2024 MILL VALLEY MINOR LEAGUE
RULES, POLICIES and PROCEDURES
(Revised May 17, 2024)
1. All National Little League rules are in effect per 2024 “Official Regulations and Playing Rules” which can be downloaded from Little League International (www.littleleague.org), or viewed on the Little League Rulebook app, except as noted below.
2. Game times: During weekday games (Monday-Friday) where there is only one scheduled game or the final games on Saturdays, teams should strive to complete a full game. There is no 2 hour limit, but games must end by 8PM. No new inning should start after 7:45pm. Umpires may decide to end a game earlier if it is determined to be unsafe due to darkness or weather conditions.
During Saturday or weekday games when there is a game to follow, games must end no later than 2 hours after the scheduled start time to allow for transitions of teams, field prep and warmups. No new inning should start after 1:45 after the scheduled start time.
In all circumstances, refer to Rules 4.11 and 4.12 for games halted during an inning. Essentially, the final score will be the score at the end of the last completed full inning (a complete game is 4 innings). Games that are over 1 hour 45 minutes are complete games irrespective of the innings played.
3. Rain: When a field has not been closed by the City per the City’s website (https://www.millvalleylibrary.org/477/Fields), teams are expected to show up at the field 45 minutes before the scheduled start. Our fields drain very well and showers in the morning may not result in cancellation. If a team does not appear and the field is playable, that team will be subject to a forfeit at the discretion of the MVLL Board. The Minors Commissioner or his/her designee will make the final decision regarding whether a field is playable.
4. Dugouts: Home teams as designated by the schedule shall occupy the 1st base dugout, visitors the 3rd base dugout.
5. Batting Practice on Game Day Field: Batting practice, soft toss, pepper, or any other drills involving swinging bats are prohibited on any game day field prior to scheduled start time.
6. Continuous Batting Order: Players attending the game shall bat in a continuous order throughout the entire game regardless of when they play in the field. (Note: 7.14(a) Special Pinch Runner and 7.14(b) Courtesy Runner do not apply).
7. 5-run Rule (Inning Mercy): The inning ends once a team has scored 5 runs during the first 5 innings. There is no limit to scoring in the 6th innings or in extra innings.
8. 10-run Rule (Game Mercy): If after 4 innings (3.5 innings if the home team is ahead) one team has a lead of 10 or more runs, the losing team shall concede the victory to the opponent. If the teams wish to continue as a scrimmage, without interfering with a following game, they may do so, but the umpires will be excused at the completion of the regulation game.
9. Playing Time Local Rule: Every player on the team roster will participate in each game for a minimum of half the scheduled innings in the field or three (3) complete innings. A complete inning is three (3) consecutive outs. A player who does not start in a game must start in the following game. Players can be alternated in consecutive innings.
10. Adult Coaches: Teams may have no more than 3 approved/certified adults within the confines of the field during a game. Adults may coach in the coach’s boxes at 1st and 3rd bases when the team is on offense. When the team is not on offense all adults must be in the dugout. A team may have a scorekeeper sitting in the stands, but coaching should not be done from the stands or other field areas. One adult must be in the dugout at all times. Only adults within the confines of the field at the time of first pitch will be permitted. All adults on the field must have registered as a Volunteer through MVLL Registration, and must have successfully completed a background check as required by Little League International and the State of California.
11. Offensive Time Outs: Local: in the interest of time, only one offensive time out will be granted per inning.
12. Defensive Time Outs: There are no defensive time outs in Minors.
13. Mound Visits: In Minors, the manager or coach may visit a pitcher twice per inning; if there is a third visit in the inning to the same pitcher, the pitcher must be removed. Furthermore, the manager or coach can only visit a pitcher three times per game; if there is a fourth visit in the game to the same pitcher, the pitcher must be removed. See Rule 8.06.
14. Runner Must Avoid Fielder/Sliding: A runner must slide or attempt to go around a fielder who has the ball and is waiting to make a tag. Headfirst slides are illegal unless returning back to the base. Defensive players without the ball cannot block the base path. See Rules 7.08 and 7.09.
