LITTLE LEAGUE SAFETY REGULATIONS
CATCHERS
ALL CATCHERS ARE TO HAVE THROAT GUARDS ON ANY STYLE MASK, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, ALL DIVISIONS OF BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL.
ALL MALE CATCHERS ARE TO WEAR A PROTECTIVE CUP AT ALL TIMES, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, ALL DIVISIONS OF BASEBALL.
ALL MALE LITTLE LEAGUE CATCHERS, (MAJORS AND BELOW), MUST WEAR A LONG STYLE CHEST PROTECTOR WITH THE PROTECTIVE GROIN FLAP, WITHOUT EXCEPTION.
AT PRACTICE OR TAKING INFIELD PRIOR TO A GAME, THE CATCHER MUST WEAR THEIR MASK BOTH AT THE PLATE OR IF WITH A COACH IN THE OUTFIELD HITTING BALLS, WITHOUT EXCEPTION FOR ALL DIVISIONS OF BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL. GENERAL RULE, KID CATCHING BALLS NEAR SOMEONE HITTING BALLS WITH A BAT, WEAR A CATCHERS MASK.
ONLY TEAM PLAYERS ARE ALLOWED TO WARM UP CATCHERS. THEY NEED ONLY A CUP AND A MASK. NO
ADULTS OR NON TEAM KIDS ARE ALLOWED, NO EXCEPTION, ALL DIVISIONS OF BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL THESE RULES APPLY TO PRACTICES AS WELL
DUGOUTS
ONLY 3 BOARD APPROVED COACHES AND ROSTERED PLAYERS ARE ALLOWED IN THE DUGOUT. IF A TEAM
HAS MORE THAN 3 BOARD APPROVED COACHES, THEY MAY SWITCH AND RE-ENTER ONLY WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE UMPIRE IN CHIEF OF THE GAME. WHEN OUT OF THE DUGOUT, IF THEY ARE TO RETURN TO THE DUGOUT, THEY MAY NOT SIT WITH THE OTHER PARENTS AND FANS OR THEY MAY NOT RETURN.
IF A TEAM HAS ONLY 3 BOARD APPROVED COACHES AND THERE ARE ONLY 2 PRESENT, ONE ADULT MUST
STAY IN THE DUGOUT AT ALL TIMES AND PLACE A PLAYER IN A COACHES BOX. IF ONLY 1 BOARD APPROVED COACH IS PRESENT, THEY MUST REMAIN IN THE DUGOUT AND SEND 2 PLAYERS OUT TO THE COACHES BOXES. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS.
IN BETWEEN THE HALF INNINGS, ALL COACHES ARE TO REMAIN INSIDE THEIR RESPECTIVE DUGOUTS UNTIL THE CATCHER THROWS THE BALL DOWN TO SECOND BASE OR THE PITCHER, AND THE NEW HALF
INNING STARTS. THIS APPLIES TO ALL LEVELS OF BASEBALL ANS SOFTBALL, WITH ONLY ONE EXCEPTION. THAT EXCEPTION IS FOR 1 COACH ONLY TO INFORM THE UMPIRE OF ANY CHANGES TO THEIR LINE UP.
LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL, (MAJORS AND BELOW), DO NOT HAVE ON DECK BATTING. THEREFORE, THEY ARE NOT TO HANDLE THEIR BATS IN THE DUGOUT AT ALL. THEY ARE TO PICK UP THEIR BATS AS THEY LEAVE THE DUGOUT TO TAKE THEIR TURN AT BAT, WITHOUT EXCEPTION FOR THESE DIVISIONS ONLY. THIS IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE 3RD “DUGOUT COACH”.
ALL LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL, (MAJORS AND BELOW), ONE BATTER MAY BE OUT OF THE
DUGOUT BEFORE THE START OF THE NEW HALF INNING TO WARM UP THEIR SWING. AT THE JUNIOR
LEVEL AND UP, THERE MAY BE NO MORE THAN 2 WITH ONE STAYING “ON DECK” DURING THE INNING BEING PLAYED. IT IS UP TO THE UMPIRES TO DETERMINE WHERE THE SAFEST PLACE FOR THESE PLAYERS TO BE ON THE FIELD AT THIS TIME.
PLAYERS WHO LEAVE THE DUGOUT TO RETRIEVE THE BAT BACK TO THE DUGOUT MUST HAVE A HELMET ON, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, AT ALL LEVEL OF BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL.
ONCE THE GAME STARTS, ALL COACHES AND PLAYERS ARE TO REMAIN IN THE RESPECTIVE DUGOUTS AND MUST RECEIVE PERMISSION FROM AN UMPIRE TO LEAVE FOR A LEGITIMATE REASON, (i.e. BATHROOM BREAK OK; GOING TO THE SNACK SHACK OR GOTTA TALK TO THE FANS NOT OK). ANY PLAYER OR COACH FOUND OUTSIDE THE DUGOUT DURING A GAME, WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM AN UMPIRE, IS SUBJECT TO BEING REMOVED FROM THE DUGOUT NO LONGER PART OF THE GAME.
