standings are kept, and playoffs are held. Players pitch from a 48 foot distance. The emphasis is again on baseball instruction, sportsmanship, and having fun. Most baseball rules are followed (modified appropriately for the age group). For example, stealing bases and bunting is allowed, but balks are not called. Every player bats during the game and all players are rotated throughout the field.
“Ground Rules” for 11-12 Division
The only differences between 11/12 and the professional rules of baseball are the distances of the bases and the pitcher's mound, there is no stealing until the ball crosses the plate, the infield fly rule is not used, and the balk rule is not applied.
The infield fly rule was introduced in 1895 in response to infielders' intentionally dropping pop-ups to get multiple outs by forcing out the runners on base, who were pinned near their bases while the ball was in the air. For example, with runners on first and second and fewer than two outs, a pop fly is hit to the third baseman. He intentionally allows the fly ball to drop, picks it up, touches third and then throws to second for a double play. Without the Infield Fly Rule it would be an easy double play because both runners will stay near their bases while determining if the ball will be caught. (Wikipedia)
- Games are to be played with nine players on the field – you must have a pitcher and a catcher, but other than that it is the manager’s decision on where and how to position their fielders.
- The starting time for games is 6:00
- Unless agreed to by both managers, eight players per team are required to be present to start the game. If one team has less than eight players at the start, then it is a forfeit, unless both managers agree to play.
- (If a game does have to be forfeited, consider just dividing the kids up and still play a game for fun – with 12 or 13 on a team, hopefully no games will have to be forfeited).
- If you know in advance that you will not have enough players for a game, let the other manager and the league president know and we will try to reschedule the game.
- You may also “draft” players up from the 9-10 league if you have less than 9 players for a game. The drafted player does not have to be from the same team as yours (i.e., if you are the Timber Rattlers, you do not have to fill a slot from the 9-10 Timber Rattlers – you may pick from any team).
- The base distance is 70 feet. The pitching distance is 50 feet.
- Each team must bat through the entire lineup prior to the leadoff hitter batting again – in other words, if all 13 players show up, all 13 players bat.
- If a player arrives after the game has started, he must bat last in the lineup for the remainder of the game. If a player arrives after the game is started, and after the entire lineup has batted around, he is ineligible to play in the game unless agreed upon by the opposing manager. If agreed upon, that player shall bat at the end of the lineup.
- If a player has to leave the game early or is taken out of the game (school function, illness, injury, etc.) you do not have to take an out when it is his turn to bat. Just skip his spot in the order. If a player is removed from the game for any reason and misses his turn at bat, he may not reenter the game.
- There is unlimited substitution – players may go in and out of the game as often as the manager may like. As this is a rec league, please strive for equal playing time and not to leave players on the bench for extended periods of time. You may substitute every inning if you want.
- Maximum bat size is 2 5/8 inches.
- Games are 6 innings long. The top of an inning cannot be started after 8:00, unless agreed upon by both managers. (This won’t be an issue early in the season, but as the season progresses and daylight is longer, it will be).
- When considering to extend a game or not, first consideration should be the safety of the players as dusk approaches.
- The umpire has the final say on when to call the game for darkness.
- If a game is called for darkness or weather, and a full inning is not complete, the score reverts back to the last completed full inning.
- The game is official if four full innings have been completed (or 3 ½ full innings if the home team is ahead).
- An exception to the 8:00 rule is playoff games – all playoff games must be played to completion unless agreed upon by both managers to end early (if the game is not complete at darkness, it will be continued at the point it left off at the earliest agreeable time).
- Bunting is allowed.
- There is no infield fly rule.
- The batter may not attempt to advance to first base on a dropped third strike.
- An imaginary line extending out from the end of the fence in front of each team’s bench shall be considered as the “out of play” line. Any ball previously in play and then crossing that imaginary line shall be considered to be out of play and results in an advance of one base.
- If the ball hits the fence and stays in the field of play, it is a live ball and play may continue.
- Any ball hitting the concrete by the teams bench/fence, is considered out of play.
- Base stealing is allowed.
