Needham Little League

Home Rules

Double A

2008

 

Whenever there is a conflict between the Rule Book and Home Rules, the Home Rule pervail.

 

CONFERRING WITH UMPIRES - There is no arguing or conferring with an umpire on ANY ruling by an umpire, even for an interpretation of a rule. 

Dugouts/Bench Assignment - The Home team will occupy the 1st base dugout or bench.

Game Balls - The Home team will supply 2 or 3 game balls.

INTENTIONAL WALKS – Intentional walks are not permitted.

 

RUNS PER INNING LIMIT - There is no limit on the number of runs that can be scored in any inning, other than due to the 9 batter rule discussed under Batting Order.

 

INFIELD FLY RULE -  The infield fly rule will not be called in Double A.

 

BATTING ORDER - Pursuant to Rule 4.04, “A League may adopt a policy of a continuous batting order that will include all players on the team roster present for the game batting in order,” Double A is required to a use continuous batting order. 

 

“Present for the game” will mean on the roster and in the dugout/bench at the time the roster cards are exchanged at the beginning of the game.  If a player arrives after that time, the player is considered late and will be placed at the bottom of the batting order.  Late arrival does not necessarily impact the order in which a late player is rotated into the field.

 

If three outs are not recorded in the half inning, no more than nine (9) batters shall bat per each half inning. (see exception below)  The 9th (last) batter shall not receive a base on balls (walk) but shall remain at the plate until striking out or putting the ball in play, a foul fly ball caught shall be considered in play. If the batter is hit by a pitch, he/she shall take first base and a 10th batter will hit.   In addition, if the 9th batter puts the ball in play, all runs crossing the plate prior to either the third out or the touching of home plate by a player in possession of the ball shall count.  In this instance, a play at home plate will be treated similar to a play at first base and the runner need not be tagged.

 

PITCHING - 11-year olds in Double AA are eligible to pitch under the following guidelines:  Only one eleven year-old to pitch in one game per team.  See Pitch Count Rules For Details.

 

The pitching rubber may not be moved by agreement by the managers.  ALL pitchers must pitch from the regulation rubber.

 

A pitcher who hits two batters in one inning or three in one game shall be removed as a pitcher for the remainder of the game.

 

A balk is not called in Double AA.

 

CATCHING - Amends Regulation VI in the LL Rule Book: A pitcher cannot play the position of catcher for the remainder of the day after they have thrown 41 or more pitches.  If a player throws 40 or fewer pitches in a day, they may play the position of catcher.

 

FULL GAMES - All 11 year-olds will play 4 full games per season.

 

GROUND RULES AND GAME PROCEDURES - At High Rock Field, a ball hit on the fly into the high grass surrounding the rock in the center field is a home run; any ball otherwise hit into the high grass is a ground-rule double.

 

At Broadmeadow Field, a ball hit on the fly into the high grass in the outfield is a home run; any ball otherwise hit into the high grass is a ground-rule double.

 

BUNTING - Bunting is not allowed during games in this Division.  Managers may teach players to bunt during practice at their discretion.

 

CURFEW/TIME LIMIT - No inning is to start after 8:00 PM.   If another game is scheduled to follow, NO game shall last more than 2½ hours.  Do not start an inning if the game will last past 2 ½ hours.

 

Player Shortage - In the event that a manager cannot field a team of nine players, he may, with the consent and coordination of the Double A director, ‘borrow’ enough players from another Double A team to make up to nine.  Players may also be brought up from Single A provided they have been specifically designated by the Single A Director as being available to play at the Double A level.  In no instance may a player be brought down from Triple A.

 

If the original player on a Double A roster does in fact show up on time* for the game, that Double A player will start.  However, the Double A player(s) “borrowed” in such instance must play according to the Minimum Requirements rule.  In the event that the player on the  Double A roster shows up late*, the “borrowed” Double A player(s) will start.

 

*All players must be in the dugout/bench and available to play when the lineups are exchanged at the beginning of the game.  If the player is not in the dugout/bench and available to play when the lineups are exchanged, this player is considered ‘late’.

 

In no instance shall a player be borrowed if it creates a negative impact on the lending team (pitching rotation).  In no instance shall a player be lent if that creates a game shortage on the lending team. 

 

Shorthanded borrowing teams’ games will take precedence over lending teams’ practices.

 

Games maybe started with only eight (8) players.

 

Substitute Managers - In the event that a manager is not able to attend a scheduled practice and/or game, only his/her Board-approved coaches may substitute as manager.  In the event that no Board-approved coach is available, the manager must coordinate with the League Director to arrange for a Board-approved coach to take over for that game and/or practice.  It is ultimately the responsibility of the League Director to make his best effort to find approved coaches to cover games so that the players are not penalized by a game cancellation.

 

In no instance may the manager independently authorize a non-Board-approved coach to take over in his/her absence. 

 

Scheduling/Rainouts/Rescheduling - The Division Director makes the ultimate determination on the timing and location of rescheduled games.  The game schedule stands and may not be altered at the discretion of individual managers.  If a game is called or cancelled due to bad weather, the manager must contact the Division Director for the time and location of the makeup game.  Individual managers may not schedule or reschedule makeup games at their own discretion. 

