Objective

Game Play

1. Number of Players on Team (Callups) 
   • Goal is to have 11 Players per team. 
     
   • A game can start with eight (8) players present. 
     
   • There will be no automatic outs due to missing or injured players. 
     
   • Any player called up must play one of the three outfield positions during the entire game and bat at the end of the lineup. 
     
   • Prior to Opening Day, the Player Agent shall make a list of the players drafted in the first round of the AA draft who could be used as substitutes for AAA teams. 
     
     • Parental permission must be gained in advance as a condition of calling up a player. In the event a team will have only eight (8) players as of game time, Managers should contact the Player Agent to invoke the call-up protocol procedure. 
       
   • If a team does not have eight (8) players by 15 minutes after the scheduled game time the game will be ruled a forfeit. 
     
   • If the number of players drops below eight (8) during play, the game is an automatic forfeit. 
     
   • Every player must play at least one inning in the infield in every game, with the following exceptions: 
     
     • The game is suspended or called by the umpire due to inclement weather or other conditions prior to being completed. 
       
     • If the coach believes the player should not play the infield due to safety reasons, it is the coach’s responsibility to inform the parent. If the parent disagrees, they may inform Player Agent, who will be the arbiter in each case.
       
2. Number of Players in Field at a Time / Batting Order 
   
   • 9 Players (P, C, 1B, 2B, SS, 3B, LF, CF, RF) 
     
   • Continuous batting order. 
     
     • If additional players show up after the game starts, they will be placed at the end of the batting lineup submitted at the beginning of the game.  
       
3. Minimum Playing Time 
   ALL has adopted a stricter requirement for managers with respect to playing time than Regulation IV (i) of the Official Regulations and Playing Rules.  
   • Rosters with 12 or less players: Defensive subs must play a minimum of 3 innings in the field. If the visiting team does not play the bottom of the 6th inning, the third inning of play is waived. 
     
   • As a result of (a), no player shall sit more than 2 innings or 6 consecutive defensive outs.
     
   • Rosters with 13 or more players: Minimum playing time is set to 2 innings. 
     
   • If player arrives after the 2nd inning has started, the manager will not be responsible for the minimum playing time. 
     
   • If a player is not given his/her minimum playing time, the matter will be referred to the board for resolution, and the player will play offensively and defensively the entire next game. 
     
   • If a Manager intentionally does not adhere to the rules of playing time will be suspended from the next game. If a Manager is found in violation of the rule a second time is subject to removal from the league. 
4. Pitching Rules 
   Pitchers, Pitch Counters, and Pitching Logs: 
   
   • Pitchers: Managers need to be familiar with Regulation IV of the Little League Official Regulations, Playing Rules and Policies (green book) which defines the pitching and pitcher/catcher rules for the AAA and Majors divisions. Amesbury Little League uses Option 1. 
     
   • Note 1: Per Little League Official Regulations and Playing Rules [VI (c)]: NOTE: If a pitcher reaches 40 pitches while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch, and maintain their eligibility to play the position of catcher for the remainder of that day, until any one of the following conditions occurs: (1) that batter reaches base; (2) that batter is retired; or (3) the third out is made to complete the half inning or the game. The pitcher would be allowed to play the catcher position provided that pitcher is moved, removed, or the game is completed before delivering a pitch to another batter. If a player delivers 41 or more pitches, and is not covered under the threshold exception, the player may not play the position of catcher for the remainder of that day. 
     
   • Pitching Logs: Managers must fill out the pitching log immediately following their game, when the pitch counter is turned in. Failure to comply with the completion of the logs will result in the board taking disciplinary action against the manager. Disciplinary action will include a warning for the first offense and a possible suspension for the following offenses. 
     
   • Pitch Count
     • Pitch counters can be signed out at the concession stand and must be returned after each game. 
       
     • Each team manager is responsible for turning in the counter at the conclusion of the game. 
       
     • The count will be tracked every half inning and will be recorded in the scorebook, after an agreed upon count. Discrepancies in the count between two teams will be corrected as follows; a difference of one count – use the home team’s count; a difference of more than one is split in half and rounded down if necessary. 
       
     • Each team must identify to the umpire who will track the pitch count for that team in that game. However, it is the manager who is responsible for the accuracy of the count and it is the manager who will announce the count to the opposing team or umpire when requested to do so. 
   • Pitchers are not allowed to throw a breaking ball during regular season or ALL playoffs. 
     
   • Intentional walks are not allowed. 
5. Base Running 
   
   • Runners advance at their own risk. Per Little League Official Regulations and Playing Rules [7.13]: “When the 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 receive delivery of the ball, runners shall not leave their bases until the ball has been delivered and has reached the batter.” Note: If the batter-runner has drawn a base on balls, as long as the batter is making one continuous movement to advance past first base, he/she is not frozen by the action of the pitcher and/or catcher (per 7.13 above). He/she may continue on to second base and the pitcher has the option to make a play on the batter / runner or disregard the advancement of the batter/runner and allow the base to be stolen. 
6. Steals 
   
   • A base runner cannot advance on the throw from the catcher to the pitcher. In the event the pitchers misses the throw, the base runner may advance at his/her own risk. 
     
   • No delayed steals are allowed; for example, when a base runner advances upon the catcher throwing the ball to the pitcher. No dancing off the base is permitted. 
7. Sliding 
   
   • Per Little League Rules.  
     
