Jarrettsville rec baseball in-house rule book

2014

JARRETTSVILLE REC BASEBALL

IN-HOUSE RULE BOOK

A. Registration Guidelines
Registration:

The age groups are determined by the player's age as of April 30^th of each year.

Jarrettsville Baseball offers programs for the following age groups: Age 4 T-Ball, 5-6 Clinic, 7-8 Rookie, 9-10, 11-12, and 13-15.
Player's will be evaluated and drafted in an effort to evenly distribute the levels of talent for the teams. The evaluations will take place each year in March, prior to the draft and team selections. Player's in the 4t-ball and 5-6 age groups are exempt from evaluations.
Parent's of 6, 8, 10, and 12 year olds may request their child to "play up" to the next higher age division. Potential "play ups" must first be evaluated prior to the season draft. Only those player's deemed to be competitive in the new age group will be allowed to play up, and only if there is space available in that group. A player who has played two years in an age division does not automatically qualify to "play up" to the next age group. He will be evaluated first and must be deemed competitive in order to play in the next higher age group. The final decision for "play up" requests will be made by the Baseball Director.
Parent's of 9, 11, and 13 year olds may request their child to "play down" to the next lower age division. The player will be evaluated and must consistently demonstrate that he does not have the skills to safely play at his own age level. The final decision for "play down" requests will be made by the Baseball Director.

B. Jarrettsville Baseball Managers/Coaches Selections
Jarrettsville Baseball Coaches are selected each year based on the applicant's history with Jarrettsville Baseball, reputation, past performance, and level of experience. All interested baseball coaches are required to submit a coaches application form each year in order to be considered. All coaches are subjected to a background check, as required by the Jarrettsville Rec Council and Harford County Parks & Rec. Selection for coaching a team is conditional on a successful background investigation.
Additional requirements to be a Jarrettsville Baseball coach include attending, as much as possible, all Jarrettsville Baseball Coach's meetings. The monthly meetings begin in late fall and continue each month as specified by the Baseball Director.


C. Age Division descriptions
Age 4 -T Ball Rules and Guidelines

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  First and foremost, promote good sportsmanship!
  
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  Players must be age 4 on April 30^th.
  
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  60' base paths between all bases.
  
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  Every player bats and plays in the field
  
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  The ball is hit off of a batting tee, there is no pitching.
  
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  There are no walks or strikeouts.
  
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  The ball must travel 10 ft or it is a foul ball.
  
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  No stealing. Base runners can advance after a ball is hit.
  
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  An inning is over after all players have batted once.
  
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  A standard game is 4 innings or 1 hr. Whichever happens first.
  
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  All batters and base runners must wear a helmet.
  
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  A real or imaginary playing line is drawn from 1^st to 3^rd base.
  
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  No defensive players can advance in front of the playing line until a ball is hit.
  
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  There will be no pinch runners except for an injured player.
  
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  Base runners cannot dive head first at any time.
  
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  Final scores aren't important. Teamwork and Sportsmanship are.
  
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  One weekday practice, One Saturday game with 20 min. warm-up.
  

Ages 5-6 Clinic/T-Ball Rules and Guidelines

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  First and foremost, promote good sportsmanship!
  
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  Players are ages 5-6 as of April 30^th.
  
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  60' base paths between all bases.
  
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  Every player bats and plays in the field.
  
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  The player will face a coach's pitch/toss until the ball is hit, or 5 pitches are thrown from approximately 25'. The coach will pitch by kneeling on one knee. If no contact after 5 pitches, a tee is used.
  
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  There are no walks or strikeouts.
  
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  The ball must travel 10' or it is a foul ball.
  
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  No Stealing. The base runners can advance after a ball is hit.
  
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  An inning is over after all players have batted once.
  
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  A standard game is 4 innings or 1 hr. whichever happens first.
  
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  All batters and base runners must wear a helmet.
  
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  A real or imaginary playing line is drawn between 1^st and 3^rd base.
  
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  No defensive players can advance in front of the playing line until the ball is hit.
  
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  There will be no pinch runners except for an injured player.
  
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  Base runners cannot dive head first at any time.
  
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  Final scores aren't important. Teamwork and Sportsmanship are.
  
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  One weekday practice, One Saturday game with 20 min warm-up.
  

Ages 7-8 Rookie/Instructional Rules and Guidelines

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  First and foremost, promote good sportsmanship!
  
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  Players are ages 7-8 as of April 30^th.
  
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  60' base paths between all bases.
  
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  Three outs constitutes an inning, all players are in the batting lineup.
  
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  A maximum of 10 players in the field at one time, four outfielders.
  
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  There is live pitching at 40', no walks are issued. A batter will either hit, strikeout, or face a coach's continuation pitch at 40', after the pitcher throws four balls. The youth pitcher will remain in the mound circle while the coach finishes the pitching sequence standing up and throwing overhand.
  
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  A pitcher is limited to 2 innings pitched per game. One pitch constitutes an inning.
  
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  All pitchers are limited to 4 innings per week.
  
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  A pitcher will be removed if he hits 2 batters in one inning or 3 batters in a game.
  

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  A 10' radius circle will be drawn around the pitcher's mound to designate stoppage of play when the ball has returned to this area.
  
