Richlands Athletic League, Inc.: 2009 Softball Rule Changes

Friday, October 31
Players

 

 2009 CHANGES/UPDATES FOR LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL®

RULES AND REGULATIONS 

(Last update: October 30, 2008)

Rule 1.11 (k) Note

What is changed: Clarified to include managers and coaches. (k) Casts may not be worn during the game. NOTE: Persons wearing casts, including managers and coaches, must remain in the dugout during the game.

Rule 1.15

What is changed: Adds "optic yellow" to prohibited solid colors.

(a) The pitcher’s glove shall be of one solid color other than white, gray, or optic yellow, or if multi-colored, white, gray or optic yellow shall not be included in the colors. A glove that is judged to be distracting is illegal.

Rule 3.02

What is changed: Clarified to make it clear that the pitcher could remain in the game after the infraction, but at a different position.

PENALTY: The umpire shall demand the ball and remove the offender from the pitching position. In case the umpire cannot locate the offender, and if the pitcher delivers such discolored or damaged ball to the batter, the pitcher shall be removed from the pitching position at once.

Rule 3.03

What is changed: Added for clarification.

NOTE 1: A substitute may not be removed from the game prior to completion of his/her mandatory play requirements.

Rule 7.10 (d)

What is changed: Added for clarification.

EXCEPTION: If an otherwise proper appeal is being made by a player who has to go into foul territory to retrieve the ball in order to make an appeal or if the appeal is being made by the catcher (who may never have been in fair territory at all), the appeal will be adjudged to have been properly executed.

 Regulation I – THE LEAGUE –

(a) 3. The Tee Ball division is an extension of the local league to accommodate participants league ages 5-8 and may utilize the batting tee or the pitched ball (by a coach). The league may opt to deliver a designated number of pitches to all batters and then utilize the tee if necessary.

 

(b) Officers shall be elected by the Board (i.e., president, one or more vice presidents, secretary, … A president may manage, coach or umpire provided he/she does not serve on the Protest Committee nor serve as tournament team manager or coach. The president will not serve in the capacity of District Administrator. President, with approval of the Board of Directors, shall appoint managers, coaches and umpires annually. Manager/coach representation on the Board shall not exceed a minority. NOTE: All members of the local league Board of Directors, as well as managers and coaches, whose activities in another youth baseball/softball program are deemed detrimental to the operation of the local league, can be removed by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Additionally, the local league’s Board of Directors has the right to NOT approve that individual as a tournament team manager.

 

 

(c) Each league shall:

 a. prepare, adopt…

  b. be considered… 

 c. apply for and, if …

d. have separate boundaries as provided for in Regulation II. (Delete the remainder of paragraph 4.)  9. Conduct an annual background check on all personnel that are required to complete a "Little League Volunteer Application" prior to the applicant assuming his/her duties for the current season. No local league shall permit any person to participate in any manner, whose background check reveals a conviction or guilty plea for any crime involving or against a minor. A local league may prohibit any individual from participating as a volunteer or hired worker, if the league deems the individual unfit to work with minors. A local league must conduct a nationwide search that contains the applicable government sex offender registry data.

 

NOTE 1: Each year, Little League International provides 80 free background checks that exceed the minimum standard required in this regulation. Information on how to utilize this benefit, as well as how to conduct background checks, can be found on the Little League website at: http://www.LittleLeague.org/common/childprotect/states.asp

 

NOTE 2: The United States Department of Justice National Sex Offender Public Registry is free and available at www.nsopr.gov. [I.c.9. also is added to the Junior/Senior/Big League Regulations.]  

 

(f) Mergers where there is sufficient enrollment to maintain separate charters, shall require the recommendation of the District Administrator to Little League International and be subject to final approval by the Charter Committee. (Removed the reference to the 20,000 population limit.)

Regulation II – LEAGUE BOUNDARIES –

 

(g) Each local Little League’s boundary is “frozen” at the status as of April 23, 2007. “Frozen” means, each league will continue to operate under that boundary. The league shall limit its boundary to and draw its players from an area approved by the District Administrator and Regional Director. Boundary maps for leagues (and any changes made after April 23, 2007 to the approved map on file at the Regional Office) must be signed and dated by the League President and District Administrator with a copy to be sent to the Regional Office. The approved map on file at the Regional Office is the “official” map, provided it does not encroach on any other chartered Little League’s boundary. The Charter Committee reserves the right to grant waivers and adjust boundaries where needed. All requests for mergers and to expand league boundaries by adding additional territory must be provided to the Charter Committee through the District Administrator and Regional Director. The decision of the Charter Committee on these requests is final and binding.

 

NOTE 1: Each league will be required to have a current boundary map, approved by the District Administrator, in the regional office files. This will be required for tournament privileges for the current season.
NOTE 2: All leagues currently operating under a divisional format must continue to operate under this method. Exceptions to the divisional format can only be granted by the Charter Committee in Williamsport.  

