2017 Middleton Baseball Rules
2017 MIDDLETON LEAGUE PITCHING REST REQUIREMENTS
REST PERIOD
AGE
DAILY MAX (PITCHES IN GAME/DAY)
7-8
0 Days
1 Day
2 Days
50
1-20
21-35
36+
9-10
75
1-40
41-65
66+
11-12
85
1-40
41-65
66+
13-15
95
1-45
46-75
76+
16-18
105
1-45
46-75
76+
1. League Age 7-8 - Pitcher shall not deliver more than 50 pitches in the same game or
on the same day. Exception: If the pitcher reaches the maximum pitch count limit
while facing a batter, he may continue to pitch until the batter reaches base safely or
is put out.
2. League Age 9-10 - Pitcher shall not deliver more than 75 pitches in the same game or
on the same day. Exception: If the pitcher reaches the maximum pitch count limit
while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until the batter reaches base
safely or is put out.
3. League Age 11-12 - Pitcher shall not deliver more than 85 pitches in the same game or
on the same day. Exception: If the pitcher reaches the maximum pitch count limit
while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until the batter reaches base
safely or is put out.
4. League Age 13-15 - Pitcher shall not deliver more than 95 pitches in the same game or
on the same day. Exception: If the pitcher reaches the maximum pitch count limit
while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until the batter reaches base
safely or is put out.
5. League Age 16-18 - Pitcher shall not deliver more than 105 pitches in the same game
2017 Middleton Baseball Rules
or on the same day. Exception: If the pitcher reaches the maximum pitch count limit
while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until the batter reaches base
safely or is put out.
Majors 12u / Minors 10u League
Rules & Regulations 2017
The purpose of this recreation league is to develop our young players. At all times, please
keep in mind the safety of the players in your charge.
GENERAL
Games will be called in accordance with the basic rules of baseball as specifically amended by
these rules.
It is required that both Team Managers conduct a pre-game meeting with the Umpires to
discuss and clarify rules.
No score will be maintained after an opposing team reaches a 15 run lead.
Avoid abusing or yelling at an umpire. If there is a ruled infraction, discuss the infraction with
the umpire. If you disagree the an umpire’s judgment, keep it to yourself and control your
players. If an umpire is consistently making the same judgment error, discuss with issue with
the opposing manager and approach the umpire jointly. Report poor umpiring to the area
coordinator. At no time will an assistant, player, parent, or anyone else other than the Head Coach be
allowed to address issues with an umpire, unless the Head Coach is absent from the game. There is a
zero tolerance policy regarding abuse of umpires from anyone, including the Head Coach.
Be flexible and compromise on minor technicalities when this is in the players’ best interest.
Penalty for Poor Sportsmanship – Players, managers, and coaches and spectators exhibiting
poor sportsmanship will be warned by the umpire in the presence of the manager. A second
display of poor sportsmanship will result in automatic ejection form the game by the umpire. A
manager or coach may be ejected, if in the opinion of the umpire, the manager or coach is
2017 Middleton Baseball Rules
promoting or unwilling to control unsportsmanlike conduct. The Area Coordinators may impose
sanctions against players, managers, or coaches who exhibit poor sportsmanship.
Field Discipline – No players, coaches, managers, shall be allowed behind the
backstop.
Majors (12u) and Minors (10u) League
LENGTH AND FORMAT OF GAME
REGULATION GAME - regulation A game is 6 innings long unless modified by one of the rules
below. All games will start by 6:30 pm. Forfeits will be @ 6:50 pm. No inning will start after 1 &
1/2 hours from the start time of the game as determined by the Umpire and noted on in the
Home Team score book.
LINE-UPS - Players’ names AND numbers will be listed in batting order and given to the opposing
manager before
each game.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS – A maximum of 9 players can play in the field at any time. If 9 players are
playing, at least 3 must be positioned in the outfield. No team may start a game with fewer than 8
players. All teams MUST bat the entire lineup in regular season games. Tournaments are exempt from
this rule, in which case an EH/DH may be used, a coach may bat only the 9 players playing in the field,
OR the coach may bat the entire lineup.
SUBSTITUTIONS – There are unlimited substitutions. All players will play a minimum of 1 inning (3
outs) and bat at least once. It’s the managers responsibility to inform the opposing team of any subs
or batting order changes.
BATTING – In the Minors 10u league, a team will remain at bat until there are 3 outs or 7 runs scored in
any inning. There is a mercy rule applied as follows: a 15 run lead after 3 innings or 10 run lead after
4 innings. In the last inning, teams will bat until there are three outs. A coach may elect to bat
through the lineup if desired and discussed with opposing coach prior to the game. If a batter is
discovered to be batting out of order, the correct batter will take the pitch count of
There is no run rule for the Majors 12u league
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the out of order batter and continue at bat. If the error is discovered after the out of order batter has
hit, that batter will be called out and the correct batter will begin his bat.
SLASH BUNTS ARE NOT ALLOWED – The batter will be out on the first offense.
EQUIPMENT
UNIFORMS – Baseball hats must be worn at all times on the field.
PROTECTIVE HELMETS – All batters and base runners must wear protective helmets.
