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Sunday, September 17
SIGN UPS
THE DATE FOR THE FIRST SIGNUP FOR THE UPCOMING 2007 SEASON WILL BE SATURDAY NOVEMBER 4TH FROM 10AM TO 2PM AT THE CLUBHOUSE IN THE MEETING ROOM UPSTAIRS TO GET DIRECTIONS TO THE CLUBHOUSE JUST CLICK ON LOCATIONS WHICH IS LISTED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE WEBSITE
THE LEAGUE IS ALSO LOOKING FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN HELPING OUT IN SO COME DURING SIGN UPS AND LET THEM KNOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP OUT WERE YOU CAN FOR THE KIDS OF CENTRAL LITTLE LEAGUETHANK YOU FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF CENTRAL LITTLE LEAGUE
Sunday, September 17
RULE CHANGE FROM LITTLE LEAGUE
Wednesday, September 6
New Pitch Count Regulation to be Implemented in 2007 Within All Divisions of Little League Baseball
Little League Baseball is changing its decades-old pitching rules, making the actual number of pitches delivered the deciding factor in determining eligibility in the baseball division. Starting with the 2007 season, pitchers in all divisions of Little League, from age 7 to 18, will have specific limits for each game, based on their age. The number of pitches delivered in a game will determine the amount of rest the player must have before pitching again.
There are about 2.3 million players in the baseball divisions of Little League worldwide. There are nearly 400,000 girls softball players, but the new regulations will not apply to softball.
For all of Little League Baseballs history, and for the history of amateur youth baseball in general, pitching regulations have used innings pitched to determine pitcher eligibility. Recently, researchers and medical professionals in the field of sports medicine have been working to determine if the actual number of pitches thrown (i.e., pitch count) is a safer way to regulate pitching in youth baseball.
Most notable among those calling for pitch counts has been Dr. James R. Andrews, M.D., medical director at the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI) in Birmingham, Ala. Dr. Andrews is the worlds foremost authority on pitching injuries and ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, or, as it is better known, Tommy John surgery. The ASMI and the USA Baseball Medical and Safety Advisory Committee have worked closely with Little League to create the guidelines for the new regulation. Little League is the first national youth baseball organization to institute a pitch count. The Little League International Board of Directors approved the measure unanimously at its annual meeting during the Little League Baseball World Series.
For the past two years, Little League has conducted a Pitch Count Pilot Program to determine the feasibility of implementing a regulation limiting the number of pitches a Little Leaguer can throw in a day, and the rest required before pitching again. Fifty leagues were studied in 2005, and nearly 500 signed up for the program in 2006.
Previously, Little League pitching regulations limited pitchers (league age 12 and under) to six innings per week (Sunday through Saturday), and six innings per game. The number of innings allowed was increased for older age groups.
The number of pitches allowable under the new regulation is based on the pitchers age. Specific rest periods are in place when a pitcher reaches a higher threshold of pitches delivered in a day.
The table below gives an overview of the number of pitches that will be allowed per day for each age group during the regular season in 2007.
League Age Pitches allowed per day
17-18 105
13-16 95
11-12 85
10 and under 75
The rest periods required during the 2007 regular season are listed below.
Pitchers league ages 7 through 16 must adhere to the following rest requirements:
If a player pitches 61 or more pitches in a day, three (3) calendar days of rest must be observed.
If a player pitches 41 - 60 pitches in a day, two (2) calendar days of rest must be observed.
If a player pitches 21 - 40 pitches in a day, one (1) calendar day of rest must be observed.
If a player pitches 1-20 pitches in a day, no calendar day of rest is required before pitching again.
Pitchers league age 17-18 must adhere to the following rest requirements:
If a player pitches 76 or more pitches in a day, three (3) calendar days of rest must be observed.
If a player pitches 51 - 75 pitches in a day, two (2) calendar days of rest must be observed.
If a player pitches 26 - 50 pitches in a day, one (1) calendar day of rest must be observed.
If a player pitches 1-25 pitches in a day, no calendar day of rest is required before pitching again.
Regulations for tournament play (all-stars) will be similar, but with some modifications. Those regulations will be released this fall.
Little League also continues to explore other pitching-related issues, such as the use of breaking pitches. Little League International is beginning a five-year study on breaking pitches by Little League pitchers. The study is being conducted by the University of North Carolina and is supported by the Yawkey Foundation.
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