Major League

Every coach will know and adhere to the CYBSA “Code of Conduct”.
Protests: All managers must carry a copy of the Little League Rulebook, the CYBSA Local Rules and the Code of Conduct at all games and practices. If a situation should arise where a manager believes an umpire has made an incorrect call on a rule interpretation, the manager must prove that the Umpire has made the call incorrectly by referring to the specific rule in “black and white” within 5 minutes of the initial call. If the Umpire is proven to be incorrect, the umpire must reverse the call to accurately reflect the published rule. If the rule cannot be found or is not specific enough, the Umpire’s interpretation of the rule will stand. Umpires have the right to rule on anything not specifically covered in the rulebook. Any team that cannot show an Umpire a rule because no rulebook is available CANNOT file a protest. There may be NO PROTESTS on judgment calls whatsoever. For any other protest to be “official” it must be filed by calling the Major League Coordinator within 2 HOURS of completion of the game.
Schedule: Each regular season game can be no more than six innings, i.e. no extra innings, except for playoffs. All weekday evening games should promptly start at 5:30 PM in order to complete as many innings up to six as possible. No inning in a regular season game will start after 7:30 PM, except on or after the Friday evening of the annual Memorial Day Holiday weekend, when said time is extended for regular season games until 8:00 PM.
The last day of the regular season is reflected in the ‘official’ schedule unless otherwise modified by the League Coordinator with acknowledgment and concurrence of the CYBSA Board. No make-up games can be scheduled after the last day of the regular season.
Postponements/Make-up Games: Any weather postponement must be immediately reported to the League Coordinator and to the League Scheduling Administrator for rescheduling. The two coaches should confer with each other and the League Scheduling Administrator to re-schedule the game within one week, or as soon thereafter as is possible. If a game is started but stopped before completion on account of weather, the game is considered complete and “official” if the teams have played 3.5 innings and the home team is leading, or 4 innings and the visiting team is ahead. The score of the last completed inning will determine the final score. If a game is stopped prior to being an “official” game, then the game will be considered suspended and should be continued from that exact point/situation, and played at the earliest possible date to a 6 inning completion, in accordance will all appropriate and applicable Little League rules. Teams that fail to make up postponed games by the last official day of the season shall each receive 0 points for that game.
Playoffs: The playoff calendar will be set prior to the end of the regular season by the League Coordinator in consultation with the Player Agent and league scheduling administrator. The first round of playoffs shall be single elimination with the 2^nd place team hosting the 7^th, the 3^rd place team hosting the 6^th, the 4^th place team hosting the 5^th, and the 1^st place team receiving a bye. Teams shall be re-seeded for each of the second and final rounds, with the lowest ranked remaining team in that round playing the highest ranked remaining team, etc. The second and final rounds shall be best of three game series with the higher ranked team in each series hosting the first game and, if necessary, third game and the lower ranked team hosting the second game. Team standings will be determined by total regular season points (see below regarding A and B game format and points). In the case of a two-way tie, the first tie-breaker shall be head-to-head record; the second tie-breaker shall be entire regular season run differential. In the case of a tie among three or more teams, the first tie breaker shall be record in games only involving tied teams; the second tie-breaker shall be entire regular season run differential. In both cases, the third tie-breaker is a game of “rock, paper, scissors” between the coaches or their designees.
Rosters: Each team must carry 12 active players on its roster, except as otherwise noted in this rule. By March 14^th, managers are responsible for determining, by actively inquiring with his players’ parents, that their entire pre-season roster is expected to play or whether they have any pre-season roster openings, and reporting the same to the Major League Coordinator. In the event that a roster opening becomes available after March 14^th (pre-season or during the season) either by player resignation, long-term injury, or otherwise, it must be reported by the manager to the Major League Coordinator within 48 hours. (By way of guidance and example only, a player expected to be unavailable for more than 21 consecutive days during the regular season and/or 1/3 of the regular season games is presumed to create a roster opening.) The Major League Coordinator will report all roster openings to the CYBSA Player Agent and President or other officer designated by the President for such purposes. Roster openings will be filled through a “call-up” of eligible player(s). For a league age 10 or 11 year old to be eligible to be called-up, they must be currently registered and active in the American League and have participated in the tryout/evaluation process for the Major League. Those players are to be called up in the order of their overall score in tryout/evaluation process. If an American League player declines a call-up, the player with the next highest score will be called-up. (In cases of eligible American League players with the same overall score, the priority determination is made based on the following criteria: a league age 11 year old is given preference over a league age 10 year old; if both are the same league age the player with the higher tryout score is given preference over the player with the higher coaches’ evaluation score; if still tied a determination is then made by the interested manager(s), with the consent of the Major League Coordinator and CYBSA Player Agent.) In the case of multiple pre-season roster openings on different teams, a supplemental draft of eligible players to be called-up will be scheduled and conducted just before the time of the American League draft by the Major League Coordinator. All subsequent roster openings will be filled promptly either, in the case of multiple simultaneous openings, with a further supplemental draft from among the eligible players to be called-up, or, in the case of a single roster opening, with the next eligible player. If a Major League player whose unavailability created a roster opening that is filled with a call-up returns to the team later in the season, that team will carry 13 active players on its roster, including in the playoffs. Roster openings arising after a team has played 2/3 of its regular season games should be reported but will not be filled.
