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East Marietta National Little League
Farm League Local Rules
All play shall be governed by the current Official Regulations and Playing Rules as published by Little League Baseball, Inc., and the following Ground Rules adopted by the EMNLL Board of Directors:
1. Batting Order
All players shall be placed in the batting order and shall take their turn at bat regardless of whether the player has an assigned defensive position or is a substitute.
2. Late Arrivals
Late arriving ballplayers may be added to the batting order in the last spot of the original order. A player arriving after his team has played two innings on defense shall play a minimum of half the remaining scheduled innings if subsitution is needed.
3. Minimum Play
Each team shall employ a batting order, consisting of all team members present. A player not listed on the original batting order who arrives after the game starts is to be added at the bottom of the order. Players will be rotated each inning if there are more players than open fielding positions. Players not starting a game will start the following game if present.
4. Time Limit
Games will be one hour and 15 minutes in length. No new inning will begin after 55 minutes from the scheduled start of the game. The game will end at this time no matter what the current condition or score.
5. Clock Agreement
Both coaches will meet with the umpire before the start of every game to “read” the umpire’s watch, and to determine the ending time according to his/her watch. The umpire’s watch, and no other will determine the ending of the game. Umpire has final say on the ending time of the game.
6. Run Limit
All innings , except the sixth inning or last inning, will be limited to (4) four runs per team. In the last or sixth inning only, the home or visiting team may score more than four runs to TIE the score. (They cannot score more than four runs to go ahead or win). The inning will end when 4 runs are scored except in the last inning as noted. If the Farm League playoffs, same rules apply except for the last or sixth inning where BOTH vistor and home teams will play until 3 registered outs.
7. Coaches
Both 1st & 3rd base coaches must be APPROVED volunteer adults. One coach may assist the batter at the plate but may not interfer with play.
8. Base Running-Stealing
Stealing is not allowed. Base runners may not leave their bases until the batter hits the ball. If a base runner leaves the base before the ball is hit, and safely advances one or more bases, all runners shall be returned as in Rule 7.13.
9. Infield Fly Rule
The infield fly rule shall not be in effect.
10. Bunting
There shall be NO Bunting. Any batted ball that fails to travel 15 feet into fair territory (from home plate) shall be a foul ball unless caught before it touches the ground. If the ball is touching the 15-foot line, it is a fair ball.
11. Bat Throwing
Players shall be instructed by their coaches not to throw or sling their bat. Each team will receive one warning on their first offense. On subsequent violation, the batter will be called out and no runners will be allowed to advance. Bats should be kept outside the dugout -against the fence and out of the way of play.
12. Ball
The Farm League will use an # 5 Official Little League Baseball. Each team ,both home & visiting teams, will be responsible for supplying one ball for each game played.
13. Pitching Machine Rules
Pitching machine will be set at 25 feet from the front of home plate. The speed of the pitching machine shall be set at 33 mph. At no time will the speed be adjusted to make pitches hittable.
A batted ball that hits the pitching machine or stops underneath the pitching machine is a dead ball. The batter-runner runner is awarded first base. All other runners advance one base ONLY if forced. The person feeding the pitching machine, and the electric cord are part of the pitching machine.
The angle of the pitching machine may be adjusted at the half inning. Practice pitches may be given anytime a series of pitches are considered “unhittable”. At least 3 “unhittable” pitches must occur before adjustments are made. In the event of a series of 3 “unhittable “ pitches in a row occurs, the last pitch will be called a no-pitch which will not affect the batter's at-bat. (Examples of an unhittable pitch is a pitch in the dirt in front of the plate or above a batters head)
14. Adult Pitcher Requirements
The adult pitcher will be required to wear a baseball glove and will be directed to receive the ball from the catcher in any case where the attempt to throw back to the pitcher will cause a slowing of the game. It will be the responsibility of the home plate umpire to tell the defensive coach to direct the catcher to do so.
