VLL Majors

 

Summary of Victor Little League rules of play.  Please refer to the coach’s rule book for details.  VLL Majors plays by the INTERMEDIATE RULES (except wherever stated below):

*Runners are permitted to lead off, and attempt to steal, any base at any time. Pitchers may attempt to pick off base runners at any time. The ball is always live.

*Dropped third strike rule is in effect. If the catcher drops the third strike, the batter may attempt to steal first base. Should he be safe, no out is recorded.

*Infield Fly Rule is in effect.  “A fair fly ball (not including a line drive or bunt) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when first and second, or first, second, and third bases are occupied before two are out. The pitcher, catcher, and any outfielder stationed in the infield on the play shall be considered infielders for the purpose of this rule.The ball is alive and runners may advance at the risk of being caught or retouch and advance after the ball is touched, the same as on any fly ball. If the hit becomes a foul ball, it is treated the same as any foul ball.”-Little League Intermediate Rule 2.00

 

4.1 – CONDUCT

4.1.1 – Victor Central District is a smoke and alcohol free campus. Smoking and the possession of alcoholic beverages are not permitted on the Victor Central School District grounds or at any other facility being utilized by Victor Little League. (VLL)
4.1.2 – Coaches, players and fans shall not “ride” or make remarks to the opposing team or umpires at any time before, during or after a game. This includes catchers riding batters. Vocal demonstrations should be directed only to your own team.
If, in the opinion of the umpire or a VLL official, the vocal demonstration is timed so as to effect or disturb the pitcher or batter, he/she will direct the coach to cease the demonstration immediately.
4.1.3 – Any coach, player or spectator not complying with Rules 4.1.1 or 4.1.2 can be ejected from the game and/or asked to  leave the playing fields by the umpire or a VLL official. Failure to comply with these instructions will result in the forfeiture of the game and possible other sanctions deemed appropriate by the VLL Board of Directors.
4.1.4 –  Please refer to the coach’s code of conduct agreement for more detail on the conduct expected of a Little League coach.
4.2 – PREGAME RESPONSIBILITIES
4.2.1 – Before the game begins, the coaches of both teams must agree on the fitness of the playing field. If they cannot agree, the umpire or a VLL league official shall make the determination.
4.2.2 –  In the event lightning is seen the umpires and/or coaches will immediately suspend play and all people should seek safety until the danger has passed.  If one coach decides to pull his team from the playing field due to weather conditions, the game shall be suspended at that point in time.
4.2.3 – Both teams are responsible for setting up the field for play. This includes liming the field before the start of the game.
At the conclusion of the game, both teams are responsible for cleanup of the bench, playing, spectator areas and field maintenance.
4.2.4 – If no umpires are assigned, or none show up, each team is to provide 1 adult to help officiate the game.
4.2.5 – Each coach is to the supply the umpire with 1 new (unused) baseball prior to the beginning of each game and will  hold a second good ball in reserve. The team at bat is responsible for promptly retrieving all foul balls.
4.2.6 – Coaches should prepare a player rotation schedule before the game. It should be shared with players in advance of position changes to minimize “lost time” selecting or lobbying for positions.
4.2.7 – All evening games will promptly start at 6:00 PM.  Coaches will conduct pre-game drills and warm up activities focusing on fielding, throwing, hitting, and pitching.  The coaches will coordinate use of the field before games with a general rule of visiting team having the infield areas from 5:20 – 5:40 and home team having the infield from 5:40-6:00.  The plate umpire is the official timekeeper.
4.2.8 – A minimum of 7 players must be present to constitute a legal game. In the event one team does not have seven participants present, the umpire will wait a maximum of 15 minutes to start the game. At that point, the game will be forfeited if the short manned team does not have at least seven rostered players present. At the discretion of the coaches, a scrimmage game may be played, but all pitching eligibility rules will apply.
4.2.9 – The home team will occupy the benches on the first base side of the field.  The visiting team will occupy the benches on the third base side.
4.3 – EQUIPMENT

4.3.1 – Shirts must be tucked in and hats worn by all players. Full uniforms should be worn. Shorts shall not be worn.
4.3.2 – The batter, on deck batter and all base runners must wear helmets. Anyone warming up a pitcher must wear a catcher’s mask and helmet. Pitchers warming up before the game and between innings must wear a batting helmet.
4.3.3 – All catchers must wear a catcher’s mask, helmet, throat protector, chest protector, shin guards and a protective cup.
4.3.4 – All equipment must be stored behind the bench or in the dugout area. Flagrant abuses of equipment and VLL/VCBS/VCS property by players or coaches will result in ejection from the game and/or possible suspension from the league.
4.4 – BASE RUNNING

4.4.1 – Base runners must avoid contact at any base when there is a play at that base – automatic ‘out’ call will be made, at the umpire’s discretion.  Runners should be instructed to slide whenever possible.
4.4.2 – Fielders without the ball, or not in the act of fielding the ball, may not obstruct or interfere with a base runner.
4.5 – BATTING

