Minor AA Division Information (excerpt from the 2018 Folsom American Little League By-Laws)
Games:
Teams must have 8 dressed (able to play offense and defense) players to start and finish a game. If there are 7 players or less to start or finish a game, that team will forfeit the game. Both teams may continue to play however; the result will be the forfeit.
No new inning shall start after two hours or at the conclusion of the 6th inning. The home team Manager will log the starting time of each game. If there is time for a final inning to begin, then the entire inning must be played unless the game is called on account of darkness, inclement weather, or the team designated as the home team leads the game after the first half of the final inning.
For every inning, each team may bat until three (3) outs are obtained or five (5) runs are scored, whichever occurs first.
All games that end in a tie will be considered a tie and shall not be played out.
All games will be played using the Local League provided ball.
Distance between bases is sixty (60) feet. Distance between home plate and the pitching mound rubber is forty (42) feet.
Each team will strive to have a designated Manager and two additional Coaches.
A Manager/Coach or approved volunteer must be in the dugout at all times during the game.
Game scores are kept during the game and the final score of each game must be posted to the Local League web-site before midnight the day of the game by the home team Manager/Coach.
The pitch counts must be submitted by the Manager/ Coach by midnight the day of the game by each team.
The home team in each game shall be the official score keeper for a game. The scoring will include the number of runs by each team, numbers of outs in each half inning, and the balls and strikes pitched to each batter. Each team is encouraged to keep score during the game and to compare what they have recorded with the other team several times during the game. If there is a discrepancy and a mutual agreement can’t be reached then the home team’s scoring shall be used.
End of Season Tournament-Single elimination tournament- teams will be seeded according to league standings.
Managers may keep, but shall not publish or disseminate, under any condition or for any reason, without the prior written consent of the President and Player Agent, statistics of Player performance.
Umpires shall be provided by the Local League. If there is ever a time when no umpire is available, the defensive team Manager or one of his/her coaches will call balls and strikes from a safe location behind the pitcher’s rubber while that Manager's team is on the field. The offensive team's first and third base coaches will serve as the base umpires, calling fair and foul balls and plays at all bases. The “umpire" who is (in the opinion of the defensive team's "umpire”) in the best position, and/or has the best view of a play at home plate shall make the call at home plate.
Offensive Play/Batting:
The Offensive team shall supply first and third base adult coaches who will assist the runners on base. A player may assist an adult coach at first base, but no player is allowed to assist a base coach at 3rd base. All players assisting the adult base coach at first base must wear a batting helmet.
Teams shall bat their entire roster. The batting order shall not be changed during the game however, each inning shall start with the person who was on deck from the previous inning unless the third out was made by a base runner, in which case the current batter would begin the next offensive inning. If a Player arrives late to a game, but in time to bat in his/her original slot, then that Player will bat in the original slot shown on the line-up. If a Player arrives late and is unable to bat in his/her original lineup slot, that Player will be placed at the end of the batting lineup.
Any batter who throws the bat will be warned that if he/she throws the bat a second time in the game he/she will be called out. The batter shall be called out the first time the bat is thrown if it hits anyone.
Bunting is allowed.
- A batter may not squeeze bunt a runner home from 3rd base if it would score the fourth (4th) or fifth (5th) run of the inning.
- A batter may not squeeze bunt a runner home from 3rd base when that batter’s team is leading by six (6) runs or more.
Leading off is not allowed.
The infield fly rule will not apply.
A runner may steal 2nd and 3rd bases but, shall not leave the base they are on until the pitched ball crosses home plate.
Runners may steal home or score on passed balls, with the following limitations:
- A runner may not steal home or score on a passed ball when it would be the third (3rd), fourth (4th) or fifth (5th) run of the inning.
- A runner may not steal home or score on a passed ball when that runner’s team is leading by five (5) runs or more.
Runners may advance to the next base on any overthrown balls, but are subject to being put out. If the ball goes out of the field of play then the runner may advance to the next base.
