Headid Little League 2024 

Major Rules

SCHEDULE No changing dates or time of games for any reason. If possible, rainouts will be made up during the same week on Fridays. If we would have to play on a Sunday, game times will not be before 1:00 PM. Failure to show for appointed makeup will result in forfeit. Majors teams can call up 9 & 10 year old minors kids to fill in if your team is short on players. 

TIME LIMITS & SUSPENDED GAMES No inning starts after 1 hour 45 minutes in MAJORS (unless tie game, play extra innings until someone wins) It’s important that the start time of the game is recorded by the umpire and that everyone knows whose clock is being used. If it is one minute over the limit, the game is over. 1 minute under the limit… we play another inning. 15 run rule after 3 innings (2½ if home team ahead) 10 run rule after 4 innings (3½ if home team ahead) If team wins by run rule, score at that point is official final score. 

RAINOUTS A site supervisor will be on hand nightly and will advise umpires on calling of games due to rain and/or lightning. Games stopped by rain before an official game has been played will be resumed from the point of rainout at the earliest date possible. Official games tied will resume at exact point of rainout. Official games not tied, the team leading after last completed inning will be winner. If home team takes the lead and rain comes before inning is completed, home team wins. 

PITCHING AND CATCHING RULES 11-12 year olds: 85 pitches maximum per day 10 and under: 75 pitches maximum per day 7-8 year olds: 50 pitches maximum per dayIf a pitcher reaches these limits while facing a hitter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until that batter’s at-bat is over. A pitcher that delivers more than 41 pitches cannot play catcher on that day. Please remember this applies to double header games. If a player pitches more than 41 pitches in game 1, he cannot play catcher in game 1 or 2 that day. If he pitches less than 41 pitches, he IS eligible to catch that day. The “threshold” exception does apply here. If the pitcher starts pitching to a batter before 40 pitches, he/she can finish that better and it will be deemed the same as “40 pitches”. Players cannot come in to pitch in a game if they have caught more than three full innings that day.A player cannot catch more than three innings and pitch (any number of pitches) in the same day. 

PITCHING REST REQUIREMENTS: 

1-20 pitches in day, 0 calendar days of rest 

21-35 pitches in a day, 1 calendar day of rest (If a pitcher throws 35 or less on a Monday, they can pitch on Wednesday)

36-50 pitches in a day, 2 calendar days of rest (If a pitcher throws 36 or more, they cannot pitch on Wednesday)

51-65 pitches in a day, 3 calendar days of rest  

66 or more pitches in a day, 4 calendar days of rest (If a pitcher throws their max (85 for 11-12 and 75 for 10 and under) on Wednesday, they can pitch on Monday)

A player may not pitch in more than one game in a day. A pitcher may not re-enter as a pitcher once removed from the game. A pitcher may not pitch on three consecutive days no matter how many pitches thrown (NEW IN 2018).

NOTE: If a pitcher reaches a “day of rest threshold” in the middle of a batter, he may finish the batter. The pitcher will only be required to observe the day of rest threshold he reached during that at bat.

KEEPING TRACK OF THE PITCH COUNT IT IS ULTIMATELY THE COACH’S RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW THE PITCH COUNT AND REMOVE PITCHERS ACCORDINGLY. THE UMPIRES WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR LETTING YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR PITCHER IS NEARLY AT THEIR LIMIT. The home team will be the official count. However, someone for each should keep track of the counts for both teams. It can be a coach or another responsible person. This is done to improve accuracy. But if there is a disagreement that can’t be resolved, the home team’s count is the final word. Pitch counters are encouraged to come to an agreement without delaying the start of the next inning. Coaches will meet umpires at home plate before the game and fill in names of starting pitchers on umpire’s card. At this time coin flip for home team will occur.  Also use this time to check the umpire’s watch and see that the starting time is documented on the pitching card. Go to umpire with any pitching changes and spell it out for the umpire to document. Make sure the number of pitches is recorded for previous pitcher on the umpire card. You MUST go to the umpire at the end of the game and review your pitching and your opponent’s pitching information on the umpire card. Then sign the card. That means you reviewed it and it’s correct. The charts (in majors and minors) are updated from these cards. Please make sure game scores make the card. We will send out regular e-mails or have a Google Sheet with a pitching chart attached that will indicate pitcher eligibility. But again, it is the coach’s responsibility to check the board and know what the status of their pitchers. Any violation of pitch count and/or days of rest rules will result in forfeit, whether intentional or not. The rulebook says the opposing coach must protest any ineligible pitchers. Headid rules are that, at any point, it is found someone has violated the rules (even if days later) the opposing team will be credited with the win. Multiple offenses could lead to harsher penalties.  Pitcher to catcher (and vice versa) violations will not result in a forfeit, but multiple violations will result in coach suspension. BOTH COACHES ARE EXPECTED TO TRY AND PREVENT FORFEITS. That may mean that you tell the opposing coach if you feel that his pitcher or catcher might be ineligible. 

