San Mateo National Little League

 

Rules: 2008

 

  Local Major and AAA Rules

THESE RULES ARE IN ADDITION TO THOSE CONTAINED IN THE OFFICIAL LITTLE LEAGUE RULEBOOK.

 

1.       Restraining Line – Managers and coaches may not cross the restraining line without permission of the umpire.  Failure to obtain permission from the umpire will constitute a trip to the mound and possible ejection from the game at the discretion of the umpire (B).

 

2.       Player Absences – If a player misses two consecutive games, the Player Agent must be notified by the manager before the team plays its next game.  Failure to do so can result in a one game suspension of the manager (B).

 

3.       Player Ejection – If a player is ejected from a game and a parent is not present, the player must leave the playing field immediately.  The Board Member on duty or another adult will be assigned to watch the player.

 

4.       Player Call-up – If a player is absent for 1/3 of the season, a player must be called up from AAA.  If the player that misses the games returns to the team, the team will play with 13 players with approval from Little League.  No player will be brought up from the AAA after the 13th game of the AAA season (M). See Appendix B.

 

5.       Plays at Home Plate – Any runner is out when, if in the judgment of the umpire, the runner fails to avoid contact with any player covering home plate during a play at home plate (either prior to, or during, or after which the ball arrives from the field) the runner shall be called out.  The runner shall not be called out for any contact incurred during a feet first slide into the player covering home plate during a play at home plate (B).

 

6.       Players in the Dugout – Injured players may sit in the dugout during play provided they wear their uniform shirt.  No batboys or other non-playing youths are allowed in the dugout during games (B).

 

7.       Coach or Manager Disciplinary Hearing – If a Board Member on duty witnesses a coach or manager treating an umpire in an inappropriate manner, the Board Member is obligated to submit a detail of the incident to the President, Chief Umpire, and Appropriate Coordinator.  If it is deemed by these three individuals that a disciplinary hearing is warranted, the offending party must go in front of the entire Board, explain their actions, and explain how the incident will not happen again.  The offending party is subject to suspension, as decided by the three-person committee after consultation with the Board.  If a second incident occurs, the same process will be initiated with the offending party subject to removal from his or her position (B).

 

8.       Playing Time Record – Managers will complete a playing time card with players listed in numerical order to the home plate umpire before each game.   The umpire will record each non-participating defensive player for minimum playing time purposes (B). 

 

9.       League Equipment and Dugouts – Managers of teams playing the last game of the day are responsible for securing all league equipment and removal of trash from the dugouts (B).

 

10.    Sibling, Coaches, and Managers Options -

 

 

Local Major Rules

 

THESE RULES ARE IN ADDITION TO THOSE CONTAINED IN THE OFFICIAL LITTLE LEAGUE RULEBOOK. 

 

1.       Minimum Playing Time – Each player in the Majors Division must play for nine defensive outs (3 innings), and have one at bat.  Called games and games when the home team is ahead after 5 ½ innings shall be the only exceptions to this rule.  Playing time can be reduced to 2 innings for actions detrimental to the team, but only after submittal of the reason for the reduction and approval by the player coordinator and major coordinator (M).

 

2.       Nine Year Olds – Nine year olds are not eligible for the Majors (M).

 

3.       Suspended or Rained Out Games – Suspended or rained out games will be rescheduled to be played on the next available Friday.  If there are more than one canceled or suspended games during the week, then the games will be played on successive Fridays in the same order that they were originally scheduled (M). 

 

4.       Rescheduling Games – Once the schedule is released to the managers, which will be within 48 hours of the Major Draft, each manager has two weeks to alert the Major Coordinator of possible conflicts.  After the two weeks, the Major Coordinator will release the Final Schedule.  This schedule is then final (M).

 

5.       Age Groups – All 12-Year Olds will play in the Majors with the exception of safety concerns.  The 12-Year Olds will be evenly distributed between the eight teams.  The number of 12s on each team will be based on the number of 12s returning to each team.  The order in which will additional 12s beyond a number divisible by eight will be selected will be by the number of 12s returning to that team (example, If there is one additional 12 beyond a number divisible by eight, the team with the most 12s will be required to have the additional 12 added to their roster via the draft.  This will continue until each of the teams have their allotted number of 12s assigned.  If teams have the same number of 12s returning and an odd number of 12s, the team that will be assigned the additional 12 will be selected by a coin toss).   The player ages ten through twelve, who was not previously a member of a major team, must attend at least 50% of the tryouts to be eligible to play in the majors during the current season (M).

