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Villa Park Little League

Villa Park Little League

Villa Park Little League Local Rules

Villa Park Little League (VPLL) local rules are created in accordance with the Official Rules of Little League Baseball. VPLL local rules do not supersede any rule that has been outlined by the official rules of Little League Baseball, however, do represent the decisions made and approved by the Villa Park Little League Board of Directors.

The local or house rules as outlined are to be enforced only when an optional rule is given in the Little League Baseball official rules or in a case where no governing rule can be applied.

The official Little League Rule Book (Green Book) can be purchased online through the Little League Store and on sites such as Amazon. E-books are also available through Amazon and iTunes. The rule book is updated annually and typically released in January. Managers, Coaches and Umpires should be familiar with the rules for your division.  

The official Little League Rule Book (green book) can be purchased online through the Little League Store and on sites such as Amazon. E-books are also available through Amazon and iTunes. The rule book is updated annually and typically released in January.

Managers, Coaches and Umpires should be familiar with the rules for your division.

THE LOCAL VILLA PARK LITTLE LEAGUE PLAYING RULES LEAGUE ORGANIZATION

1)  The Villa Park Little League shall consist of the following: Senior League, Major League, Minor League, and Instructional League. The Senior League shall consist of a Senior and Junior Division. The Minor League shall consist of Triple A (AAA) and Double A (AA) Division. The Instructional League shall consist of Single A (Machine Pitch), Coach Pitch and T-Ball Division.

2)  The VPLL Board of Directors shall, by Board action, adopt and agree to abide by the Official Regulations, Playing Rules, and Operating Manual of and as published by Little League Baseball Incorporated, Williamsport PA (collectively, “National Rules”).

3)  Any violation by a manager, coach, player, parent, fan, or guest of the Little League Green Book, the Little League Operations Manual or the Villa Park Little League Local Rules as determined by the Board of Directors may result in punishment including but not limited to suspension and/or expulsion from the fields.

4)  Parents, fans, guests, or any other persons in attendance at games, practices, or other League functions shall conduct themselves in accordance with the Parent Code of Conduct attached hereto, and in a manner, which provides a positive example to the youth of the League. Failure to do so may result in punishment determined by the Board of Directors.

FIELD ORGANIZATION

1)  Managers of both teams shall be responsible for cleanliness of the field and dugouts, and players shall assist with cleanup of the field and grandstands at the end of each game.

2)  In the event the field crew is unavailable, the home team shall be responsible for field preparations before each game.

3)  In the event the field crew is unavailable, the visiting team shall be responsible for field preparations at the end of each game day, the breakdown and return of equipment from the field of play as necessary.

4)  Field safety is the responsibility of every Member of the League.

5)  The Home Team shall occupy the third base dugout.

6)  Practice times for Fields and Batting Cages shall be determined by the League Schedule and will last until weekday games begin and will include breaks and vacations that occur after the start of weekday games.

7)  Batting cage practice schedules will last all year.

8)  Infield warm-ups may begin no earlier than twenty-five minutes prior to the start of a scheduled game, with the visiting team having the field for the first ten minutes, and the home team having the field for the second ten minutes. The Chief Umpire shall have the final five minutes of pre-game time for discussion with Managers and or Coaches and review of written line-up cards from each Manager.

9) During school days, no team may arrive at a field prior to 3:45PM for practice, batting cages or pre-game warmups.

 

ASSIGNMENT OF PLAYERS TO LEAGUES

1)  T-Ball division is for players aged 3-4 years old-, and first-time players that are aged 5 can make a request to the Player Agent to play in the division.

2)  League age 5- and 6-year-olds will be placed into the Coach Pitch division with the exception of first time 7-year-olds, who will have to make a request to the Player Agent.

3)  League age 6- and 7-year-olds will be placed in the Single A division.  Seven-year-olds are encouraged to try out for AA, but there is no guarantee they will be drafted.

4)  League age 8- and 9-year-olds should try out for the AA division, more advanced nine-year-olds have a chance to be drafted up into the AAA division.

5)  League age 10-year-olds should register in the AAA division. They are all encouraged to try out for the coaches. Those that are more advanced could be drafted up into the Majors division. Some of the less experienced players may end up being moved down to the AA division. The Player Agent, League President and coaches will discuss if there is a safety factor for the 10-year-old before being moved up or down a division.

6) League age 11-year-olds can register in either the AAA or Majors division. They will attend tryouts and the coaches will determine during the draft if they will be placed in the Majors or AAA division.