15. Adult Pitcher Intentional Ball Touching
The adult pitcher shall not coach or assist the batter or any runners nor alert them, their coaches or managers to any game situations except safety related conditions. Cheering, and not coaching, in a positive manner is allowed by the adult pitcher. The umpire in his/her sole discretion may declare the batter and any runners out, and/or eject this person from the playing field for continued violation of this rule. The adult pitching machine operator must alert the coaches if a batter is taking a position that may cause such batter to be hit by the ball.
16. Adult Pitcher Interference
Should the adult pitcher interfere in any way with a defensive play, the umpire shall call offensive interference and take such action necessary to nullify this act of interference. The adult pitcher must remain kneeled down in the circle behind the pitching machine, until the umpire calls time. Runners will advance one base accordingly.
17. Balls and Strikes
Balls and strikes shall not be called. Each batter shall be limited to three swinging strikes or five pitches, whichever occurs first. If the fifth pitch is hit foul, the batter shall receive an additional pitch. After 5 pitches or 3 missed swings - then a tee will be set up and the batter will get ONE swing off the tee to put the ball in play. If the ball is missed or goes foul, the batter is out and a strikeout is registered.
18. Overthrows
If a play is being made on a runner at a base and the ball is overthrown, or dropped, missed, or otherwise mishandled by the defensive player at the base, the runner may advance, at his own risk, one base only beyond the base at which the play is directed. When the runner reaches the next base, the umpire will immediately call time. Any other runner who, in the umpires’ judgment, has advanced more than halfway to the next base when time is called shall be permitted to continue to that base. Otherwise, runners must return to the last base legally touched. Compound over throws are not allowed!!!!
19. Stopping Of Runner’s Advancement
Play will cease and TIME called by the umpire when:
a) a defensive player in possession of the ball stops the advancement of the lead runner. If the defensive player makes a play on any runner other than the lead runner before time is called, play shall continue.
b) a thrown, catchable ball lodges underneath the pitching machine or passes through the fifteen foot circle. (For a ball to be "catchable," a player must, in the umpire's judgment, be reasonably close to the ball to be able to make a catch.) The umpire may, in his judgment, call time to prevent a defensive player from risking injury by attempting to catch a thrown ball too close to the pitching machine.
When “TIME” is called by the umpire, any runner judged to have traveled more than halfway to the next base will be given that base except when the lead runner currently occupies the base. Lead runner will affect all trailing runners except when forced to advance.
20. On Deck Circle
There is no On-Deck Circle in Little League and will not be permitted. All players must remain in the dugout, and may not swing a bat to warm-up until they reach the batter’s box for their turn at bat.
21. Head First Slides
A runner is out when the runner slides head first while moving forward.
22. Umpires
The home team shall supply the home plate umpire. The volunteer should be approved for field play. The home plate umpire will be located behind home plate and facing the back of the batter to avoid injury. The visiting team shall supply the score keeper. All umpires must be adults or age 17 or older.
23. Rain Policy
Unless your league Commissioner or the league has contacted you, please come to the park expecting to play. If it has been raining during the day, please arrive early to work on the field. It is the responsibility of the managers, coaches, and parents to get the field in shape and ready to play. Please check the website for updates. Game changes will be made via email and the website to all managers and coaches.
24. Makeup Games
The EMNLL Board of Directors & the league commissioner will schedule all makeup games. Managers should not reschedule games themselves due to possible conflicts and field usage.
25. Score Reporting
The visiting team, the official scorekeeping team, shall record the score for BOTH teams in the scorebook, scoreboard and entering on the league website no later than the following Monday at 8pm.
Coaches Rules:
Stress Safety Play Fairly Lead By Example Respect and Appreciate Parent Volunteers Do everything that you can do to develop a positive atmosphere for every child. All managers, coaches & assisting parents must complete a background check prior to being on the field with the children.
Failure to adhere to the Coaches Rules listed in the previous paragraph will result in the Manager and or offending Coach having to appear before the EMNLL Board of Directors disciplinary committee. The committee will determine if discipline is warranted. If discipline is warranted the offending party may be placed on probation, or given a one or multiple game suspension, or removed.
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