Local Rules
(Adopted March 10, 2008)
Introduction
Generally, the Official Little League Rules will govern all games played within Cypress Park Little League. The CPLL Local Rules are intended to highlight certain Official Little League Rules of which coaches, managers, players and parents must be aware, to clarify certain areas on which the Official Little League Rules are silent and/or to clarify the local interpretation of those rules. In the event of a conflict between the CPLL Local Rules and the Official Little League Rules, the Official Little League Rules prevail.
All coaches and managers shall be conversant with the Official Little League Rules and these Local Rules and shall be responsible to ensure their players comply with all rules at all times.
Important Little League International Safety Rules
1. All players not batting, running, fielding or participating in the game as a first base coach must remain in the dugout unless excused by the umpire. On fields at which there are no dugouts (e.g. Eagle Harbour East), the players must remain behind the backstop.
2. All coaches and managers must remain in the dugouts when not acting as base coaches except as provided in these local rules.
3. One adult manager or coach must be in the dugout at all times.
Common Rules — All Divisions
1. The Home Team for each game will be designated on the CPLL schedule for each division.
2. The Home Team is responsible for preparing the field for play — setting out bases, raking the infield and pitcher’s mound, lining the field, setting out umpire’s gear, etc. The Visiting Team is responsible for raking the infield and pitcher’s mound after the game and returning all gear and tools to the secure box.
3. Except in T-Ball and Farm divisions, the Home Team shall supply the scorekeeper for the game and Home Team coach shall e-mail the score, and report the names of each pitcher used by his or her team and how many pitches each such pitcher delivered during the game, to his or her team’s division coordinator as well as to the head coach of every other team in that team’s division, as soon as possible after the game is over.
4. Coaches are responsible to ensure that their players are at the field, warmed up and ready to play at the designated start time. Failure to adhere to this rule may result in the forfeiture of the game.
5. No inning shall start less than one-half hour before the scheduled start of the next game. After consultation with the coaches, the umpire shall make the sole determination regarding calling the game due to darkness.
6. Coaches are encouraged to use common sense on cancelling a game on account of rain or other adverse weather conditions. In the event that the home and visiting coaches agree on a weather cancellation prior to it’s start, the Home Team coach shall immediately notify the divisional Umpire Coordinator. The umpire shall make the sole determination on suspending or cancelling a game on account of weather once the game has commenced. In the event of lightning, the umpire shall immediately call the game and all umpires, players and coaches shall immediately move away from backstops, metal dugouts, etc. Coaches shall diligently attempt to reschedule rained out games; in the event rescheduling is not possible, each team shall receive 1 point for the rained out game.
7. All games are scheduled for 6 innings. In the event a game is terminated before 6 innings are complete 5½ if the “home” team is ahead) due to weather or time limitations, a complete game constitutes 4 complete innings (3½ if the Home team is winning).
8. No coach, player or parent shall criticize an umpire. The team coach shall be responsible for the conduct of the parents on his/her team.
9. All male players must wear a cup and all female players a “jill strap.”
10. All batters, base runners and player base coaches must wear batting helmets. If a batting helmet has grommets for chin straps, the chin straps must be attached and done up while the players is at bat, running the bases or acting as base coach. The home plate umpire has the authority to refuse to permit anyone not complying with this rule to bat or run the bases.
11. No metal cleats are permitted except at the Junior and Senior levels.
12. All players shall keep their jerseys tucked in and shall wear their hats correctly at all times.
13. LLB Rules 4.16 and 4.17 do not apply in T‑Ball, Farm 7 and Farm 8 Divisions.
14. Except in Juniors division and above, on deck hitters are not allowed on the field, nor are they permitted to take practice swings in or behind the dugout.
15. In the event a batter throws his/her bat, the home plate umpire shall immediately warn both the batter and his/her coach; a subsequent thrown bat by the same player will result in the batter being immediately called out. In the event the player is called out for this reason, the umpire shall immediately call the ball “dead” and all runners shall return to their original bases.
16. Home Runs, Ground Rule Doubles & Batted Balls Remaining In Play.
There are various possible situations when a batted ball reaches the boundary of the fair territory field of play, depending on how the boundary is demarcated.
(1) If the boundary is demarcated by an OUTFIELD FENCE:
(A) A batted ball that clears the fence without first touching the ground in the field of play, whether or not it has been touched by a defensive player (for example, bounces off the player's glove, or part of the player's body), shall be ruled a HOME RUN.
(B) A batted ball that touches the ground at least once in fair territory AND then clears the outfield fence shall be ruled a GROUND RULE DOUBLE.
(2) If the boundary is demarcated by a LINE THROUGH A SERIES OF CONES IN THE OUTFIELD:
(C) A batted ball that lands beyond the boundary without touching the ground in the field of play, whether or not it has been touched by a defensive player, shall be ruled a HOME RUN.
(D) A batted ball that touches the ground at least once in fair territory AND has NOT been touched by a defensive player, AND then continues past the boundary of the field of play shall be ruled a GROUND RULE DOUBLE.
(E) IF a batted ball that touches the ground at least once in fair territory and HAS been touched by a defensive player BEFORE reaching the boundary of the field of play and then continues past the boundary SHALL REMAIN IN PLAY unless, in the umpire’s sole discretion, the ball is unplayable (for example, having entered a wooded area), in which case the umpire will award a ground rule double.
