STLL Nortern League Local Rules

STLL Northern League Local Rules

 

The Northern League is an instructional league program for predominately 10 and 11 year old players.  The Leagues operate under the authority of the South Tonka Little League (STLL) Board and is coordinated by the Northern League Director.  The Northern League coaches stress baseball skills, teamwork and sportsmanship.  The players are coached on pitching, catching, bunting, stealing and more advanced team defensive strategies than in previous leagues.

 

1. Teams
1. A team shall consist of 11 to 15 registered players of league age 10, 11 or sometimes 12.
2. Teams are formed by a draft process under the direction of the Player Agent and the Little League Chair with the primary objective being to achieve talent parity among the teams.  The STLL Board must approve the teams.
3. Each team shall have a coach and one or more assistant coaches.  Coaches are recommended by the League Director and approved by the STLL Board.
2. Game Format
1. 9 players comprise a team in the field.
2. A team must have 8 players to start a game or they forfeit that game, which will be recorded as a 6-0 win for the other team.  The game may still be played, but the outcome cannot be changed.  A grace period of 5 minutes from the scheduled start time is allowed.  Non-roster players may be used as follows to temporarily fill positions in order to complete a forfeited game:

                                                              i.      Recruit players from another STLL Northern League team for that game.

                                                            ii.      The opposing team may fill positions in the field for the team lacking players.

                                                          iii.      Under no circumstances shall a player be used that is not registered in the STLL.

                                                          iv.      Non-roster players can not pitch.

3. If a team is unable to field 9 roster players during the end-of-season tournament due to illness or injury, the team coach may petition the STLL Board via the League Director to appoint replacement player(s) to achieve a temporary roster of 9 players in order to avoid forfeit.  The request must be received at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled tournament game so that opposing coaches may be notified.  The STLL Board will select all non-roster players and specific replacement players may not be requested.  Replacement players may not pitch.  To the extent that Board selected replacement players are utilized, a tournament game result shall stand.
4. A game consists of 6 innings unless limited by time, weather, or daylight.  If there is another game scheduled on the playing field, no inning may start after 1 hour and 45 minutes from the beginning of the game.  A game may not end until an entire inning is completed.  During playoffs/tournaments, all games must be played to completion.  If conditions do not allow a playoff game to be completed, the game will resume from the point it was suspended.  The coaches and umpire shall be in agreement as to player/base runner positions and the score of the game before leaving the field.  The game will be completed at the earliest possible time.
5. During the regular season, a game tied after 6 innings or 2 hours shall be recorded as a tie.
6. A half-inning consists of 3 outs or 5 runs scored by the batting team.
7. All players on the roster present at a game shall bat in a continuous order.
8. All players present for a game must play in the field for at least 3 innings, subject to considerations outlined in the equal play provision, Rule (i), outlined below.
9. Coaches must keep records of innings played and at bats in order to provide equivalent participation for all players through the course of the season.  Players missing practices and/or games may not receive equivalent playing time at the coach’s discretion.
10. Coaches are required to put players in a variety of defensive positions during the course of a season, both infield and outfield.  In no case will a player spend more than half of their defensive innings in the outfield.
11. A player shall not play the same position for more than 3 innings in any game and must also play at least 1 inning in the outfield each game.
12. One of the base coaches must be a player and wear a helmet.
13. Free defensive substitution is allowed except in the case of pitchers as noted below.
14. Prior to the start of the game, if unplayable weather conditions exist, the game should be called at the field by agreement of both coaches.  Thereafter, the umpire is responsible for calling the game.  Games must be called immediately if lightning is sighted.  The home tam coach should attempt to reschedule the game through the STLL game scheduler.
15. No on-deck batters are allowed.  Coaches are required to strictly enforce this policy.  Do not allow players to handle/swing bats away from the home plate area during games.  This includes bench areas, in and around dugouts, or outside the fenced areas of the playing field.  NO EXCEPTIONS!
16. If poor weather throughout the day has the put the condition of the playing field in question, the home team coach is responsible for checking the field and calling the visiting team coach by 4:30pm for weeknight games and 7:30am for Saturday games if a game needs to be cancelled.  The home team coach is also responsible for contacting the umpire coordinator to cancel the umpires.
2. Local Rules
1. Bunting is allowed.  An attempt to bunt that is fouled off with 2 strikes is a strikeout.
2. The Infield Fly Rule is applicable and should be called by the umpire.
3. Modified stealing rules: Second and Third base may be stolen, but a runner may not advance from Third to Home unless the ball is put into play by the batter, or the runner on Third is forced Home by a walk or hit batter.  A base runner may not steal Home or advance from Third to Home on a passed ball or wild pitch.  Base runners on first or Second base may advance as far as Third base on a passed ball or wild pitch, unless a base runner already on Third (who can not advance) impedes their progress.  Base runners can advance on catcher overthrows, as per the above limitations.  Note: The modified stealing rules are designed to encourage the defensive team to make plays on base runners.  On June 1, the modified stealing rules expire and base runners may advance from Third to Home at their own risk.  All official Little League Rules apply.
4. Base runners not committed to advancing must return to their base when the pitcher steps onto the mound with the ball and must remain on the base until the next pitched ball crosses the plate.
5. A ball inside the fence at Freeman1 is in play and runners may advance at their own risk.  The umpire shall call time when the ball is in control of the pitcher on the mound.  If a ball is thrown beyond the fence, runners shall be awarded 1 base beyond the one they were advancing to, at the umpire’s discretion.
3. Pitchers
1. All players will be encouraged to develop their pitching skills.  The coach will pitch a number of his/her players, with consideration of the player’s physical and emotional development.
2. The STLL Northern League is subject to other pitching rules as outlined in the Little League Rule Book, Regulation VI (updated 10-4-07).
3. Any player on a regular season team may pitch.  There is no limit to the number of pitchers a team may use in a game.  A pitcher remaining in the game, but moving to a different position, can not return as a pitcher anytime in the remainder of that game.  A pitcher, after throwing even 1 pitch, can not play catcher for the remainder of that game.
4. The coach must remove a pitcher once said pitcher reaches the pitch count maximum allowed for that pitchers age (75 pitches for 10 year olds or 85 pitches for 11/12 year olds).  If a pitcher reaches the pitch count maximum on his/her last pitch to a batter, the pitcher must be removed before delivering another pitch to a new batter.  The pitcher can finish pitching to the batter he/she is facing once the pitching maximum is reached until one of the following conditions occurs:

