Hit-By-Pitch Rule Little League (9-10)

wwadja · #1 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 08, 2004, 08:39am

Hello. I have been coaching little league for 10 years and umpiring for some 5 years and something came up last night that affected the outcome of the game. In our first playoff game (I was coaching) at the 9-10 level our pitcher hit 4 kids over 3 innings. The umpire then told me (keep in mind no warnings where ever given to coaches or pitcher) that the pitcher needed to be removed from the mound and replaced with another pitcher.
He explained to the coaches that it was a rule in the little league rule book that after 4 hit batters the pitcher MUST be pulled out of game. We couldn't find that rule in the book after studying it last night!
I have never heard of this but can tell you I have coached and umpired many a game where many more then 4 players have been hit. Keep in mind this was a 9 year old and control is only so good. Is this in fact a rule? Should warnings have been given? I could see his point if he said it was at his discretion that it would be safest to remove the pitcher, but he insisted it was in the rule book. We did appeal as this was a playoff game and our second best pitcher was throwing. We were winning 6-3 at the time and were forced to bring in our third best pitcher who didn't fare so well. The game was called after six innings tied 11-11. As this is a hot topic and the timing is important could you PLEASE get back to me ASAP .
I not only coach but umpire many games including playoffs and would like to know the facts. I have the latest rule book from little league and am not able to find anything at all on this subject. I also browsed the net this morning and found nothing on the rule. If by chance it matters 3 of the kids hit leaned into the ball and the fourth never even attempted to move, letting the ball hit him. Fortunately, nobody was hurt....
These are 9-10 year olds who are not yet proficient in hitting or pitching, but they (and the coaches) feel slighted by the umpires decision.

Thanks, Web Wadja

jicecone · #2 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 08, 2004, 08:44am

I think you should be discussing this with the League before you complete the game. I have worked with a lot of officials that quote things they think are in the rule book. It is either there or not. The league may have something to cover this. I know when I coached we had a similar rule.

Check with them.

wobster · #3 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 08, 2004, 08:59am

In our league, it states 3 in our little list of differences with OBR.

HOWEVER, if the kids leaned in or did not move, there is no HBP. That is purely umpire judgment, but I would have 0 or maybe 1 hit batter.

I do not familiar with your leagues provisions for hit batters, but I would call the league president or UIC.

Rich Ives · #4 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 08, 2004, 09:08am

It is NOT in the Little League rule book.

ozzy6900 · #5 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 08, 2004, 09:09am

Oh come on, the "No Hit the Batter" rule is right there with the "Hands are part of the Bat rule" on page 265 of any rule book!

wobster · #6 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 08, 2004, 11:28am

Rich, I don't know if you are talking to me or not, but I will reply none the less. I did not say it was in the little league rule book. Our league has a list of special rules for our town. 3 batters hit, must slide (I found out last night it is must SLIDE, not avoid contact....that is stupid), 5 innings, each player must play 2 innings, etc.

Rich Ives · #7 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 08, 2004, 12:13pm

I was responding to:

"He explained to the coaches that it was a rule in the little league rule book "

Which was in the first post

akalsey · #8 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 08, 2004, 12:27pm

Quote:

Originally posted by wobster
Our league has a list of special rules for our town ... must slide (I found out last night it is must SLIDE, not avoid contact....that is stupid)

Assuming you're talking Little League, that's not a local rule, that's in the 2004 LL rule book...

7.08(a)(3) Any runner is out when - the runner does not slide or attempt to get around a fielder who has the ball and is waiting to make the tag;

It sounds like the intention is to avoid collisions and the resulting injuries.

ecurebel · #9 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 08, 2004, 02:41pm

i think the umpire just wanted a pitcher out there that could find the plate. cuz i have never seen an umpire in little league (which is one of the three leagues that i call) call for a change of a pitcher after he has hit four batters. unless it is a rule for your area the umpire is not correct in the ruling. The little league rule book is the most disorganized garble of a rule book that i have seen. he must of been using rule 9.02(i think is the rule number my rule book is in my car), where it states that any rule not specifically covered is left to the discretion of the umpire.. but if he did that then he is abusing his authority on the field because that is a stupid use of the rule.

wobster · #10 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 08, 2004, 02:55pm

akalsey, no, I mean must slide. I have always called must avoid contact. Last night I was called on it. In our list of rules, it says must slide. I had an umpire working for me the other day who called an out when the pitcher had the ball and kid coming home did not slide. It is in the rule book......

ecurebel · #11 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 08, 2004, 02:58pm

Around here we interpret it to must slide to avoid contact. but if contact is made there is no penalty as long as he is sliding. however we do call the penalty for sliding head first.

Rich Ives · #12 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 08, 2004, 03:31pm

"The little league rule book is the most disorganized garble of a rule book that i have seen."

It's pretty much the same as the Official Basrball Rules so don't blame it on LL.

Dave Hensley · #13 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 09, 2004, 08:14am

Quote:

Originally posted by ecurebel
Around here we interpret it to must slide to avoid contact. but if contact is made there is no penalty as long as he is sliding.

Then you are interpreting the Little League rule incorrectly. The requirement is for the runner to slide OR attempt to get around a fielder who is in possession of the ball and waiting to make a tag. The intent of the rule is to outlaw crashing a fielder with the intent to knock the ball loose. It is not a no-contact rule.

wwadja · #14 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 09, 2004, 08:32am

We heard from the Little League commission of PA yesterday and the confirmed that it is not a rule. Our local bball commission president and a few members alos said he was wrong in removing the pitcher, so we will follow through with the protest if we lose tonight's extra innings continuation. I'll keep you posted...

FYI, the umpire stated specifically that it was in the rule book and did not say that removing the pitcher "was at his discretion". That is the basis for our protest.

Web

kylejt · #15 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 09, 2004, 12:25pm

WW,

Did you file a protest with the umpire before he left the field of play the night of the game? Was it recorded in the scorebook? Did you follow it up with a written protest within 24 hours?

If you did follow the prescribed steps, why wouldn't the game be restarted from the point the pitcher was removed, instead of playing it out, THEN choosing to continue the protest? What's the BoDs thinking?