 

6.       Tie Breaker Protocol – If two teams are tied in the final standings, head-to-head competitions will be used as a tiebreaker.  If the two teams remain tied, for purposes of league standings and trophies, the teams will remain tied.  The remaining tie breaking procedures will be used to determine tournament seeding and drafting position for the following year.

 

A.    Head to head competition

B.    Won-Loss record against the top teams in their order of finish

C.    Won-Loss record against the remainder of the teams in their order of finish

D.    One game playoff between the two teams tied for one remaining playoff spot

E.    Coin tosses for seeding purposes only

 

In the event of a tie between any of the top four finishers (playoff contenders) from league play the tiebreaker protocol will follow the format depicted above through C.  If such teams remain tied after the protocol waterfall is exhausted a coin toss will determine playoff seeding.  The winner of the coin toss will have the option of home advantage and the seed or drafting position in the subsequent year.  The draft position selected will remain the drafting position for that team throughout the entire subsequent year’s draft.  Trophies will be awarded to the tied teams for the regular season in the position of finish (i.e. if there is a perfect tie for first place all players on both teams will be awarded first place trophies) (M).

 

7.       Pre Game Warm Up – The visiting team shall take the field 25 minutes prior to game and warm up for a period not to exceed 10 minutes.  The home team may warm up 15 minutes prior to game not to exceed 10 minutes at which time the umpires will call the start of the game.  The board member on duty will control the start time of games and resolve any warm-up disputes (M).

 

8.       Bat Throwing – If a player throws his bat while at bat or otherwise, he will be warned once and will be benched for that game after the second occurrence.  If the umpire deems that the player threw the bat on purpose then he may be ejected from the game immediately (M).

 

9.       New Team – The new team will receive eight players prior to the draft.  The players will include 4 12-year olds, 2 11-year olds, and 2 10-year olds.  The new team will then draft last (M).

 

10.    Sibling, Coaches, and Managers Options – Sibling, Coaches, and Managers Options are defined in the LL Operating Manual.  The selection of players that are determined to fall within the option definition in the LL Operating Manual will be selected according to Appendix A.

 

 

Local AAA Rules

 

THESE RULES ARE IN ADDITION TO THOSE CONTAINED IN THE OFFICIAL LITTLE LEAGUE RULEBOOK. 

 

1.         The Batting Order – will be the entire team roster.  Managers shall establish and submit a batting order to the official scorer (to be provided by the home team) and the opposing manager before each game.   All batters will bat in order, with no changes allowed in that order (Mi).

 

2.         Minimum Playing Time – Each player must participate in each game for a minimum of nine defensive outs.  There is free substitution, and players once removed from the game may re-enter.  However, no defensive substitutions will be allowed in the middle of the inning except pitching changes or substitution due to injury (Mi). 

 

3.         Time Limits – Only the weather and available daylight will limit weekday games.  Weekend games will be limited to 2 and ½ hours, although the last game shall be limited only by daylight as decided by an on duty Board Member (Mi). 

        

4.         Suspended or Rained Out Games – Will be rescheduled for the next available Friday. If there is more than one game suspended or postponed during a week (Saturday through Thursday), the games will be made up in the same order in which they were originally scheduled.  Any suspended or postponed games that are not played before the final regularly scheduled season game, the teams will receive a tie in the standings (Mi).

 

5.         In Season Major League Draft – When an AAA player is drafted into majors, the AAA team needing a player will follow the attached San Mateo National Little League Procedure for AA Promotion.   However, should the AAA player refuse a draft by a Major League Team during the season, that player will be ineligible for the Majors for the balance of the season, and is ineligible for any All-Star team during the season.  No player may be drafted after 70% of the AAA season has been completed (Mi).

 

6.         Pitching Rules – Twelve-year-olds are not permitted to pitch.  Pitchers are limited to three innings per game provided they do not reach their allotted pitch count maximums first (see regulation VI).  Although there is free substitution, the three pitching innings must be consecutive.  A player once removed as a pitcher, may not pitch again in the same game.  Delivery of a single pitch constitutes having pitched an inning (Mi). 