PLAYER USAGE Players from the next age group down can only “called up” when you don’t have nine players. If you have only nine and want an extra to sit on your bench, that’s fine. He is only there as an emergency and shouldn’t be inserted for even a token appearance unless needed. Called up players from lower age groups should wear their team uniform, not yours.  

Each player must bat once and play 6 defensive outs. If not, he starts next game and fills requirements from last game and current game. Multiple violations of this rule will lead to coach suspensions. A team can play with 8 and take an automatic out in the 9 spot. If a team does not have 8 players it is an automatic forfeit. Teams can scrimmage if they want, but pitch counts go on record.  Majors teams have the option of using a continuous batting order just like in the minors. If you have 11 players at the game that day, you may play everyone, but you are under no obligation to do so. Even if your opponent is batting everyone that does not mean that you must as well. If you only bat 9, then the rules of substitution noted in the LL rulebook will apply. NOTE: if a player is taken out of the game for a substitute, he/she must re-enter at the same place in the batting order. (NEW 2018). 

MISCELLANEOUS RULES NEW RULE IN 2017: Batters must keep one foot in the batter’s box unless there is a play at the plate and certain other exceptions in the Little League Rulebook. If a violation occurs, the umpire is to issue the batter a warning. For a second offense during the same at bat the umpire will call a strike on the batter. NEW RULE IN 2017: If a team wants to intentionally walk a batter, the defensive coach so shall inform the umpire and the batter shall take first base. The pitch count for the pitcher is increased by four pitches for the intentional walk. 

Please ask your players and fans to clean-up the dugouts and bleachers area after your game. No infield before games and no warming up your pitcher on the mound.  Coin flip will determine home team. No batboys allowed. There will be no more than 3 coaches in the dugout during games. Coaches may stand in the doorway of the dugout, but should not be in front of the dugout fence or more than a step or so outside the doorway. The umpires will be asked to ensure that that players and coaches are in the dugout. No warmup batters are allowed. In other words, on deck batter cannot warm up swinging a bat. No headfirst slides, except when returning to a previous base. Runner will be called out if he tries to advance sliding headfirst. Special pinch runners (courtesy runners) can be used according to the LL rulebook section 7.14. You cannot use courtesy runners if you have continuous batting order. There is no such thing as “the hand being part of the bat”. If a batter is hit, it doesn’t matter where the batter was hit. If the batter is, but he swings at the ball… the hit by pitch is not in effect. There does need to be INTENT to swing, however. You don’t have to slide at home plate. You do have avoid a collision at home. 

ANY TIME THE HEAD COACH WANTS TO DISCUSS A RULING OR RULE INTERPRETATION WITH AN UMPIRE, BOTH COACHES SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN THE DISCUSSION. UMPIRES: There is a very good chance that a young person will be umpiring your game. We feel that this is an important part of our league. Judgment calls made by an umpire cannot be reversed. However, if there is a rule that the umpire didn’t know or forgot about, it is OK for the coaches to get with the umpire and make sure the call is right. So a call involving a rules issue can be reversed, but judgment calls need to stand. 

The batter can run on a dropped third strike… 

The 5 run rule DOES NOT apply in Majors.