Bremen Minor League Rules
 
 
GENERAL:
1. Eligibility shall be determined on a calendar year basis as follows:
a. Minor League players must be nine (9) by May 30th, and not eleven (11) by May 30th.
2. Eligibility is subject to change on a case-to-case basis, or on a year-to-year basis upon approval of the Little League board of directors.
3. Any player eligible to play can play any position.
4. Batboys:
a. A batboy in the Minor League must be eight (8) years old and on a Rookie League team roster. A Minor League Coach must have parent’s permission in order for a batboy to play on his team. A batboy cannot play if there is a player on that team’s roster on the bench.
b. Batboys shall play on a game-by-game basis and are not tied to a specific team for an entire season. A batboy cannot play if a team has enough of its own players.  9 players make a full team roster.
5. The responsibility to avoid contact lies with the runner. If contact occurs at any base and the runner doesn’t slide, then the runner is to be called out. Running to first base after the ball is hit is the only exception.  Umpires discretion.
a. Any base runner purposely interfering with an attempted play on the ball by the fielder will be ruled out and a dead ball shall be declared.
6. Minor League and Minor League All Star pitchers can pitch no more than four (4) innings per game (or 12 consecutive outs) and sixteen (16) innings in a calendar week (Sunday to Saturday). This rule applies to all leagues that a player participates in. Minor League will use live pitching the entire game. While during live pitching a player receives ball four (4), they will have the opportunity to throw the ball up to attempt to hit the ball with each swing that misses the ball being called a strike. (Example: four (4) balls and one (1) strike, the batter has the opportunity to hit the ball off the toss for two (2) more strikes or they hit it which ever occurs first (1st).
•        Once your pitcher is removed from the mound they cannot reenter as a pitcher.  One pitch will constitute as an inning pitched in a game.
7. No stealing shall be allowed in Minor Leagues.
8. Headfirst slides are not allowed except when a runner is returning to a base. If a headfirst slide occurs other than on a return to a base, then the runner is to be called out.
9. Only fastballs and change-ups will be allowed as determined by the umpire. The first violation shall be a warning to the coach with a ball called. The second violation in the same game shall result in the pitcher being removed from the mound and a ball being called. Three violations within the same season shall result in the pitcher not being allowed to pitch for the remainder of the season.  Effective 6/10/00
10. In the minor leagues a dead ball shall be called when a pitcher has the ball on the pitching rubber.
11. If a Coach disciplines a player, the player must be disciplined both for batting and fielding.
12. Coaches, players and/or spectators will not be allowed behind the batting screen.
13. *Catchers must wear a catcher’s mitt, catcher’s helmet, catcher’s mask and protective cup, even at practice. The board will purchase a few protective cups and keep them in the concession stand. If any team needs one for their catcher they will be required to purchase it from the board. All players must wear a catcher’s mask while warming up the pitcher. Coaches can warm up a pitcher without a mask.
14. No player shall be permitted to play if they are wearing a “plaster” (or like substance) cast. NO EXCEPTIONS.
15. Jewelry is not permitted to be worn by any player during the game. Earrings must be protected with a covering (i.e. Band-Aid, etc.)
16. Courtesy runners can be used for the catcher when the catcher is a base runner with two (2) outs. The courtesy runner must be a player on the team’s roster who has made the last out.
17. All bats must be either stamped or printed with “Official Little League”.
18. All players must have their shirt tucked in and wear a hat during the game.
19. * League games shall start promptly at 6:00 P.M. with no inning starting after 7:45 P.M. and a complete game being called at that point. League games shall start promptly at 8:00 P.M. with no inning starting after 9:45 P.M. with a complete game being called at that point. A forfeit time shall be the game time. If the game ends in a tie due to time constraints, then the game shall be declared a tie.
20. Only coaches shall be permitted out of the dugout area during a game. Only one (1) on-deck batter shall be permitted. All players (offensive) must wear helmets while on the playing field.  No swing warm up will be allowed outside the playing area.
21. All equipment must be kept in the dugout or in the bat rack.
22. If a player is hurt and unable to continue to play, a batboy can enter in his position only if there is not a player from the team’s roster on the bench. If no batboy or player is available, then the batting rotation shall have the hurt player’s position deleted (no out).  If the player is able to return to the game they must re-enter in for the same person.  If a runner is hurt, then the player who made the last out before him must take his place.
23. All Minor League players shall all bat while fielding ten (10) players, with the extra player being played in the outfield. All Minor League players must play a minimum of two (2) consecutive innings in the field, otherwise a forfeit shall be declared.
24. The home plate umpire and/or Board Member can stop a game at any time if they feel the game is getting out of control.
25. No coach, player or parent shall smoke, chew tobacco or have any alcohol or illegal drugs on/in them while associated with any team. This is to include games, practices, umpiring, while using the batting cages or while standing at the fence surrounding the playing/ practice fields.