- No runner may leave a base until the ball has crossed the plate.
- When a base runner leaves the base before the pitched ball has reached the batter, and the batter does not hit the ball, the runner is permitted to continue. If a play is made on the runner and the runner is out (on an attempted steal), the out stands. If the runner reaches safely the base to which the runner is advancing, that runner must be returned to the base occupied before the pitch was made, and no out results.
- When a base runner leaves the base before the pitched ball has reached the batter, and the batter hits the ball, the runner, or runners, are permitted to continue. If a play is made on the runner and the runner is out, the out stands. If the runner is not put out, that runner must return to the original base or to the unoccupied base nearest the one that was left. In no event shall the batter advance beyond first base on a single or error, second base on a double, or third base on a triple. The umpire shall determine the base value of the hit ball.
- When any base runner leaves the base before the pitched ball reaches the batter, and the batter bunts or hits a ball within the infield, no run shall be allowed to score. If three runners were on base and the batter reaches first base safely, each runner shall advance to the base beyond the one they occupied at the start of the play, except the runner who occupied third base, which runner shall be removed from the base without a run being scored.
- In other words, the offense cannot gain an advantage by leaving the base early. The simplest thing to avoid disagreements is to teach your players not to leave the base until the ball crosses the plate.
- A pitcher may pitch three innings per game.
- One pitch in an inning constitutes an inning pitched.
- Once a pitcher is removed from the pitching position, he may not pitch again in that game. (You may not have your best pitcher throw the first and last innings of a game).
- Since we are allowing pitchers to throw three innings, please watch your pitchers closely as we do not want anyone to develop a sore arm or get injured this season from over-pitching.
- After hitting two batters in an inning, the pitcher must be removed from the pitching position (Note that this is two batters per inning, not two batters per game).
- There are no intentional walks.
- There are no balks.
- The manager/coach must change pitchers if he makes two trips to the mound in one inning
- Any runner who does not slide or attempt to get around a fielder who either has the ball and is waiting to make a tag, or who is in the process of catching a thrown or batted ball, shall be called out. The runner does not have to slide as long as an attempt is made to avoid potential contact. In other words, the runner must make an attempt to avoid contact or he is out. You cannot barrel into the catcher in an attempt to knock the ball free.
- There is a five run per inning limit. If three outs are not recorded, an inning ends after five runs have scored or after the play in which the fifth run scores is complete. For example, if four runs have scored, the bases are loaded, and the batter hits a grand slam, then all eight runs count. The five run rule is in effect during the top and bottom halves of all seven innings
- Play is considered live and the ball in play anytime the pitcher is not in control of the ball on the mound. If the pitcher is on the mound with the ball, play is dead and no runners may advance.
- The pitcher does not have to be on the rubber, just on the dirt of the mound.
- Any base runner may advance until the pitcher has control of the ball on the mound
- If a runner is partway between bases when the pitcher gains control of the ball on the mound, and the pitcher does not make a play on the base runner, then the runner is entitled to the next base if he is more than halfway to that base; if he is less than halfway to the next base, he must return to that base. In disputes, the umpire has the final decision on the base runner’s position and which base the runner is entitled to.
- If, after gaining control of the ball on the mound, the pitcher makes a play on the runner, the ball is back in play and any runners may advance.
- Note: This rule has caused more arguments between coaches over the years than any other – just remember it is a rec game and not World Series Game 7.
- At Stoneleigh Lower, any ball hit over the left field fence is a home run; any ball hit down over the hill in center field is a ground rule double. At the Rodgers Forge and Dumbarton fields, there is no fence so there are no automatic home runs there.
- If after seven innings the game is tied, and it is before 8:00, feel free to play extra innings if you have time.
- If the next innings’s catcher is on base with two outs, a courtesy pinch runner may be inserted for the catcher to shorten the time between innings. The courtesy runner must be the runner who made the most previous out. (Please try to have your catchers ready to go at the start of each inning to keep the game moving).
- The umpire has sole discretion of the game’s activities.
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Towson Rec Council Baseball |
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