Updated Monday March 19, 2018
Boys Minors Rules
Prospect Heights / Wheeling Youth Baseball/ Softball: Rules: Boys Minors Rules Boys Minors Rules
PHWYBS uses the PONY LEAGUE rules as the guidelines for developing our own inhouse rules. Below is a summary of game play rules and specific exceptions to defined PONY LEAGUE rules. For any rules not specifically mentioned here, PONY LEAGUE rules will apply.
General Information:
Rosters shall consist of players who reach 9,10 or 11 years old by September 1st. Any exceptions to this rule must be specifically granted by the PHWYBS Board.
Teams will be formed at the beginning of the season by the Player Agent and managers through an open draft.
Any unsportsmanlike act by players, coaches, or fans shall result in dismissal from the game, removal from the field, and be reported to the PHWYBS Board. Repeated or serious infractions shall, at the discretion of the PHWYBS Board, result in suspension or dismissal from the league without refund. Examples of unsportsmanlike behavior include the following:
• Fighting, or otherwise attempting to intentionally inflict harm on another player, coach, umpire, fan, or other volunteers.
• Arguing with an umpire's decision
• Swearing, taunting or making other cruel remarks
Spectators may not sit/stand behind the backstop during the game as it interferes with the umpires and distracts the players.
Chanting is discouraged. Any chants which do occur must be positive and must stop when the pitcher is on the rubber. A warning will be issued on the first infraction. The umpire will give the option of awarding a ball or a strike to penalize the offending team for repeated infractions.
All umpire's decisions are FINAL. There will be no protests or other appeals permitted. If a team has less than 8 players, the game will be declared a forfeit.
If a team expects to be short of players for a game, it may use substitute players from the Pintos Division. Substitutes may not pitch or catch or miss their own game. Substitutes must play an equal amount of time as the rest of the team, be placed at the bottom of the batting order, and may play any position in the field. It is encouraged that players be used from "sister team" in the Pintos but they could be from any team.
The home team will occupy the 3rd base dugout.
Both teams are responsible for scorekeeping. Both teams must periodically verify the score. The winning team is responsible for reporting the score to the Player Agent.
Field
The length between bases will be 60 feet.
Pitching distance, tip of home plate to pitching rubber is 44 feet.
Equipment/Uniforms
• All Bats must say "Little League Approved"
• No metal cleats are permitted.
• Uniforms should be worn properly during all games. All jewelry, including earrings, must be removed prior to the game.
• All boys are encouraged to wear athletic cups.
• The pitcher's glove may not, exclusive of piping, be white, gray, nor, in the judgment of an umpire, distracting in any manner.
• Pitchers may not wear white shirts, white undershirts or batting gloves under their fielding glove.
Game Length
A complete game is 6 innings in length and may end in a tie.
No new inning may start after 1:50 from the scheduled start time of the current game or 20 minutes before the start of the next game whichever is earlier. The start of a new inning is at the moment of the last out of the previous inning. If another game follows, then the current game must stop no later than 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the next game even if it must be called in the middle of an inning. If the game is the last game of the night under the lights, then the game must stop by 10:20 with lights being turned off by no later than 10:30.
If a game is called for any reason in the middle of an inning; the score will revert back to the last completed inning unless the home team is winning.
A game is considered complete after 3 complete innings. Any game called before 3 complete innings will be replayed in its entirety at a later date- schedule permitting.
There is no mercy/slaughter rule.
Batting Rules
The entire roster of players present for the game shall bat in rotation. Any player arriving after the start of the game shall be placed at the end of the existing batting order.
If a player must leave the game permanently, the opposing manager shall be notified and all subsequent batters will be moved up one position in the batting order. There shall not be an out declared when this batter’s turn in the order arrives. After a player has been removed from the batting order, they may not return to the game. Batting Rules (Continued)
Except for the last inning, a maximum of 5 runs may be scored per inning. In the last inning, an unlimited number of runs may be scored by each team. An umpire may declare an inning prior to the 6th inning to be the last, but must do so before the first batter comes to the plate.
Bunting is permitted. However, a batter may not show bunt and then bring the bat back and swing. A batter shall be declared out in this case.
Intentional walks are not permitted. All batters should be given the opportunity to hit. If a player throws their bat, the first offense will be a verbal warning. On the 2nd offense, the batter will be called out.
The dropped third strike rules does not apply.
The infield fly rule will not apply.
Running Rules
Lead-offs are not permitted. The runner may not leave the base until contact has been made or the ball has crossed the plate. If a •ball is hit in-play and a runner has left early, the ball is in play, but the runner will be called out. If the ball is not hit in-play, the ball is dead and the runner must return to his base.
Stealing Rule:
Runners can steal from 1st to Second. Once they slide and are safe the ball is dead, not matter if it gets thrown to the outfield. If a player touches second base and overruns it the ball is live, but the play can't go to third he has to get back to second base. This applies for the runner stealing from Second Base to Third base. There is no stealing of Home
Live Ball Rule:
Any ball hit into play is live until an infielder establishes control of the ball, asks for time and is granted time. Otherwise the ball has to be in the pitchers hand in the dirt area of the mound. Umpire then decides if a runner was more than half way to the next base, if so he is granted the next base, if not he goes back to the last base he touched. The ball is live if a catcher throws the ball back to the pitcher and the pitches misses it. But the runner can only advance from 1st to second or 2nd to third, no advancing 3rd to Home.
