Stamford  Little League - American Division

Rules for Majors

The Majors Division consists of two divisions, American and National.  The League is an all-volunteer organization and falls under the jurisdiction of Connecticut District One.   This division is open to children ages 10-12.  All ages are according to the most recent revised 2024 Little League age determination rules. 

The following Little League International rules will apply:

• All batters and base runners must wear batting helmets,

  • It is recommended that all batting helmets have face guards or a C-Flap.

• Catchers wear full protective gear.

• Umpires officiate all games.

• Scores are kept, and the scoreboards are used.

1. Draft

   1. All majors players are required to attend the try-out/evaluation to be redrafted each year that they play in the majors.

   2. The number of teams each year will depend on registration and the commissioner’s input.

   3. All 12-year-olds must play in this division.

   4. The goal is to have as many of the 11-year olds as possible, and all 11’s will be evaluated during the tryout to determine if they are majors eligible or not.

   5. The number of eligible 12’s and 11’s will be used to determine how many 10’s may be needed in the majors.

2.   Game Schedule

1. Game schedules may not be changed, and only rainouts will be rescheduled.

2. Rainouts will be called by the Commissioner before the game begins or at the field by the umpires

3. Once a game starts, its decisions are then made by the umpires

4. A complete game is achieved once at 3.5 innings if the home team is ahead or at four innings if the visiting team is ahead.

1. Player Rules

   1. All Players Must Play

   2.  No player may sit out defensively more than 3 innings in a game (unless the game goes extra innings). Note that it is worded this way, as opposed to a 3 inning play time minimum, in case there is no bottom of the 6th for instance.  Note that a player is not required to play 9 consecutive defensive outs to satisfy this local rule

   3. This rule will apply for the regular season and playoffs.

   4. Any team that fails to meet the player minimum play rule for a complete game (which excludes rain-shortened and 10-run-shortened games) must have the player complete the minimum play requirement for the previous game, as well as meeting the minimum play requirement for the current game before coming out of the game.

   5. If a manager intentionally breaks the substitution or minimum play rule, the manager will be suspended for one game.  If the manager commits the offense a second time, the manager will be subject to dismissal upon Board approval.

2. Mandatory EH Rule

   1. For the regular season, managers must bat 10 batters instead of the minimum of 9. Batter 10 is deemed the extra hitter (EH).  

      1. This rule does not apply for the playoffs

   2. If a team has only 8 or 9 players (batters):

      1. The team will not be charged an “out” for the 10th batting position.

      2.  The opposing team has the option of batting 9

      3. Once the decision is made, you remain at that number of batters for the full game.

         1. The only exception is if a player or players must leave the game (injury, religious reasons, etc.) and you are left with fewer than 10 players as a result, your lineup is reduced to match the number of players you have left, without penalty (i.e., no automatic outs). 

         2. If you start with an EH and you have 10 or more players left, you continue to bat 10.

      4. An EH may bat anywhere in the lineup.

      5. An EH is considered to be "in the game" and therefore can move around freely with position players (e.g., EH could swap spots with the SS mid-inning, and it is not considered a substitution). 

         1. However, being in the lineup as the EH does not count toward the 9-out fielding minimum.

3. 8-Player Minimum

   1. Teams are allowed to start and continue a game if there are 8 or more eligible players, as long as the league Call-Up Policy procedures have been followed.  

   2. If there are 8 players in the batting order, an out will be recorded for the empty position. 

4. Courtesy Runner

   1. With 2 outs, a manager may elect to put in a courtesy runner for the pitcher and/or catcher of record.  The courtesy runner must be a player not in the batting order.  

      1. If a full continuous batting order is used, the courtesy runner is the player who made the last out.  The same player may not be a courtesy runner for both the pitcher and catcher during a game.

5. Pitching Rules

   1. The maximum allowable pitches per day per player are:

      1. 11 and 12 year olds                      85 pitches per day

      2. 10 year olds                                  75 pitches per day 

   2. To start the season, the following pitch restrictions will be in place:

      1. Maximum of 50 pitches per pitcher for the 1st outing of the season.

      2. Maximum of 65 pitches per pitcher for the 2nd outing of the season.

      3. There is a rest requirement for each player who has pitched as follows:

      4. If a pitcher reaches his limit while pitching to a batter, he will be allowed to finish pitching to that batter

         1. The pitcher’s Count will be set to the pitching threshold that occurred during the at-bat. 
      5.  

6. Pitcher/Catcher Eligibility

   1. Suppose a pitcher reaches 40 pitches while facing a batter. In that case, the pitcher may continue to pitch, and maintain their eligibility to play the position of catcher for the remainder of that day, until any one of the following conditions occurs:(1) that batter reaches base; (2) that batter is retired; (3) the third out is made to complete the half inning or the game; or (4) the pitcher is removed from the mound prior to the batter completing his/her at-bat. The pitcher would be allowed to play the catcher position provided that the pitcher is moved, removed, or the game is completed before delivering a pitch to another batter.

       

   2. If a player delivers 41 or more pitches and is not covered under the threshold exception, the player may not play the position of catcher for the remainder of that day. But a catcher can move to pitcher, unless that player has caught more than 3 innings in that game.

7. Intentional walks are permitted

    
   1. The manager can declare the intentional walk prior to the beginning of the at-bat or during the at-bat.  If the manager elects to walk a batter intentionally, the remaining number of pitches to get to 4 balls will be added to the pitch count. For example, if elected before the at-bat, 4 pitches are added to the pitch count; if elected during at-bat with 1 ball on the batter, 3 pitches are added to the pitch count. A coach may visit the pitching mound twice per inning or a total 3 times per pitcher. Once that limit has been reached (twice in one inning or 3 times to the same pitcher), the pitcher must be replaced.

8.  Pre-Game Warm-ups (1 hour Prior to Game)

   1. As an example, the following schedule would apply to a 5:45 pm game:

      1. 4:45-5:05 pm          Home Team Batting Cage                       (20 min.)

      2. 5:05-5:25 pm          Visiting Team Batting Cage                     (20 min)

      3. 5:20-5:30 pm          Home Team Fielding Practice                 (10 min)

      4. 5:30-5:40 pm          Visiting Team Fielding Practice               (10 min)

   2. The same schedule should be used for weekend game times.  While one team uses the batting cage, the opposing team may use the outfield to warm up players (throw/stretch).  If a team OR player misses the scheduled time, they may not go back and use the batting cage

9. Concession Stand and Pitch Count

   1. Each team is responsible for staffing the concession stand and monitoring the pitch count during their scheduled game.

      1. Visiting Team: monitors pitch count for both teams from the booth. 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. 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. 

      2. Home Team: works the concession stand.

   2. If a team neglects its responsibility, a forfeit of that game can result.

10. Dugout Personnel

    1. The only personnel allowed in team dugouts are the team’s players and the league board-approved coaches.

    2. One coach must be in the dugout at all times.

    3. Coaches MUST stay in the dugout restricted area, which extends to the playing field gate.

    4. 3 Total Coaches (1 Manager,2 Coaches)

11. Replacing a Player

    1. If a Majors player is injured for an extended period of time, usually more than two games, a replacement player must be brought up from the AAA/Junior Majors division.

    2. A list of available players will be given to the manager from which to choose.

    3. The age of the replacement player must be 10 -12 years old according to the most recent revised 2024 Little League age determination rules.