Wisconsin District 4 Little League: Important Reminders

Please read through the following tournament reminders from LL International:

1.  Pitcher cannot Play Catcher

In all divisions of Little League Baseball, a pitcher who delivers one or more pitches in a game cannot play the position of catcher for the remainder of the day.

2.  Intentional Walks No Longer Allowed at Majors level and Below

At the Junior or Senior Levels only, before a pitch is delivered to the batter, the catcher must inform the umpire-in-chief that the defensive team wishes to give the batter an intentional base-on-balls. The umpire-in-chief will waive the batter to first base. The ball is dead.
 
In all other divisions of baseball, managers can not ask the umpire to "waive" a player to first base with the intent of giving the batter an intentional base on balls (i.e. - walk).
 
Pitchers are obligated to throw four pitches out of the strike zone to facilitate a walk. In those divisions utilizing the pitch count, these pitches do count.

3.  Participation in non-Little League Program is Permitted
 
The rule that prohibits players from participating in non-Little League programs (dual participation), once Little League tournament play has begun, has been rescinded at all levels of play for baseball and softball.
 
However, the local Little League retains the right to dismiss a player from a tournament team if the player repeatedly misses games and practices.
 
It remains Little League International's position that a local Little League should expect that players it selects for this honor will make playing for the Little League Tournament Team their priority.

4.  Player's Tournament Eligibility - Percentage of games played - New for 2008

As a result of votes cast by delegates at the 24th Little League International Congress, convened April 2008, in Houston Texas, players are required to participate in 60 percent of his/her team's regular season games as of June 15, to be eligible for selection to a tournament team.

5.  League Tournament Eligibility - Minimum # of regular season games scheduled

Tournament rule No. 2 governing league eligibility states the league must have scheduled and played, at minimum, a 12-game schedule (per team) exclusive of playoffs and tournament games for each for each division entering the tournament.

Little League International has adopted League Eligibility Guidelines for Tournament (All Star) teams. In order for a Little League program to be eligible to enter a team or teams into the International Tournament (including 9-10 Year Old Division and 10-11 Year Old Division) the following must be accomplished no later than June 7, 2008:

1)                  The league must be chartered in the division(s) for which it wishes to enter a tournament team(s), no later than June 7, 2008. Examples: Chartered in Little League Majors to enter a Major Division team (11-12 year olds); chartered in Senior League to enter a Senior Division team, etc.

2)                  The league must have scheduled and played, at a minimum, a 12-game (per team) regular season exclusive of playoffs and tournament games for each division entering tournament. See Reg. VII (a).

3)                  All waivers requests (for the league, team, player, manager, and/or coach) of any kind must be submitted and approved not later than June 7, 2008.

4)                  All regular season team rosters must be submitted to Little League International in accordance with the requirements outlined in Regulation IV (g), not later than June 7, 2008.

5)                  Team number revisions and fees incurred by the league must be paid in full by June 7, 2008. This excludes current year tournament fees. You can verify your current financial status by going to the Little League Website, clicking on District Admins and the Status Link will be at the top of the page. This will be available starting on April 30, 2008, and will be updated each morning.

6)                  All combined team and interleague play requests that may involve tournament play must be submitted and approved not later than June 7, 2008.

Failure to meet any of the listed requirements could result in a team or teams being declared ineligible by the Tournament Committee at Little League Baseball.

Local Little Leagues must elect to obtain accident and general liability insurance through Little League or provide proof of coverage by June 7, 2008.

The deadline to complete your tournament enrollment and background screening confirmation form is June 13, 2008. Leagues that elect not to participate in tournament must fill out this form to confirm that mandatory background screening was accomplished. Background screening, which includes the submission of the Little League Official Volunteer Application, must be conducted annually on all new and returning personnel as outlined in Little League Regulation I (c) 8 and 9.

All adjustments to your league's Charter and Insurance applications must be made by June 7, 2008. The form is located here.

Leagues are required to submit rosters to Little League International each season. The Tournament Guidelines for league eligibility require all regular season rosters to be submitted to Little League International by June 7, 2008 in accordance with requirements outlined in Regulation IV(g).

From the Little League web site www.littleleague.org or the Little League Network on eteamz, www.eteamz.com/llb you can access the Little League Data Center that will show you the options available to upload your rosters on a secure site.  The Data Center provides a simple spreadsheet that you can download, complete the information, and then upload the information through the Data Center.  If you have lost your Access Code for the Data Center: Send an email to accesscode@littleleague.org

If you are using the Little League Spreadsheet which is provided in the Data Center, DO NOT remove or add columns to the spreadsheet. It must be uploaded to the Data Center in the exact format as when you downloaded the spreadsheet. To upload the spreadsheet, Click on the Export File button. This will create a file called myleague.txt on your "C" drive. The myleague.txt file is the one that you upload through the Data Center.

When uploading rosters through the Data Center, you will receive confirmation on the website and by email for the number of names uploaded. If any information is invalid, you will be shown which records are in error, and these errors must be corrected before the total file is accepted. Any additions or changes can be sent at a later time. If you are having trouble loading your file thru the Data Center, you may email your file to Ron Smith at rsmith@littleleague.org.

Modifications to the 2008 Tournament Rules and Guidelines that increase the maximum number of players that can be named on a tournament team affidavit apply to Big League and Senior League baseball only.

Big League Baseball - The maximum number of players that can be named on a tournament team affidavit is now 17 (increased from 15).

Senior League Baseball - The maximum number of players that can be named on a tournament team affidavit is now 16 (increased from 14).