All rules contained on this webpage are in addition to or explanatory of the official rules of Little League International.

Team Staff:

Only managers and coaches who have been issued an official FPLL ID card may be present in the dugout or on the field.  ID cards must be worn at all times.

Time Limits:

All organized games played at the Floral Park Recreation Center are subject to a 1 hour and 45 minute time limit.  This is a hard stop.

No new inning may begin after the 1 hour and 30-minute mark. 

In the event a game is stopped due to the 1 hour and 45-minute limit and the home team has not had a chance to bat when they are losing, the official score will revert to the score of the last completed inning.

Baseball Bats: 

All divisions will adhere to Little League Rule 1.10.

On Deck Batters:

There are no on-deck batters in Little League for the Major division and below.  Players may not handle a bat until it is their turn to advance to the batter’s box.  In addition, the traditional ring style donuts (bat weights) are not permitted for any division.

Borrowed Players:

If a team has less than 8 players available for a game, borrowing a player from another team is allowed within the same Division if the player is a current member of FPLL.  The borrowed player must play the outfield and bat last in the order.  They may not pitch or catch.  There is no borrowing of players during the playoffs from other major division teams. Players from a Lower division may be brought up to play if they are able to compete at that level.

These divisions are considered instructional.  Floral Park Little League will provide facilitators for each of these divisions.  The focus will be on developing skills such as fielding, hitting, and throwing.

1. The pitching machine will be used for all games and is located in the shed near Field 1
   
2. Player / Coach Pitch will be implemented at a point of the season that the coaches feel the players can compete.  The format will be the Players pitch in innings 1,3,5 and the coaches will pitch in innings 2,4,6.  In the innings where the players pitch, there will be no walks, on ball 4 a coach will come out to complete the at bat.  The Balls and Strikes will pick up where the player pitcher walked the batter.  For example, if the Batter had 2 strikes when ball 4 was pitched, the batter will only have 1 more strike left when the coach comes in to Pitch.
3. No stealing
4. No headfirst slide
   1. Pete Rose Rule for sliding, no headfirst sliding, no jumping over a fielder with ball. If fielder has ball waiting or a bang, bang play, runner must slide. Player without the ball cannot block home plate.
5. No bunting
6. No in-field fly rule
7. Only 1 base is allowed on each overthrow except for home (home plate must be earned)
8. Universal batting order must be used.
9. 5 run maximum per inning, the declared last inning has no run limit.
10. No player shall be on the bench for consecutive innings.
11. 4 outfielders are permitted, no players should play 2 consecutive innings in the outfield unless there is a safety concern.
12. Any player acting as a catcher, must be wearing an athletic cup
13. Any player who has acted as catcher for 4 or more innings is not eligible to pitch on that calendar day.
14. The “pitcher” must have 2 feet within in the circle of the mound and be aligned with the rubber when the coach is pitching to the batter.

1. No leading
2. 3 steals allowed per inning with a double steal counting as 1
   1. Pitch must cross the plate before stealing.
   2. No stealing of home (Homeplate must be earned), no runner may score on an overthrow of a batted ball to any base or when ball is overthrown when thrown back to the pitcher. A runner cannot score on an overthrow on an attempted steal or on a 1^st and 3^rd steal.
   3. First runner (each team) leaving base early on tag up play or stealing will be given a warning and then sent back to the base. Thereafter runner will be called out.
   4. No delayed steals
   5. 1 additional base allowed on steal play (if overthrow or uncaught ball)
3. No headfirst slide
   1. Pete Rose Rule for sliding, no headfirst sliding, no jumping over a fielder with ball. If fielder has ball waiting or a bang, bang play, runner must slide. Player without the ball cannot block the plate
4. 9 players on the field.
5. Universal batting order must be used
6. 5 run maximum per inning with exception of the declared final inning.
7. Any player acting as catcher, must be wearing an athletic cup
8. Any player who has acted as catcher for 4 or more innings is not eligible to pitch on that calendar day.
9. Pitching
   1. See the lower section of this website for detailed pitching rules and pitch counts.
   2. Team managers are responsible for recording and reporting all pitch counts.
   3. 4 walks maximum or any pitcher that hits 2 batters per inning OR 3 batters during game MUST be removed as a pitcher for that game.
      1. The pitcher must be removed on the 4th walk of an inning. There will be some discretion given to the umpire to decide if a hit batter counts against a pitcher, for example if the batter leans into a pitch, or doesn’t make any attempt to move.

