GAME LENGTH: Games will be a maximum of two (2) hours with no inning beginning after 2 hrs. (Saturday Only) Weekday games can play until dark.
RULES:Playing rules will follow Official Pony League rule books with the following exceptions or additions.
Home team will take infield first ten (10) minutes with visiting team following.With less than 20 minutes till game time, teams will split infield time equally.Games will start on time.
All players attending game will bat.Players arriving after start of game will bat at end of line up.
Mandatory Play Rule:No player will sit in the dugout consecutively more than one defensive inning. Penalty: Manager ejected from game.
Runners at third base shall not lead off more than five (5) feet (as marked by a chalk line) until the pitched ball has been hit or has reached or passes the batter.Once the pitcher has stepped on the rubber, in possession of the ball, runners at third base who pass the five (5) feet mark before the pitched ball is hit or has reached or passes the batter shall be called out and the pitch shall be considered a dead ball.
****New Rule 4a. Runner on 3rd base rules:
Runner is not allowed to straight steal home, with the exception of a pass ball to the catcher.
Runner at all times must be aware that at anytime the catcher or pitcher may throw him out at 3rd base. NO EXCEPTIONS
Runner can not leadoff past the 5 foot line until pitch crosses plate. Be aware that there is no exception in straight stealing home runner must go back to 3rd if pitch is caught by catcher. Runner must be aware that he may be thrown out at any time by catcher or pitcher. Runner must be tagged out.
Slide or avoid rule is in effect at 2nd, 3rd, and home plate, if in the opinion of the umpire there is a play.i.e.: Ball and Player coming together.
No stealing of home allowed after ball has been returned to pitcher and pitcher is on mound dirt area.
Home team will keep official scorebook.
Maximum 2 minutes between innings.
No metal cleats.
Players must be instructed in proper handling of bat.Thrown bat will result in: (1) warning (2) Batter being called out (3) Batter ejected from the game.
Pitchers can pitch three (3) innings a game, six (6) innings in a calendar week, with a mandatory 48 hours rest in between games if more than two (2) innings are pitched in the prior game.Once a pitcher has been removed from the mound, that pitcher cannot return to the mound in same game.
Five (5) run rule.Five run maximum in any one inning by the same team, except last inning of play.
Batters must keep one foot in batter’s box between pitches.
Dropped 3rd strike rule in effect.
Pitching helmets are mandatory for pitchers on the mound during a game.
No curve balls allowed.Penalty: The pitch will be called a ball.
BALK RULE: If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when:
The pitcher, while touching the rubber, makes any motion naturally associated with his pitch and fails to make such delivery.
The pitcher, while touching the rubber, fakes a throw to first base and fails to complete the throw. The pitcher, while touching the rubber, fails to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base.
The pitcher, while touching the rubber, throws, or fakes a throw to an unoccupied base, except for the purpose of making a play.
The pitcher makes an illegal pitch—a quick pitch is an illegal pitch.A quick pitch is one delivered before the batter is reasonably set in the batter’s box.With runners on base the penalty is a balk; with no runners on base, it is a ball.
The pitcher delivers the ball to the batter while he is not facing the batter.
The pitcher makes any motion naturally associated with his pitch while he is not touching the pitcher’s rubber.
The pitcher, without having the ball, stands on or astride the pitcher’s rubber or while off the rubber, fakes a pitch.
The pitcher, after coming to a legal pitching position, removes one hand from the ball other than in an actual pitch, or in throwing to a base.
The pitcher delivers the pitch from the set position without coming to a stop.
PENALTY: The ball is dead and each runner shall advance one base without liability to be put out, unless the batter reaches first base on a hit, an error, a base on balls, a hit batter, or otherwise and all other runners advance at least one base, in which case the play proceeds without reference to the balk.
No arguing with the umpire over judgment calls.Protests of rule interpretations will be directed to theumpire-in-chief by the coach immediately following rule infraction, once time is called.The coach must show the stated rule in the rule book with three minutes to the umpire-in-chief.The umpire-in-chief will then render his decision.All protests cease at this point.
Coaches will behave in a responsible manner and as a positive role model; no dissension towards umpires, opposing players, or spectators will be tolerated.Coaches are responsible for the behavior of themselves, their players and their spectators.
Coach and Parents: Please have your players clean up around the dugouts and field after each game.
No curve balls allowed.Penalty: The pitch will be called a ball.
It is mandatory for all Managers and/or Coaches to be in full uniform while coaching.If a Manager and/or Coach are not in full uniform, the Manager and/or Coach will not be permitted to participate in the game.The Director on duty will enforce this house rule.
The Umpires are to stay in a neutral area of the baseball field in between innings.
FINAL NOTE:
As a coach, you hold the future of these children and HYB in your hands.We entrust our teams to your care.HYB expects responsible leadership from our coaches, players and parents.HYB along with Pony Baseball encourage all volunteers to refrain from the use of foul language, tobacco and alcohol while actively performing the responsibilities of a coach or volunteer.No alcohol or tobacco is allowed at the HYB facilities, CityPark, or WestValleyHigh School.Thank you!