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  Half-way slash marks on all base paths designate the indicators for the players to return to the prior base, if they haven't reached the halfway point and the ball has been returned to the mound circle.
  
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  A standard game is 5 innings. An official game is 3 innings.
  
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  There is a four-run limit for innings 1-4. Inning 5 has no run limit.
  
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  The coaches or standby pitchers are the umpires for their teams.
  
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  A batter hit by a pitch is awarded first base. If he is unable to continue, then the last batter may run in his place.
  
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  No bunting is permitted.
  
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  The infield fly rule is not in effect.
  
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  No Tee's are to be used during a game.
  
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  A base runner can advance only one base after an overthrow.
  
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  A batter will receive one warning per game for throwing a bat.
  
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  All base runners must slide when approaching 2^nd, 3^rd, or home plate, and a play is being made at the base. There is no sliding at 1^st base, only to avoid a collision. If a player doesn't slide and a play is being attempted on them, then they will be called out automatically.
  
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  Only two coaches may be on the field with their team at any time.
  

Ages 9-10 Rules and Guidelines

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  First and foremost, promote good Sportsmanship!
  
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  Players are ages 9-10 as of April 30^th (of current year.)
  
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  All MLB rules apply, unless otherwise stated.
  
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  60' base paths between all bases.
  
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  Three outs constitute an inning. All players are in the batting lineup.
  
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  Nine players are in the field during an inning.
  
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  All pitchers are limited to two innings per game, no more than five innings per week. One pitch constitutes an inning.
  
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  Pitching distance is 46ft.
  
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  A pitcher must be removed after he hits 2 batters in one inning, or three batters in a game.
  
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  No leading off on bases.
  
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  Base runners may steal after the ball crosses homeplate. Any player leaving early will be called automatically out. One stolen base per batter is permitted for a base runner.
  
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  All base runners must slide when approaching 2^nd, 3^rd, or home plate, and a play is being made at that base. If a player doesn't slide and a play was attempted on them, then they are automatically out. Head first slides are only permitted at 1^st base if a player is avoiding a collision.
  
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  There is no stealing home plate.
  
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  A standard game is 6 innings. An official game is 4 innings.
  
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  There is a 5 run limit for innings 1-5. No run limit for the 6^th inning.
  
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  There will be no pinch runners, except for an injured player. The last available hitter will pinch run.
  
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  No coaches are allowed on the field for coaching instruction.
  
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  Coaches are allowed 2 visits to the mound, per pitcher. The 2^nd visit will constitute a pitching change.
  
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  Only coaches are permitted at 1^st and 3^rd base coaching boxes.
  
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  There is no advancement by a runner after an overthrow from a steal.
  
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  No balks will be called.
  

Ages 11-12 Rules and Guidelines

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  First and foremost, promote good Sportsmanship!
  
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  Players are ages 11-12, as of April 30^th (of current year.)
  
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  All MLB rules apply, unless otherwise stated.
  
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  70' base paths between all bases.
  
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  Three outs constitute an inning. All players are in the batting lineup.
  
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  Pitching distance is 50 ft.
  
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  All pitchers are limited to 3 innings per game, 6 innings per week.
  
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  A pitcher will be removed if he hits 2 batters in an inning, or 3 in a game.
  
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  A standard game is 6 innings. An official game is 4 innings.
  
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  There is a 5 run limit for innings 1-5. No run limit for the 6^th inning.
  
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  There will be no pinch runners, except for the pitcher or catcher (with 2 outs), and any injured player. The last available batter can pinch run.
  
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  Coaches are allowed 2 visits to the mound, per pitcher. The 2^nd visit constitutes a pitching change.
  
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  Only coaches are permitted at 1^st and 3^rd base coaching boxes.
  
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  There will be one warning per pitcher for a balk.
  

Ages 13-15 Rules and Guidelines

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  First and foremost, promote good Sportsmanship!
  
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  Players are ages 13-15 as of April 30^th (of current year.)
  
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  All MLB rules apply, unless otherwise stated.
  
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  Base paths are 90'. Pitching distance 60'6".
  
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  A standard game is 7 innings. An official game is 5 innings.
  
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  Pitchers are limited to 5 innings per game, 10 innings per week.
  
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  A pitcher will be removed if he hits 2 batters in an inning, or 3 batters in a game.
  
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  Coaches are allowed 2 visits to the mound, per pitcher. The 2^nd visit constitutes a pitching change.
  
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  No warnings for Balks.
  
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  There will be no pinch runners, except for the pitcher or catcher (with 2 outs), and any injured player. The last available batter can pinch run.
  
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  Only coaches are permitted at 1^st and 3^rd base coaching boxes.
  

D. Equipment Rules

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  All metal bats must be taped. Wood bats may not be taped.
  
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  No metal cleats may be worn except for the 13-15 age division.
  
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  No Bats over 2 3/4" in any age group.
  
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  7-8 group has 2 1/4" barrel diameter limit, any differential ok.
  
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  9-10 group has 2 1/4" barrel diameter limit, any differential ok.
  
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  11-12 group has 2 5/8" barrel diameter limit, any differential ok.
  
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  13-15 group has 2 5/8" barrel diameter limit, if 2 5/8", then -3.