If the ball is being thrown to a base that a runner is approaching and if there is a chance for a play, the runner must avoid collision by sliding, slowing down, or running around the player catching the ball to avoid injury. Failure to avoid contact during a play will result in the runner being called out.
With two outs, teams should ask for a courtesy runner for their catcher. A courtesy runner may also be used in the case of injury or illness to a runner- but must not be used simply to secure an advantage because of a slow runner. A courtesy runner must be the player who made the last out - or the last player in the batting order if no outs have yet been recorded in the game.
When the ball is in possession of the pitcher within a circle of approximately 10' from the pitching rubber and, in the umpire's judgment, all play on the runners has ceased, the umpire shall call "Time", and the ball will be declared dead. Any runners which have not made it at least half-way to the next base shall return to their previous base.
Head-first sliding is not permitted and will result in the player being called out.
Pitching Rules
Each team should keep track of both teams' pitch counts during the game. Pitch counts should be exchanged and compared with the other team each inning. Where there are differences between the counts that cannot be resolved amicably, an average shall be used.
Pitcher's will be limited to 50 pitches per game and 100 pitches per calendar week (Sunday-Saturday). A pitcher may complete the current batter if they bump up against their maximum pitch count- though such pitches will count towards weekly totals and days of rest requirements.
Pitchers will be required to rest a defined number of calendar days (12:00am-11:59pm) based on how many pitches they throw in a game. Days of Rest do not reset on Sundays
(clarified 6/2)
Pitches Calendar Days Off
l-19 0 20-35 1 36-50 2
Regardless of pitch count, pitcher's shall be limited to maximum of 3 innings per game
Pitches thrown during a rained out game shall count towards weekly totals and rest requirements.
If a pitcher hits 2 batters in an inning or 3 batters in a game, the pitcher must be removed.
A single pitch constitutes a full inning.
Each manager shall sign the other coach's scorebook showing the pitch counts for the game. Both coaches shall inform the player agent of the pitch counts when reporting the score of the game.
A 1st violation of the pitch count rule will result in the affected pitcher being prevented from pitching for 2 games and a warning to the manager. A second violation will result in the suspension of the manager.
Fielding Rules
With the exception of cases of injury or disciplinary reasons, each player may sit out no more than one inning greater than any other player on the team. No player may sit out a
2nd inning until every other player has sat out 1 inning. A player cannot sit two consecutive innings. A manager may discipline a player for unexplained absences or tardiness for an additional inning as long as this is communicated at the beginning of the game to the opposing manager, the player, and the parent/guardian. Failure to obey this rule will cause forfeiture of the game. Skill level/ability SHALL NOT be a factor in playing time.
Each player must be allowed the opportunity to play at least two different defensive positions in each game. Free substitution of players is permitted on all positions except pitcher. Once a pitcher is removed from that position, he may not return to the pitching position. Except in case of injury or pitching change, fielders shall not change positions during the course of an inning.
A maximum of 9 defensive players are allowed on the field during an inning. A team may use players from the opposing team to play outfield if they are short on players.
Players must be allowed at least one inning as an infielder during the course of the game and they rotate assignments in the outfield such that no one player spends the majority of their time in the same outfield position.
All exceptions must be approved by the Player Agent and the Vice President of Baseball. As an example, a player may not feel comfortable pitching, cathing or playing 1st base.
Playoffs
For seeding, tie breakers will be head to head record, followed by run differential between the tied teams, fewest runs allowed in all games, followed by a coin flip.
Boys Minors Bat Rules
Boys Baseball Bat Rules – 2018
PHWYBS will follow the recommendations of the NCAA, IHSA and Little League for approved bats for our in house programs. As we get more information relating to LSFBL, TBNS or tournaments, we will update this section.
This applies to composite barreled bats, bats with a metal/alloy barrel are still allowed a long as they have a stamp of BPF 1.15 (bat performance factor). Composite bats tend to break when the temperature is less than 65 degress and they also tend to exceed the allowable BPF after they are broken in.
All bats can only have a maximum length of 33 inches, a max differential of -12, and a Stamped BPF of 1.15 will be allowed. USA Baseball stamped bats meeting these size and weight standards are also allowed. (UPDATED 2018)
Please use the link below for Little League approved bats for our inhouse programs. We will continue to update the link as Little League updates their website for 2018.
For Boys Majors:
2 3/4 inch barrel bats are NOT ALLOWED
• 2 5/8 inch barrel bats o Composite-barreled baseball bats in this division, regardless of barrel size, must meet BBCOR (batted Ball Co-Efficient or Restitution) standards, and must be so labeled. Note that all composite-barreled bats that meet the BBCOR standard must have a "drop" of no more than "minus-3".
o Non Composite-barreled bats (i.e., all metal, all allow, all wood) that meet all other applicable standards (Maximum BPF of 1.15), can have ANY drop weight. Note: some travel divisions have a drop of minus 5 and or minus 8 restriction based upon age - check with your travel manager or Phantoms league coordinator if you are unsure as to the restrictions of your child's travel team.
• 2 1/4 inch barrel bats o Bats with a barrel less than 2 5/8 inches can also be used must comply with all other specifications noted in the 9-12 age division for 2 1/4 inch bats.