GENERAL: This is the second and final year in the transition phase to full-scale baseball. By the end of the year, the kids will be playing Little-League style baseball, with only minor modifications. The kids will be pitching from the start, we will introduce the major concepts of bunting and stealing, and we will begin using a real baseball. Other concepts added or enhanced will include walks, hit batters, overthrows, live ball and development of position skills. 9-year-old baseball will have its disorganized moments as the kids try to master these new skills, but it is part of the process and we will try to minimize that potential. There are still many concepts that remain restricted from this phase of baseball which will come in later years - these are: taking leads, balks, passed balls, and the infield fly rule.

The goal this year is to continue to introduce and teach new skills to the kids, refining those introduced in the last few years, further increase their levels of awareness and responsibility within the game by again expanding the range of potential outcomes on the field and moderately turning up the competitive level another notch.

We will treat this introduction of new skills in a phased manner, so as to allow the kids to learn the skills without distractions. Phase I, which will be approximately the first third of the season, will have the kids start pitching immediately, and simultaneously learning how to bunt. In Phase II, we will introduce stealing, which becomes a major component of Little League games in the future, as many parents with older children will acknowledge.

FIELD: The field dimensions for Pinto League consist of bases 60 feet apart. The pitcher plays in a 15-foot diameter circle surrounding the pitching mound. The pitching rubber is 46 feet from Home Plate. The home team is responsible for preparing the field for each game. This includes setting the bases, lining and raking the field, doing any general tidying up needed and making all decisions on field conditions due to weather.

EQUIPMENT: Shirts and caps are provided by the league, with the kids able to keep the caps. Parents are asked to provide pants. The pants must be the standard issue black baseball pants. Bats, helmets and catcher's equipment are provided in equipment bags issued to the managers. Balls will be provided to the managers by the league. We will be using a regular baseball. The kids must bring their own gloves and baseball shoes, and may bring bats if they wish, but everything should be prominently marked. STEEL-SPIKED SHOES ARE NOT PERMITTED.

PLAYERS: There will be a standard infield of 6 players: First Base, Second Base, Shortstop, Third Base, Pitcher and Catcher. The outfield shall consist of four players. By using the fielding positions as described above, ten players should be on the field at all times.

However, since teams have eleven players, it may be necessary to sit a child out each inning in the field. On teams of eleven, six different players should sit out one inning. This field rotation does not affect the batting order, everybody bats in regular turn. A related matter concerns position rotation. Each player must play a minimum of one full inning in the infield up to a maximum of five. Conversely, a player must play a minimum of one full inning in the outfield up to a maximum of five. A "sitting-out" inning may not be counted against any minimum requirements. In addition, a player may play a maximum of three full innings at any one position. When players are missing, it is acceptable to play with nine players, although a minimum of eight is required to have a regulation game.

CALLUPS: No callup may play any more innings than any regular player on the team, and must bat last in the lineup, unless someone shows up later. Pitching the callup is prohibited.

GAME: The games will be six innings in duration. Each inning will end after three outs, or the entire lineup has batted. When two teams have different numbers of players, the smaller team will bat extra players to equal the lineup size of the larger team, if needed. In the sixth inning, three outs must be recorded. Games should run no longer than two hours. NO GAME can run into the next time period. Any game reaching that point must be stopped immediately. A game halted during play will be considered complete if the losing team has batted at least four innings. Games called before this point can be rescheduled with the agreement of both managers.

RAIN OUTS: If game is called early, umpires must be notified at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the game. If the game is called after the umpires arrive at the field they will be paid full fee for the game.

BATTING: With the children pitching from the start this year, each batter will bat until he either hits the ball, walks, is hit by a pitch or strikes out. Pitches will be called by the Umpire. A strikeout is the same as in regular baseball - 3 strikes, swinging or called (fouls count up to 2). Walks will be awarded after the traditional 4 balls.

However, when bases are loaded, the batter will be awarded a walk after four consecutive balls. Each strike will erase the balls from the count on the batter.

Intentional Walks are PROHIBITED. There is nothing wrong with pitching carefully to a batter, but nothing obvious should ever occur in these kinds of situations.

BAT THROWING: A thrown bat results in a dead ball and all runners return to the base they held at the time of the pitch. A TEAM warning will be issued. The pitch at the time of the violation is not counted and the batter resumes his at bat. All subsequent violations by that team will result in the batter being called out and all runners returning to the base occupied at the time of the pitch.

BUNTING: Bunting is allowed using all standard rules. If the batter hits the ball with one foot completely outside of the batter’s box, he will be called out and all runners return to the base at the time of the pitch.

BATTER'S BOX: A form will be available at the field to outline the batter's box.

BASERUNNING: In the early part of the season (Phase I), there is still no stealing. With no leads allowed, the runner must wait until the ball crosses the plate before leaving the base. Once the ball is in play or the runner is attempting to steal the next base, the runner can advance until play is stopped. The baserunner should stay within the baseline. The only exceptions to this are to avoid a batted ball or interference. The runner has the right of way at all times, except when a fielder is making a play. If a runner interferes with a fielder while playing the ball, the runner is out and play is stopped. If a runner runs out of the baseline to avoid a tag, he is out. If a batted ball hits the runner before it reaches an infielder, the ball is dead, the hit runner is out and no runners may score or advance unless forced.