7) All league age 12-year-olds should register and tryout for the Majors division. The exception would be a first-time player who may be assigned down into the AAA division with the approval from the Player Agent and League President.

8)  Player holds may be allowed for parents wishing their children to play in a lower division, provided that such election is made in writing to the League and approved or disapproved prior to the Draft by the Player Agent.

9)  Refusal by any player or parent to comply with the rules of the draft or manipulation by any player or parent(s) in the draft process may result in a player(s) forfeiture of further eligibility for the current season or may result in disciplinary action by the Board of Directors.

10)  Beginning in the second half of the season, if a player in the AAA or AA Division leaves the team on a permanent basis for any reason, that team is not required to bring up a replacement player but must have at least ten players on their roster. For the first half of the season, normal Green Book Rules will be implemented if a player leaves the team.

 

DRAFT REGULATIONS – SENIOR, MAJOR, AND MINOR LEAGUES

1)  DRAFT SYSTEM – MAJORS DIVISION – The Draft System for Majors will be in accordance with Option B (non-ownership of players) as outlined in the Little League Operations Manual. Returning Majors players and 12-year-olds (Mandatory Draftees) are required to be drafted. Managers may draft remaining 11-year-olds (Elective Draftees) to fill the remaining openings. There is no requirement to draft Mandatory Players before Elective Players. The Player Agent will instruct Managers to select only Mandatory Players once all Elective Player spots have been filled. The number of Mandatory and Elective Player spots will be identified prior to the draft. The draft will be in “Serpentine” format. 10-year-old players may "play up" provided they demonstrate advanced skill and are drafted in the 8th round or earlier. 

 

2)  DRAFT SYSTEM –AAA AND AA DIVISIONS – The Draft System for AAA and AA will be in accordance with Option B (non-ownership of players) as outlined in the Little League Operations Manual. Returning players are required to be drafted. Players with 2 years of Machine Pitch experience are required to be drafted into AA. There is no requirement to draft Mandatory Players before Elective Players. The Player Agent will instruct Managers to select only Mandatory Players once all Elective Player spots have been filled. The number of Mandatory and Elective Player spots will be identified prior to the draft. The draft will be in “Serpentine” format.

3)  DRAFT SYSTEM-ALL DIVISIONS — A parent may inform the President and/or Player Agent in writing two (2) days prior to the draft that they do not want their child to play for a particular manager. The President, Vice-President and/or Player Agent will decide the validity of the request and grant the wish only if deemed valid and necessary. This option can only be exercised once a season and only one manager can be selected.

 

RULES OF CONDUCT

 

INTERPRETATION OF RULES

In the event of a conflict between the National Little League Rules and the Villa Park Little League Rules, the Villa Park Little League Rules as written herein shall prevail. For interleague games, Little League Green Book Rules of Conduct rules apply only, including home games.

LIMITS:  LENGTH & TIME OF GAMES

Division               Innings Official Game (1)            Innings Complete Game (1)      Time Limit for Game

Majors                 4                                                             6                                                             No Time Limit

AAA                       4                                                             6                                                             2 hours 15 minutes

AA                          3                                                             6                                                             2 hours

A                             3                                                             6                                                             1 hour 30 minutes

T Ball                    3                                                             3                                                             1 hour

 

*  If home team is ahead, the game ends when the visiting team completes half of the inning.

 

The game starts when the umpire calls "Play" (Little League rule 4.02).

A new inning starts after the recorded 3rd out.

                If an inning is ongoing and it is NOT a tie; and

                The umpire calls the game due to darkness (whichever comes first); or

                The game is stopped due to a time limit rule; then;

The game reverts back to the previous completed inning's final score as per the Little League Green Book Rules.

 

Weekend & Weekday Games (AA): No new inning shall start after the designated time limit. 7 run limit in 6th inning. Hard cutoff after 2 hours and 20 minutes, then the game reverts to the previous completed inning.

 

Weekend Games (Majors, AAA, AA): No new inning shall start after the designated time limit.

 

Weekday Games (Majors and AAA): Not subject to a time limit.

 

TIE GAMES

1)  If a Major, AAA, or AA Little League game is tied at the end of 6 innings or due to time limit, or a Senior League game is tied at the end of 7 innings, play will continue until:

                a) A winner is decided in regulation; or

                b) The game is halted by the earlier to occur of

                                i) The game Umpire in Chief has halted play due to darkness; or

                                ii) The time has expired according to section “Limits: Length and Time of Games.”

                If this occurs,

                                The game reverts back to the previous completed inning's final score.

