LToccoa Little League Local Rules 2011

Local Rules are the addition to, or modification of, regular Little League Rules to reflect the playing rules, conduct, safely conditions, special field conditions, Tournament Selection, and other league management issues. The following local rules, adopted by the Board of Directors of Toccoa Little League, supplement the 2010 Toccoa Little League Constitution, and the 2010 Official Little League Regulations and Playing Rules.

NOTE: Local Rules apply only to games being played between TLL teams. Games played between TLL teams and teams from other Leagues in interleague play are governed by Little League Rules, unless the “interleague league” has modified those rules.

1.  Manager/Coach Selection

a. The League Board is responsible for evaluating the performance of managers and coaches.

b. Managers and coaches are approved each year for that season only.

c. A Manager/Coach Application form, a Volunteer Application form and copy of your driver’s license

must be submitted for review and approval prior to involvement with the children. Failure to comply will result in said person(s) inability to participate. Note: Information regarding background checks is available at www.littleleague.org.

d. Player Agents cannot manager/coach in the same league in which they represent.  

2. Manager/Coach/League Official/Umpire/Parent/Player/Spectator Conduct

TLL will not tolerate uncontrolled or unsportsmanlike conduct.

The actions of managers, coaches, league officials, umpires, players, parents, and spectators must be above reproach. Any manager, coach, league official, umpire, parent, player, or spectator involved in a verbal or physical altercation, or an incident of unsportsmanlike conduct at the game site or any Little League activity, is subject to disciplinary action by the Local Board of Directors.

Any manager, coach, or league official using profanity in or around players will be suspended for one game. A second offence will result in suspension for the remainder of the season.                 

Once the game begins, the umpire is in charge.

Adults ejected by an Umpire or TLL Official must leave the park.

f. Failure to leave the park by an ejected Manager or Coach could result in a forfeit of the game.

g. Players ejected from the game cannot leave the ballpark without their parent or guardian.       

Managers, coaches, or League Officials shall not consume alcoholic beverages prior to or during games or practices. Any offense will result in automatic suspension for the remainder of the season.

i. No tobacco products allowed on the field or in the dugouts during games or practices.

3. Manager/Coach Responsibilities

Managers and coaches are responsible for learning and teaching the rules of Little League Baseball.

Managers and coaches must comply with Little League and Local League Rules.

Managers must be present at try-outs.  No excuses, unless approved by the board.

The Player Agent and the Manager share responsibility in assuring all coaches are presented to the Board for review and approval.

e. Managers shall inspect their equipment prior to each game. Any damaged equipment must not be used and the manager shall notify the Equipment Manager. TLL will not be responsible for equipment acquired personally by managers or coaches.

f. Home teams are responsible for lining-off the field and installing bases before the game. After the game, the home team is responsible for removing the bases and raking all playing surfaces—including the pitcher’s mound and home plate area. For the last game of the day, the Home teams are responsible for turning off the lights, scoreboard, empting trash in home dugout and securing all buildings and equipment before leaving the park.

g. Home Teams are responsible for keeping the Official pitch count. If the manager cannot or does not provide a responsible adult, then he or she or their coach must keep the official pitch count from the press box.

Note 1: The Official Pitch count recorder must notify the Umpire when the pitcher has delivered the maximum pitches for the game.                                                       

Note 2: Managers are responsible for keeping their own count. It is recommended that you confer with the official pitch counter throughout the game, as their count will supersede any other count.

h. Visiting Teams are responsible for keeping the Scorebook and Scoreboard.   For the last game of the day, visiting teams will empty trash in dugout, secure score booth and secure bathrooms.

i. Home and Visiting Teams must provide 1 person-16 years or older-to work concessions each game. Managers are responsible for providing coverage for their team – failure to do so must be discussed with the League President and the Auxiliary President. No exceptions.

j. All Teams must clean up their dugout and spectator area after each game.

k. A manager/coach must sign the scorebook and pitching log in the press box at the conclusion of the game. If not signed, the pitcher and pitch count recorded by scorekeeper and official pitch counter will stand as is and will not be changed later.

l. Managers and coaches shall not warm up pitchers before or during games.

m. Mandatory playing time is 6 consecutive defensive outs and 1 at bat. If a player does not get his or her mandatory playing time in a game, then he or she must start the next game and play the previous playing time plus his or her playing time for the current game before being removed from the game for a sub.

n. See Regulation IV (i) (page 36) of the ORPL regarding penalties for noncompliance.

1st Offense – Receive written warning by the BOD.

2nd Offense – Suspension of the next physically played game.

3rd Offense – Suspension for the rest of the season.

Note 1: If violation is determined to have been intentional, the BOD’s may assess a more severe penalty even for the first offense.

