Pitch Count
In 2009 the CYBSA Board voted for Option 2 as proposed by Little League of America under rules changes for 2009 of the Regulation VI – Pitchers. The new rules on the CYBSA website should read as follows [please note the substantive change in addition to days of rest is a pitcher can play catcher as long as he/she has thrown fewer then 41 pitches]:
Pitch Count
Subsequent to that decision Little League of America has made some changes to the pitch count rules for 2010. They are as follows:
1. This is a summary of mandatory Little League International (Williamsport) Rules regarding pitch count limitations and CYBSA procedures for implementation. These Rules and Procedures apply to all player-pitch baseball divisions and all games unless otherwise specifically noted below or in another CYBSA Local Rule or document, and must be STRICTLY FOLLOWED AND ENFORCED. These Rules and Procedures do not apply to softball. Note that there are two (2) different elements to the pitch count rules: the number of pitches a player may throw in a day; and the number of days a player must rest/not pitch between pitching appearances.
2. NOTE: The eligibility rules based on innings pitched in a game and innings pitched in a week are no longer in effect. A player’s eligibility to pitch is based solely on the following rules.
3. Maximum Pitches Per Day: The manager/coach must remove the pitcher from a game when the pitcher reaches the limit for his/her age group as noted below, but the pitcher may remain in the game at another position:
League Age:
13-16
95 pitches per day
11-12
85 pitches per day
9-10
75 pitches per day
7-8
50 pitches per day
Exception: If a pitcher reaches the limit above while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until that batter reaches base, is put out or the third out is recorded. This is the only exception. (There are no exceptions for completing no-hitters or perfect games.)
Note 1: In the case of an intentional walk (permitted in the Major League and Junior League only), as of 2008 the rule calling for the umpire is to award first base to the batter without a pitch being thrown or counted for purposes of these rules as been deleted. [does this mean the pitcher must throw the 4 pitches and count against his pitch total?]
Note 2: A pitcher who delivers forty one (41) or more pitches in a game cannot play the position of catcher for the remainder of that day. A pitcher cannot pitch in more than one game in a day.
4. Minimum Days Rest: Managers/coaches must ensure that pitchers age 16 and under adhere to the following rest requirements before the player may pitch again:
Pitches/Required Rest
66 or more pitches Four (4) calendar days of rest must be observed
51-65 Three (3) calendar days of rest must be observed
36–50 Two (2) calendar days of rest must be observed
21-35 One (1) calendar days of rest must be observed.
1-20 Zero (0) calendar days of rest must be observed
5. Notes:
(a) A player may not pitch in more than one game in a day.
(b) A “calendar” day of rest is different from and often less than 24 hours of rest.
(c) There is no carryover effect on the number of pitches a player may throw in his next appearance; that is, once a player is eligible to pitch under the rest requirements, he is eligible to throw the maximum number of pitches for his league age.
(d) A day of rest is just that, so if under the above rules a player must observe 3 calendar days of rest, he or she is not eligible to pitch again until the 4th day.
(e) Under these rules as amended in 2009, a player who has pitched 41 or more pitches may pitch in the next game if he/she has observed the mandatory days of rest.
6. Example 1: A league age 10-year old player throws 15 pitches on Friday night. That player is eligible to pitch again on Saturday morning, and may throw up to 75 pitches.
Example 2: A league age 11-year old player throws 21 pitches on Monday night. He cannot pitch again until Wednesday (his one calendar days of rest). He is eligible to throw up to 85 pitches on Wednesday.
Example 3: A league age 12-year old player throws 66 pitches on Wednesday. He is not eligible to pitch again until Monday, (his four days of rest).
Example 4: A player pitches 45 pitches on Saturday. His team does not play again until the following Saturday. The player is eligible to pitch in that game. Note: last years rule required a game and days of rest to be eligible after throwing 41 or more pitches.
7. Suspended and Resumed Games: In the case of suspended games continued on a later day, the continuation of the game is the same as a new game for purposes of these Pitch Count Rules as they pertain to the pitcher of record for each team at the point the game was suspended. Example: A league age 11-year old pitcher has thrown 70 pitches on Monday when the game is suspended. If the game resumes on Friday, he cannot continue pitching because he has not observed 4 days of rest. If the game resumes on Saturday, he may continue pitching, and may throw up to 85 pitches that day.