                If still tied,

                                Regular season games will be declared a tie and;

                                Playoff and tournament games will continue from where it finished, at a time, date and place established by the Vice President within ten days of the suspended game.

 

SUNSET

 

Villa Park Little League will no longer have a sunset rule. Games in the AA division will have a hard cutoff at 2 hours and 20 minutes. If the game reaches that then the game will be reverted back to the last full inning.

 

RAIN OUTS

1)  If a game in the Majors, AAA, or AA divisions, is rained out during the week, that game shall be played on that immediate Friday of that week at the same time. If a game is rained out in these divisions on a weekend, that game shall be played on the following Sunday at the same time (8 days from rain out). If a rain out creates a scenario where a team is forced to play three consecutive days (Fri/Sat/Sun or Sat/Sun/Mon), the rain out game may be rescheduled at the discretion of the Vice President. If multiple days are rained out the League Board will determine the make-up schedule. Any games that present a possible rescheduling for any reason, excluding rain outs, must go through VPLL Board for approval.

 

Any games that present a possible rescheduling for any reason, excluding rain outs, must go through VPLL Board for approval. If there is a conflict in the schedule and both Managers agree to attempt to move the game, they are to contact the scheduler in charge and an attempt will be made to adjust the game if no other conflict with other teams exists. If a change can be made, it must still be approved by the President.

 

 (1) If the visiting team has a lead of fifteen (15), ten (10), or eight (8) runs or more respectively, the home team must bat in its half of the inning. (2) The local league may adopt the option of not utilizing this rule. A game determined by the 15-run rule, 10-run rule, or 8-run rule shall be considered a regulation game.

 

LITTLE LEAGUE RUN RULE 4.10(e)

A game is determined by the 15-run rule, 10-run rules and is considered a regulation game. VPLL elected not to adopt the 8-run rule.

 

SPECIAL PLAYING RULES – MAJOR DIVISION

1)  All players on the team and in attendance will be listed and shall bat in the batting order for the entire game, even though only nine play defensively at one time. Substitutions in defensive play do not alter the batting order.

2)  Any player who has left the game prior to completion, regardless of the reason, shall be removed from the batting order. No out shall be recorded during the absent players turn at bat.

3)  Any player arriving after the completion of his/her team’s first at bat, shall be added to the last position in the batting order regardless of where the batting rotation stands.

4)  No player shall sit out more than three consecutive defensive outs.

5) A “courtesy runner” for the catcher of record is permitted when there are two (2) outs. The "courtesy runner" must be reported to the plate umpire and the catcher is NOT subject to removal from the line-up. The “courtesy runner” must be the player in the batting order who made the last out. A “courtesy runner” is NOT permitted for the pitcher of record.

6) Intentional walks are NOT permitted. Batters must be permitted to hit without a pitcher intentionally walking him. If an umpire’s sole and absolute discretion determines that a team has intentionally walked a batter, then that batter shall be allowed to return to hit, and the pitch count shall apply towards those pitches made. In addition, if any runners are on base, they shall advance one base. Facts to support an umpire’s decision would be that all four (4) balls pitched to the batter were so far out of the strike zone that there was no possibility for the batter to hit the ball. Other factors would be that the catcher is setting up so far out of the strike zone as to show that the intent is to intentionally walk the batter.

SPECIAL PLAYING RULES – MINOR LEAGUE – AAA DIVISION

1)  All players on the team and in attendance will be listed and shall bat in the batting order for the entire game, even though only nine play defensively at one time. Substitutions in defensive play do not alter the batting order.

2)  No Player shall sit out more than three (3) consecutive defensive outs.

3)  Any player who has left the game prior to completion, regardless of the reason, shall be removed from the batting order. No out shall be recorded during the absent players turn at bat.

4)  Any player arriving after the commencement of play shall be added to the bottom of the batting order regardless of where the batting rotation stands.

5)  An inning shall be deemed over when:

a)  three outs have been recorded in an inning: or

b) the offensive team has scored 5 runs before 3 outs have been made, whichever comes first.  The offensive team may be awarded more than 5 runs in an inning if the last offensive play was a home run hit over the fence on the last play of the inning, and in such an event, all runs shall score upon the base runners touching all bases. There shall be no run limit in the sixth inning or later of any game.

6)  A “courtesy runner” for the catcher of record is permitted when there are two (2) outs. The "courtesy runner" must be reported to the plate umpire and the catcher is NOT subject to removal from the line-up. The “courtesy runner” must be the player in the batting order who made the last out. A “courtesy runner” is NOT permitted for the pitcher of record.