26. All players, coaches and parents will be required to sign a Code of Conduct policy. If one is not signed and on file the child will not be allowed to participate in any games until one is signed and on file with the Bremen Little League board.
27. No intentional bunting is permitted in the Minor League.
28. No leading off shall be allowed in the Minor League games. If a runner leads off, the Umpire shall declare an out and a dead ball called with all runners returning to their original base.
29. Any live ball that bounces over or rolls under the fence shall be declared a ground rule double.
30. Any ball that clears the outfield fence on the fly, hits the top of the fence railing, and carries over the fence, or hits the light pole above the fence line shall be declared a home run.
31. The infield fly rule shall apply to Minor and Major League play. An infield fly is fair fly ball (not including a line drive nor an attempted bunt) that can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when first and second, or first, second and third bases are occupied, before two are out. The pitcher, catcher and any outfielder that stations him in the infield on the play shall be considered infielders for the purpose of this rule. When it seems apparent that a batted ball will be an infield fly, the Umpire shall immediately declare, “infield fly” for the benefit of the runners. If the ball is near the baselines, the Umpire shall declare “infield fly – if fair”. The ball is alive and runners may advance at the risk of the ball being caught, or retouch and advance after the ball is touched, the same as on any fly ball. If the hit becomes a foul ball, it is treated the same as any foul. If a declared infield fly is allowed to fall untouched to the ground, and bounces foul before passing first or third base, it is a foul ball. If a declared infield fly falls untouched to the ground outside the baseline, and bounces fair before passing first or third base, it is an infield fly.  On the infield fly rule the Umpire is to rule whether the ball could ordinarily have been handled by an infielder – not by some arbitrary limitation such as the grass or the base lines. The Umpire must also rule that a ball is an infield fly, even if handled by an outfielder if, in the Umpire’s judgment, the ball could have been easily handled by an infielder. The infield fly is in no sense to be considered an appeal play. The Umpire’s judgment must govern, and the decision should be made immediately. When an infield fly rule is called, runners may advance at their own risk. If on an infield fly rule, the infielder intentionally drops a fair ball, the ball remains in play despite the provisions of Rule 6.05 (L). The infield fly rule takes precedence. “In flight” describes a batted, thrown or pitched ball that has not yet touched the ground or some object other than a fielder.
32. If the catcher drops the ball on the third strike then the batter shall be called out.
33. Coaches cannot touch a runner on base to help him either advance or return to his base unless time is called. If contact occurs then a dead ball shall be declared, the base runner shall be declared out with other runners returning to their last base.
34. There shall be no mandatory Sunday practices.
35. Line up cards will be given to the opposing coach five (5) minutes prior to game time.
36. Stoppage of play due to weather shall be at the discretion of the Home Plate Umpire and/or Board Member. A complete game shall have been played if four (4) complete innings have been played – otherwise the game shall be rescheduled. If one (1) complete inning is not played then the game will be played over.
37. There shall be a seven (7) run rule per inning except for the fifth and sixth innings in the Minor Leagues. Once seven (7) runs have been scored, the batting team shall take the field.
38. Teams must field eight (8) players to start a game otherwise a forfeit shall be declared.  
37. A “Mercy Rule” shall be implemented as follows:
a. Minor League:  ten (10) run rule after four (4) complete innings. 
38. *All calls are subject to umpire’s discretion.
39. At the conclusion of the last game of the night it will be the HOME team’s responsibility to put away the bases and raking the pitcher’s mound. Do not forget to replace the plugs in the first base holes. The bases belong in the minor league tower. The AWAY team will be responsible for putting away the pitching machine, batting helmets and bat rack. The helmets and bat racks go in the overhead garage door and get hung up on the wall.  Each team is responsible for taking the trash out of the cans and placing it by the large trash cans at the concession stand.

 
 
SPORTSMANSHIP RULES:
1. Throwing a bat or helmet or abusing equipment shall not be tolerated. First offense is a warning to the player AND the coach. Second offense is an automatic out with a dead ball being called.
2. Digging holes in the playing surface with spikes shall not be tolerated.
3. Unsportsmanlike conduct shall not be tolerated by a player, coach or fan.
4. Cursing or abusive language shall not be tolerated by a player, coach or fan.
5. Arguing strikes or balls shall not be tolerated by a player, coach or fan.
6. The Home Plate Umpire and/or Board Member shall have the right to remove a player, coach or fan from the park for violation of items one (1) through five (5) listed above.
7. The only chatter allowed shall be “hey, batter-batter”.  In the event other chatter occurs a warning shall be given, with the second occurrence resulting in a dead ball being called and the offending person being ejected from the game.
*No chants towards the pitcher are allowed. 
8.  A Coach may discipline a player by keeping him out of the game. This must be reported to the opposing Coach and Home Plate Umpire along with the reason and number of innings the player is going to be disciplined. The disciplined player must be listed on the line-up batting order along with the number of innings he will not be playing.