Note 2: In Minor/Rookie League if a child enters game at the beginning of the ½ inning and the 5-run rule limit is imposed, that is considered his or her 3 outs.

     o. Only the manager and the two assistant coaches named on the official roster will be allowed on the      field or in the dugout during an official game. No parent is allowed to replace a coach absent from     the game. Two adult base coaches will be allowed on the playing field. One coach must remain in the     dugout at all times. If short 1 coach, a player must be one of the base coaches, except for rookie       league softball and baseball.  If no third coach, another coach from another league or board member can step in.

If at any one game, there is only 1 coach or manager in the dugout, that coach or manager may get one coach from another team or a member of the BOD’s to be the dugout coach for that game provided the umpire and league official working the game are notified.

No food, sunflower seeds or tobacco allowed in dugouts during games.   

Caps shall be worn properly and shirts must be tucked in while on the field. Caps and visors are optional in Girls Softball. Teams are required to wear plain gray pants during the regular season.

(Rule 1.11)

r.  Managers and coaches must remain in the dugout during games.

4. Players

a. Any player out for a 3-week period or 6 games due to injury shall be replaced on the roster, provided the manager has presented notification in writing to the player’s parent(s)/guardian and the Player Agent. Immediate replacement can be taken if duration of injury is equal to or more than the 3-week period. Replacement of players will follow the procedures as outlined in the Official Operating Manual. Any Junior/Senior Baseball Player or any Softball Player in any Division may return when capable of playing.

b. No player may be dropped from a team roster without the League’s Board of Director’s approval. Managers must submit a written request to the Player Agent to dismiss a player for disciplinary reasons. However, prior to submission of said request to the Player Agent, said agent should meet with the manager, the player, and player’s parent(s)/guardian at least once. The Board will review the request for suspension and render a decision within 2 days of receipt thereof as provided in Article III, Section I (B) of the By-Laws.

c. If a player cannot complete the Major League season, the Major League Manager must notify the Player Agent. The Player Agent will contact the player and his/her family to determine whether the player will/can not play and should be removed from the roster.

If a replacement is needed and the replacement is consistent with Official Regulations and Playing Rules (a reasonable amount of time for replacement of a player constitutes their ability to play 50% of the regular season), the Player Agent will advise the President and Vice President of the need for replacement. This executive Committee will confirm the withdrawal of the player and the vacancy on the team. The Player Agent will present the removal of the player at the next Board Meeting or to a special meeting of the board, if a meeting is not scheduled within 7 days of the vacancy. After the board confirms the player’s removal, the Player Agent and the Secretary will advise the District Administrator and LLB Inc. of the player removal.

TLL prohibits replacement from the Minor League to the Major League during the last four weeks of the season.

Players can only be released for the following reasons:

Moved out of the league boundaries and wishes to play for the league located within the new area of residence.

Medical reason (this requires a Dr’s statement)

Resigns from the League and assigned team.

Disciplinary reasons (must be approved by the Board of Directors).  The Board will review the request for suspension and render a decision within 2 days of receipt thereof as provided in Article III, Section 4 of the constitution.

e. For Little League Baseball, the Replacement Player must be selected from the eligible Minor League Players. For Senior League or Junior League Baseball and Softball, the Replacement Player must be selected from the eligible Player Pool, if one exists. A minimum of 12 Players can be accepted upon Board approval. If a Player Pool does not exist, the Player Agent or V.P. shall try to locate a Player

A child may not leave nor be removed from the dugout while a game is in progress without prior consent of the Manager or Coach.

Under the disciplinary procedures for player members, if a player is found guilty of actions that are a detriment to their team and the league, the Board will impose a 2 game suspension for each offense and/or revoke participation for the current year.

5.  Maximum Team Meetings per Week (Monday-Saturday)

a. Teams are allowed to meet a maximum of 4 times a week during regular season. This includes games and practices.

b. Sunday games and practices are prohibited, except by prior Board approval.

c. The Board of Directors encourages a minimum of 2 coaches at each practice.

6.  Make up Games

a. Rained out games shall be made up as soon as possible.

b. Monday and Tuesday rainouts shall be rescheduled for Wednesday of the same week if the field or weather permits or the next available day.

c. Any Monday or Tuesday rained out games not made up on Wednesday or any rained out games on Thursday and Friday shall be rescheduled for Saturday of the same week. Rescheduling rained out games shall be the responsibility of the League V.P. and Player Agent   

d. In the event of a rained out game on Opening Day or when 2 games are scheduled and the preceding game is rained out; subsequent games will not be automatically postponed. It is the responsibility of the Manager and Coaches to be present prior to their scheduled game, at which time a decision will be made.

7. Time Limits on Games

      a. Games shall be called whenever the following applies:        

No new inning shall start after a 1¾-hour time limit is reach for Rookie League Baseball (7-8) and Softball Minor League (7-8). This applies to weekday and weekend games. A game can end in a tie.