Tagging up is allowed on any caught fly ball. Runners will be awarded extra bases when the ball goes out of bounds. Generally, the rule for a ball thrown out of bounds is two bases from the time of the pitch if thrown by an infielder; and two bases from the position of the runners at the time of the throw when thrown by an outfielder.

Base coaches may not physically interfere with any runner.

AVOID CONTACT RULE: Runner must make an attempt to avoid contact at any base if a play is being made or he is out. This will be strictly interpreted based on Little League rules. It is not a MUST SLIDE rule, but sliding is recommended.

Headfirst slides are prohibited, unless a runner is returning to a base. The intent in these instances is to encourage safety and avoid injuries or collision.

STEALING: During Phase I of the season, there will be no stealing. Once the season has reached the one-third point, we will introduce this skill. When stealing, a runner may not leave the base until the pitch has crossed home plate. If a runner leaves the base before the pitch crosses the plate and is put out on the play, the out stands and no penalty for leaving early applies. If a runner leaves the base before the ball passes home plate, reaches the next base safely and the batter did not hit the ball, ALL runners will return to their starting bases. If a runner leaves the base before the ball passes home plate, reaches the next base safely and the batter hits the ball, ALL runners cannot advance any further than the forced by the batter-runner

*NOTE: There are three special modifications we use at this age to encourage the catcher to throw the ball and to prevent cheap runs. No runner may be awarded an extra base on an overthrow or error on a stolen base attempt, nor may any runner steal home. In addition, no runner may steal a base on an errant throw back to the pitcher, unless he is already in the act of stealing before the error.

FIELDING: Once the ball is put into play it is live. Play will continue with all runners and fielders active until (a) the ball is returned to the child pitcher and is completely under his control within the circle, at which point play is dead and the halfway line rules apply; (b) the ball goes out of play on an overthrow and each runner is awarded the appropriate base; or (c) with the ball under the control of an infielder, all runners have voluntarily stopped or been held on their respective bases, and time has been officially called by the umpire. The halfway line rule does not apply to base stealing - each stolen base attempt is allowed to run its course.

The Catcher will play behind Home Plate in the normal position for catching pitches. All male catchers must wear a cup AT ALL TIMES.

The Pitcher must start play from the pitching rubber. Play officially stops when he has complete control of the ball and is in the circle. If he is returning to the circle from outside, he is considered inside when one foot crosses the circle. The Pitcher can field a batted ball within the circle and make a play to any base, but if he catches a throw while in the circle, play is automatically stopped. If the Pitcher wants to make a relay throw, he must be outside of the circle, which is only 15 feet wide.

Infielders will play in the traditional positions. This is a large area and gives the manager some flexibility in placing players. Managers should position infielders to avoid obstruction of the runners.

The outfield consists of four fielders, and can be positioned by the manager. These players are under no restrictions as far as fielding balls or making throws. Although outfielders may, in rare circumstances, physically make a putout on a runner, players will be prevented from playing a short outfield position and trying to act as a fifth infielder. For this reason the outfielders must start each play 30 feet behind the bases. Since the ball is live, outfielders must get the ball back to the infield to make a play at a base or hold the runners, or they must get it to the pitcher under control to completely stop play.

PITCHING: This is the time for the children begin pitching the entire games. Rules are standard from the Little League rulebook. The pitching rubber is 46 feet from Home Plate. The Pitcher should throw from the rubber, although at this age, we will be flexible enough to allow a kid to be off of it a bit, as long as he is behind the rubber, but not in front of it.

A child is permitted to pitch two innings per game up to a total of four per week in Phase I and three innings per game up to a total of six per week after that. The week of record runs from Monday to Sunday. For the purposes of record keeping, one pitch thrown constitutes an inning. No player may return to pitcher once removed during that game. Any pitcher must have at least one calendar day of rest between pitching appearances (a child who pitches on Thursday cannot pitch again until Saturday), and this rule carries over between weeks, when applicable.

Innings at pitcher do count toward minimum infield requirements. This must be factored in when using a pitcher in the late innings. A partial inning at pitcher, while counted as a full inning for pitching purposes, is still only a partial inning defensively, and all players must still play one full inning in the infield.

A batter hit by the pitcher will take first base. If this happens twice in the same game, the pitcher must be removed.

UMPIRING: We will have paid umpires from the association. There should never be an argument with the Umpire, his word stands. If there is a legitimate disagreement over a play with everyone concerned, including the Umpire, it should be discussed in a mature manner.

Judgment calls CANNOT be disputed or discussed. A rules question can be discussed by the MANAGER asking for "time" and speaking with the umpire who made the call. The Manager is the only adult who may discuss a play with an umpire.

Rudeness or profanities will not be tolerated. We do not want to set such examples for the kids. BE REASONABLE

Revised and approved by IFPAA Board of Directors, April 4, 2002.