Baseball Rules - Baseball Article Summaries
Batting out of order - what is the proper action? - Jim Porter (length=1943)
Batting out of order is anything but simple. Please allow me to change the names on your scenario for clarification. Batting Order #10 Abel #5 Baker Charles Daniel etc. #10 Abel is due up. #5 Baker st ...
Minus 5 Rule for Bats - Jim Porter (length=2546)
Quite simply put the -5 differential rule does not go far enough. Beginning in 2001 all bats used in National Federation High School play will be required to have a differential of -3. Additionally th ...
Runner Advancing to Second on a Walk - Official LL Interpretation - Jim Porter (length=3013)
You can have the catcher get the ball back to the pitcher as quick as he can and have the pitcher on the rubber. Once the pitcher is on the rubber the runners must not advance. Sorry, but this is inco ...
Here it goes again - Jon Toner (length=2027)
My response is based on the assumption that this is a Rec team. 1. Ignore the won-loss record, especially if all teams make the playoffs. Almost every team I've coached started with records like 0-3 a ...
ALL-STARS - Gordon (length=749)
Major Div. ages are 9-12 pg. 5 1999 L.L. rule book. For the purposes of All-Stars, the ages are 9-10 & 11-12 . That's up to state level. Tournament for 11-12 yrs. final goal is the World Series. The r ...
Batter remaining in box after pitch..... - CoachJeff (length=1036)
Help please!!!! There seems to be some confusion in our league. I coach a boys 10 to 12 minors team. The issue is whether or not the batter should/can remain in the batter's box after the pitch (espec ...
Calling Runner out while Timeout on the field - eddie.t (length=694)
jerry b. i am a umpire in philly. i do three different leagues of baseball a summer.from 7years old to 16years old,i love the game,and in every league the rule on appeal plays are different. a word of ...
College DH vs. High School DH: HS rule interp! - Jeff T (length=766)
Here is a great application of the "wierdness" of the HS rule, straight off the Federation interp. page: SITUATION 16: The DH is batting for F4. After reaching base in the first inning, the DH is repl ...
Duane -- put on your umpire hat - Gordon (length=450)
Are you calling akid out for making a choice according to the rule 7.08 (a) (3). Because he has just as much right to the base path as the defender, The other option is the defender does not have to m ...
Duane -- put on your umpire hat - Justin Nichols (length=585)
I have been umpiring for three years now and have done over 300 games in that time. It is stated in the L.L. Rule Book Rule 7.08 (a:3) says the runner is out if they fail to slide or attemp to get aro ...
Federation Slide Rule? - Jeff T (length=333)
I assume you mean the NHSF rule. In HS, you must either slide or "give yourself up" to avoid a collision. Now, I have seen runners try to hurdle the catcher, and be called safe, because the runner was ...
Hitting on the handle - e.g. Getting Jammed - TJ (length=980)
It's beneficial to understand age of player and type of pitching he is facing to understand if the player is 'jamming' himself during the baseball swing. In addition to what Jim mentioned, this type ...
hit by pitch - Coach Tony (length=361)
It is scored like a walk and is included in the stats through the On Base %. For instance, assume a player goes to the plate ten times and gets four hits, walks once, and gets hit by pitch once. Batti ...
50 Question Little League Rules Quiz - Jerry Hart (length=7809)
I have received enough individual requests for a copy of the 50 Question Little League Rules Quiz I use to train my players(and their parents), it would be easier for me to post it here for anyone wh ...
A few points - Coach Tony (length=457)
First of all, obstruction occurs when contact is made. Therefore, players slowing down will never lead to it being called. At older levels I teach to run through and if contact is made obstruction wil ...
Babe Ruth Rules - Jim Butler (length=950)
I'm not positive, but I don't think Babe Ruth has a "standard" set of rules. In Arlington, VA, the rules typically incorporate the official baseball rules, except as otherwise noted. Then the league p ...
Balk's - Coach Pond (length=840)
At a game last night my son's team was called for four balks. Two on the pitcher for taking signs off the rubber and two on the FIRST BASEMEN for having a portion of his body in foul territory (his fe ...
Balk's - Doug (length=866)
The 1st Baseman (or the 3rd Baseman) must be completely in fair territory while the Pitcher is on the rubber and in possession of the ball. Whether or not it is called a balk seems to be league speci ...
Help With League Rules - Coach Mike (length=1373)
This is my third season coaching 7 & 8 year olds under little league rules. We use a pitching machine set on 40 mph from 46ft from the plate. We play with 60 foot base patchs. We use the machine the e ...
Help With League Rules - Jeff T. (length=3052)
Dru, good question. Our league (unfortunately) utilizes coach-pitch for 7-8 year-olds. What ends up happening is that many coaches "lolly-pop" pitches to their hitters' strengths. I am glad to see tha ...
