PAJARO VALLEY LITTLE LEAGUE

LOCAL PLAYING RULES

SECTION 1:  SIGNUPS, TRYOUTS AND DRAFT/DIVISION STRUCTURE

A.    Per Regulation IV(f), have tryouts on at least two occasions and at least one week apart. Any player who is not RETURNING to the Majors Division MUST participate in at least one tryout in order to be drafted onto a Major or Minor Division team. Any exceptions must be approved by the Board or its appointed subcommittee. The second tryout will be scheduled for a half day, with the focus being on late signups and those who missed the first tryout. Returning Major Division players are also required to tryout, with exceptions approved by the league.

B.    With the exception of possible safety issues and those who miss both tryouts, all players league age 10 and above that tryout must be drafted onto a Major or Minor Division team. Note: Any player who refuses a draft to a Major Division team will forfeit their Major Division eligibility for the current season. Post draft signups will be handled on a first come, first serve basis and will also be ineligible for the Major Division (exceptions approved by the league) for the current season.

C.    It should also be noted that the league has chosen ‘Player Selection System – Plan B Alternate Method’ (redraft) in the Operations Manual for its Major Division draft procedures. All players drafted onto a Major Division team must be of league age 11 or 12. Note: In the Majors Division, the league is choosing to support the addition of Rule 6.09(b) in the rulebook regarding dropped third strikes by the catcher.

D.    Minor Divisions: League age structure will be 9-11 in the AAA Division and 8-9 in the AA Division. The AAA Division will be a player pitch division. For AA procedures, see ‘Game Instructions’. In the ‘A’ Division, the league ages shall be 7-8. This will be a coach pitch division. Note 1: Drafting position for the AAA Divisions will be drawn at random. For the league’s AA and A Divisions, a board subcommittee will allocate players for each team’s roster, given that league ages 7 and 8 do not try out. 

E.    The league ages for Tee Ball will be set at 5-6. The league is also choosing not to allow league age 4-year-olds to sign up for Tee Ball. Exception: Returning players who are league age 6 AND have played one year of Tee Ball will be eligible to be selected for the league’s ‘A’ Division.

F.    The manager of any team which loses a player at any point during the season must notify the Player Agent immediately. After the PA is notified, the manager must select a replacement within one week. Otherwise, the PA will designate a replacement.

SECTION 2:  SCHEDULES, TIME LIMITS AND PLAYING TIME

A.  Unless otherwise noted, all weekday games will start at 5:15pm. Start times for Saturdays will vary according to schedule at each site.

B.  For regular season play only, all Minor Division games (AAA/AA) will use the ‘flex’ time limit. Note 1: The basic time limit is 2 hours. The top of an inning will not start with 10 minutes or less remaining, nor will the home team bat in the same timeframe if they are winning. Also, any inning in progress will be finished to its just conclusion. The official scorekeeper will also be the official timekeeper of the game. In an instance where an official scorekeeper is not present, the time limit will fall under the jurisdiction of the umpires. Note 2: If necessary, a Minor Division team will be allowed to play a game if less than 9, but a minimum of 7, players are available.

C.  Major Division games will have no time limit imposed.

D.  For the Major and all Minor Divisions, the league chooses to adopt the 10-run mercy rule option (Rule 4.10e) as described in the rulebook. Note 2: For its Major and AAA Divisions, the league is also choosing to adopt Rule 7.14(b), Courtesy Runner.

E.  The league’s Major and AAA Minor Divisions will each play a regular season schedule of games, to be followed by a double elimination tournament in each division which will determine league champions. The regular season standings will be posted on the league website. The standings, in order of finish, will be used to seed teams for the league playoffs.The seedings will take place approximately one week prior to playoff time. Note: As teams are eliminated from the Major and AAA playoffs, consolation games will be scheduled AND played as openings in each bracket allow. The league’s AA Minor and ‘A’ Divisions will also play a regular season schedule of games only, with no official standings being kept and no playoff tournament being held.

F.  Effective with the 2022 season, since regular season standings will be used in a random draw to seed teams for the end of season playoffs, For the AAA Division, Rule 5.07 (five run rule) will be enforced for regular season play, meaning that a game could be called in the fifth or sixth inning if a team is ahead by an uncatchable margin.

G.  In the Major and AAA Minor Divisions, all team players must play SIX complete games FOR THE SEASON.  VIOLATION: A penalty game would be applied to a team’s first league playoff game. Also, the board could decide that the manager in question would not be allowed to manage or coach a league all-star team, with further penalties to be imposed by the league as deemed necessary. The playing time provision is based upon rosters being set at 12 players each. Adjustments to this provision will be made should a team have more than 12 players on its roster. For the AA and A Minor Divisions, playing time will be based on the honor system.

H.  For teams whose rosters consist of 12 players or less, as long as any Major or Minor Division game goes four complete innings, any player not reaching minimum status of 1 at bat and 6 outs MUST play the team’s entire following game, also as a penalty game. Note 1: Effective with the 2023 season, the league is choosing to implement the continuous batting order (Rule 4.04) for its Major Divisions during regular season play. Note 2: Managers are encouraged to enter their subs into their defensive lineup no later than the third inning, helping to avoid any penalty.

I.  All managers should also be aware of Regulation IV(i) in the rulebook, which provides for additional penalties as deemed necessary by the league with regards to playing time violations.

