Tadpole Rules

All rules as listed in this handbook shall apply and unless specifically mentioned, all regular rule interpretations shall apply. The only differences are contained in the follow.

Coaches are not to make up rules on the ball field and/or through general agreement. Should there be a recommendation for a rule to be changed, it must be brought to the attention of the Executive, who in turn will discuss it and make appropriate rulings.

Equipment

  1. Uniforms
    1. May consist of a sweater and a cap and must be worn by all players while participating in a game. Sweaters shall be numbered with unique numbers. Shall consist of a shirt, pant and a cap and must be worn by all play while participating in a game.
  2. Gloves
    1. It is recommended that all members of the fielding team; pitchers, infielders and fielders, wear fingered fielder’s gloves.
  3. Footwear
    1. Standard running shoes or shoes with molded rubber cleats (soccer style shoes) may be used.
    2. Shoes with metal cleats are prohibited.
  4. Bat
    1. Shall not be more than thirty-two inches  in length and the recommended length twenty-eight (28″) or less. It shall not be more that two and one-quarter inches (2-1/4″) in diameter at its thickest part.
  5. Safety Base
    1. shall be used for first base, inside part is for the defensive player, outside part is for the offensive player.
  6. Helmets
    1. All batting helmets shall be equipped with chin straps. Players of this age group on any field of play, must wear an approved batting helmet with chin strap attached.
    2. All batters, on-deck batters and base runners must wear a helmet with chin strap attached.
  7. Catchers’ Gear
    1. It is mandatory that full catchers’ helmets be worn by all catchers, in addition to a normal chest protector, shin guards, face mask – with throat protector – and athletic supporter cup.

Playing Field

  1. The regulation playing field shall be laid out in agreement with measurements provided Figure 3-3.
  2. The distance between all bases shall be fifty feet (50′).
  3. The distance between the point of home plate and the pitcher’s rubber shall be forty-six feet (46′).
  4. The batter’s boxes shall be 3 feet (3′) wide and 6 feet (6′) long and the inside lines shall be parallel to and six inches (6″) away from the side of the plate.
    It shall extend three feet (3′) in front of and three feet (3′) behind the center of home plate.
  5. The coaches’ box shall be 4′ wide and 8′ long and shall not be closer than 4′ (6ft. recommended) to the base lines.
  6. The foul lines shall be a minimum of 150 feet and a maximum of 200 feet.
  7. The playing line is the distance down the first and third base lines and from the tip of home plate and shall be 15 feet. A chalk line or other white material is then arched across the playing field.

Definitions

  1. Playing Line: is the arched line from the first and third base lines which is a guide line for the plate umpire to determine a fair hit ball.
  2. Fair Hit Ball: Is a legally batted ball that in the plate umpire’s opinion will or could have firmly crossed the playing line, in fair territory, even if it is fielded before crossing the line.
  3. Dead Hit Ball: Is a legally batted ball that in the plate umpire’s opinion will not or could not have firmly crossed the playing line, even if it is fielded. But, if the ball is in flight and is caught the batter is out and the ball is alive.
  4. A Strike: Is a legal pitch when so called by the umpire, which:
    1. is struck at by the batter and is missed.
    2. is not struck at, if any part of the ball passes through any part of the strike zone (area over home plate – upper limit of which is a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants, and the lower level is a line at the top of the knees. The Strike Zone shall be determined from the batter’s stance as the batter is prepared to swing.)
    3. is fouled by the batter when he has less than four strikes.
    4. is bunted foul
    5. becomes a foul tip.
  5. Strike Out: is when:
    1. the ball is swung at by the batter and is completely missed three times.
    2. a combination of “Dead Hits” and “Foul Balls” providing that the third strike is a ball that is sung at by the batter and missed.
  6. Illegally Batted Ball is when:
    1. the batter hits the ball, either dead, fair or foul with one or both feet on the ground entirely outside the lines of the batters box.
    2. the batter throws his/her bat.

General Rules

  1. In Tadpole, there shall be no bases awarded on balls, no bunting, no leadoffs and the infield fly rule does not apply
  2. Each team shall be structured as per Rule 3.
  3. Each team shall have a maximum starting lineup of 13 players. But if due to unavoidable circumstances either team has less than 13 but not less than eight (8) players the game will be played. A team with less than 8 players will forfeit the game.
  4. Each defensive team shall have a maximum of 11 players on the field;
    1. a max. of 6 infielders
    2. A catcher-fully protected
    3. Pitcher-to stand 46′ away from home plate
    4. 1st, 2nd, 3rd baseman
    5. SS-to stand inside or outside the 2nd-3rd base line
    6. a minimum of 5 outfielders: LF, LCF, CF, RCF, RF
    7. An infielder must be in the infield area. This area does extend beyond the diamond. It is not restricted by the imaginary lines between home, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. A conceptual picture of what the infield is, is and arc drawn 10 feet beyond 1st to 3rd. See diagram
  5. Batting: before the game begins, the coach must give a copy of his batting lineup to the opposing coach. All players will be listed and bat in rotation throughout the game. If a player should come late this player will be added to the bottom of the line-up and will be permitted to play.
  6. Coaches: It is desirable that two defensive coaches be on the field with their team – one in right field and one in left field – providing guidance to the team in the fundamentals of baseball. No offensive team coaches on the field except the coach-pitcher, and the 1st and 3rd base coaches.
  7. Defensive Positions: Players may be changed to any defensive position at any time during the game. Try to do this at the beginning of the inning only. A player may sit out only ONE defensive inning per game – a player MUST play a DIFFERENT position in each inning of the game. Players must be rotated from infield to outfield each inning. As the season progresses try to ensure all players play every position equally and have equal sit-outs. Any number of substitutions may be made and players may be changed to any defensive position without reporting these changes to the official scorekeeper.
  8. Player-Pitcher: Will stand 46′ from home plate with a full view of the batter. All hit balls, whether fair of foul, having been played and time called, will be returned to the player-pitcher who will then hand the ball over to the coach-pitcher.
  9. Coach-Pitcher: Will stand where he/she fells comfortable, in a position which does not block the view of the batter from the player-pitcher, and will pitch to the batter. The catcher will return an un-hit ball to the coach-pitcher. The coach-pitcher must not interfere with any it ball, fair or foul. All hit balls must be returned to the player-pitcher who will then hand the ball to the coach-pitcher. The coach-pitcher will pitch overhand. It is suggested the coach-pitcher pitch from the one knee position.
  10. The requirements of Rule 18 shall apply.