7) Intentional walks are NOT permitted. Batters must be permitted to hit without a pitcher intentionally walking him. If an umpire’s sole and absolute discretion determines that a team has intentionally walked a batter, then that batter shall be allowed to return to hit, and the pitch count shall apply towards those pitches made. In addition, if any runners are on base, they shall advance one base. Facts to support an umpire's decision would be that all four (4) balls pitched to the batter were so far out of the strike zone that there was no possibility for the batter to hit the ball. Other factors would be that the catcher is setting up so far out of the strike zone as to show that the intent is to intentionally walk the batter.

 

SPECIAL PLAYING RULES – MINOR LEAGUE – AA DIVISION

1)  All players on the team and in attendance will be listed in the order they bat, and all players will bat in that order for the entire game, even though only ten (10) play defensively at one time. Substitutions on defense do not alter the batting order.

2)  Base stealing by the runner is allowed at second for the first half of the season. There will be no advance on an overthrow from the catcher on a steal attempt in the first half of the season.

3)  Stealing will be allowed at second and third base only, starting the second half of the season. The runner can advance to third on an overthrow from the catcher in the second half of the season.

4)  There is no stealing home. The runner at third must be forced in, walked in, or hit in.

5)  Substitutions in defensive play do not alter the batting order.

6)  An inning shall be deemed over when:

a. three outs have been recorded in an inning: or

b. the offensive team has scored five runs before three outs have been made, whichever comes first. The offensive team may be awarded more than five runs in an inning if the last offensive play was a home run hit over the fence on the last play of the inning, and in such an event, all runs shall score upon the base runners touching all bases. There shall be a 7-run limit in the sixth inning or later of any game.

7) No player shall remain out of the defensive alignment for more than three (3) consecutive outs.

8) Every player must play a minimum of three (3) consecutive defensive outs in the infield, unless it is a safety issue known by the player agent. Catcher and pitcher positions qualify as infield. Failure to do so may result in punishment for the Manager.

9) A “courtesy runner” for the catcher of record is permitted when there are two (2) outs. The "courtesy runner" must be reported to the plate umpire and the catcher is NOT subject to removal from the line-up. The “courtesy runner” must be the player in the batting order who made the last out. A “courtesy runner” is NOT permitted for the pitcher of record.

10) Intentional walks are NOT permitted. Batters must be permitted to hit without a pitcher intentionally walking him. If an umpire’s sole and absolute discretion determines that a team has intentionally walked a batter, then that batter shall be allowed to return to hit, and the pitch count shall apply towards those pitches made. In addition, if any runners are on base, they shall advance one base. Facts to support an umpire’s decision would be that all four (4) balls pitched to the batter were so far out of the strike zone that there was no possibility for the batter to hit the ball. Other factors would be that the catcher is setting up so far out of the strike zone as to show that the intent is to intentionally walk the batter.

 

SPECIAL PLAYING RULES – INSTRUCTIONAL LEAGUE – SINGLE A DIVISION

1)  The Single A Division is an instructional division designed to help teach players the fundamentals of Baseball. There are no scores or standings kept in this division. During this time, Managers and Coaches are encouraged to play all players in different positions so they can learn all the different positions in baseball. Wins and Losses are not important in this division and no scores shall be recorded.

2) All players on the team and in attendance will be listed in the order they bat, and all players will bat in that order for the entire game, even though only ten (10) play defensively at one time.

a. Substitutions on defense do not alter the batting order.

3)  Three (3) coaches are only allowed in the dugout.

a. A fourth (4th) coach may be used to run the pitching machine only.

b. Two (2) coaches may be placed in the outfield and assist with defensive instruction during the game.

4)  The Blue Flame Pitching machine shall be used for the first half of the season. Machine Pitch Division Season. Second half of the season, the introduction of kid pitch will be used. League age 7 and below are only eligible to pitch. The batter is out after three swinging strikes. If the pitcher throws four called balls, a coach will finish the at bat. Any pitcher that hits two kids shall be removed. Hit players will be awarded their base.

5)  The Blue Flame Pitching machine is to be placed on the grass immediately in front of the pitching mound cutout.

                a. A hit ball that goes through the pitching mound cutout is live. If the hit ball makes contact with the pitching machine or the Coach operating the pitching machine the play is dead and runners advance one base if forced and the batter is awarded first base.

6)  An inning ends when the team has batted once through the lineup, or three (3) defensive outs are made in the field – whichever comes first. Strikeouts are not considered a defensive out. If batting through the lineup the last batter is limited to two bases maximum (see rule #9).

