LOCAL RULES – MAJORS/AAA DIVISION – 2007-08

Managers and coaches are expected to be aware of and abide by the national rules found in the current Little League Baseball Official Regulations and Playing Rules (The Green Book). These local rules have been approved by the Davis Little League Board of Directors and are added here to reflect the needs and philosophy of Davis Little League and take precedence over the Playing Rules for our league games. Rule questions should be answered after reviewing both the current Playing Rules and these local rules.

THE VISITING TEAM:

1. Listed first on the schedule.
2. Uses the third (3rd) base dugout.
3. Takes infield/outfield for practice thirty (30) minutes prior to game time.
4. Provides the unofficial scorekeeper.
5. Provides one (1) of the base umpires (AAA only).

THE HOME TEAM:

1. Listed second on the schedule.
2. Uses first (1st) base dugout.
3. Takes infield/outfield for practice twenty (20) minutes prior to game time.
4. Provides the official scorekeeper and keeps track of pitch counts.
5. Provides the field prep volunteer.  Field prep includes prepping and chalking the field, foul lines and batter’s boxes.
6. Provides one (1) of the base umpires (AAA only).

THOSE PERMITTED IN FIELD/DUGOUT:

1. Players on the official rosters of participating teams. ALL team roster changes (e.g. player injury, illness, resignation, release, etc.) must be reported to the Director of Baseball IMMEDIATELY (within 24 hours of first knowledge).
2. Only one (1) manager and two (2) coaches (3 adult’s total) are allowed on the field or in the dugout, excluding the field prep volunteer who is permitted on the field prior to the beginning of the game. 
3. All managers, coaches and other assisting adults must be approved by DLL.  Only those adults approved by DLL can be left alone with and providing supervision for players in the league. 
4. All managers and coaches must complete or be scheduled to complete the Positive Coaching Alliance training and orientation prior to the start of the first game of the season.
5. Umpires approved by the Board (special exception as needed for parents recruited “on the spot”).
6. Manager and coaches must remain in the dugout or coaching box until time is called AND permission is granted by an Umpire to leave the dugout or coaching box.
7. No person, including parents and siblings, (with the exception of the scorekeeper) may be sitting or standing directly behind the dugout and/or engaging with any player in the dugout during a game.

For the players (maximum 3) on a player roster who are not in the game defensively, one must coach either first or third base (MUST wear a batting helmet), and one must warm-up the pitcher between innings (wearing a catcher’s mask and using a mitt). If a team has only nine players during a game, one manager or coach may be used to warm up one outfielder before the inning. Note: umpires have authority (but are not obligated) to approve photographers to be on the field.

GAME TIMES:

1. During regular season play, no new inning may begin after 1 hour and 50 minutes (110 minutes) from the official game start time.
2. During playoff and tournament play, the game time rule can be waived if the ballgame has a tie score.  No playoff or tournament game will end in a tie.
3. If the home team is ahead immediately before or during the bottom of the sixth inning, both managers may agree to continue to play with consent of the umpire (who may refuse if the field is needed for a subsequent game). This rule helps to provide for the minimum 3 defensive innings (non-playoff situations) for players who were scheduled to be in the outfield in the bottom of the 6th inning.

GAME RULES:
1.  There is no 10-run rule in the Majors division only. The 5-run rule does apply to the AAA division.  In a Majors division game, if it is obvious that there is a blow-out, then the manager with the lead is encouraged to take measures to ease the pressure on the other team. 
2.  Catcher's Courtesy Runner: when there are two (2) out and the catcher is on base, a courtesy runner is allowed. The courtesy runner must be the player who was previously put out and if that is not possible, the Catcher's Courtesy Runner provision does not apply for that inning.

PLAYING TIME RULES:

1. Teams will bat through the entire roster consecutively during a game. Managers may change the batting order for each game. Late arriving players will be added to the bottom of the roster. The Manager is responsible for notifying the scorekeeper of absences and late arrivals.   Each player will be entered and/or re-entered defensively in the game anytime provided that he/she meets the requirements of mandatory play. Note: If a player is injured, becomes ill or must leave the game site after the start of the game, the team will skip over him/her when his/her at bat comes up in the order without penalty. If the injured, ill or absent player returns, he/she is merely re-inserted into the original spot in the batting order.
2. There is a minimum of 3 defensive innings that must be played by a player during a game. Every player on a team roster will participate in each game for a minimum of nine (9) defensive outs and bat through a continuous order for the entire game.

