2025 WYBSA Baseball Minors

Division Rules, Procedures, & Policies

Cap Ripken Baseball Rules apply for all rules not specifically addressed below

Game Rules

• Game format is 6 innings
• Games to be overseen by a Junior Umpire
• Infield dimensions
  • 46' Pitching Distance
  • 60' Base Distance
• See Official Cal Ripken Baseball Rules for clarification if not specifically addressed below.
  • This document is intended to spotlight changes, amendments, additions, and/or clarification to the Official Cal Ripken Baseball rules.
• Ground Rules should be discussed before the game
  • Discuss the role of base coaches in calling fair/foul balls if there is only one umpire or if the umpire is situated behind the pitcher to calls balls & strikes

Equipment

• WYBSA adheres to a USA Bat Standard
  • All bats must have the USA Stamp to be used in practices or games.
  • Bats stamped with either BBCOR or USSSA are not permissible.
• Approved balls for this league are Diamond DLL.
  • No substitution for this ball standard is allowed.
• Metal cleats/spikes are NOT permitted
• Each team has been provided catchers equipment by the league. If additional catchers’ equipment is needed, reach out to the equipment coordinator

Coaching

• All teams are limited to (1) official Head Coach/Manager and (1) Official Assistant coach/manager for roster purposes.
  • Coaches are encouraged to remember this is a recreational baseball league, officiated by former Wrentham players (typically teenagers). Please keep that in mind in all dealings both on and off the field.
• Grievances with scheduling, umpiring, rules, protests, game results, etc. are to be directed to the league commissioner by the official coaching staff within 12 hours of the event.
  • Relative to a protest, if a protest situation in game is imminent, the potential offending coach should be notified immediately by the observing party (i.e., try to prevent the issue before it occurs).
  • If the protesting condition has transpired, the umpire should also be notified.
  • Protest will be reviewed by the Commissioner with notification to Board as required for corrective action
• WYBSA reserves the right to approve/disapprove all Head Coach/Manager or Assistant Coaches.

Team Expectations

• For each game, the Home Team is responsible for (2) game balls and base placement.
  • Field lining will be completed by the Junior Umpires.
  • The Home Team is also responsible for the return of applicable items to the lock box.
• Both teams are responsible for removing trash and debris in and around the dugout areas post game.
• Both teams are responsible for the replacement of all applicable equipment to the trailer as well as ensuring the trailer is “locked” post usage.
• Both teams are responsible for maintaining field conditions (i.e., dragging the infield, repairing holes at mound and plate, returning tarps onto field, when necessary, etc.)
• To expedite the game and minimize delays between innings:
  • Head coaches are required to post their lineup in their own dugout before the start of the game.
  • The lineup should include projected positions for each inning.
  • The coach may alter the lineup during the game to accommodate for absence, injuries, or other circumstances not anticipated.
  • It is critical that the players know their positions prior to the start of an inning to keep the game moving.

Sportsmanship

• All coaches, parents and players are required to demonstrate proper respect towards opponents, teammates, equipment and umpires.
  • Disrespecting opponents, teammates, equipment or umpires is subject to disciplinary action.
  • Coaches, Players and Parents should all be familiar with the Code of Conduct/Zero Tolerance policy.
• All issues and/or complaints will be investigated by the Commissioner and presented to the Board as necessary.
• All players and coaches will congratulate their opponents at the conclusion of each game.
• All players are to hustle (run) on and off the field of play.
• WYBSA understands chanting and singing is part of the fun of baseball, however any chanting or singing should be in a positive vein for one’s own team.
  • Any negative chanting or singing towards your opponent, or any timed chanting or singing to affect the opposing pitcher, or any rhythmic chanting that is focused on distracting the opponent shall be stopped immediately.
  • We want to encourage the kids to have fun while being good sports.