Help With League Rules - Larry (length=999)
Dru whe I was coaching 7-8 year olds in pinto division of Pony basebal we used the following guide lines: 1) kids pitch one inning per game have three innings of kids pitch per game and three innings ...
Help With League Rules - Paul Faubert (length=463)
What we have our 7's and 8's seperated, so I'll let you know what we do in 2A (8's). The first half of the season is completely hitting machines and the second half is half game machine, half game kid ...
Help With League Rules - Steve (length=668)
Are you sure you want your kids to pitch at all? Our league uses a pitching machine for 7/8 year olds. We find that Coach-Pitch doesn't work because the coaches throw too easily. We also are concerned ...
Is this Obstruction. - Al (length=587)
My team (7 - 8 yr old coach pitch) had a situation a couple evenings ago which I believe could be ruled as Obstruction but I am unsure. From reading the rules it also leaves me with a doubt. The situa ...
Is this Obstruction. - Rob Herman (length=557)
At that age it's always a tough call. The runners need to instructed to run to the right of the bag for a couple of reasons: 1) Beacause first basepersons are still learning that it's not good to have ...
LL Farm(7&8) rule question. - Coach Mike (length=968)
I coach 7 & 8 olds under little league rules. This past fall we played under the following rule that involves stopping play. (we also use a pitching machine). There is a 12ft circle chalked around th ...
LL Farm(7&8) rule question. - Coach Mike (length=879)
We are in LL district 2(Georgia area). We do have 7 & 8 year district tournaments. This is just state tournaments. We have another age group of 5 and 6 year olds. This is our tee ball league. They pla ...
LL Farm(7&8) rule question. - Jerry Hart (length=1153)
: 2: Ball is thrown back into the pitching circle and is controlled by a player in the circle. (LL district tournaments also use this rule, I've been told). ***How can this be? The youngest age group ...
LL Farm(7&8) rule question. - Jon Toner (length=496)
I think at this age, control of the game is more important. With 9s and 10s you see the ball thrown all over the place in search of an out, I can't even imagine 7&8. I view this as an invitation to ch ...
LL Farm(7&8) rule question. - Larry (length=607)
When my son played at this age level we also faced this same problem. We played in a highly competitive park with a great amount of emphasis on player development . We wanted to to teach the fundament ...
LL Farm(7&8) rule question. - Paul Faubert (length=505)
Keep the rule!!! If you get rid of it, you will see a complete breakdown in play because all the coaches will push the fielders to make the throws and advance runners on errors. Let's be serious, most ...
LL Farm(7&8) rule question. - Steve (length=544)
Keep the rule. At this age, the base runners have a huge advantage. Kids simply aren't skilled enough as a group to stop runners through solid throwing and tagging. If you remove this rule, it won't t ...
Local rules ...gone AMOK... - Randy Dykstra (length=419)
One of my concerns with this rule is... An unscrupulous manager could possibly not allow a kid to play in a game if he thinks his next opponent is not a challenge.... he could think..."this game is a ...
Mandatory Play/Subsitution Rule - Randy Dykstra (length=1307)
Actually the minimum play regulations in 99 does not say "consecutive" see reg IV (i)......but due to the re-entry rule...3.03 (2) the starter cannot re-enter until sub has played 6 consecutive outs. ...
Mandatory Slide Rule - Bear (length=1235)
Any RUNNER is out when HE DOES NOT SLIDE or ATTEMPTS to Get Around a Fielder who has the ball AND is awaiting at the base to make the tag. Note: If the Fielder comes up the line after the runner, the ...
Mandatory Slide Rule - Brad Huotari (length=501)
I've always had one problem with the mandatory slide rule in that many catchers are taught to take advantage by stationing themselves 3-5 feet up the third base line thereby denying a sliding runner a ...
Mandatory Slide Rule - Jeff Taylor (length=582)
Jon, we've run into the same problem in our league. The entire problem is in the interpretation as to the umpire saying when sliding is needed. This is also something we're looking into with our leagu ...
Mandatory Slide Rule - Jerry Hart (length=1982)
: Anyhow, I'd like to create a tougher "mandatory slide" rule because (A) it's safer, especially for the kids in the minors, and (B) talking with others, it seems this is a growing concern. : Any su ...
Mandatory Slide Rule - Jerry Hart (length=828)
: I don't know how long you have been coaching ***I have coached or managed 27 tee ball, machine pitch, coach pitch, LL minors, LL majors and Senior League(plus 3 fall instructional) teams in 11 year ...
Mandatory Slide Rule - Joe Zander (length=3597)
The mandatory slide rule is primarily a safety issue. A catcher parking on the line to receive a throw is more than just a safety issue, it is a coaching and an umpiring issue. First of all, a catcher ...