J.  Sportsmanship: At all levels of play, once the pitcher has possession of the baseball and has toed the pitcher’s plate, ANY AND ALL CHANTING FROM THE OPPOSING TEAM’S DUGOUT WILL NOT BE ALLOWED.

SECTION 3:  GENERAL

A.  No food (including chewing gum and candy) or drink is to be allowed in any dugout or on any playing field during any game except for water or Gatorade type drinks. The allowance of sunflower seeds will be left up to the discretion of each team manager, with any such use to be restricted to the dugout ONLY.

B. Any complaint regarding an umpire should be made in writing to the League, who will in turn discuss the complaint with the umpiring coordinator.

SECTION 4:  ALL STARS

A.  All Star team structure will consist of: 1) a league age 9/10-year-old team of players selected from the AAA Division, 2) a league age pure 11-year-old team of players selected from the Majors Division and 3) a league age pure 12-year-old team (exception noted in Section B) of players selected from the Majors Division.

B.  Major Division players will now have a say as to which players could be selected to the league’s 11- and 12-year-old teams. Following each team’s final regular season game, each team’s players will be asked to vote for up to six players each. 12-year-olds will vote for 12s only, while 11-year-olds will likewise vote for 11s only. Players will not be allowed to vote for anyone from their own team. After all Major Division teams have voted, the votes will be counted with the six 12s receiving the most votes securing a spot on the advisory ballot for the 12-year-old team. Likewise, the six 11s receiving the most votes will secure a spot on the advisory ballot for the 11-year-old team. Major Division managers will then meet to first review the advisory votes, then select the 12s roster. Exception: One or more 11-year-olds may be selected by the managers to fill the balance of the 12s roster, but such selection(s) MUST be as a result of a unanimous manager’s vote.

C.  11-year-old team: After the 12-year-old team is selected, the Major Division managers will then review the 11s advisory vote and select players for the 11-year-old team. As with the player vote, managers will not be able to vote for players from their own team.

D.  9/10 team: The league’s AAA managers will meet to nominate and select players for the 9/10 team, with managers not be able to vote for players from their own team.

E.  As part of the team selection process, a board subcommittee will meet to discuss and appoint the coaching staff for each team.

SECTION 5: ‘AA’ GAME INSTRUC TIONS

Player Pitch: If the count reaches three balls, the offensive team’s coach will come in and pitch up to three ‘hittable’ pitches to the batter. The umpire will determine if the pitch is hittable. An ‘unhittable’ pitch is a no pitch and a foul ball on the last pitch continues the at bat. Coaches will pitch from in front of the pitcher’s plate and inside the mound circle. Given the intent of this provision, AA teams will be allowed a fourth coach.

SECTION 6: ‘A’ DIVISION GAME INSTRUCTIONS

• Always remember the goal of the ‘A’ Division is enjoyment and development of basic skills.
• 1 ½ hour time limit per game
• 5 runs or 3 outs per inning.
• Only 5 swings per child.  On the 5th swing, if the player hits a foul ball, the player continues to bat until he/she misses or puts the ball in play.
• Only 9 defensive players on the field at a time
• No keeping scores.  There is no scorekeeping and coaches are not responsible to verify playing time of opposing teams.
• Teams are to use a continuous lineup, which need to be changed each game to allow players fair/equal playing and hitting time.  At the start of the game, the players that are not in the field defensively in the first inning should be the first players to bat in the first inning.
• A player should not play the same position in consecutive innings, or twice, in a game (Exception: catcher). Remember - the goal is for all kids to have fun and develop player skills at all positions.  Safety should be kept in mind when placing a player in the pitcher’s position. We ask and encourage all managers to set up a rotation that works well to keep the kids moving around the field defensively each inning and in/out of the game equally. The coaches will be on the honor system when it comes to accomplishing this goal.
• All batters and base runners must wear helmets.
• No on deck circle and bats should not be picked up in the dugout until it is that players time to bat.
• Catchers must wear throat guards and protective athletic supporter, although all players are encouraged to wear a supporter at all times.
• Coach, manager, team Mom, or child’s parent must escort a player to and from the bathroom.
• Team Parent is allowed in the dugouts.
• Home team is the 2nd team on the schedule.

SECTION 7:  TEE BALL GAME INSTRUCTIONS

• Have fun!!!
  
• All team players present for a game can be on the field defensively every inning, but a player should not play the same position in consecutive innings, or twice, in a game (Exception: catcher). Remember - the goal is for all kids to have fun and to develop player skills at all positions. Safety should be kept in mind when placing a player in the pitcher’s position. We encourage all managers to set up a rotation that works well to keep the kids moving around the field defensively each inning. The coaches will be on the honor system when it comes to accomplishing this goal.
• No keeping scores.
• 1 hour time limit for games, typically 3-4 innings
• Inning changes after each player on a team bat in its respective half inning
• Continuous batting order that should be changed each game.
• All batters must wear helmets.
• No on deck circle
• Don’t pick up the bat in the dug outs until it is the player’s turn to bat.
• Coaches should be on the field during game to assist in learning process.
• Coach and/or team Mom must stay with kids that are on the bench.
• Home team is 2^nd team listed on the schedule.
• Coach, manager, team Mom, or child’s parent must escort children to and from the bathroom.