4.5.1 – A continuous batting order is to be used – all players present must bat. Players arriving late will be inserted at the end of the batting order.
4.5.2 – If a player in the original batting order cannot take his turn due to injury, the next batter in the order will bat and his team will not be penalized.  Should that player become able to bat, he will return to the same spot in the batting order without penalty.
4.5.3 – A batter who accidentally throws the bat will be warned.  On the next offense the player will be registered with an automatic out and all base runners go back to original base.  A batter who intentionally throws the bat will be removed from the game without warning.
4.6 – PITCHING

To ensure the health of players pitching at this age, careful monitoring of the number of pitches thrown is a responsibility shared by VLL and the coaches of the teams he/she is a part of.  It is always critical to err on the side of caution when managing players who pitch.
4:6.1 –  Pitchers are allowed a maximum of 8 warm-up pitches between innings. However, under no circumstances should the time taken between innings exceed 2 minutes.  Intermediate pitch count rules apply.
4.6.2 – Innings pitched in tournament games, all-star games, & travel games shall count as innings pitched under Intermediate rules
4.6.3 –  Coaches of VLL Majors teams and any ′travel′ teams are required to coordinate pitching plans prior to each week’s play and to communicate pitching details with each other.  Actual pitch reporting is done on the online manager and after each game both coaches will sign off on a pitch count and scoring sheet which is turned into concessions.  If it is determined an ineligible pitcher has been used as the result of violating the conditions of Rule 4.6.1, the team in violation will be required to forfeit the game if it was previously the winner of such game.
4.6.4 –  If a pitcher hits three batters during a game, the pitcher is to be removed from game.  He/she may move to a new playing position. The opposing coach may waive this rule upon his discretion.

4.7 – DEFENSIVE POSITIONING AND SUBSTITUTIONS

4.7.1 – Nine players will be played in the field.
4.7.2 –  Every player must field for a minimum of 6 defensive outs in a six-inning game.
4.7.3 –  Players may leave and re-enter the game at any time.

4.8 – GAME TIME AND PLAYING LIMITS

4.8.1 –  Only the following persons are to be on the field or player benches: Players in Uniform, Coaches, Umpires, Scorekeeper, and VLL League Officials.
4.8.2 – Only the batter, on deck batter and two team coaches should be on the playing field. All other team members should remain on the bench.
4.8.3 – Adults, other than coaches, should stay near the bench at all times. Scorekeepers should exchange information between innings or go around the outside of the playing field to avoid delays.
4.8.4 – The head coach may request a time out, but he/she must remain off the playing field until the umpires approve the request. Only the umpire may call time out.
4.8.5 – No children or spectators are allowed immediately behind the backstop during play. The umpire will remove all individuals from this area.
4.8.6 –  For all evening games, play will begin promptly at 6:00 PM. No new inning can start after 7:45 PM or 1hr and 45min after the umpire declares that he is ready to begin, whichever occurs later. The umpire will keep the official time.
4.8.7 –  For all daytime games, no new inning can begin after 1hr and 45 min has elapsed from the official start time of the game.  The umpire will keep the official time.
4.8.8 –  When other VLL games are scheduled to follow the one in play, there will be a ′drop dead′ 2-hour time limit for the game.  After 2 hours, the umpire will suspend play.  If the home team is leading when play is suspended, the score stands.  If the visiting team is leading or the score is tied, the official score will be recorded as that of the last completed inning.
4.8.9 –  If, in the judgment of the umpire or an observing VLL official, a team engages in tactics that delay or artificially accelerate the pace of the game in order to achieve a victory, the coach of the offending team will be warned.  After a warning, the continuation of such tactics will result in a forfeit.
4.8.10   Games are a maximum of 6 innings.
4.8.11   The coach of the winning team is responsible for communicating the score of the game to the League Vice-President within 24 hours of the completion of the game.
4.8.12   Standings will be kept on the web site and the league champ will get trophy.  Tie breaker is head to head record.  If tied head-to-head, a one-game playoff will determine the league champ.
4.8.13   There is a 6 run limit through 5 innings and then no further limitations in 6th inning or extra innings.
4.9 – POST SEASON

4.9.1 –  At the end of the regular season a tournament will be played.  The format and schedule will be communicated by the league president.   All the above rules will be followed.  Trophies will be awarded to the winning team.  A player must have played in 2/3rds of the teams games to play in the tournament.
PROTESTS AND RULE INTERPRETATION

No protests are allowed.  These are children’s baseball games, not professional baseball.  Please have your VLL-provided Little League Rulebook handy and reach a quiet mutual resolution to rule interpretation at the game
If a specific situation is not covered by a specific VLL rule, the Official Rules of Little League Baseball will be used.  If conflicting rules are stated, specific VLL rules take precedence over the Official Rules of Little League Baseball.