BAT RESTRICTIONS – No “Loaded Bats” will be used at any time during play, and all bats must adhere to
Cal Ripken Sanctioned league rules.
BASEBALLS – The League will supply 2 baseballs per game
CLEATS – Metal Cleats are prohibited. No exceptions.
PROTECTIVE CUP – It is recommended that all catchers, pitchers, and infielders wear a protective
cup.
BASE RUNNING
STEALING AND LEADING – Minors (10u): Stealing of ALL BASES is permitted for the Minors only after
the pitched ball has reached home plate. In Minors there is NO leading off. In Minors If the runner
leaves the base before the ball is hit, it is at the umpire’s discretion to remind the coach and the player
of the infraction. IMMEDIATE DEAD BALL. NO DELAYED STEALS ARE ALLOWED. Delayed steals, defined
as stealing a base after the runners momentum toward the next base has ceased and the runner is less
than halfway to the next base, is not permitted.
Majors 50/70: Runners may steal at any time. In Majors (12u) runners are permitted to leadoff.
DROPPED THIRD STRIKE – In Minors (10u), the batter may NOT try to reach first base on a dropped
third strike. In Majors (12u) normal baseball rules apply and the batter may attempt to reach 1st base.
OVERTHROWN BALL – If an overthrown ball goes outside the area of play, it is considered dead,
the runners shall advance one base only. In the Minors league, an overthrown ball to the pitcher is
dead and base runner (s) will not advance. In the Majors league, and overthrown ball to the pitcher is
a live ball and runners may advance at their own peril.
RUNNER HIT BY BATTED BALL – If a base runner is touched by a batted ball in fair territory before
2017 Middleton Baseball Rules
the ball is touched by a defensive player, the base runner is out and the ball is declared dead. Other
base runners must return to their previously occupied base.
TEAM RESPONSIBILITIES
FIELD – Both team managers should arrive at the field in sufficient time to insure the field is free of
debris, is playable, and to correct any problems.
EQUIPMENT – The home team shall be responsible for positioning the bases and chalking. At the
conclusion of the game, the Away team will be responsible for dragging field, putting bases away and
plugging them, raking mound, and all general cleanup involved.
COPY OF RULES – Each team is responsible for having a copy of these rules.
FORFIETS – The plate umpire shall declare a game forfeited in favor of the opposing team when,
after being warned by the umpire, a team:
Refuses to continue to play
Uses methods to delay or shorten a game
Fails to discontinue rules violations
INFIELD FLY RULE – In Minors (10u) the infield fly rule will NOT apply. In Majors (12u) the infield fly rule
DOES apply.
TAGGING UP – The runner may tag up to advance on a fly ball caught anywhere within the field of
play.
RUNNING INTO A DEFENSIVE PLAYER – Base runners must slide at home plate or avoid
defensive player. If a base runner intentionally runs into a defensive player or attempts to knock a
player out of the play, the umpire will declare the base runner out. The ball is dead and no other base
runners may advance.
PITCHING
ELIGIBILITY – Once a player is removed from the pitcher’s position, that player may not re-enter the
game as a pitcher. Home book will be responsible for pitch counts. If a pitcher exceeds pitch count
during a batter, they are allowed to finish that at-bat. Each team, in every game, must ensure a
2017 Middleton Baseball Rules
player/pitcher that is NOT MAX AGE gets at least 1 full inning (3 outs or 7 runs allowed) at the pitcher
position. NOT MAX AGE is defined as: Majors (12u) – YOUNGER THAN 12 years Minors (10u)–
YOUNGER THAN 10 years
TRIPS TO THE MOUND – A manager or coach may take two trips to the mound in an inning, on the
third trip, the pitcher must be removed. There are a Maximum of 3 trips to the mound per pitcher per
game.
BALKS – Balks WILL be called but will NOT be enforced. The game will be stopped, the umpire will
explain the balk rule to the pitcher and runners will NOT advance.
INTENTIONAL WALKS – Intentional walks are not allowed in this league.
PITCHING RULES – A ball that hits the plate is a ball unless batter swings.
STRIKE ZONE – The strike zone extends from the chest to the knees of the batter, and from two
inches on either side of home plate.
SPORTSMANSHIP
SPORTSMANSHIP – Without curbing the competitive desire to win, managers and coaches should
always strive to maintain an atmosphere of sportsmanship on the playing field. Some specific
guidelines are:
Teach your players baseball fundamentals and game strategy.
Encourage your players but avoid remarks which might be insulting or humiliating to both your
players and the players on the opposing team.
Take responsibility for parents of our players who do not comply with the League’s views on
sportsmanship. Quiet disgruntled parents.
Coaches remember that if you reschedule a game and you attempt to make it up and the other
coach agrees to it and then you either one cannot make the rescheduled game up it will be
considered a forfeit.
Games that end up in a tie will be considered a tie and both teams get a half win.
2017 Middleton Baseball Rules
Remember, we are here for the kids first, ourselves second. Let’s keep this fun
and simple. Baseball is a game and should be taught as such. This is the
building block for all future programs, lets do it right!
2017 Middleton Baseball Rules