7)  The batter is out after three (3) swinging strikes or five (5) pitches – whichever comes first.

a.  There are no “called” strikes and a foul tip is not considered a last pitch. Reminder, strikeouts are not considered as a defensive out.

b.  There are no walks.

c.  The batter is not awarded First Base if a pitched ball hits them.

d.  There is no bunting of the baseball.

e.  There is no Infield Fly rule in effect.

8)  A hit ball must pass the home plate dirt semi-circle and reach the grass. A hit ball that does not reach the grass is considered a foul ball.

9)  The batter and all base runners are limited to a maximum of two bases per batted ball

a.  Base runners may advance at will until they have advanced two bases, or the opposing team controls the baseball in the infield.

i.  Example: with a runner on first; a ball is hit to the outfield. The runner who was on first will be halted at third. The defense may attempt to put the runner out at third without the risk of penalty (an overthrow) or the defense may elect to hold the batter/runner (player who hit the ball to the outfield) to a single also without the risk of penalty (an overthrow).

ii.  The idea or concept is to have the defense try and make plays from the outfield to the appropriate base. If the ball is overthrown at second (in the above example the defense is trying to hold the batter to a single) the runners may not continually advance. This will eliminate the “Little League” home run.

10)  There is no stealing. Runners may not leave their base until the ball reaches home plate per Little League rules (7.13 rule is in effect).

11)  A player may slide feet first only at Second, Third and Home Base. A player running BACK to First Base can slide feet first.  No headfirst sliding.

12)  No player shall remain out of the defensive line up for more than 3 consecutive outs.

13)  The player at the Pitcher position must wear a helmet and have one foot inside the pitching mound cutout during the pitch and not on either side or in front of the machine.

14)   Players should play evenly in the Infield and Outfield unless a specific safety issue has been discussed with the Parents and Player Agent.

a.  No player may play a third inning in the infield until all players have played one inning in the infield.

15)   A fourth player will be used in the Outfield for the entire season. The fourth Outfielder is not a “rover”, and all four (4) outfielders shall be evenly placed, and begin each play, at an appropriate depth (minimum 15 feet from the edge of the infield dirt).

16)  Game duration is six (6) innings or an hour and a half (90 minutes) - whichever comes first.

a.  Once the time limit is met the game stops immediately to allow the following game to start on time.

17)  There will be no protests allowed.

 

SPECIAL PLAYING RULES – INSTRUCTIONAL LEAGUE – COACH PITCH DIVISION

1)  The Coach Pitch Division is an instructional division designed to help teach players the fundamentals of Baseball. There are no scores or standings kept in this division. During this time, Managers and Coaches are encouraged to play all players in different positions so they can learn all the different positions in baseball. Wins and Losses are not important in this division and no scores shall be recorded.

2) All players on the team and in attendance will be listed in the order they bat, and all players will bat in that order for the entire game, even though only ten (10) play defensively at one time.

a.  Substitutions on defense do not alter the batting order.

3)  Three (3) coaches only in the dugout.

a.  A fourth (4th) coach may be used to run the pitching machine only.

b.  Two (2) coaches may be placed in the outfield and assist with defensive instruction during the game.

4) For the first half of the Coach Pitch Season the Manager/Coach will pitch the ball to the batter. If after five (5) pitches the player was unable to hit the ball a Tee will be used for three (3) attempts. Beginning with the second half of the season the Blue Flame pitching machine will be used. A player will be considered “out” after five (5) pitches.

5)  For the first half of the Coach Pitch Season the coach pitching will need to be roughly two-thirds of the way away from the batter in order to deliver a pitch. Beginning with the second half of the Coach Pitch Season the Blue Flame Pitching machine is to be placed on the grass immediately in front of the pitching mound cutout.

a.  A hit ball that goes through the pitching mound cutout is live. If the hit ball makes contact with the Coach, the pitching machine or the Coach operating the pitching machine then the play is dead and runners advance one base if forced and the batter is awarded first base.

6)  For the first half of the Coach Pitch Season each team will bat through the lineup. For the second half of the season the batting team’s inning ends when the team has batted once through the lineup, or three (3) defensive outs are made in the field – whichever comes first. Strikeouts are not considered a defensive out. If batting through the lineup the last batter is limited to two bases maximum (see rule #9).

7)  The batter is considered “out” after 8 pitches.

a.  There are no “called” strikes and a foul tip is not considered a last pitch. Reminder, strikeouts are not considered as a defensive out.

b.  There are no walks.

c.  The batter is not awarded First Base if a pitched ball hits them.

d.  There is no bunting of the baseball.

e.  There is no Infield Fly rule in effect.