8. Bunting 
   
   • Bunting is allowed. 
     
   • No fake bunting / swing away allowed. 
9. Coaches on Field
   • Base Coaching: 
     
     • Coaching; Base coaches are there to manage base runners only. They may not question the umpire on a call. A base coach cannot physically touch a runner as to hold him/her back from proceeding on or push a runner on. This will result in the runner being called out for interference by the base coach. The dugout must always be manned by a manager or coach listed on the team roster. 
       
     • AAA Level: Base coaches are required. At this level, they can be coaches or players, although adults are strongly preferred. If adults, they must be from the bench coaches involved with that game. At no time shall an adult from the spectators be allowed onto the field as base coach. Players must wear a helmet while coaching a base. 
     • No coach is allowed behind home plate during a game, including to warm up the pitcher. 
10. Inning Ends When… 
    
    • The 3rd out of an inning. 
      
    • The team at bat scores its fifth run of that inning. The offensive team cannot score more than five (5) runs per inning. 
      
    • If in the bottom of the sixth inning the home team is losing by greater than 5 runs the team is allowed to score more than five (5) runs to tie the game. The game will then go into extra innings with the same five (5) run rules applied.
11. Batter is Out when… 
    
    • Per Little League Rules. 
12. Dropped Third Strike 
    
    • No advance on a dropped third strike. 
13. Game Time or Innings 
    
    • A complete game is six (6) innings. 
      
    • A twelve (12) run spread at the end of an inning will automatically end regular season games once the game is official. An official game is three and a half (3 1/2) innings if the home team is winning and four (4) innings if the home team is losing. 
      
    • No new inning may begin 1 hour 45 minutes after the first pitch. Any regular season AAA game that is tied at the end of a complete inning when the time limit is in effect, the game will be declared a tie. 
      • The time limit rule does not apply in the AAA playoffs.
    • When the completion of six innings and the score is tied, the following tie-breaker will be played to determine a winning team:  a. The seventh inning will be played as normal.  b. Starting in the top of the eighth inning, and each half inning thereafter, the offensive team shall begin its turn at bat with the player who is scheduled to bat last in that respective half inning being placed on second base. Example: If the number five batter is the lead-off batter, the number four batter in the batting order will be placed on second base. An eligible substitute or special pinch runner may be inserted for the runner.
14. Field of Play 
    
    • Per Little League Rules. 
      
    • Turning on the lights will be at the discretion of the umpire or available board member. 
15. Thrown Bat
    • If a player accidentally throws a bat while swinging the following will apply:
      • First time the player and both teams will receive a warning.
      • Second time the same player from that team throws a bat during that game, that player will be removed from the batting order, and the team will take an out in the batting order, at his/her position.

Coach's Responsibilities/Helpful Hints

• Managers and coaches must remain in the dugout and must ask permission from the umpire to come onto the field for a conference with either a player or an umpire. Only the manager and up to two League approved coaches are allowed in the dugout during a given game. 
  
• Prior to the start of each game, managers must exchange their lineup cards with the opposing team. The information must include batting order and uniform numbers. 
  
• The Home team is responsible for having game balls (2 per game only) on hand and scoreboard numbers for the game. Game balls are stored in the concession stand. Numbers are stored in the Joboxes in the first base dugout. The electronic scoring equipment is located in the Snack Shack. 
  
• No game balls will be provided until a home team parent is present to work the concession stand. 
  
• Each AAA manager will be issued a key for the Joboxes. It is their responsibility to ensure this key is returned to the Board President at season’s end. No copies of the key shall be made. 
  
• Each team must ensure all equipment (bases, numbers, rakes and helmets) is returned to storage either in the garage or Joboxes after the game if theirs is the last game of the day. Each team is required to rake the mound, infield and the plate area following the game. 
  
• After a night game, the Home team manager or a coach must wait to escort the concession stand overseer to the parking lot. Before leaving make sure all doors are closed and locked. 
  
• If teams want the field raked and lined for games it is their responsibility to arrive early enough to accomplish it. On field warmups begin 30 minutes before game time.
  

• Umpires will be assigned by the Umpire-in-Chief. 

Playoffs 

• A single or double elimination tournament format consisting of all teams will be used. 
  
• The higher seeded team will be the home team. The last team in the winner’s bracket will be the Home team in the finals.
  
• There are no player callups allowed in the Playoffs.
  
• There are no automatic outs in the Playoffs.

For seeding purposes, if teams end the season with identical records the following tiebreakers will prevail for playoffs: 

1. Head-to-head competition between the teams. 
   
2. The fewest amount of runs allowed head to head. 
   
3. The fewest amount of runs allowed for the entire season.   

Summer Teams

Amesbury Little League will enter the following list of teams into the tournament, if coaching staffs are available.

• 10-year-old – District team (Jimmy Fund) 
  
• 10-year-old B team
• 9-year-old – District team (Jimmy Fund) 
  
• 9-year-old B team

• Solicit volunteers from current league managers and coaches. 
• List is given to the board for ballot.
• Board votes approval of manager. 

• Approved manager selects team coaches. 
  
• Board votes approval of coaches. 

• Each regular season team manager may submit recommendations. The manager of the district team is allowed to select any eligible player.

• The manager of the team is allowed to pick players at their discretion.