2008 NL Supplement

#1 2008 NL Supplemental Rules

1. These are supplemental rules for the National League. This year the National League may be split into three divisions depending on number of registrations. The A Division will consist of league age 6 year olds who have played one or more seasons of Farm League/T Ball and have registered for National League play. The AA Division will consist of league age 7 year olds and the AAA Division will consist of league age 8 year olds 2. In the A and AA Divisions, the CYBSA National League Local Rules apply in all respects, except as follows:

In the AAA Division, the CYBSA National League Local Rules apply in all respects, except as follows:

(a) A minimum of the first thirty (30) minutes of the scheduled time is to be allocated to work on drills and skills development and the remaining time used for a game of as many innings can be accomplished. The National League coordinator will consult with and instruct the coaches as to whether this may be modified over the course of the season.
(b) Coaches will pitch for at least the first 5 games of the regular season as scheduled and thereafter until further notice (see below). The NL coordinator, Player Agent, and NL coaches will confer at after this initial 5 game period to determine whether to alter the pitching format/local rules for the remainder of the season.
(c) In the event players are authorized to pitch after the 5th game of the season, or as determined per the process described in 3 (b), a player may only pitch in a maximum of two innings in a game. All Little League Pitch Count rules as embodied in the CYBSA Pitch Count Rules and Procedures, must be followed and enforced. Coaches are expected to know these rules and keep count of pitches both to limit the number of pitches a player throws in any game, and to determine days of rest thereafter before a player may pitch again. The remaining CYBSA Pitch Count Rules and Procedures in terms of logging and reporting pitch counts do not apply in the NL/AAA Division.
(d) The pitching distance for players shall be a minimum of 42 feet unless otherwise specifically instructed and permitted by the National League Coordinator (pitchers may move back to 45 or 48 feet, but not forward).
(e) Any pitcher must be removed once he or she:
          (i) hits 3 batters in a game,
          (ii) hits 2 batters in an inning, or
          (iii) walks and/or hits a total of 5 batters in an inning. .
(f) In any inning when players are pitching, 5 balls shall constitute a walk, 3 strikes for an out. The home team should arrange for and provide a coach, parent or sibling at least 13 years of age to act as umpire. During player pitch innings (if authorized per the process described in paragraph 3 (b), umpires should call a consistent and reasonable strike zone and not bend the strike zone according to the skill of the pitcher as is sometimes the natural tendency with kids this age. During coach pitching, the standard NL Local Rules apply.
(g) Coaches are encouraged to develop all players as potential pitchers through practice, but it is not expected that all players will pitch during games (if authorized per the process described in paragraph 3 (b)) at some point during the season if they are not able to throw strikes from the mound (42 feet; players cannot be moved up to be able to pitch and throw strikes as there is an increased risk of getting hit by a line drive). If a coach does not have an eligible and capable pitcher to start or complete a player-pitch inning, that inning shall revert to the Local Rules applying to coach pitching.
(h) Only balls approved and provided by CYBSA for this division (RIF 5) shall be used.