Major & Minor League Baseball and Softball games shall be called after 4 innings or 3½ innings if the home team is leading by 10 runs.

Junior/Senior League Softball and Baseball – The game shall be called after 5 innings or 4½ innings if the home team is leading by 10 runs.    

b. All Junior/Senior League games will be played within a 2½ hour time limit.

c. All Little League and Minor League games will be played within a 2 hour time limit.

d. The official starting time shall be recorded by the Head Umpire and Official Scorekeeper.

e. No new inning will begin after the time limit has expired. This time does not apply to a single game night.

f. In all situations, Monday thru Saturday, a new inning shall not begin after:

10:00PM for Major and Minor Baseball and Softball

10:30PM for JR/SR Baseball and Softball

Time permitting, infield warm-ups will be allowed prior to the start of a game. However, no game start will be delayed for warm-ups. The decision shall be at the discretion of the Umpire in charge.

8. Team Structure

Baseball                Ages                    Softball                Ages

Rookie League           7, 8                    Rookie League           7, 8

Minor League            9, 10, 11, 12           Minor League            9, 10   

Major League            9, 10, 11, 12           Major League            11, 12

JR League               13, 14,                 JR/SR League            13, 14, 15, 16

SR League               15, 16                  

Big League              16, 17, 18

a. Little League Major Division team rosters shall consist of ages 12, 11, 10 and 9 year olds to complete a 12-man roster.  

b. Major Division teams shall not consist of more than 8 twelve year olds per team.  

Girls’ ages 13 through 16 years of age will combine for regular season play.

Twelve (12) year olds will not be eligible to play in the Junior/Senior Baseball or Softball Division.

e. Mandatory playtime, for every Player, will consist of six (6) consecutive defensive outs and one (1) at bat.

f. Minor/Rookie Baseball and Softball have a 5 run limit per half inning. Once in the fifth inning, there is no run limit.

g. Rookie League will rotate between player pitch and coach pitch.  Player to pitch first then coach.

h. Rookie League baseball will allow base runners to advance to 2nd and/or 3rd on a passed ball.

        Once the catcher has the ball and is preparing to throw to pitcher, the player may not advance i.e. no timing of catcher pitcher to advance to another base. Advancing to home may be added midpoint of the season.

9.  Manager/Coach/Player Tournament Selection   

a. The Managers of the All-Star teams will be selected by a majority vote of the TLL Board of Directors    from the Regular season Managers and Coaches.

b.  If there is a tie, the President of the League will break the tie as the President has the ultimate     responsibility for the selection of the managers.

c. The Manager of the All-Star team will decide who their coaches will be-with the approval of the President of the League. The number of coaches he or she will select will depend on the number  of players on the roster.

d. The Manager of the All-Star team will determine then number of players he or she would like to  carry to the tournament.

e. To be eligible for All-Stars:

Teams must have scheduled and played 12 games prior to June 15.  

Individuals must have played 60% of the games played.

f. Names of players selected for All-star teams shall not be released prior to June 15 with the exception     of Rookie League which is June 1.

g. The voting for all-star players will be done by managers, coaches, VP’s and the player agents for that league.

10.  Fundraising

a. Policy concerning fundraising and raising money for All-Star teams…

Per our Constitution, Article XI, Section 3, the Board of Directors shall not permit the solicitation of funds in the name of Little League Baseball or Little League Softball, unless all the funds raised are placed in the local Little League Treasury. Penalty for noncompliance will be the immediate release of the manager and coaches.

b. Managers and coaches are required to participate in work projects and fundraisers.

c. Managers and coaches shall encourage parents and players to participate in work projects and fundraisers when applicable—failure to comply could result in disciplinary action such as being ineligible to manage or coach during All-Stars.

11.  Protest

a. Protests should be avoided if possible.  

b. The procedure for filing a protest is as defined in the Official Regulations and Playing Rules Book, section 4.19, (a-h).

c. The Umpire and Manager are encouraged to resolve the protest immediately.

d. If a formal protest is made, the protesting manager should request that the Official Scorekeeper enter the time, inning and number of outs at the time of the protest on the official score sheet. The game is continued “under protest” and the protesting Manager must submit a written description of the play and the basis of the protest to the League VP and President within 24-hours of completion of the game.

e. The opposing manager and the home plate Umpire must submit rebuttal letters regarding the protest within 24-hours of notification by the League VP that the written protest has been received.

f. The Chief Umpire, the Player Agent, the League VP and the League President will resolve the protest.  

EXCEPTION: Formal protests are not allowed in Minor League Baseball or Softball. Protests must be resolved on the field at the time of play. The managers are encouraged to resolve the disagreements immediately. Letters describing on ongoing problem should be submitted to the League VP.