8)  A hit ball must pass the home plate dirt semi-circle and reach the grass. A hit ball that does not reach the grass is considered a foul ball.

9)  The batter and all base runners are limited to a maximum of two bases per batted ball

a.  Base runners may advance at will until they have advanced two bases, or the opposing team controls the baseball in the infield.

i.  Example: with a runner on first; a ball is hit to the outfield. The runner who was on first will be halted at third. The defense may attempt to put the runner out at third without the risk of penalty (an overthrow) or the defense may elect to hold the batter/runner (player who hit the ball to the outfield) to a single also without the risk of penalty.

ii.  The idea or concept is to have the defense try and make plays from the outfield to the appropriate base. If the ball is overthrown at second (in the above example the defense is trying to hold the batter to a single) the runners may not continually advance. This will eliminate the “Little League” home run.

10)  There is no stealing. Runners may not leave their base until the ball reaches home plate per Little League rules (7.13 rule is in effect).

11)  A player may slide feet first only at Second, Third and Home Base. A player running BACK to 1st can slide feet first.  No headfirst sliding.

12)  No player shall remain out of the defensive line up for more than 3 consecutive outs.

13)  The player at the Pitcher position must wear a helmet and have foot inside the pitching mound cutout during the pitch and not on either side or in front of the machine.

14)  Players should play evenly in the Infield and Outfield unless a specific safety issue has been discussed with the Parents and Player Agent.

a.  No player may play a third inning in the infield until all players have played one inning in the infield.

15)  A fourth (4th) player will be used in the Outfield for the entire season. The fourth (4th) Outfielder is not a “rover”, and all four (4) outfielders shall be placed, and begin each play, at an appropriate depth (minimum 15 feet from the edge of the infield dirt).

16)  Game duration is six (6) innings or/and hour and a half (90 minutes) - whichever comes first.

a.  Once the time limit is met the game stops immediately to allow the following game to start on time.

17)  There will be no protests allowed.

 

SPECIAL PLAYING RULES-T-BALL

1)  A batting tee shall be used for every batter under all circumstances and conditions in the first half of the season. A coach shall always be present in the tee area. No coach or parent shall be allowed to soft toss to any batter in the first half of the season. For the second half of the season, a parent or coach may soft toss a maximum of four (4) balls to any batter. If the batter does not hit the ball into play after four (4) balls, a batting tee shall be used.

2)  There will be no Catcher allowed.

3)  There shall be no strikes called.

4)  There shall be no limit to the number of defensive outfielders.

5)  There shall be no stealing bases.

6)  An inning will be deemed over when the offensive team has batted through the line-up.

7)  T-ball is an Instructional League designed to help teach players the fundamentals of Baseball. There are no standings kept in this Division. During this time, Managers and Coaches are encouraged to play all players in different positions.  Wins and Losses are not important in this division.

8)  All players on the team and in attendance will be listed in the order they bat, and all players will bat in that order for the entire game.

9)  NO score shall be kept, and all games shall be played with RIF baseballs.

10)  Time limit to all games is (3) complete inning or the (1) hour maximum.

 

SPECIAL RULES FOR CHALLENGER DIVISION

1)  The Challenger Division is open to any individual under the age of 18 with a physical or developmental challenge.

2)  Each game will last approximately one (1) hour.

3)  Safety is the top priority. Any player that poses a physical threat to a coach, parent, or other player may be removed from the team at the discretion by majority vote of the Board.

4)  Appropriate behavior is expected of each player and inappropriate behavior may result in suspension or removal from the team at the discretion by majority vote of the Board.

5)  At least one parent or guardian for each player on the Challenger team is expected to assist or provide a resource to work with their player, especially if such player has a unique physical or behavioral challenge.

6)  No foul language will be allowed.

 

SELECTION OF ALL STAR MANAGERS

1) The League President, Player Agent and one disinterested board member will select the 10/11/12, 9/10/11, 8/9/10, and 8/9/10 pool All Star managers. The League President and/or Player Agent will recuse themselves if they have a vested interest. The League President will assign disinterested board member(s) in their place.

2)  In the event a manager declines acceptance of an All-Star Team, the replacement manager will be determined by the League President, the Player Agent, and a disinterested board member.

3)  The All-Star manager may appoint Assistant coaches for the purpose of working with the team through All Star competition, provided that the League President approves such coaches in accordance with Little League guidelines. It is highly recommended that all- star managers appoint managers from other teams as assistant coaches so that all-star teams reflect and include the entire league.

