STLL Major League Local Rules (American/National)
The Major League is a competitive program for predominately 11 and 12 year old players. The Leagues operate under the authority of the South Tonka Little League (STLL) Board and is coordinated by the Major League Directors. The Major League coaches stress baseball skills, teamwork and sportsmanship.
- Teams
- A team shall consist of 11 to 15 registered players of league age 10, 11 or 12.
- Teams are formed by a draft process under the direction of the Player Agent and the Little League Chair. The teams shall be divided into two divisions based on the relative skill level of the players. The STLL Board must approve the teams.
- 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.
- Game Format
- 9 players comprise a team in the field.
- A team must have 9 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.
- A game consists of 6 innings.
- All players on the team shall bat in a continuous order when playing at Freeman Park or other STLL sanctioned field. When playing at a non-STLL sanctioned field, we will adopt that teams local rules. Coaches will clarify the rules with the opposing coach when visiting or playing against non-STLL teams before the game begins.
- Players missing practice or games on a regular basis may see reduced playing time in games at the coach’s discretion.
- Coaches are required to put players in a variety of defensive positions during the course of a season, both infield and outfield.
- 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!
- Prior to the start of a game, if unplayable weather conditions occur, the game should be called at the field by agreement of both coaches. Once a game begins, the umpire is responsible for calling the game. Games must be immediately called if lightning is sighted. The home team coach is responsible for rescheduling a called game and should do so through the STLL game scheduler.
- 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.
- National League Game Format
- All rules indicated above apply except as modified below:
- A team must have 8 players to start a game or they forfeit that game.
- A half-inning consists of 3 outs or five runs.
- The 5 run rule will be waived in the last (6th Inning) inning, as long as the last inning can be completed. If the last inning can not be completed, then the score will revert back to the score from the last completed inning.
- 10, 11 & 12 year olds may pitch in National League games.
- Free defensive substitution is allowed, except in the case of pitchers (see below).
- American League players are not allowed to play in National League games.
- Pitchers
- 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.
- 10/11 year olds will pitch at least 1/3 of the innings played in a week (defined as Sunday-Saturday). In any sequence of 3 games (current game plus previous 2 games), each team must pitch at least 4 different pitchers a minimum of 1 inning. The STLL Major Leagues are subject to other pitching rules as outlined in the Little League Rule Book, Regulation VI (updated 10-4-07).
- 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.
- 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 3rd out is made to complete the half-inning.
- Pitchers in the American and National Leagues 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.
- 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 pitchers official pitch count.
- 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.
- Penalties for Non-Compliance of League Rules
- 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