8. Official Pitch Count Recorder: Under Williamsport Little League rules, the CYBSA must designate an “official pitch count recorder” for each game. In all CYBSA games, the official pitch count recorder shall be the home team designated pitch count recorder (which can be but need not be the home team’s scorekeeper). At the outset of a game, each team must designate a coach or parent as its pitch count recorder/scorekeeper who will keep the pitch count. Both teams’ pitch count recorder must count the pitches thrown by all pitchers for both teams each inning. (The CYBSA will make recommendations for pitch counting to coaches at the outset of the season and provide same on the CYBSA website.) At the end of each half inning, both teams’ pitch count recorders must compare and confirm the count(s) for each pitcher who appeared in the half inning and the total game count for any pitcher who was relieved during that half inning. In case of an irresolvable disagreement between the teams’ recorders as to a count, the official pitch count recorder (home team) determines the actual “official” count, after consulting (briefly) as appropriate with the umpire and/or coaches. It is assumed that such disagreements will be rare as both recorders/scorekeepers should presume each others’ good faith. In all cases the official pitch count recorder should record the official count for each pitcher, inning by inning, on a Pitch Count Record. (The Pitch Count Record form is provided by CYBSA.) Managers should keep Pitch Count Records with their scorebook and have them with them at games.
9. The official pitch count recorder must provide the current pitch count for any pitcher when requested by either manager or any umpire. The official pitch count recorder should inform the umpire when a pitcher has thrown the maximum number of pitches. However, the manager is responsible for knowing when his/her pitcher must be removed and the failure of the official pitch count recorder or the umpire to notify the manager does not relieve the manager of his responsibility to remove the pitcher.
10. At the end of the game, both teams’ recorders/scorekeepers should again compare and confirm pitch count records with the totals for all players who pitched in the game for either team. The official pitch count recorder (the home team) should then provide the official Pitch Count Record to the winning team’s manager/coach (or in the case of a tie game the home team’s manager/coach). That manager/coach is responsible for reporting the final score of the game and the pitch count totals for each pitcher on both teams for that game to the League Coordinator and all managers by email by 11:00 a.m. on day following the game.
11. Pitching Logs: Based on the pitch counts reported after each game, the CYBSA League Coordinator will maintain and make available for review a division-wide pitching log. However, managers should also maintain their own team’s Pitch Count Records as a team log, and it is the responsibility of each manager/coach to know which of his teams’ players is ineligible to pitch on a given game day under these rules. A manager must confirm the names of ineligible pitchers to the opposing team’s manager upon request at the outset of a game.
12. Player’s League Age: For all purposes under these and all CYBSA rules and procedures, and the Williamsport Little League Rules, a player’s league age for the season is his or her age on April 30 of the current season (and not his or her age on the day of the game). (E.g., a player who turns 12 on April 30th 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). CYBSA will provide coaches with the players’ league ages for the season at the outset of the season. Coaches are responsible for checking ages/birth dates, raising any questions, and then observing the relevant rules
13. These Rules and Procedures will be strictly enforced. It is the responsibility of a team’s manager/coach to ensure compliance. All situations not specifically addressed herein, or by some other/ future CYBSA memo, are governed by the Williamsport Little League Rulebook. 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.
Regarding Local Rules changes the Supplemental rules for the NL should read as follows:
2009 NL Supplement
2009 NL Supplemental Rules
1. These are supplemental rules for the National League. This year the National League will be split into two divisions. The AA Division will consist of league age 6 and 7 year olds who have played one or more seasons of Farm League/T Ball and have registered for National League play. The AAA Division will consist of league age 8 year olds 2. In the AA 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) Only balls approved and provided by CYBSA for this division (RIF 1) shall be used.
(c) The AA Division coaches should consult with the National League Coordinator who may give the coaches the discretion to modify the play as the season progresses.
(d) Aside from any coach acting as pitcher, the defensive team should have at least one coach in the field and may have two. 3.
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 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.
The other rule change of significance is:
Rule 1.10
What is changed: Reduces the maximum diameter for a bat in the Junior League Baseball division from 2 3/4 inches to 2 5/8 inches. (Maximum diameter for bats in Senior League and Big League remains at 2 5/8 inches.)
1.10 - The bat must be a baseball bat which meets Little League specifications and standards as noted in this rule. It shall be a smooth, rounded stick and made of wood or of material and color tested and proved acceptable to Little League standards.
Little League (Majors) and below: it shall not be more than thirty-three (33) inches in length nor more than two and one-quarter (2¼) inches in diameter. Non-wood bats shall be printed with a BPF (bat performance factor) of 1.15 or less;
Junior League: it shall not be more than 34 inches in length; nor more than 2 5/8 inches in diameter, and if wood, not less than fifteen-sixteenths (15/16) inches in diameter (7/8 inch for bats less than 30”) at its smallest part.