4)  The manager/coach selected or elected must fill out the Little League Volunteer Application, have a background check by the League.

 

ALL STAR PLAYER ELIGIBILITY AND NOMINATIONS

1)  Only rostered players of a Major League team, ages ten, eleven and twelve are eligible to be selected for the 10/11/12 All Star team.

2)  All rostered 8-, 9- & 10-year-old players in the Majors and Triple A division are eligible for the 8/9/10 all-star Team. All members of the 10/11/12 All Star team can be ten, eleven or twelve years old. All members of the 8/9/10 All Star team can be eight, nine or ten years old.

3)  To be eligible for all-stars, all players must be able to commit in writing and attend at least 75% of all-star practices and commit and attend 100% of all-star games. Any player who cannot commit and/or attend as described above is not eligible for the All-Star competition and will be removed from the all-star team. The player agent and the president shall be immediately notified by the All-Star manager if a player fails or cannot meet these standards or face possible disciplinary action.

 

SELECTION OF ALL STAR PLAYERS

Majors 10/11/12 All Stars

1)  The 10/11/12 All Star Team shall consist of 12 or 13 players.

2)  By secret ballot administered by the League President, Player Agent and one-disinterested Board Member, players will rank all 10-, 11- and 12-year-old players on their team and the top 5 from each team will be placed on the All Star Ballot. Any ties for the fifth spot will be included on the ballot.

3)  The All-Star Ballot will be administered by the League President, Player Agent and one disinterested Board Member to the players who will then vote. The players may not vote for a member of their own team. Players may vote for up to 6 names on the All-Star Ballot total. The 6 players with the most votes will be on the All-Star Team.

4)  The Major Managers will meet with the President, Player Agent, and disinterested Board Member to openly discuss the seating of the last 6 or 7 spots. League age 11- and 12-year-old players are eligible for the remaining spots, regardless of if they were on the All-Star Ballot or not. The League President, Player Agent and one disinterested Board Member will decide all ties.

5)  The League President will have final say in all matters.

 

9/10/11Year Old All-Star Selection

1)  The 9/10/11-year-old All Star Team will be selected after the 10/11/12-team selections.

2)  The Major Managers will vote for up to 13 players to be selected for the For the All-Star team. The League President and Player Agent will conduct a voting process where each manager will openly vote for up to thirteen (13) players. This is done at a managers’ meeting.

3)  The League President and Player Agent will break ties.

4)  The League President will have final say in all matters.

 

8/9/10 All Stars

1)  For the (2) two 8/9/10 All Star teams, the following process will be used:

a.  Each 8/9/10 All Star Team shall consist of up to 13 players.

b.  8/9/10-year-old players assigned to a Major Division team will fill that many positions on these All-Star Teams.

c. The players will rank the top three (3) players from their team and their manager will select two (2) additional players to be placed on an 8/9/10 All Star Ballot.

d. The League President, Player Agent, and one-disinterested Board Member will have Major Division Managers (if necessary) and Triple AAA Managers meet. The Major Division Mangers will assist in rating the 8/9/10 roster player from that league only. Triple AAA Managers will have a verbal vote and cannot vote for players from their own team from the 8/9/10 All Star Ballot. The vote will determine the players’ rating as to what team they will be on (A or B).  Results of this vote should include at least 30 players in case a player cannot meet this obligation whereas the next player from the ballot shall be placed on the team.

e.  The League President, Player Agent and one disinterested board member will break ties.

f.  The League President will have final say on all matters.

 

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

1)            Majors, Triple AAA, and Double AA Division champions will be determined by a playoff at the conclusion of the season. Regular season pool play will be used to qualify and seed teams.

2)            Prior to the season, VPLL board members will determine the playoff format for each division and the format will be posted on the VPLL website.

3)            For Regular Season Standing Tiebreakers, the following rules apply for playoff seeding and or qualification:

a.  Seeding will be based on the overall winning percentage.

b.  In the event of a tie in winning percentage in the regular-season standings, the following procedure shall be applied in the designated order to break all ties for seeding or to determine the final team(s) that will qualify for the playoffs:

c.  Note:  Each time a tie is broken to advance one team in seeding, leaving a tie between two or more teams, the situation reverts to “i” (head-to-head results) in this section.

i. Winning percentage of the head-to-head match-up(s) during regular season games of the teams that are involved in the tie.

ii. Winning percentage of the league match-up(s) (no inter-league games) during regular season games of the teams that are involved in the tie.

iii. Head-to-Head run differential: Total number of runs scored when playing all tied teams in "i" - total number of runs allowed when playing tied teams in "i".

iv. League run differential: Total number of runs scored from all league games (no inter-league games) - total number of runs allowed from all league games (no inter-league games).

v. If a tie cannot be broken through the proper application of these guidelines, then a blind draw (3 or more tied) or coin flip (2 teams tied) will determine which team(s) will be seeded higher or qualify.