Administration of Games

  1. Starting Time and Time Limits

    It is recommended that starting times for games be 6:00 p.m.

  2. Length of Game

    Regulation games shall be six (6) innings.

    1. During the month of April, a game will consist of four (4) complete innings. If the home team is in the lead after 3 and one-half innings, this will be the official score, but the home team will still bat in order to allow the players an equal number of batting innings. THIS IS FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ONLY.
    2. Regulation games for the months of May and June shall be five (5) innings, however, if the game is called for any reason, it is an official game if four (4) innings have been completed or if the home team has scored more runs in 3 or 3 and a fraction half-innings than the visiting team has scored in 4 completed half innings.
    3. Games may be cancelled due to rain and thunder/lightening. See Rule 12(7). If a game is cancelled because of weather conditions prior to becoming a regulation game, it shall be considered a suspended game and Rule 14(4) applies. In this case, reschedule the game commencing from exactly where you left off. Whoever shows up for this rescheduled game will play, but the concept is to try and maintain the same semblance as when the game was suspended.
    4. An adult must accompany a child to the washroom.

Playing Rules

To begin the game, the plate umpire shall instruct the home team to take their positions in the field and call “PLAY BALL”.

  1. Defensive Team
    1. No player to stand closer than 46′ to home plate
    2. No player to stand on the baselines or block the bases.
  2. Overthrows
    1. Time will be called after every overthrow at each base except home plate. Players advancing to a base will be awarded that base. Players rounding a base will remain at that base. There will be no additional award of bases on overthrows
  3. Offensive Team
    1. Each 1/2 inning plays to 3 out or 4 runs scored. Last inning to be declared open by the umpire.
  4. Batter
    1. The batter becomes a base-runner when he/she hits the ball legally into fair territory. A hit ball must go beyond the playing line, which is a lined arc 15′ from home plate between 1st and 3rd. Should the ball land and be stationary on the line, the ball will be considered in play.
    2. The batter is out when:
      1. he/she has three (3) strikes called on him/her.
      2. his/her legal hit or foul fly ball is caught
      3. his/her legal hit ground ball is fielded and the defensive player makes a play in the usual manner of baseball playing rules (i.e. tags the batter or tags 1st base with the ball first)
  5. Base-runners:
    1. Are governed by the regular rules of baseball except when the player-pitcher is standing in his/her usual position with the ball in his/her possession preparatory to giving the ball to the coach-pitcher, the base-runners shall not leave their bases until the ball has been legally hit by the batter.
  6. Leadoffs: There are no leadoffs from any base until the batter has hit a legal ball.
    1. If a base-runner leads off and a foul, strike put or illegally batted ball situation occurs, the base-runner must return to his/her original position.
    2. If a base runner leads off and a fair hit ball situation occurs, the base-runner and the batter will return to their original positions, the count on the batter is to remain the same.
  7. Interference:
    1. If any coaches from the offensive team (i.e. coach-pitcher, 1st or 3rd base coaches) deliberately interferes with the ball (i.e. stops it or catches it) the batter or runner involved will be out.
    2. If the coaches on the field for the defensive team interfere with the ball and a batter or runner is put out, the batter or runner will be deemed safe.
  8. Umpires
    1. Every game will have a plate umpire and if possible a base umpire.
    2. Umpires must ensure defensive players are properly positioned.
    3. The plate umpire must call out ALL STRIKES, FOUL BALLS and ILLEGALLY BATTED BALLS as soon as possible.
    4. The plate umpire shall call time after each overthrow at any of the bases, except for home. Runners proceeding toward a base shall be awarded that base. Runners rounding a base shall remain at that base.
    5. Time will be called when an infielder has control of the ball and is not about to make a play and runners have achieved the base they are going to. A runner making a turn on a base shall return to that base.
    6. The plate umpire will have the authority to rule on any situation not covered specifically in the rules.
  9. Scorekeepers
    1. Batting lineup sheets must be provided to the scorekeepers of both teams fifteen minutes before the game begins.
    2. The scorekeepers will ensure all players in attendance are listed on the batting lineup and on the score sheet.
    3. The score keeper shall notify the umpire when the offensive team has three outs or has scored five runs. This will end the half-inning.
    4. The scorekeeper shall notify the umpire if any batter goes to bat out of turn so the roper batter can take his place at bat. No batter will be called out for failing to bat in his proper turn.

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