Boys Instructional League Rules - 2006




      Boys Instructional League Rules
      MIDDLE ROAD BASEBALL ASSOCIATION
      2006 INSTRUCTIONAL LEAGUE RULES


      The Little League Rule Book prevails in all cases except as noted. 
      Any deviations from these rules are subject to MRAA board approval prior 
      to the change.

SECTION I. PLAYERS & UMPIRES

1. Players must be 8 years of age or younger, born before April 30. 2. Outfielders must be positioned at least 20 feet behind the infield area. There should be an arc limed for the player's reference. Lines should be drawn in chalk in the outfield by home team when preparing the field for play. Outfield coaches will enforce this rule. 3. All roster players in attendance must bat in consecutive order. Each player must bat first in the batting order at least once during the season. 4. A team must have 7 players to begin a game and at least 7 players to end a game. 5. Only 1 on-deck batter is permitted. 6. All batters and runners must wear helmets during the season. 7. All catchers must wear full equipment. 8. All batters and runners will wear safety helmets with properly attached face guards. 9. First and third base coaches will act as umpires during the game. 10. Only managers may question a call by an umpire. 11. There will be no protested games. 12. There are restrictions in the number of players you can have playing defense at one time. You may have 1 pitcher – 1 catcher – 4 infielders and 4 outfielders at one time. 13. All players at the pitching position must wear a chest protector and a helmet with face guard for protection.

SECTION II THE GAME

1. A regulation game is 6 complete innings. The game may be called complete after 4 innings due to rain, darkness, or lightning. A game can be complete after 3.5 innings if the home team is leading. Games called due to the weather prior to the 4th inning will start From the point of interruption. The game should stop at the first sight of lightning. 2. If a game is tied after 6 innings, 1 extra inning may be played. If the game is still tied after the extra inning, then the game ends. 3. A maximum of 5 runs may be scored per inning. The inning ends after the 5th run scores. The 5 run inning rule does not apply to the sixth inning. Teams may score as many runs as needed in the top / bottom of the sixth inning. 4. 3 outs per inning. 5. 4 strikes per batter. 6. 10 pitches per batter.

SECTION III THE FIELD

1. 60 feet between the bases. 2. The is no pitchers circle. 3. The pitching coach must be at least 18 feet from home plate when pitching the ball to the batter. 4. A line shall be drawn halfway between the bases except between home and first base. 5. All field rules must be explained prior to the start of the game. 6. Position safety cones 150 feet, measured from the base of home plate, around the outfield. If a batted ball passes the cones on the ground, it is a "ground rule" double. If a batted ball clears the cones on a fly, it is a home run. (St. Marys Field Only) 7. The home team is responsible for preparing the field for the game. 8. The home team must provide 1 new baseball.

Games played at Burchfield:

All of the above rules apply with the exceptions of the field dimensions automatic home run rule, and automatic double rule. 1. Field dimensions in the outfield are dictated by the outfield fence. 2. A ball hit fair that goes over the fence is an automatic home run.

SECTION IV. GENERAL RULES

1. The pitching coach must remove himself from the field of play when the ball is in play. 2. If a ball strikes the pitching coach, the ball is ruled dead. A dead ball does not count as a strike. 3. No bunting. 4. No infield fly rule. 5. No base stealing. 6. No walks. 7. No leads. 2 warnings will be given per team, per game. Subsequent occurrences will be called out. 8. No head first slides. 1 warning per team, per game. Subsequent occurrences will be called out. 9. A batter throwing the bat will be warned on the 1st occurrence. Subsequent occurrences for that batter will be called an out. When such an out is recorded, the ball is dead. Base runners cannot advance from the base occupied. 10. The player playing the pitcher position must stand parallel or behind the permanent infield pitching rubber or drawn white line. 11. An infield play ends when an infielder controls the baseball. The runners will be awarded the base running to unless they are thrown or tagged out by an infielder. 12. An outfield play ends when any infielder controls the ball thrown in by an outfielder. 13. On overthrows that will place the ball past a foul line is then declared a dead ball and the runner is awarded one extra base. 14. On overthrows that will place the ball into the outfield the ball will Be declared live – but the runner will only be allowed to advance one extra base. 15. When a play ends, if a base runner is more than halfway to the next base. He is awarded the next base. (one foot must be on the ground, on or past the halfway line), Otherwise, he must return to the last base that he touched. A play must completely finish before there is a ruling on the run. 16. Any batted ball striking wires or trees will be ruled a foul ball. 17. Each team is permitted to have 2 coaches in the outfield while their team is playing in the field. Outfield coaches must position themselves behind all outfielders and must not interfere with any live ball. 18. Balls must be thrown in from the outfield – not run in by outfielder. 19. Players are only allowed to play the same position for 2 innings in one game. 20. A single elimination, random seeding, playoff scheme at the end of the season is suggested. Dates and Times will be announced during the regular in-house season. With uneven number of teams – the top seed with best record will receive first round bye.