 

 

 

Random Rules

 

THESE RULES ARE IN ADDITION TO THOSE CONTAINED IN THE OFFICIAL LITTLE LEAGUE RULEBOOK. 

 

1.         No smoking, chewing gum or tobacco on the field or in the dugout.  Water is permissible.

 

2.         No throwing of equipment or use of profane language by managers, coaches, or players.

 

3.         Alcoholic beverages are prohibited in the stands, parking lot or on the field.  Our field permits may be revoked by the City if this rule is not observed.

 

7.         All players must wear an athletic supporter during games and practices.  Catchers must wear long model chest protectors with neck collar, throat guard, shin guards, and a catcher’s helmet with mask.  Catcher must wear a mask, throat protector and catchers helmet during practice, pitcher warm-up and games.

 

8.         Players, managers, coaches of the participating teams shall not address, or mingle with spectators, nor sit in the stands during the game in which they are engaged. 

 

9.         Players and substitutes shall sit on their team’s bench or in the dugout unless participating in the game or preparing to enter the game.  No one except eligible players in uniform, manager and coaches shall occupy the bench or dugout.  When batters or base runners are retired.  They must return promptly to the bench or the dugout.

 

10.      Only participating team personnel and game officials are permitted on the playing field during the game.

 

11.      When a manager, coach or player is ejected from a game, they shall leave the field immediately and take no further part in that game.  They may not sit in the stands and may not be recalled.  Any manager or coach who is ejected from a game is suspended from his or her team’s next physically played game and my not be in attendance at the game site from which they were suspended.

 

12.      During suspension, the serving coach or manager is not allowed on the premises during the time that the team they are serving is playing

 

Safety Rules

 

THESE RULES ARE SPECIFIC REMINDERS OF SOME IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUES.  THEY ARE NOT INCLUSIVE OF ALL SAFETY RULES, AND THE READER IS SPECIFICALLY REFERRED TO ADDITIONAL RULES AND GUIDELINES IN THE OFFICIAL LITTLE LEAGUE RULE BOOK AS WELL AS ANY APPLICABLE SAN MATEO RULES, REGULATIONS, ORDINANCES, AND/OR LAWS.

 

1.   First Aid and Medical Releases – Managers shall bring a First-Aid kit and the team Medical Releases to all games and practices.

 

2.   Unsafe Condition of Field – Play area should be inspected for holes, damage, glass, and foreign objects.  Any unsafe condition should be reported to the league.

 

3.   Weather and Field Conditions – No games or practices should be held when the weather or field conditions are not good. 

 

4.   Equipment Inspection – Managers should regularly inspect their team’s equipment, and report any problems to the League Equipment Manager.

 

6.   Fake tags – Little League rules prohibit fake tags because they can cause injury.

 

7.   Helmets – Little League rules require all batters, base runners, and player coaches to wear batting helmets while on the field.

 

9.   Base Runners Must Avoid Contact on Tag Plays – Little League rules state that any runner is out when he does not slide or attempt to get around a fielder who has the ball and is waiting to make the tag.

 

10.  Head First Slides – Little League rules do not allow headfirst slides when a batter or runner is advancing to a base.   However, headfirst slides are allowed only when a batter or runner is returning to a base.

 

11.  Sliding Practice – During sliding practice, bases should not be strapped down.

 

12.  Safety Glasses – Parents of players who wear glasses should be encouraged to provide “safety glasses” for their child.

 

13.  No Metal Accessories – Players shall not wear watches, rings, pins, or other metallic items.

 

14.  On Deck Circle – The On Deck Circle is not allowed by Little League Rule.

 

15.  No Catcher’s Chatter – Catchers are not allowed to talk to opposing batters during a pitch.

 

2008 – Safety Code

 

These rules are specific reminders of some important safety issues.  They are not inclusive of all safety rules, and the reader is specifically referred to additional rules and guidelines in the official little league rulebook as well as any applicable San Mateo rules, regulations, ordinances, and/or laws.

 

1.       Managers shall bring First Aid and Medical Releases to all games and practices.

 

2.       No games or practice should be held when, in the manager, coach or league official’s opinions, weather or field conditions are not safe.

 

3.       Play area should be inspected frequently for holes, damage, stones, glass, and other foreign objects.  Any damage should be reported to the league.