Scheduling, Game Length, & Scoring

• Game will be limited to 1 hr. 45 min (complete the inning if started before the time limit).
  • Coaches to agree on official start time at first pitch. If this is not done, the start time of record will be the official game start time.
  • Extra innings will be played IF before the time limit.
  • Playoff games will NOT have a time limit and will be played until the game is complete/official.
  • Mercy Limit The game ends if one team leads by (12) or more runs at the conclusion of the 4th inning.
  • 3.5 innings constitutes a complete (i.e., an “official”) game (or 4 full innings if the visiting team is ahead).
    • If the game is stopped because of rain or darkness, or the field is deemed unplayable after 3.5 or 4 innings (if the visiting team is ahead) then the game becomes a “complete” game.
  • A half inning ends after 5 runs cross the plate in every inning except the last inning. Unlimited runs are permitted in the last inning for both teams.
  • The home team is always allowed last at bat. (Example: rain after 5 1 /2 innings, score would revert to end of 5 full innings)
  • The last inning depends on the pace of the game and is not necessarily the 6th inning. It could be, for example, the 4th or 5th inning. Coaches and Umpires must communicate during the game to determine the appropriate “last inning”.
• Every effort should be made to play all games as scheduled
• All weather-related cancellations will be rescheduled by the two affected coaches and the Scheduler for the next immediately available opportunity (including Sundays). Contact your commissioner if assistance is needed to reschedule games.
• Incomplete games due to rain will be rescheduled with scheduler and resumed where left off, with all statistics in place from game prior to delay. Strikes, balls, inning, score, etc... will be maintained.
• Non-weather-related cancellations are prohibited unless approved by the Commissioner

Standings

• All standings will be maintained through the WYBSA website
• Within 24 hours of game completion, the winning team is responsible for reporting the game score.
  • Both coaches will update the Google Document with call up names and pitching information.
  • The pitching report is to include the names of pitchers as well as the number of innings pitched by each player.
• Standings will be determined via point system
  • 2 points for a win
  • 1 point for a tie
  • Tie Breaker
    • Head-to-head record
    • Runs against
    • Runs scored
    • Coin Toss
  • All teams will make the playoffs
  • When there is an odd number of teams, the top team will receive a bye.
• Playoff Format
  • Playoff format will be communicated by League Commissioner

Farm League Call Ups

• Team’s fielding 8 or fewer players for any given regular season or playoff game may call up a player from the WYBSA Farm League.
• An official Call Up list should be provided by the league Commissioner prior to Opening Day
• Called up player usage should be reported via email to the League Commissioner prior to game-time
• A team may not call up the same player more than once in a 7-day period and called up players are not to miss their assigned WYBSA team game as a result of a call up.
• Farm League call ups shall not pitch. There are no exceptions. Coaches that violate this rule risk suspension.
• Farm League call-ups must bat last in the order
• Called up players are to be handled like the last player available in the line-up. Under no circumstances will a called-up player play more innings or get more at bats than any one healthy player on the team calling up a player.

