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House League - T-Ball Rules 2008
T-Ball is for the kids to have fun and learn the game of baseball. There is no winning or losing. All players and umpires in this division are just getting started and we would like to have them in the game for a long time.
Please focus on skills and sportsmanship instead of winning.
Thank you and have a great season.
1) All single games are scheduled to commence at 6:30 P.M. sharp. All players arriving late will be added to the bottom of the batting order. There will be no new inning started after 8:00 P.M.. Games will end at 8:15 P.M. SHARP. Coaches and players should be at the field 15 minutes before game time to ensure the team is ready to play on time After the game has started then the umpire is in charge to end the game in normal or adverse conditions.
2) Additions to the batting order, due to the late arrival of players, will be allowed after the batting order has been completed. Players may be added as they show up at the field.
3) The home team is responsible for supplying a game ball. Both teams are responsible for keeping track of their batting order. There is no need to keep score, as no standings are kept in T-ball.
4) The defensive team will be allowed no more than two (2) coaches or parents in the playing field. They are restricted to the outfield and cannot, except in the case of an injured player, enter the infield. The coaches are allowed to give verbal instructions only to the players however, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, interfere with the ball or the play of the game. The penalty for intentional interference shall be: “The batter runner and all other runners will be awarded the number of bases, in the umpire’s judgment, that they would have safely reached.”
5) Each team will field ALL PLAYERS, REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER OF PLAYERS PRESENT AT THE START OF THE GAME.
6) Bases shall be set at fifty - five (55) feet apart and the pitching line shall be forty – five (45) feet from home plate. The 45-foot mark will mark where the pitcher will stand until the ball is batted.
7) The playing line or dead ball line is an imaginary line, (semi circle of 15’feet). The line is used in judging a fair hit ball. Until the ball is hit, no infielder may cross this line and the pitcher must remain in the pitching circle. A hit ball, which in the Umpire’s judgment, would not have crossed the playing line, whether fielded or not, is a “DEAD HIT BALL” and is treated as a strike. No play may be made on the ground on a dead hit ball. The batter is out if the dead hit ball is caught in the air.
8) All players present at game time must have a turn at bat in each inning played. Since there is no score keeping each team will bat each player once per inning. If one team has eleven (11) players and the other team has only nine (9), each player will only bat once per inning.
9a) PLAYERS CANNOT PLAY AN INFIELD POSITION IN TWO (2) CONSECUTIVE INNINGS.
9b) Each player must be rotated infield / outfield each inning unless they have 6 players or less. If a team has 7 – 11 players then each time the player staying in the infield must be a different player each inning.
9c) Each player can only play pitcher or first base once per game. If a player has to be removed from either position throughout the inning that will be considered their time at that position, regardless of the number of batters. (i.e. Player takes a bathroom break can return to their position during that inning only and cannot make up batters missed)
10a) There will be no lead offs. Base runners must stay on the base until the ball is hit. Umpires will warn players and coaches once, and on subsequent offenses, the player shall be called out. There will be NO STEALING OF BASES.
10b) There are no strikeouts in T-Ball. The player swings until the ball is hit.
11) The offensive team’s turn at bat ends when:
a) To end the half inning, the ball must be returned to the catcher by a throw from beyond the dead ball line. The catcher must step on or tag home plate with the ball in his / her possession.
Note:
b) The ball cannot be handed to the catcher by any player. It must be thrown. A throw shall be any ball thrown in the air that the umpire judges would require a player to catch the ball rather than just accepting the ball in the hand or glove. No defensive play can be made on the base runners.
c) Last batter’s fly ball or line drive is caught. The inning is over, the batter is out and the base runners may neither advance nor score regardless of the number of outs.
d) Overthrown balls shall be treated as in the official rules of baseball, except the last batter. If a ball is overthrown during the last batter status, the ball shall be deemed out of play and all runners, including the batter, shall score.
12) An Overthrow to first base will not result in an extra base being awarded. An overthrown ball means the ball is out of the playing field beyond the fair / foul line from any player.
13) It shall be the responsibility of the offensive team’s coach to inform the umpire of “last batter status”. Failure to do so will result in the last batter, and all base runners on base at the last batter’s time at bat, being called out.
14) Play shall end and the umpire shall call time when the ball has been returned to an infielder who has the ball firmly in his / her possession and is not in the act of making a play. Once a player has put up their hand with the ball in it the umpire will call time and the ball is dead and no other plays can continue.
15) An accepted sign for the infielder to have control will be having the player raise the ball over their head while standing on any part of the legal playing infield. However, it must be in bounds.
16) Four (4) innings shall be the length of a normal game. Two (2) innings shall constitute a legal game under adverse conditions.
17) All players at bat and while running must wear proper batter’s helmets with chinstraps. Defensive pitcher must also wear a batting helmet and chin strap. Any player caught running the bases without a helmet and chinstrap will be called out by the umpire. All players in the catcher’s position, must wear a helmet, mask, shin guards and chest protector while the batter is attempting to hit the ball. The catcher should stand to the side to avoid injury until the ball is hit.
18) Any coach, player or parent threatening an umpire with physical violence and/or making any kind of threatening gestures will be ejected from the game and will face disciplinary action from the league executives.
19) Any coach, or manager smoking on or near the playing field will be ejected from the game after one (1) warning. Smoking is not permitted within eyesight of the field. Remember children have allergies and this could result in an allergic attack.
20) NO PROTESTS WILL BE ALLOWED
21) To record an out there must be an actual, physical exchange between the first baseman and the pitcher. The pitcher may not tag out a runner going to first base.
The pitcher OR ANY OTHER PLAYER FIELDING THE BALL will be required to throw it to the player on first base. AS DEFINED IN SEC (11) (D): ON AN OVERTHROWN BALL TO FIRST BASE THE BALL WILL BE CONSIDERED A DEAD BALL AND NO BATTER RUNNERS MAY ADVANCE.
22) A ball thrown out of play except to first base will advance each runner (1) one base.
23) An outfielder cannot make a play on the infield. (i.e. cannot tag a runner or base to make an out.)
24) Coaches or parents cannot touch a player at any time while running the bases. They will be called out after 1 (one) warning per team. This is to ensure no injuries occur and the child learns the concept of baseball.
25) Tagging of a player will be allowed except for a runner going to first base. If a player is obstructing a runner from advancing when there is no play then the runner will be awarded another base if in the judgment of the umpire the runner would have made it safely without the obstruction.
26) The umpires are in charge of making all calls in the game. Coaches continually arguing with the umpires or each other will face a disciplinary committee.
27) Under no circumstances will any sandals be allowed on the field. This applies to all coaches as well as players and umpires.
28) All players must be dressed in full uniform (official team shirts, pants and caps). If the full uniform is not worn the player WILL NOT be allowed to play.
29) Coaches please encourage your players to throw the ball overhand. Any player continually throwing the ball underhand when making an out will result in the batter / runner being called safe.
30) The no jewelry rule is in effect in all divisions including T-Ball. This is to protect children from getting injured during any play. Jewelry can get caught up in any equipment.
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