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P I T C H C O U N T S
The following is the text of the new regular season Pitch Count Regulation for all levels of Little League Baseball.
REGULAR SEASON – BASEBALL ONLY
Regulation VI – Pitchers:
- Any player on a regular season team may pitch. (NOTE: There is no limit to the number of pitchers a team may use in a game.)
- Junior, Senior, and Big League Divisions only: A pitcher remaining in the game, but moving to a different position, can return as a pitcher anytime in the remainder of the game, but only once per game.
- The manager must remove the pitcher when said pitcher reaches the limit for his/her age group as noted below, but the pitcher may remain in the game at another position:
League Age
11-12 ....................... 85 pitches per day
10 and under ........... 75 pitches per day
Exception: If a pitcher reaches the limit imposed in Regulation VI (c) for his/her league age while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until any one of the following conditions occurs:
- That batter reaches base;
- That batter is put out; or,
- The third out is made to complete the half-inning.
Note: Intentional Walk: Before a pitch is delivered to the batter, the catcher must inform the umpire-in-chief that the defensive team wishes to give the batter an intentional base-on-balls. The umpire-in-chief waves the batter to first base. The ball is dead.
- Pitchers league age 16 and under must adhere to the following rest requirements:
| # of Pitches Thrown in a Day |
Required Rest Period |
| 61 or more pitches |
Three (3) calendar days of rest |
| 41 - 60 pitches |
Two (2) calendar days of rest |
| 21 - 40 pitches |
One (1) calendar days of rest |
| 1-20 pitches |
No (0) calendar day of rest |
- Each league must designate the scorekeeper or another game official as the official pitch count recorder.
- The pitch count recorder must provide the current pitch count for any pitcher when requested by either manager or any umpire. However, the manager is responsible for knowing when his/her pitcher must be removed.
- The official pitch count recorder should inform the umpire-in-chief when a pitcher has delivered his/her maximum limit of pitches for the game, as noted in Regulation VI (c). The umpire-in-chief will inform the pitcher’s manager that the pitcher must be removed in accordance with Regulation VI (c). However, the failure by the pitch count recorder to notify the umpire-in-chief, and/or the failure of the umpire-in-chief to notify the manager, does not relieve the manager of his/her responsibility to remove a pitcher when that pitcher is no longer eligible.
- Violation of any section of this regulation can result in protest of the game in which it occurs. Protest shall be made in accordance with Playing Rule 4.19.
- A player who has attained the league age of twelve (12) is not eligible to pitch in the Minor League.
- A player may not pitch in more than one game in a day.
NOTES:
- The withdrawal of an ineligible pitcher after that pitcher is announced, or after a warm-up pitch is delivered, but before that player has pitched a ball to a batter, shall not be considered a violation. Little League officials are urged to take precautions to prevent protests. When a protest situation is imminent, the potential offender should be notified immediately.
- Pitches delivered in games declared “Regulation Tie Games” or “Suspended Games” shall be charged against pitcher’s eligibility.
- In suspended games resumed on another day, the pitchers of record at the time the game was halted may continue to pitch to the extent of their eligibility for that day, provided said pitcher has observed the required days of rest.
- Example 1: A league age 12 pitcher delivers 70 pitches in a game on Monday when the game is suspended. The game resumes on the following Thursday. The pitcher is not eligible to pitch in the resumption of the game because he/she has not observed the required three days of rest.
- Example 2: A league age 12 pitcher delivers 70 pitches in a game on Monday when the game is suspended The game resumes on Saturday. The pitcher is eligible to pitch up to 85 more pitches in the resumption of the game because he/she has observed the required three days of rest.
- Example 3: A league age 12 pitcher delivers 70 pitches in a game on Monday when the game is suspended. The game resumes two weeks later. The pitcher is eligible to pitch up to 85 more pitches in the resumption of the game, provided he/she is eligible based on his/her pitching record during the previous three days.
Note: The use of this regulation negates the concept of the “calendar week” with regard to pitching eligibility.
© 2007 Great Falls Little League, All Rights Reserved
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