A player may slide into any base, other than first, on any close play. A runner may only slide feet first. No head first sliding is permitted. Any player who slides head first shall be called out, unless the player returns to the base.
Defensive Play:
No defensive coaches are permitted on the field to assist the players unless the defensive Manager/Coach calls time with the Umpire.
Each team will field players at traditional defensive infield positions, with a Pitcher, Catcher, 1st Base, 2nd Base, Short Stop, 3rd Base, and four(4) outfielders, so as to have ten (10) defensive players on the field at any one time.
Outfield positions must be played in the outfield. Outfield players shall not be permitted to crowd into the infield and shall not be permitted to run into the infield to field a batted ball that would normally be handled by an infielder. The outfielder is allowed to field a ball in the infield only after the infielder attempted to make a play.
A catcher must wear all the proper protective equipment (Helmet, Mask, Throat Guard, Chest Protector, Leg Protection, and Little League Approved Catcher’s Glove). The catcher is to play in the normal position behind home plate.
Catcher limitations shall be followed as outlined in Appendix I – Local League Pitching and Catching Limitations.
Each Player, in every game, must play at least two (2) full defensive innings as an infielder. Infield positions include Pitcher, Catcher, 1st Base, 2ndBase, Short Stop, and 3rd Base. There will be no exceptions unless a player is injured and leaves the game or the Manager makes alternative arrangements with the consent of the President, Vice President of Divisions, or Player Agent. Parents shall be notified of any change made to the application of this rule.
No player shall sit out more than two (2) innings per game unless requested by the player’s parent, due to illness, or injury.
Pitching:
Pitching will be facilitated by use of player pitch only.
The pitcher must pitch from the pitching mound rubber and will use a league provided portable pitching mound.
No balks will be called in this division.
The strike zone shall be called from the player’s shoulders to knees and the width of two balls on either side of the plate.
The maximum pitch count per player is 50 pitches, regardless of league age. A pitcher may exceed 50 pitches only to finish the batter that they are currently facing.
Every player that pitches in a game must not pitch again until they have completed the prescribed days of rest as outlined in Appendix I – Local League Pitching and Catching Limitations.
The manager is responsible for keeping a pitch count log book for each game documenting pitches thrown for each team’s pitchers. Pitch counts should be compared between opposing teams each half inning to limit the chances of discrepancies. If a mutual agreement can’t be reached in the event of a pitch count discrepancy then the home team pitch count book will be the official pitch count used. The manager must use the pitch count book supplied by the Local League. The pitch count book must be presented upon request to an opposing manager or any Board Member from the Local League for inspection 15 minutes before the beginning of a game, during the game, or for 15 minutes after any game. All pitch counts must be posted on the Local League’s web-site no later than 24 hours after the game has concluded.
Any player pitcher who hits three (3) batters in a game must be replaced by another pitcher.
Coaches that willfully violate any of rules set forth in the AA Division playing rules are subject to disciplinary action including suspension.
APPENDIX I:
LOCAL LEAGUE PITCHING AND CATCHING LIMITATIONS
Divisions Effected:
Singe A, AA, AAA, and Majors.
Pitching Limitations:
Any player, who has played the position of catcher in four (4) or more innings in a game, is not eligible to pitch on that calendar day.
A pitcher who delivers 41 or more pitches in a game cannot play the position of catcher for the remainder of that day.
A pitcher once removed from the mound cannot return as a pitcher in the same game.
A pitcher may not pitch in more than one game in a day.
Days of Rest Limitations:
Pitchers League age 14 and under must adhere to the following rest requirements:
- If a player pitches 66 or more pitches in a day, four (4) calendar days of rest must be observed.
- If a player pitches 51-65 pitches in a day, three (3) calendar days of rest must be observed.
- If a player pitches 36-50 pitches in a day, two (2) calendar days of rest must be observed.
- If a player pitches 21-35 pitches in a day, one (1) calendar day of rest must be observed.
- If a player pitches 1-20 pitches in a day, no (0) calendar days of rest is required.