Rules of Little League
The Rules of the Little League are copyrighted, and as such, are not available on the web. Little League bases its rules on those of Major League Baseball, which are available at
www.majorleaguebaseball.com,
This page comprises the rules of the North Central Little League, plus a summary of the differences between LIttle League and Major League rules.
Differences Between Little League and Major League Rules
Rule 1.04 - The Playing Field
- Distance Between Bases
- Little League - 60 feet
- Major League - 90 feet
- Distance from Front of Pitcher's Rubber to Tip of Home Plate
- Little League - 46 feet
- Major League - 60 feet, 6 inches
- Distance from Front of Pitcher's Rubber to Outfield Grass
- Little League - 50 feet (recommended)
- Major League - 95 feet
- Size of Pitcher's Rubber
- Little League - 18 x 4 inches
- Major League - 24 x 6 inches
- Size of Bases
- Little League - 14 x 14 inches
- Major League - 15 x 15 inches
-
On-Deck Area
- Little League - Not permitted
- Major League - Usually located just outside dugout
- Maximum Length
- Little League - 33 inches
- Major League - 42 inches
- Maximum Barrel Width
- Little League - 2 1/4 inches
- Major League - 2 5/8 inches
- Aluminum Bats
- Little League - Permitted
- Major League - Not Permitted
- Jewelry or Other Metallic Items
- Little League - Not permitted
- Major League - Not permitted for pitcher
- Strike Zone: Top of Zone
- Little League - Armpits
- Major League - Halfway between shoulder and belt
- Re-entry Rule
- Little League - A starter may re-enter, at any point in the batting order, provided the re-entrant's substitute has played six consecutive outs and batted at least once
.
- Major League - No re-entries permitted. A player removed from the line-up may not re-enter.
- Bench Restrictions
- Little League - Only manager, 2 coaches, and uniformed players are permitted on bench. Bat boys, etc., are not allowed.
- Major League - Trainers, bat boys, and any listed coaches are permitted in dugout.
- Who May Be a Base Coach
- Little League - Uniformed players; one adult base coach is permitted.
- Major League - Non-roster players permitted, but must be in uniform.
- 4.10 (a) - Duration of Game
- Little League - 6 innings
- Major League - 9 innings
Note: All references to the 9th inning in the Major League are changed to the
6th inning in Little League.
- 4.10 (c) - Regulation Game
- Little League - 4 innings (3½ if home team leads)
- Little League - 10 Run rule: If, after 4 innings (3½ if home team leads) one team has a lead of ten (10) runs or more,
the manager of the team with the least runs shall concede the victory to the opponent.
- Major League - 5 innings (4½ if home team leads)
- 4.10 (d) - Tie Games
- Little League - suspended games (but see Rule 4.12)
- Major League - written up as a tie, played off at later date
- 4.10 (e) - Games Called Prior to Regulation
- Little League - suspended game if at least 1 inning completed, otherwise "no game"
- Major League - "no game"
Rules 4.11 (d) and 4.12 - Regulation Game Called
- If score is tied at end of inning, visitors score, home team does not re-tie ...
- Little League - Suspended game
- Major League - Tie game, must be replayed in its entirety
- If home team leads at end of inning, visitors tie or take lead, home team does not reverse ...
- Little League - Game over, score reverts to end of previous inning, home team wins
- Major League - Suspended game
- Two Games Involving Same Teams on One Day
- Little League - Limited to once in a calendar week, Sunday through Saturday, unless first game is completion of previously suspended game
- Major League - Permitted; second game begins 20 minutes after first game ends
- Administering a Forfeit
- Little League - Board of Directors must rule on validity of any forfeit
- Major League - No rule
- 6.05 (c) - Dropped Third Strike
- Little League - Batter is out on third strike, whether caught by catcher or not
- Major League - Batter not out on third strike dropped by catcher unless first base is occupied with fewer than two out
Rule 6.10 - Designated Hitter
- Additional Player in Line-Up, Batting for Pitcher
- Little League - Not permitted
- Major League - May be adopted by a league (currently used in AL, not in NL)
- Minimum Distance for Home Run Over Fence
- Little League - 165 feet
- Major League - 250 feet
- 7.08 (a) (3) - Slide or Avoid
- Little League - Runner is out if no attempt made to slide or get around fielder with ball waiting to make tag
- Major League - No rule
- 7.08 (a) (4) - Head First Slide
- Little League - Runner is out on head-first slide except when returning to a base or in rundown play
- Major League - No rule
Rule 7.13 - Leaving Base Too Soon
- Position of Runners at Time of Pitch
- Little League - Runner may not lead before pitch reaches batter. If violation, no runner may advance farther than forced by batter's action.
- Major League - No rule
Rule 8.01 - Legal Pitching Delivery
- Pitching from "the Stretch"
- Little League - Complete stop not required
- Major League - Must come to "complete and discernable stop"; penalty, balk (rule 8.05 (j))
Rule 8.06 - Visits to Pitcher
- Position of Manager
- Little League - Must not cross foul line when visiting pitcher
- Major League - No rule
- Number of Visits Allowed
- Little League - Must change pitcher on third visit of inning (or fourth of game, in tournament rules)
- Major League - Must change pitcher on second visit of inning
Special Little League Rules
These rules apply to Little League Divisions.
VI. Pitchers
- Any player is eligible to pitch, except for minor league players who have attained the league age of twelve.
- A player may pitch in a maximum of 6 innings per week, with no more than 6 innings in a game.
A calendar week is defined as Sunday through Saturday.
- Delivery of a single pitch constitutes having pitched in an inning.
- A player who has pitched more than four innings
in a day must take three calendar days of rest. The following table shows when a pitcher is eligible to pitch again.
| Pitched on: | Eligible Again to pitch on: |
| Sunday | Thursday |
| Monday | Friday |
| Tuesday | Saturday |
| Wednesday | Sunday |
| Thursday | Monday |
| Friday | Tuesday |
| Saturday | Wednesday |
- A player who has pitched less than four innings
in a day must take one calendar day of rest. The following table shows when a pitcher is eligible to pitch again.
| Pitched on: | Eligible Again to pitch on: |
| Sunday | Tuesday |
| Monday | Wednesday |
| Tuesday | Thursday |
| Wednesday | Friday |
| Thursday | Saturday |
| Friday | Sunday |
| Saturday | Monday |
- Little League Majors only: Only three players of league age 12 may be used as pitchers during a calendar week.
- Little League Majors only: The total number of innings pitched by 12 year olds shall not exceed 12 innings in a calendar week.
- Little League Majors only: No more than 5 pitchers per team shall be used in one game.
- Once a player has been removed as a pitchers, he/she may not pitch again in that game.
More Links
Jim's Baseball Rules
Jim Booth is a 20 year veteran of baseball and softball umpiring who provides very good advice for umpiring, with a detailed understanding of the rules of baseball, both Major League and Little League.
Rules of Major League Baseball
The complete rules of major league baseball.
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