MISC.
THE GENERAL RULE IS THAT IF A PLAYER ON THE FIELD HAS A GLOVE OR MITT ON, THEY DO NOT NEED A HELMET. IF THEY HAVE A BAT IN HAND, THEY NEED A HELMET. IF THEY DO NOT HAVE GLOVE, MITT OR BAT, THEY MUST HAVE A HELMET.
WHEN A PITCHER IS WARMING UP IN A BULL PEN AREA DURING A GAME, THERE MUST BE A PLAYER WITH
A HELMET AND GLOVE BEHIND THE PITCHER, FACING THE BATTER AT ALL TIMES, TO DEFEND THE
PITCHER FRON BEING HIT BY A BATTED BALL, (THEY ARE REQUIRED A GLOVE AND HELMET SINCE THEY
CAN GET HIT FROM AN ERRANT THROW FROM THE WARM UP CATCHER). THE CATCHER MUST HAVE A
CUP AND MASK ON. THE MASK DOES NOT HAVE TO BE ON WHEN THE CATCHER IS STANDING TO WARM UP; ONLY WHEN ASSUMING THE NORMAL CATCHERS POSITION.
FANS FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE SHOULD REFRAIN FROM TALKING TO THE ON DECK BATTERS
WHILE INFIELD PRACTICE OR THE ACTUAL GAME IS BEING PLAYED. THESE BATTERS SHOULD ALWAYS
FACE THE FIELD OR BATTER TO AVOID BEING HIT BY AN ERRANT THROW OR FOUL BALL. (WE DO NOT NEED TO WORRY ABOUT COACHES SINCE THEY ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO TALK TO ANYONE OUTSIDE THE PLAYING FIELD DURING A GAME).
NO JEWELRY IS ALLOWED BY ANY PLAYER DURING THE GAME. NO RINGS, EARRINGS, WATCHES, NECKLACES, PIERCINGS OF ANY TYPE, BRACELETS, (METAL, PLASTIC, STRING) OR DECORATIVE PINS.
THERE IS NO TAPEING OF SUCH ITEMS ALLOWED. THE ONLY EXCEPTIONS ARE MEDICAL ALERT
BRACELETS OR NECKLACES AND THEY MUST BE TAPED SO THE ARE NOT LOOSELY WORN. ANY PLAYER FOUND ON THE FIELD WITH SUCH ITEMS MAY BE IMMEDITATELY REMOVED FROM THE GAME.
A PLAYER OR BOARD APPROVED COACH WEARING ANY TYPE OF CAST IS NOT ALLOWED ON THE PLAYING FIELD AT ANYTIME, WITHOUT EXCEPTION. THEY MAY BE IN THE DUGOUT BUT NOT LEAVE TO THE PLAYING FIELD.
ONE HALF HOUR BEFORE THE GAME STARTS, THE HOME TEAM TAKES 10 MINUTES OF INFIELD PRACTICE
WHILE THE VISITORS PLAYERS AND COACHES ARE IN THEIR DUGOUT. AFTER 10 MINUTES THE VISITORS
TEAM TAKES 10 MINUTES OF INFIELD PRACTICE WHILE THE HOME TEAM PLAYERS AND COACHES ARE IN
THEIR DUGOUT. ONCE THE VISITORS HAVE HAD THEIR 10 MINUTES AND RETURN TO THEIR DUGOUT, BOTH TEAMS WILL REMAIN IN THE DUGOUT UNTIL AFTER THE PLATE MEETING WITH THE MANAGERS AND
UMPIRES. THIS WILL ELIMINATE THE POSSIBILITY OF ANYONE AT THE PLATE MEETING BEING HIT BY AN ERRANT BALL. PRIOR TO THE PLATE MEETING IS THE BEST TIME FOR THE UMIRES TO CHECK THE EQUIPMENT.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THIS INFORMATION, CONTACT CHIEF UMPIRE – MIKE ENGLISH AT [email protected] OR 925-827-3113
EQUIPMENT
IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BOTH THE MANAGER AND UMPIRE TO REGULARLY INSPECT ALL PLAYING
EQUIPMENT TO BE USED BEFORE EACH GAME. ANY ILLEGAL, IMPROPER OR DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT IS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE DUGOUT. THE UMPIRE IS THE FINAL AUTHORITY OF WHAT MAY NOT BE USED IN A GAME.
IF SUCH AN ITEM AS A CATCHERS MASK IS REMOVED AT ANY TIME IN THE GAME FOR THINGS LIKE A THROAT PROTECTOR NOT ATTACHED OR LOOSE/MISSING SCREWS HOLD THE CAGE ON CAN BE REPAIRED TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE UMPIRE, THEY MAY BE RETURNED TO THE GAME.
NO AFTER MARKET PAINT, DECALS OR ALTERATION TO A HELMET IS ALLOWED WITHOUT SPECIFIC, IN WRITING PERMISSION FROM THE HELMET’S MANUFACTURER, WITHOUT EXCEPTION.