 

4.       Bats and loose equipment should be kept off the field.

 

5.       Equipment should be inspected regularly.  Make sure it fits properly.

 

6.       During sliding practice, bases should not be strapped down.

 

7.       Parents of a player who wears glasses should be encouraged to provide “safety glasses” for their child.

 

8.       Players shall not wear watches, rings, earrings, pins or other metallic items.

 

Appendix A

Summary of Current SMNLL Major Division Draft Option Policy

 

Major Draft Option policy:

 

Type of option

 

Age

All-star

Draft round

 

Comments

Coach

All

Yes

1

Can be changed by unanimous vote of managers

Coach

All

No

2

Can be changed by unanimous vote of managers

Manager

All

Yes

2

Can be changed by unanimous vote of managers

Manager

All

No

3

Can be changed by unanimous vote of managers

 

 

Sibling

Sibling already on team

 

 

Yes

 

 

1

 

Can be changed by unanimous vote of managers.  Needs consent of manager & parent.

 

 

Sibling

Sibling already on team

 

 

No

 

 

2

 

Can be changed by unanimous vote of managers.  Needs consent of manager & parent.

 

 

Sibling

Neither sibling on team

 

 

Siblings taken on consecutive picks.  Needs consent of manager & parent.  Does not need to be completed by the 3rd round.

 

When more than one option is scheduled for the same round, options will just drop down into the next available round.

Appendix B

Procedures for AAA Promotion to Majors

 

Pre-Season Promotions:

 

Occasionally, subsequent to the major draft and prior to (or concurrent with) the AAA draft a player may decline to play in the league.  When such a situation arises, it is the responsibility of the affected major manager to notify the player agent no later than 24 hours after learning of the potential withdrawal from the league and to provide the player agent with the names of five alternative player candidates listed in order of preference.  It is then the player agent’s responsibility to notify the AAA coordinator as soon as possible thereafter such that the AAA coordinator can inform the respective AAA managers regarding the potential loss of a player candidate.  If the affected major manager fails to notify the player agent within 24 hours of learning of the potential for a withdrawal from the league, the affected major manager will be suspended from the league.  

 

Mid-Season Promotions:

 

1.       Immediately upon learning of a player vacancy, the Player Agent shall compile a list of AAA players eligible for promotion to the majors (“eligible list”).  The Player Agent shall promptly provide the eligible list to the major manager with the player vacancy.

 

2.       Within one week of the receipt of the eligible list, the major manager must provide the Player Agent with a written roster identifying five choices for promotion listed in order of preference.  The deadline for the major manager’s timely submission of the promotion roster to the Player Agent shall be in writing, specifying the time and date the roster is due.

 

3.       As soon as possible, the Player Agent will arrange a face-to-face meeting with at least one parent of the first player selected by the major manager.

 

4.       The selected player will have 72 hours from the meeting with the Player Agent to accept the promotion (“decision period”).  Failure to timely accept promotion will result in the elected player's loss of all-star eligibility and any future promotion during the current season.  The Player Agent will notify the major manager of the player’s decision.  Once a selected player does not accept the promotion, the Player Agent will promptly repeat the promotion process with the next candidate selected by the major manager.

 

5.       In the event that the first three candidates do not accept promotion, the major manager should begin preparation of another list of five candidates.  The next list shall be provided to the Player Agent, no later than the end of the decision period for the fourth candidate.

 

6.       In the event a major manager fails to timely provide the Player Agent with a roster of candidates, the Player Agent shall use his own discretion to select an AAA player for promotion from the eligible list.  All applicable AAA promotion rules will still apply.  If the candidate selected by the Player Agent does not accept promotion, the Player Agent shall continue to use his discretion in the election of additional candidates until the major manager provides the Player Agent with a written roster of candidates (Rule 2).  The Player Agent will not use any tardy roster submitted by a major manager until the current candidate does not accept the promotion. 

 

7.       The local “six player of any age group” rule shall be waived as to 12 year olds for the purposes of promotion.



8.       There shall be no contact between the major manager and the AAA prospect for promotion or his/her parents.  All contacts must be through the Player Agent.  The AAA manager should be notified immediately after one of his players accepts a promotion.  If a manager contacts a prospect, he or she loses the right to that player.