15. Leadoffs: There are no leadoffs in Minors.
16. Stealing: Players are allowed to steal bases, including home, all season long.
17. Dropped 3rd Strike: There are no dropped 3rd strikes in Minors.
18. Infield Fly Rule: There is no Infield Fly Rule in Minors.
19. Slash Bunts: Slash bunts (where a batter fakes a bunt and then swings away) are not allowed in Minors.
20. Pitching: When a pitcher is in contact with the pitcher’s plate and in possession of the ball AND the catcher is in the catcher’s box ready to assume the receiving position, base runners shall not leave their bases until the ball has been delivered and has reached the batter. Runners who are more than halfway to the next base at that time may continue to that base, but not advance farther. If the catcher overthrows the pitcher, the runners may advance at their own risk.
21. Pitching Local: During the regular season, a pitcher may pitch a maximum of 2 innings or 6 consecutive outs (the 6 outs may span 3 innings). A pitcher may take another field position immediately under both National and local rules. A pitcher may not return to pitch having been removed from that position earlier in the game. A player may not pitch in more than one game in a day. During the postseason, a pitcher may pitch a maximum of 3 innings or 9 consecutive outs (the 9 outs may span 4 innings). Under all circumstances, teams must follow National rules regarding pitch count (refer to Regular Season Pitching Rules – Baseball).
22. Pitcher/Catcher: A pitcher who throws 40 or more pitches in a game may not play in the catcher position. If the pitcher reaches 39 pitches while facing a batter, they may continue to pitch until that at-bat is completed, and then thereafter play the position of catcher for the remainder of that game. A catcher who catches less than 4 innings in a game may pitch. For the purposes of this rule, the catcher shall be considered to have caught 4 innings as soon as they receive the first pitch of the 4th inning, and then becomes ineligible to pitch in that game. A player who played the position of catcher for three (3) innings or less, moves to the pitcher position, and delivers 21 pitches or more (15- and 16-year-olds: 31 pitches or more) in the same day, may not return to the catcher position on that calendar day.
23. Intentional Walks: Intentional walks are not allowed in Minors.
24. Balks: In Minors, a balk called by the umpire will result in a warning and be ruled “no pitch”, as with any other illegal pitch. See Rule 8.05.
25. Pitch Count Rules: Detail regarding the pitch count rules as provided by LL International are included at the end of these Rules.
A pitch is defined as a “ball delivered to the batter by the pitcher”. For example: if a batter fouls off three pitches on a full count. All three are added to the pitch count even though the ball/strike count remains full at 3 and 2. Warm up pitches at the start of an inning do not count towards pitch count.
● Each team will have a designated Pitch Count Recorder (parent, coach, manager)
● Each team will record and complete the “Baseball Game Pitch Log” listing the pitchers name, uniform number, league age, and number of pitches thrown for that specific game.
● The Pitch Counter Recorder for each team will reconcile the pitches thrown after each half inning by meeting to agree on the number of pitches thrown in that half inning.
● Should there be any discrepancy, the lower pitch count will prevail.
● Should a discrepancy arise of 5 or more pitches, the Commissioner should be notified immediately.
● In the event of a protest the scorebooks and Baseball Game Pitch Count Log will be used to determine actual count.
● At the end of each game the “Baseball Pitcher Eligibility Tracking Form” should be filled out by each team, dated and signed by both Managers. This “Baseball Game Pitch Log” and the “Baseball Pitcher Eligibility Tracking Form” must be kept with your team’s scorebook. If the Tracking Form is not completed and signed by both Managers from the immediately prior game and a pitcher is challenged, that pitcher shall be deemed ineligible to pitch in the next game.
● At the beginning of your team’s next game, the “Baseball Pitcher Eligibility Tracking Form” shall be presented to the opposing Manager and Home Plate Umpire. This will indicate any pitchers not eligible for that game.