All injuries should be reported to the Major League Coordinator. Managers should also inform the Major League Coordinator if any player is missing multiple games.
Every player must play one entire game without substitution at some point during the regular season.
Umpires: Umpires should be at least 15 years of age and/or have entered the ninth grade. In an emergency, if a younger, but qualified person is needed, the head coaches of both teams should confer and agree prior to the start of the game.
Field Conditions: Notwithstanding other provisions, Umpires must call the game when conditions become potentially dangerous for the players. The safety of the players is paramount and must be the first consideration of the game officials and coaches. Note: Both teams will assume responsibility for maintaining safe playing conditions at the field at all times.
It is the responsibility of the home team manager and assistant coaches to make sure the field is lined and ready prior to game time, and to arrive at the field with sufficient time to do so. It is the responsibility of the visiting team manager and assistant coaches to rake the infield, mound and plate areas after each game.
Both teams’ coaches are responsible or should make it their players’ responsibilities to clean and clear their respective dugout areas of all water/Gatorade bottles, gum wrappers and other debris after each game.
Equipment: All equipment must be kept at all times in the ‘on deck’ cage, in the dugout or in a secure location away from the playing field.
All helmets must be equipped with approved facemasks / cages and worn by all batters / baserunners.
All catchers must wear a protective cup at all times.
Each home team will supply 3 game balls per game. In the case of inclement weather conditions additional balls over the stated 3 must be divided between each team.
In Game Conduct: No player or coach may visit the concession stand during the game. No food is allowed in the dugout at any time. Water, Gatorade, juice or equivalent is permitted in the dugout as needed.
A coach must bench any player on his team who throws equipment in anger for the remainder of the game or to some degree in their next game if the ‘incident’ happens in the last inning.
Only three (3) coaches are allowed per team. Only two (2) coaches may be outside the dugout for the ‘at bat’ team. All three (3) ‘in the field’ coaches must remain in the dugout.
No Slash Rule: Any player feinting a bunt by squaring to bunt to draw in the infielders and in turn pulling back and swinging at the pitch in an effort to drive it by the charging infielders will be immediately called out. The ball will be immediately declared dead with players returning to the bases from which they originally advanced.
Pitching: All players, regardless of age, are eligible to pitch. (Note: As of 2007, pitching eligibility rules based on innings pitched in a game or week and the rule against pitching on consecutive days are no longer in force.) Eligibility to pitch in a given game, or to continue to pitch during a game, is to be determined by the Williamsport Little League pitch count rules – see the separate CYBSA PITCH COUNT RULES AND PROCEDURES for a summary and the additional Local Rules that apply. All coaches should be familiar with the pitch count rules. THE PITCH COUNT RULES AND PROCEDURES ARE TO BE STRICTLY FOLLOWED AND ENFORCED.
The procedures for designating the official pitch count recorder, confirmation of pitch counts, reporting of pitch counts, and maintenance of pitching logs are contained in and governed by the CYBSA PITCH COUNT RULES AND PROCEDURES.
Any pitcher who hits three (3) batters in any one game must be removed from that position.
Absolutely no curve balls, sliders, sinkers, splitters, or other direction-altering pitches are permitted. Knuckle balls and ‘change-up’ pitches are permitted.
DH Rule: In “A” format games, teams may elect to use a “Designated Hitter” (DH) as a tenth man in the batting order. This DH is optional. Teams must announce their intention to use a DH prior to a game’s commencement, otherwise no DH is to be used. Whether one elects to use a 9 or 10 person batting order, once announced, you must use that stated format for the entire game. The DH position is a substitutable position within the confines of the substitution rules. No player may be the DH for two consecutive games or any portion thereof.
