GENERAL: This year the kids will finally make the transition to full-scale Little League style baseball. Other than a few playing time restrictions or guarantees and the infield fly rule, the game will be the same as that played over the following two years at the Little League level. The advantage of keeping this age group separate from the older ones, is to allow these kids to play this complete brand of baseball without the overwhelming dominance that comes from twelve-year-olds, as they begin to mature into adulthood. The concepts that become normalized this season are: ball and strike counts, full and unrestricted base stealing, three-player outfields, and no pitcher’s circle or halfway lines. There are still some concepts that remain restricted from this phase of baseball which will come in later years - these are: taking leads, balks and passed balls.

The goal this year is to continue to refine those skills 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 work on the intricate and subtle strategic maneuvers that make baseball the unique game of thinking, preparedness, and teamwork that it is.

FIELD: The field dimensions for Mustang League consist of bases 60 feet apart. The pitcher plays on a 10-foot in diameter 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. Kids are asked to provide their own 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 three players. By using these fielding positions, the traditional nine players should be on the field at all times. However, since teams may have ten or eleven players, it may be necessary to sit a child or two out each inning in the field. The maximum number of innings any child may sit out during a game is one.

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 four full innings at any one position. When players are missing, a minimum of eight is required to have a regulation game.

CALLUPS: No callup may play any more innings in the infield, or in total 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 normally run no longer than two hours. Games should not run into the next time period. No inning may start later than fifteen minutes prior to the start of the next game. The inning being played at that point may be played in its entirety. 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: 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 3 strikes, swinging or called (fouls count up to 2). Walks will be awarded after 4 balls.

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. While there is no on-field penalty for this action, the managers should immediately resolve the issue, and then report it to the commissioner.

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 GAME warning will be issued to both teams. The pitch at the time of the violation is not counted and the batter resumes his at bat. All subsequent violations by either team will result in the batter being called out and all runners returning to the base occupied at the time of the pitch.

BASERUNNING: 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: 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.

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 pitcher on the pitching rubber, at which point play is dead; (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 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.

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 three fielders, and can be positioned by the manager. Outfielders may physically make a putout on a runner, but players will preferably not play a short outfield position and try to act as a fifth infielder.

PITCHING: Rules are standard from the Little League rulebook. The pitching rubber is 46 feet from Home Plate. The Pitcher must throw from the rubber.

A child is permitted to pitch three innings per game up to a total of six per week. The week of record runs from Sunday to Saturday. 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 inning, or three times 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.