Pitching

• Pitchers are limited to 6 innings per week regardless of age
• Intentional Walks are not allowed
• A coach is allowed one (1) trip to the mound per inning; on the second trip in an inning, the pitcher must be removed from the mound. Calling a pitcher or catcher to the sideline will be considered a trip to the mound.
• Pitcher Tracker Google Document: All coaches should input their pitching after each game within 24 hours. Entry should include last name/innings pitched.
• WYBSA pitching rules are set up around innings pitched. Pitchers shall be limited to 2 innings per day. Coaches should also track the number of pitches thrown. Kids at this age should not be throwing more than 45-50 pitches in an outing regardless of number of innings played.
  • Note To the extent a player is pitching for a Club Team, coaches should work with the child’s parent /guardian to assess cumulative impact of pitching on a child’s arm.
• A pitching week runs Sunday to Saturday. Rest periods do not reset when a new pitching week begins.
• Once a pitcher has been removed from the mound for another pitcher, the removed pitcher cannot, under any circumstances, re-enter the same game as a pitcher. He or she can re-enter the game as a position player. The removed pitcher will require the allocated rest between appearances once removed from the mound during his or her outing.
• Pitchers throwing 1 inning, in a game, do not require rest. Kids at this age should not be throwing back-to-back days if their 1 inning outing was not clean (i.e., if a player throws 35 pitches in a single inning, common sense on the next day should be applied; Player safety is the primary objective)
  • Pitchers throwing 2 innings in a game, must rest 1 full day
    • Example: If a pitcher pitches 2 innings on:
      • Monday, They cannot pitch again until Wednesday
      • Tuesday, They cannot pitch again until Thursday
      • Wednesday, They cannot pitch again until Friday
      • Thursday, They cannot pitch again until Saturday
      • Friday, They cannot pitch again until Sunday
      • Saturday, They cannot pitch again until Monday
      • Sunday, They cannot pitch again until Tuesday
• One (1) pitch constitutes an inning pitched
• All innings pitched in an incomplete game will count toward innings pitched for that week
• Pitchers who hit 2 batters in an inning, or 3 in a game, must be replaced. The opposing coach has the option to relax this rule if requested. It's the sole decision of the opposing coach.
  • An example of where this discretion would be used is if a soft throwing new pitcher grazes a batter vs. a hard throwing player hits a player with a fast pitch
• NO curve balls
  • 1st time a breaking ball is thrown will result in a ruling of a “ball”.
  • 2nd time throwing a breaking ball will result in the pitcher being removed from the mound for the remainder of the game
• All players are to be coached to pitch properly from the rubber

Sliding/Stealing

• Teams are allowed 4 stolen bases per inning
• Teams can steal home 1 time per game (1 attempt)
• Except for first base, all base runners must slide or avoid contact
  • A close play results when the defending player, at the base in question, has the ball in their possession or is in the process of making a play on the ball.
  • The final determination of a close play is at the discretion of the Jr. Umpire
  • Headfirst slides are prohibited unless returning to a base. A headfirst slide will result in an out.
• Runners can advance on catcher overthrows, except for home. Advancements will count as a stolen base.
• If a catcher attempts a play on a lead, the runner can advance on an overthrow.
• No stealing on throws from the catcher to the pitcher, including overthrows to the pitcher.
• The ball is live on all other overthrows, including overthrows to the pitchers and catchers making a play on a base runner. Runners may advance at their own risk.
• When a pitcher has the ball on the mound, the ball is dead and base runners may not advance.
• Runners may not leave their base (steal and/or lead) until the pitch reaches the batter.
• If a runner leaves early (prior to the ball crossing the plate), the runner is returned to the original base of origin
• If a runner leaves early and the batter gets a hit, the runner may not advance farther than forced by the batter's action
  • Example: If a runner is on first, and leaves early, then the batter hits a double. The runner from first may not advance further than 3rd base

Batting Order

• All players will bat in a continuous batting order
• During a game if a player is injured and cannot bat, this WILL NOT result in an out when it is their turn to bat
• All players must bat
• Pinch hitting is NOT allowed
• Slashing is NOT allowed (i.e., showing bunt and then pulling bat back to hit)
• Late arrivals must bat in the last spot in the batting line-up. Once a team has gone through their batting order once, late arrivals may not participate.
• All offensive players on the field of play are required to wear helmets
• Bunting is allowed and should be used appropriately

Fielding

• All players must play a minimum of 4 innings in the field
• All players must play 1 inning of infield and 1 inning of outfield
• Infield fly rule is in effect
• Catchers may catch up to (4) innings. Catcher is counted as playing infield.
  • Please try to rotate catchers in and please check on their health status.
  • No catcher should be playing with leg pain.
• Free substitution is allowed except for the pitcher. See pitching rules above.
• No “hidden ball” tricks allowed
• Catchers are required to wear a cup

Please direct all questions to the League Commissioner