1. No leading
2. Stealing (after the ball crosses the plate)
   
   1. Only one steal of home plate per inning
   2. No Delayed Stealing
3. Runner leaving base early on tag up play or stealing will be called out on appeal.
4. There are no run limits to end an inning or Run Rules to end the game in the Major Division.  If both Managers agree before the game, a 5 run maximum per inning can be implemented, however the declared last inning has no run limit. The umpire will declare the last inning.
5. There is no Dropped 3rd. strike.
6. Any player who has acted as catcher for 4 or more innings is not eligible to pitch on that calendar day.
7. Pitching
   1. See the lower section of this website for detailed pitching rules and pitch counts
   2. Team managers are responsible for recording and reporting all pitch counts
   3. Any pitcher that hits 2 batters per inning OR 3 batters during game MUST be removed as a pitcher for that game.
      1. There will be some discretion given to the umpire to decide if a hit batter counts against a pitcher, for example if the batter leans into a pitch, or doesn’t make any attempt to move.

1. 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.)
2. A pitcher once removed from the mound cannot return as a pitcher.
   1. 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.
3. The manager must remove the pitcher when said pitcher reaches the limit for age group as noted below, but the pitcher may remain in the game at another position:
   1. League Age (13 -16): 95 pitches per day
   2. League Age (11 -12): 85 pitches per day
   3. League Age (9-10): 75 pitches per day
   4. League Age (7-8): 50 pitches per day
   5. If a pitcher reaches the limit imposed in Regulation VI (c) for their league age while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until any one of the following conditions occurs:
      1. The batter reaches base
      2. The batter is put out
      3. The third out is made to complete the half inning
4. Pitchers league age 14 and under must adhere to the following rest requirements:
   1. If a player pitches 66 or more pitches in a day, four (4) calendar days of rest must be observed.
      
      1. Eg. Pitches 66 on Monday, Tues/Wed/Thurs/Fri are rest.  May pitch Saturday
   2. If a player pitches 51 - 65 pitches in a day, three (3) calendar days of rest must be observed.
   3. If a player pitches 36 - 50 pitches in a day, two (2) calendar days of rest must be observed.
   4. If a player pitches 21 - 35 pitches in a day, one (1) calendar days of rest must be observed.
   5. If a player pitches 1 - 20 pitches in a day, no (0) calendar day of rest is required.
5. Pitchers league age 15 and 16 must adhere to the following rest requirements:
   1. If a player pitches 76 or more pitches in a day, four (4) calendar days of rest must be observed.
      1. Eg. Pitches 76 on Monday, Tues/Wed/Thurs/Fri are rest.  May pitch Saturday
   2. If a player pitches 61 - 75 pitches in a day, three (3) calendar days of rest must be observed.
   3. If a player pitches 46 - 60 pitches in a day, two (2) calendar days of rest must be observed.
   4. If a player pitches 31 -45 pitches in a day, one (1) calendar days of rest must be observed.
   5. If a player pitches 1-30 pitches in a day, no (0) calendar day of rest is required.
6. Each team must designate the scorekeeper or another game official as the official pitch count recorder.
7. 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.
8. 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).
9. 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.
10. A player who has attained the league age of twelve (12) is not eligible to pitch in the Minor League. (See Regulation V – Selection of Players)
11. A player may not pitch in more than one game in a day. (Exception: In the Big League Division, a player may be used as a pitcher in up to two games in a day.)

1. 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.
2. Pitches delivered in games declared “Regulation Tie Games” or “Suspended Games” shall be charged against pitcher’s eligibility.
3. 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.
   1. 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 days of rest.
   2. 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 days of rest.
   3. 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 four days.