 

TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS AND CITY TOURNAMENT

1)  Seeding will be determined by the teams’ overall records for the entire season. If a tie exists, then their head-to-head schedule will determine the winner. If a tie still exists the tie will be broken by, in order runs against, run differential, runs for and if a tie still exists, then a coin flip will decide who is eligible for the tournaments.

 

MISCELLANEOUS RULES

1.  Pre-game Batting Practice

a.  No bat shall be in a player’s hands during a game except while batting. No bat shall be in a player's hand before a game except while taking pre-game batting practice. Pre-Game batting practice is allowed under the following conditions and may be stopped by the BMOD at any time if considered unsafe. All pre-game batting practice must be in the outfield and within the fences on the AA, AAA, and Major field. No batting practices outside the fences or in the common areas will be allowed.

b.  A maximum of 2 players may be hitting at the same time (no hitting circles, bunt lines, etc.) No other players may have bats in their hands. All players hitting MUST wear batting helmets. Only managers and league approved coaches may conduct batting practice. Batting practice is limited to; hit sticks, or coach pitched wiffle-balls or small diameter heavy balls (no larger than normal baseball size) hit towards the outfield or into a net. All balls must be hit from the foul line towards the outfield areas. Players may not pitch, or hold hit sticks. Batting practice must stop 25 minutes prior to the official game start time or when teams begin infield warm-ups, whichever comes first. The safety of players, coaches and spectators is primary, and must always be maintained during batting practices.

c. During weekends and weekday games scheduled to start on or after 5PM, pregame hitting in the cages is allowed for AA AAA and Majors division up until 45 minutes before the start of game time. Major Division and AAA Division may each use one of the North Cages. AA may use the South Cages only. The schedule for pregame hitting is as follows:

1 hour and 15 minutes before the start of the game, the visiting team shall have a 15-minute period to use the cage for warm up. The home team shall follow for 15 minutes. All Warm-up batting in the cages must cease 45 minutes before the scheduled start of the game.

i.e. If the game is scheduled for 11:00 AM the visiting team will have access to the Cages from 9:45 AM to 10:00 AM with the home team following until 10:15 AM. The BMOD may stop pregame batting in the cages at any time at their discretion if it has become a distraction to the Majors game.

2)  No animals, except for Service Animals, or unauthorized motorized vehicles are allowed on the Villa Park Little League Fields at any time. This is an Orange Unified School District Policy and will be enforced.

3)  ALL ADULTS INVOLVED WITH THE PLAYERS WILL BE SUBJECT TO LEAGUE APPROVED BACKGROUND CHECKS. This would include managers, coaches, parent Helpers, and any adult who has contact with the players of the Villa Park Little League.

4)  A rule for replacement players has been implemented by the Board and a final determination for which replacement player will be used will be made by the Player Agent. The Player Agent will select replacement players drafted in a similar round to the player being replaced, subject to the number of replacement players volunteering. No replacement player may pitch or catch. In addition, they may not play infield more than two innings. Replacement players must hit at the end of the batting order. Only one replacement player may be used per game. Each team is required to field 8 of their own players in order for the game to be played. If a team is unable to field 8 of their own players, the manager must contact the player agent in advance. There is no guarantee the game will be rescheduled at a later date and the team may be subject to a forfeit.

5)  Regular season pitching rules shall follow the official Green Book Rules as published by Little League Baseball Incorporated.

6)  A Manager may “Bench” a player once per game, before and during a game, for behavior unbecoming to the team and or Little League rules, provided that such disciplinary action is reported to the opposing manager, official scorekeeper, and umpire prior to said action. All repeated player violations should be reported to the Player Agent in writing.

7) If a manager fails to follow minimum play requirements, the following penalties apply per Little League rules in section IV - The Player clause (i).

PENALTY: The player(s) involved shall start the next scheduled game, play any previous requirement not completed for Section (i), and the requirement for this game before being removed.

The manager shall for the:

First Offense: receive a written warning.

Second Offense: a suspension for the next scheduled game

Third Offense: a suspension for the remainder of the season

 


Contact

Villa Park Little League
17852 Santiago Blvd, 1107-239
Villa Park, California 92861

Email: [email protected]

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