                                                              i.      That batter reaches base

                                                            ii.      That batter is put out

                                                          iii.      The 3^rd out is made to complete the half-inning.

5. Pitchers in the Northern League must adhere to the following rest requirements:

                                                              i.      If a player pitches 61 or more pitches in a day, 3 calendar days of rest, and a game, must be observed.

                                                            ii.      If a player pitches 41-60 pitches in a day, 2 calendar days of rest, and a game, must be observed.

                                                          iii.      If a player pitches 21-40 pitches in a day, 1 calendar day of rest must be observed.

                                                          iv.      If a player pitches 1-20 pitches in a day, 0 calendar days of rest is required.

                                                            v.      A player can pitch in consecutive games only if 40 or fewer pitches were delivered in the previous game.

6. Intentional Walk: A pitcher must deliver the ball to the batter.  The catcher must remain behind home plate until the pitcher releases the ball.  The four pitches must be counted in that pitcher’s official pitch count. 
7. Each league must designate the scorekeeper or another game official as the official pitch recorder.  The pitch count recorder must provide the current pitch count for any pitcher when requested by either coach or any umpire.  However, each team’s coach is responsible for knowing when his/her pitcher must be removed.  The official pitch count recorder should inform the umpire when a pitcher has delivered his/her maximum limit of pitches for that game.  The umpire will inform the pitcher’s coach that the pitcher must be removed.  However, the failure by the pitch count recorder to notify the umpire, and/or the failure of the umpire to notify the coach, does not relieve the coach of his/her responsibility to remove said pitcher when that player is no longer eligible.  Violation of any section of Regulation VI can result in protest of the game in which it occurs.  Protest shall be made in accordance with Playing Rule 4.19.
8. No curve balls are allowed.  Curve balls shall be ruled balls by the umpire.
9. The umpire will warn a pitcher that is thought to have intentionally hit a batter.  If that player hits another batter in that game, the pitcher must be removed.
4. Penalties for Non-Compliance of League Rules
1. Teams failing to comply with the League Rules or Code of Conduct will be subject to disciplinary action as follows (in all cases the League Director and the STLL Little League Chair must be notified):

                                                              i.      First Violation - The coach of the offending team shall receive a 1 game suspension.

                                                            ii.      Second Violation – The offending team shall forfeit the game and the offending team’s coach shall be suspended for the remainder of the season and not be eligible for post season duties.

Note: “Away Games” are subject to the local rules applicable at the “Home” League’s field (i.e. ETLL or Chanhassen LL) with the exception of “pitch count”.  STLL will adhere to STLL local and LL Regulation VI rules in this regard.  Every effort will be made to communicate ETLL and Chanhassen LL local rules to STLL coaches.  However, any questions should be clarified with the inter-league opposing team’s coach prior to the start of the all games.

The 2008 Little League Rulebook shall govern any rule not specified above.

Updated March 21, 2008