CITY OF ARLINGTON 7-9 Coach Pitch League Rules 2021

EQUIPMENT AND UNIFORMS: 1) This league is designed for the older age group there is no playing up in this age. 2) Cleats with rubber soles or tennis shoes are recommended. Absolutely no metal cleats. 3) All participants will be provided a jersey and cap. Shorts or baseball pants may be worn but are not supplied by the league. 4) Fielding gloves must be supplied by the participants. 5) Official baseball bats only with a diameter of 2 ¼, 2 5/8 or 2 ¾ are allowed.

GENERAL RULES: 1) Games will consist of 6 innings or 1 hour, whichever occurs first. No new inning after 55 minutes. Games will be played at Harold Patterson Sports Complex or Randol Mill Park. 2) Home team will be the first team listed on the schedule and sit on the first base side. 3) Age eligibility is determined by the age your child is during the registration period. 4) Roster may have a minimum of 9 players and a maximum of 12 players. Players may be added to any team at the discretion of the Sports Manager. 5) Only coaches that have completed the volunteer application and have been approved by the City of Arlington may coach. Substitute coaches may be used if approved by the City of Arlington. Please plan ahead. 6) Coaches will be responsible for spectators and players attitudes and behavior. Should attitudes become unmanageable the umpire will ask the spectators to leave the field. Poor sportsmanship (by managers, coaches, players, or spectators) can result in ejection from the game and/or removal from the park. Examples of poor sportsmanship include: throwing equipment, using illegal equipment, bad language and temper tantrums. 7) Teams may meet as many as three times a week (2 practices and 1 game). 8) In the event of a rain out, the City of Arlington will place the information on the Youth Sports Rainout Line (817) 459-6697. Coaches and league participants will be responsible for checking schedule changes on www.teamsideline.com/arlington website (Updated within 48 hours). 9) Upon completion of the game each manager/coach is responsible for the cleanliness of the dugout and grandstand areas. 10) All games will be played at Harold Patterson Sports Complex and Randol Mill Park 11) Catcher must wear catcher’s equipment and cup (male players). 12) Base length 60 feet, coaches pitching position is 35 feet and the defensive pitching position is 46 feet.

DEFENSIVE RULES: 1) Coaches are not permitted on the field. Coaches must remain in the dugout during defensive play. 2) Each player shall be in a regular defensive position. Additional players are encouraged to participate and must occupy a position in the Outfield. 3) The Coach is responsible for rotating his players to positions. The Catching position is the one exception to this rule. The Catcher can play the position throughout. It is your sole responsibility and not the opposing coach’s task nor the umpire to track your player.

CITY OF ARLINGTON 7-9 Coach Pitch League Rules 2021

4) The player-pitcher must play within a five-foot span of the pitcher’s plate (right, left or behind), never in front or directly behind the pitcher at the time of the pitch. 5) No player should be sitting during the team’s defensive inning. 6) All players are encouraged to play an equal number of outfield and infield positions during the season. 7) Infielders may play no closer than 10 feet inside an imaginary line connecting the bases. 8) All outfielders are required to remain at equal distance (100’) from home plate. 9) CLEAR PATH TO BASE RULE: no player shall impede the path to any base without the ball. The runner will be allowed a clear path to the base and the defensive player must utilize the tag back play where he/she catches the ball in front of the base and tags the runner. If the Defensive Player has possession of the ball the runner must: retreat, surrender or avoid the tag.

OFFENSIVE RULES: 1) The batting order shall list all eligible players who have shown up for the game. Each player must bat in the order they are listed before starting over at the top of the batting order. Players showing up late will be added to the bottom of the batting order. 2) The batter will receive 5 pitches or 3 Strikes from their own coach. The batter is out on the third strike swung at and missed. If the third strike or fifth pitch is fouled, the at bat will continue until the last pitch is swung and missed or is not a foul. 3) The pitching coach must be on the line or rubber or at least one stride in front of line or rubber. Coaches Discretion will apply as needed. There are no underhand pitches nor can the coach take a knee. However, success for the kids is the primary focus of this league. 4) The batter and all base runners will wear a protective helmet. 5) On deck batters will not be allowed. 6) The pitching coach may field a batted ball only for the reason of self protection. When this happens, play is stopped runners may not advance and the batter is awarded another pitch. Any batted ball that is deflected by the pitching coach will be redone. 7) Bunting is not allowed. If a player bunts or attempts to bunt they will be called out. 8) The infield fly rule will not be enforced. 9) Throwing the bat is a major safety problem. Each child will be given one warning on throwing the bat. On the next offense (by the same batter) the batter will be called out. 10) Overthrows: Runners may advance one base at their own risk on any overthrow. Multiple overthrows on the same play are considered one overthrow. 11) A half inning is 5 runs or 3 outs, whichever comes first. 12) Runners will cease running the bases when any hit or thrown ball into the outfield is returned to the infield including foul territory. An infielder must be in control of the ball for the play to stop. Base runners may advance no further than the next base. If a base runner is between bases, they may not advance further than the next base. A defensive play may be made on the runner at any time. 13) If the hit ball remains in the infield, without an overthrow, runners may only advance to the base they are going. 14) Leading off or stealing is not permitted in this league. 15) Base coaches are not permitted to touch the players when the ball is in play. Base coaches can not physically assist any base runner at any time. If this happens the umpire will declare the base runner out and the play is dead at the time of the infraction.

"Nothing's ever been as fun as baseball." - Mickey Mantle