Mandatory Slide Rule - Jon Toner (length=1010)
One of the local rules we're looking into this year is the so-called "mandatory slide" rule. Most rules are more-or-less worded that an offensive player cannot interfere with a defensive player, but t ...
Mandatory Slide Rule - Paul Faubert (length=1158)
This is how the rule is worded in our official section of local rules at Mathewson-McCarthy Babe Ruth baseball. The slide rule (collision avoidance rule)-- The SLIDE RULE (COLLISION AVOIDANCE RULE) w ...
Mandatory Slide Rule - Wayne (length=820)
Jerry, I understand how ticked you must have been by having an umpire that didn't understand what obstruction is. The only problem is that obstruction is a "judgement" call and as such is not protesta ...
PS. - Randy Dykstra (length=413)
Yeah that is a new rule however I thought it was implimented last year.... Actually I know it was.... perhaps they printed the rules books before the annual congress (usually Jan time frame) If you go ...
Rule Change -- Consecutive Innings - Paul Burris (length=1306)
Our Little League is considering a variation from normal league rules for this upcoming season in our boys divisions. We have always followed the official Little League rule of each player having to p ...
Rules & Regulations on playing veteran Babe Ruth Players - Coach Ray Harrington, Basic Allstar Training System, BATS (length=2782)
I don't know of any rule in Babe Ruth that addresses the issue you are talking about. I do feel however, that the problem is that coaches, parents and players are not on the same sheet of music when i ...
Rules & Regulations on playing veteran Babe Ruth Players - Richard Todd (length=956)
You didn't say whether you are the coach in question. I assume you're the parent of a veteran. So, from the hip... It ought to be against the rules to try to coach from the stands. I know of very few ...
What's the Call? - Coach Tony (length=564)
As far as I have ever known, a "foul tip" is when the catcher catches the ball after the has been fouled straight back. This ball is live and runners can advance. However, you said it hit the heel of ...
ruling on overthrown ball, after first intial play on the batter-runner. - Randy Dykstra (length=1135)
There is no such rule about " abandoning the basepath"!!! The interpretation of "out of base path" 7.08(a) only applys as a tag is being made. And even though the rule states "direct line between base ...
Good Question - Tony (length=1526)
I am really glad you asked this question. Let me first say that I coach Soccer, Baseball, and Basektball and also officiate in each. So I understand what is like to be on both sides. I feel that peopl ...
Bunt. Must be an attempt to strike the ball - Rich Ives (length=1780)
Officially, it's a ball if a batter holds the bat over the plate, the ball is outside the strike zone, and the batter makes no movement indicating an attempt to contact the ball. 2.00 A BUNT is a batt ...
Illegal Substitution - dcba (length=1200)
During a JV game the other day, the visiting team learned the penalty for illegal substitution the hard way. PH1 in for B9, pops up for an out. PH2 in for B1, hit by pitch. When PH2 gets to first, coa ...
Jr Olympic Rules Questions. Help Rich! - Scorekeeper (length=1261)
Thanx! That's what I thought! I know the way our league does it is cockeyed, but from what our state association says, as long as the entire league is doing it the same way, they don't really care. B ...
Jr Olympic Rules Questions. Help Rich! - Scorekeeper (length=4770)
Well folks, I'm back from Tucson and glad to be home! As you might guess, while I was there I ran afoul of a couple of the officials. Nothing real bad, and in fact there wasn't even any disagreement o ...
Pinch Hitting Problems - MLLManager (length=1105)
I became involved with a unique situation tonight in our District level Juniors Little League All Star Tournament game and would like any umpires or coaches out there to chime in on the ruling: With ...
Runner Hit by a Batted Ball Usually Out - More - Rich Ives (length=2196)
The spirit and intent of the interference rules (7.09) is that a runner may NEVER interfere with a fielder's attempt to field a batted ball. A fielder has an absolute right to field a batted ball, unh ...
The Hands are NOT part of the bat - Rich Ives (length=1682)
It IS black and white. A bat doesn't have hands. 1.10 a) The bat shall be a smooth, round stick not more than [varies] inches in diameter at the thickest part and not more than [varies] inches in l ...
Those awful local league rules - lefty (length=1323)
I was coaching a team in a regional tournament using National League rules. There are not supposed to be local rules applies, but they told us before the game that players couldn't leave the dugout wi ...
You Make The Call - Kenneth Bean (length=1655)
Hi Guys OK! You Make the call. A. We are in extra innings. B. Our scorekeeper has us ahead. C. Their scorekeeper has them ahead. D. The Official scorekeeper spilled coffee on his scorebook and can't r ...
You Make The Call - Kenneth Bean (length=1346)
Hi Impi Bush won Texas going away. He would have done even better except that we Texans, (1/5th of the country and growing in population as quickly as yankees discover how neat...free... Texans and Te ...