 

Regularly scheduled games:  Neither individual managers nor groups of managers may relocate or reschedule games at their own discretion.

 

If another game is scheduled to follow, NO game shall last more than 2½ hours.

 

Parades - No vehicles of any kind will be permitted to transport teams in either the Little League Opening Day Parade or Fourth of July Parade.  The following teams and their managers and coaches will march in the fourth of July Parade in the following order:

 

1.         Majors Town Champs

2.         Major League Playoff Champs (town runner up).

3/4.      Major League All Stars (E/W)

5.         AAA Town Champs

6.         AAA League Playoff Champs (town runner up).

7/8.      AAA All Stars (E/W).

9.         AA Town Champs

10.       AA Runners Up

 

PLAYER ELIGIBILITY FOR PLAYOFFS – For any individual player to be eligible to participate in the playoffs, they must play in at least 50% of the team’s regular season games.   A player will be deemed to have played in any postponed games that were not made up (e.g. if a team played 13 games and another 14th game was rained out and not made up, a player who played in 6 of the played games would be eligible for the playoffs because they would get credit for the non-made up game).

 

SAFETY RULES

  1. A, AAA and Majors: In accordance with section 2.00: “a BUNT is a batted ball not swung at, but intentionally met with the bat and tapped slowly… Batters are not permitted to take a half-swing.” HOME RULE: At all Little League levels, the ‘slash bunt’ is forbidden.  The ‘slash bunt’ is defined as a half or full swing or an attempt at a half or full swing after the player assumes a bunting stance (either squaring or pivoting).  If at anytime while in the batter’s box the batter squares or pivots as if to bunt, he either must bunt or attempt to bunt the ball or let the pitch go.  A drag bunt is acceptable.  The umpire MUST call the batter out if in his judgment the batter was attempting a slash bunt.
  2. At all Little League Levels: In accordance with section 1.08 NOTE 1: “The on-deck position is not permitted…” HOME RULE: At the Major League and AAA levels, on-deck swinging is allowed only at Mills Field in the enclosed on-deck area.  Only one player may be in each of the Mills on-deck areas at a time.
    AT ALL OTHER FIELDS, THERE IS NO ON DECK SWINGING.  THE UMPIRE (AA and above) WILL ASSESS A WARNING ON THE FIRST OFFENSE TO BOTH BENCHS (ONE WARNING PER GAME, NOT PER TEAM) AND WILL ASSESS AN OUT TO ANY TEAM WHOSE PLAYER IS SWINGING A BAT WHILE NOT AT THE PLATE ON ANY SUBSEQUENT VIOLATIONS.
    The only players allowed on the field of play are defense, batter, base runners and player base coaches.  No other player is allowed on the field of play and must remain in the dugout or in special circumstances (e.g. warming-up in a bull-pen area), outside the playing field.  Players must not stand in the dugout door area at Mills, these doors must remain closed during play.
  3. At all Levels: If lightning is sighted during a practice or game, play must stop immediately and can only resume after fifteen minutes free of lightning.  Players must immediately take appropriate and safe shelter while waiting for the game to resume.


    The following are not home rules but are included to reinforce their importance.  ALL OTHER RULINGS NOT SPECIFICALLY OUTLINED HERE ARE GOVERNED BY LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL OFFICIAL REGULATIONS AND PLAYING RULES.  IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A COPY, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR DIRECTOR IMMEDIATELY.

    At all Little League Levels:
  4. In accordance with section 1.08 NOTE 2: “Only the first batter of each half-inning will be permitted outside the dugout between half-innings.”
  5. In accordance with section 7.08 (a) (3): “Any runner is out when the runner does not slide or attempt to get around a fielder who has the ball and is waiting to make the tag.” Needham Little League Note:  This will be at the umpire’s discretion.   Runner is only required to slide into the base when there is a play at that base, otherwise, the runner may ‘stay up’. 
  6. In accordance with section 1.17: “Male catchers must wear the metal, fiber or plastic type cup and a long-model chest protector. Female catchers must wear long or short model chest protectors.  All catchers must wear chest protector with neck, throat guard, shin guards and catcher’s helmet.”  Needham Little League Note: There must not be a gap between the throat protector and the mask, which would permit a baseball to hit the throat.
  7. In accordance with section 1.11 (h): At all Little League Levels, “Shoes with metal spikes or cleats are not permitted.  Shoes with molded cleats are permissible.”
  8. In accordance with section 1.11 (j): “Players must not wear watches, rings, pins, jewelry or other metallic items.”
  9. In accordance with section 1.16: “Use of the helmet by the batter, all base runners and base coaches is mandatory.  Use of a helmet by an adult base coach is optional.”

 

 

ALL OTHER RULINGS NOT SPECIFICALLY OUTLINED HERE ARE GOVERNED BY LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL OFFICIAL REGULATIONS AND PLAYING RULES.  IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A COPY, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR DIRECTOR IMMEDIATELY.