26. Vocal Harassment: Organized chatter, taunting or uniform cadenced speech intended to unnerve opposing players is not allowed by players or fans in the stands. Managers are responsible for maintaining the decorum of their players, coaches and parents/fans. Positive cheering is always encouraged. Repeated vocal harassment (i.e., continuing after a warning to stop) can result in ejection from the game.
27. Bats: Bats used in practices or games cannot be more than 33” in length; nor more than 2-5/8” in diameter. A bat must meet the USA Baseball Bat standards (see https://www.littleleague.org/help-center/usa-baseball-bat-standard-faqs/) for more information.
28. Umpires: Harassment of umpires by managers, coaches, players or parents/fans will not be tolerated. Managers, coaches, players and parents/fans will not shout “safe” or “out” or give the “safe” or “out” sign from the coach’s boxes or shout “good pitch” in advance of umpire making a call. Such behavior shall be subject to warnings and/or ejection from the game. Any umpire’s decision which involves judgment, such as, but not limited to, whether a batted ball is fair or foul, whether a pitch is a ball or strike, or whether a runner is safe or out, is final. No player, manager, coach or parent/fan, shall object to any judgment decision. Coaches may not leave the dugout to approach an umpire unless the umpire grants time out first. Umpire calls may not be “appealed”.
29. Clean Up/Post-Game Field Maintenance: Each team is responsible for cleaning up litter in the dugout and stands before vacating the field. Managers should have a team parent encourage families to assist clean-up of the stands area before leaving. The home team drags and waters the field at the end of the game and covers the mound and home plate with the provided tarps.
30. Outfield Fence Line - Friends Field: A) The outfield fence line is to be set at the Little League recommended 180 feet from the back corner of home plate prior to the start of the game. Cones or markers will be set by the umpires signifying the fence line. Once the first pitch has been thrown, the fence line will remain unchanged throughout the game even if it has been set shorter or longer than the recommended 180 feet. B) When a batted fair ball lands over the outfield home run line on a fly it is deemed to be a home run. C) A fair ball touched or caught on the fly by a fielder standing beyond the home run line is a home run. D) A batted fair ball that travels over the fence line, whether touched by a fielder or not, is a ground rule double. E) When a ball travels over the home run line the outfielder nearest the ball should raise both hands over their head to signal to the umpire that it went over the line. Umpires are solely responsible for making these calls. The home team shall retrieve and store the fence line markers after the game.
31. Number of Players: A team must have 9 players to start a game. If a team does not have 9 players, the team may be subject to a forfeit, with the decision resting with the MVLL Board per LL International Rules. If a team starts with 9 players but drops to 8 or less during the game, the game must stop. The team with less than 9 players may be subject to a forfeit, with the decision resting with the MVLL Board per LL International Rules. It is the manager’s responsibility to determine how many players will be available for his or her game, and to request a pool player if the team will only have 9 players or less (see MVLL Pool Player Rules for more information). Managers should encourage all players to participate (unless, of course, in the case of illness, injury, or mandatory school event). “Differentials” (the difference between the number of players on each team) will be ignored.
32. Playoffs:
Seeding: Unless the Commissioner decides otherwise, the seedings for playoffs will be determined by a) Win/Loss Percentage, b) head-to-head records and c) average runs against per game. The final tie-breaker will be a coin toss if needed.
Number of Players: Pool players can only be used to avoid having less than 9 players at the beginning of the game. “Differentials” (the difference between the number of players on each team) will be ignored; automatic outs will not be imposed.
Extra Innings: If a playoff game is tied after 6 innings, the 7th inning will be played using the same rules as the 6th. If additional innings are required to break a tie (i.e. 8th inning or more), each team will begin their respective at-bat by placing the player who made the last batted out in the previous inning at 2nd base.
33. Conflicts/Protests: National rules allow for a game to be played under protest. MVLL discourages formal protests as they often result in a game having to be re-played from the point of the alleged infraction, and with schedules so tight, this is not easy. MVLL encourages trying to solve the problem at game time. Using a cell phone both Managers and the Head Umpire should initiate a phone call to the Commissioner.
Any questions should be directed to the Minor League Commissioner, Bill Bindeman.