Every player, including the DH must bat at least once and play two innings in the field during each game.
The former 12 run/5 inning “slaughter” rule has been removed. There is no such rule for the Major League.
Reporting Results and Pitch Counts: The winning team’s manager/coach (or in the case of a tie game the home team’s manager/coach) is responsible for reporting both the final score of the game and the player Pitch Counts for every pitcher for both teams in the game (as explained in the CYBSA Pitch Count Rules and Procedures) to the list of all managers in the league as well the League Coordinator by email before 11:00 a.m. on the following day.
A and B Game Format: Teams will receive 2 points for an A game format win and 1 point for a tie. Teams will receive 1 point for a B game format win and ½ point for a tie.
In all B format games, the additional following Local Rules will be incorporated:
Each team will bat the entire roster.
Each team will have free substitution in the field. Any player may be rotated to any position in the field, except that once a ‘pitcher’ is removed, he/she cannot return to pitch for the balance of the game.
A pitcher or a combination of pitchers, each under the league age of 12, must pitch at least 3 complete innings of the game, i.e. nine outs. Any 12-year-old or combination of 12 year olds may pitch the balance of that B format game. A league age 12 year old cannot pitch in a game until the completion of 3 full innings, i.e., nine outs.
Forfeited games: Both teams must have at least 9 players at the field no later than 15 minutes after the scheduled ‘start time’ a/k/a ‘Deadline’. If one or both teams do not fulfill this minimum-manning requirement by the Deadline, the game will be deemed ‘forfeited’. Notwithstanding the forfeit, coaches are encouraged to use the scheduled time to scrimmage or practice. For games for which at least one team will not have at least 9 players due to a known, scheduled and published conflict with another Cohasset youth sport, postponement is allowable. This is provided that the two managers and the CYBSA Scheduling Administrator agree at least 3 days prior to the date of the original game upon a new date and time.
Two Hour Game Rule: All games played on a multi-game day must be completed within 120 minutes (2 hours) of the published/scheduled start time. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS. (Teams should not start a new inning minutes before this deadline.) This rule applies even if the situation involves different league levels or different youth sport programs. The score of the last completed inning of a Little League official game within the two hours will determine the final score. If the game is forced to conclude prior to being an “official” game (3.5 innings with the home team ahead and 4 innings with the visiting team ahead), then the game will be suspended and continued from that exact point and played at the earliest possible date to a 6 inning completion, in accordance will all appropriate and applicable Little League rules. All games should start on the published start time unless one or both teams do not have 9 players, in which case, the game must start no later than 15 minutes after the published start time (see Local Rule regarding Forfeited Games). In all games, coaches must make every effort to move the game along as quickly as possible, i.e., make sure the catcher has his / her equipment on when your team finishes its at-bat, be sure players run on and off the field, limit pitchers to 8 warm-up pitches or 1 minute at the start of each ½ inning. Umpires will be instructed to end the game at the exact time that the next game is scheduled to start. It is up to the coaches to manage their time accordingly. Baseball is obviously not a game governed by a clock but this rule is implemented due to limited field availability and out of fairness to all teams. Any coach or player who attempts to take advantage of these time constraints by purposefully delaying play through any means will be sanctioned by the CYBSA Board of Directors, possibly including but not limited to forfeiture of said contest.
Player’s League Age: For all purposes under these rules and the Williamsport Little League Rules, including pitcher eligibility in B format games, and in all games for purposes of the pitch count rules, a player’s league age for the season is his or her age on April 30 of the current season. (E.g., a player who turns 12 on April 30^th or earlier is a 12 year old for these purposes for the entire season; a player who turns 12 on May 1st or later is an 11 year old for these purposes for the entire season (and may pitch for example in the first 3 innings of a B game)). CYBSA will provide coaches with the players’ league ages for the season at the outset of the season. Coaches are responsible for checking ages, raising any questions, and then observing the relevant rules.
Rules: All other situations, unless specifically addressed herein or by some other/ future CYBSA memo, are governed by the Williamsport Little League Rulebook. Each team will be provided this handbook and it is the responsibility of each team’s coaching staff to be familiar with its contents and provisions as well as all local rules (these rules and the Pitch Count Rules and Procedures). All the Local Rules and all CYBSA policies and procedures are subject to CYBSA Board interpretation, modification and/or amendment in its mandate to look after the best interests of the players and nothing herein is meant to limit that discretion.