Penalty:          If a player does not play the minimum amount required, the player(s) involved shall start the next scheduled game, and play any previous requirement not completed and the minimum requirement for this game before being substituted.
The manager shall for the:
A.        First Offense - receive a written warning
B.        Second Offense -receive a suspension for the next scheduled game
C.        Third Offense – receive a suspension for remainder of the season
Note 1:            If the violation is determined to have been intentional, the Board of Directors may assess a more severe penalty.
Note 2:            There is no exception to the manager penalties unless the game is legitimately shortened for any reason, in which case the League may elect not to impose a penalty on the manager/coach.  In a shortened game a player with incomplete defensive innings (3) is required to play the first three (3) defensive innings of the next game. This applies to any circumstance, including 4 inning or 5 inning games.
There is no carry-over of make-up defensive innings. This could occur for example, if a game is cancelled by rain during the first inning. The subsequent regularly scheduled game would clear the slate. If the game is rained out and rescheduled prior to the next regularly scheduled game, then the 3 defensive innings a player may have been due at the rained out game are required at the rescheduled game. If a game is rained out and rescheduled after another regularly scheduled game, then the 3 defensive innings a player may have been due at the rained out game are required for the next game that is played.

SPORTSMANSHIP: 
DLL has adopted the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) program for purposes of training and certifying managers, coaches, umpires, etc.  The PCA principles of Honoring the Game are to be modeled by all those involved in DLL.

1. Poor sportsmanship (by managers, coaches, players or spectators) can result in ejection from the game and removal from the park.
2. Examples of poor sportsmanship include throwing equipment, using illegal equipment, bad language, taunting or gesturing in an un-sportsmanlike manner to opponents, arguing with an umpire's judgment call or harassing ANYONE.
3. A player may lose his/her privilege to play in one or more future games for disciplinary reasons provided that:
1. The Director of Baseball approves such action in advance, and
2. The opposing manager is notified prior to start of game, and
3. The action is recorded in the scorebook as player being absent, and
4. Before any action is taken, every effort is made to resolve the problem.

A RESOLUTION BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF DAVIS LITTLE LEAGUE
Davis Little League deems its primary function to be one of training and preparation of Little Leaguers in the mechanics and skills of Baseball. THEREFORE: Davis Little League resolves that team managers should provide for an "adequate number" of team practices during the course of a season. An "adequate number" is defined as a minimum of three (3) "contacts" (games and practices) and a maximum of 5 “contacts” per week, which includes the pre-season period.  No contact for a team or any individual(s) on a team, for purposes of practice shall exceed 90 minutes [this practice time includes time on the field, in the batting cages, bullpen, etc.]; no contact for purposes of pre-game (1 hour maximum) and game time together shall exceed 3 hours, unless game time is extended for allowable reasons.

Violation of Local and/or National playing rules (with emphasis on participation rules) may ultimately result in sanctions including ejection and/or dismissal as determined by the Executive Committee or Protest Committee, in the interest of adhering to the philosophy of Little League Baseball. The Executive Committee or Protest Committee may impose additional sanctions.

Skill Assessment of Players for Draft:
For the AAA and Majors Divisions only, a Skill Assessment Day will be held to allow for managers and coaches to evaluate the basic playing skills of all 9-12 year old players who may be considered for either the AAA or Majors player draft.  The Skills Assessment process shall follow the Little League Official rules for player selection.  All returning Majors Division players ages 10-12 and any 12 year old who has not previously played on a Majors team shall tryout first; followed by all 9-11 year olds who are eligible for the AAA or Majors draft.
Prior to Skill Assessment Day, each manager must designate his/her own child, if applicable and the child of his/her coach in order to be eligible for the Manager and Coach “pick” during the draft process.  During the skill assessment process, each manager will rank these designated players for purposes of appropriate placement during the draft (see below).  All rankings of these designated players will be reviewed by the Director of Baseball prior to the draft, who may, in his/her discretion make changes to the ranking based on previous player evaluations and other assessment information, if available.

The Draft:

Davis Little League operates under the Plan B Player Selection Method, as outlined in the Little League Operating Manual.  The draft for the Majors Division shall be two separate parts.  All Managers shall draw a number to determine which manager shall select the first player.  When the draft of returning players and all eligible 12 year olds is complete, the manager next in line to draft will make the first selection of newly eligible players.

Manager and Coach Son and/or Daughter(s):
A Manager and Coach “pick” will be allowed for each team which choose to exercise this option. The players who are the son(s) or daughter(s) of a manager or identified coach (1 coach only) will be assessed during the tryouts and then placed in the appropriate draft round for team selection. [e.g., if a manager’s child is assessed and determined to be a second round draft pick, that manager must draft that child during the second round in order to ensure placement on their team].  No other manager may draft the child of another manager or coach unless that manager does not draft them during the draft round where they have been placed.  In the event that a manager’s child and coach’s child are placed in the same draft round, the manager will draft one first, then during the next round draft the other child.  No manager will be allowed to draft more than one player in any round.