 

 

NOTE 3: Any request for newly chartered leagues will be reviewed by the Charter Committee under this regulation before a charter is granted. The decision of the Charter Committee is final and binding. 

 (h) Deleted in its entirety.  

 

Regulation IV – THE PLAYERS –

 

 

(g) Player roster forms supplied by Little League Headquarters must be completed and filed no later than June 7, 2008. Players claimed under…

 

(h) If a person had previously resided within the league boundaries for two or more years while serving that league as a dedicated manager, coach or member of the Local League Board of Directors for two or more years, his or her sons and/or daughters are eligible to try out and be selected by teams in that league (1) provided such service to the league from which the person has moved has continued, (2) subject to written agreement from the league within whose boundaries they currently reside and (3) and approved by the District Administrator.

 

Regulation V – SELECTION OF PLAYERS –

  a. The selection of players for the various teams within a league shall be in compliance with the Little League Draft Selection System as detailed in the Operating Manual. NOTE: All candidates who are league age twelve (12) must be drafted to a Little League Major Division team, or to a Junior League team. Exceptions can only be made with written approval from the District Administrator, and only if approved at the local league level by the Board of Directors and the parent of the candidate.

 Rule 1.06 – First, second and third bases shall be marked by white canvas or rubber covered bags, securely attached to the ground. The first and third base bags shall be entirely within the infield. The second base bag shall be centered on second base. The base bags shall not be less than fourteen (15) nor more than fifteen (15) inches square and the other edges shall not be more than two and one-fourth (2-1/4) inches thick and filled with a soft material. Leagues are required to ensure that first, second and third bases will disengage their anchor.

 

Rule 1.10 – The bat must be a softball bat which meets Little League … Slippery tape or similar material is prohibited. White bats are prohibited. An illegal bat must be removed.

 

2.00 – DEFINITION OF TERMS –

 

An INNING is that portion………………….(Minor League Only – A five-run limit is to be imposed, which would complete the half inning.)

 

Rule 3.17 – Players and substitutes shall sit on their team’s bench or in the dugout unless … No team shall use electronic equipment, including walkie-talkies, cellular telephones, etc., for any communication with on-field personnel including those in the dugout, bullpen or field.

 

Rule 4.03 (d) – Deleted as obsolete and no longer applicable.

 

Rule 4.04 – The batting order shall be followed throughout the game unless a player is substituted for another … However, a player may be entered and/or re-entered defensively in the game anytime provided he/she meets the requirements of mandatory play. NOTE 1: The continuous batting order is mandatory for all Tee Ball and Minor League Divisions. NOTE 2: For the Tee Ball and Minor League Division (and when the continuous batting order is adopted for other divisions), when a child is injured, becomes ill…

 

Rule 6.02 – (c) if the batter refuses to take his/her position in the batter’s box during a time at bat, the umpire shall call a strike on the batter without the need for a pitch to be delivered. The ball is dead, and no runners may advance. After the penalty, the batter may take a proper position and the regular ball and strike count shall continue, but if the batter does not take the proper position before three strikes are called, that batter shall be declared out.

 

Rule 7.05 (j) - one base, if a fielder deliberately touches a pitched ball with his/her cap, mask or any part of his/her uniform detached from its proper place on his/her person. The ball is in play, and the award is made based on the position of the runner at the time the ball was touched. Rule 7.08 – (a) (1) running more than three feet away from his/her baseline to avoid being tagged, unless such action is to avoid interference with a fielder fielding a batted ball. A runner’s baseline is established when the tag attempt occurs, and is a straight line from the runner to the base to which he/she is attempting to reach; or (2)…….

 

Rule 7.09 (b) and (k) deleted because they are redundant and already in Rule 6.00.

 

 

Rule 7.15 –   a. A batted ball that hits the white section of the double base shall be declared fair. A batted ball that hits the colored (orange or green) section without first touching or bounding over the white section shall be declared foul.   b. Whenever a play is being made on the batter-runner, the defense must use the white section of the double first base.

 

 

NOTE 1: A play is being made on the batter-runner when he/she is attempting to reach first base while the defense is attempting to retire him/her at that base. Penalty: Batter-runner is out.

 

 

NOTE 2: If there is a play…………..  c. Whenever a play is being made on the batter-runner, the batter-runner must use the colored (orange or green) section on his/her first attempt to tag first base.

 

 NOTE: On extra-base hits or other balls hit to the outfield when there is no chance for a play to be made at the double first base, the batter-runner may touch either the white or colored (orange or green) section of the base. Should, however, the batter-runner reach and go beyond first base, he/she may only return to the white section of the base. Penalty: If there is a play on the batter-runner, and the batter-runner touches only the white portion and the defense appeals prior to the batter- runner returning to first base, it is treated the same as missing the base. If properly appealed, the batter-runner is out.  

 

 


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