Baseball-Softball Playing Time and Eligibility Rules
BH PAL Baseball/Softball Playing Time and Eligibility Rules- Updated March 2023
OBJECTIVE: This document is not intended to micro-manage coaching decisions. All of our coaches are volunteers. They know their team and they should be empowered to make decisions. The intent of this document is to ensure relatively equitable playing time and skill development while also serving as a way to protect coaches from accusations that they are “not playing to win.” This guidance applies to all BH PAL sponsored softball and baseball teams ages 14u and under. Delineation between In-Town and travel is outlined in the document. Except as discussed below, batting order and positions are not complaints that will be entertained. Coaches always have discretion to not put a player at a position that could risk injury to them, a teammate or opponent. Except as specifically mentioned, this document is not intended to address issues of pitch count or other safety and playing time rules that are addressed elsewhere. This document is not intended to address tryouts or team placement. This document is not guidance or suggestion, these are rules that are expected to be followed.
Player Eligibility
Baseball players must play Spring In-Town to be eligible for Spring Travel, Summer Travel and Districts. Players must also participate in Summer Travel to play Districts. Attendance will be taken for In-Town baseball, travel players who fail to make at least 80% of the In-Town games can be removed from Travel and District play. Any dual rostering of players must be discussed and approved by the commissioner.
The PAL does not have policies against playing club baseball or softball nor is there a rule against playing other sports during the baseball/softball season. With that said, players are expected to prioritize PAL in spring and summer if they accept a spot on a travel team. Baseball or Softball players who fail to make at least 80% of the games could be named ineligible to make a Red team the following season.
In-Town Baseball/Softball:
Always roster batting. Playing time must be distributed evenly. No player may sit a second inning in the field until every player has sat at least one inning. Infield and outfield play should be balanced evenly. ALL PLAYERS should play both infield and outfield. (Catching and pitching qualify as infield.) All players who can at least reach the plate should be given two opportunities to pitch unless the parent of the player asks that they not. Travel pitchers may be excepted from that rule. Pitching should be distributed as evenly as possible. (Playoffs only: teams may “pitch to win” in the playoffs commensurate with the rules laid out by the commissioner. All other guidance above applies to the regular season and playoffs.)
Travel Baseball/Softball Regular Season:
“Regular Season” is defined as league games as well as tourney pool play games. All District/Ripken games fall under post-season guidance. Teams with 12 players or less must roster bat. Teams with more than 12 players may choose to not roster bat, however every player must start in the batting order at least 2 games out of 3. No player may sit a second inning in the field until every player has sat at least one inning. (EXCEPTION: pitcher who is actively pitching in the game does not need to be removed to meet this requirement.)
All players should be given opportunities to play and practice both infield and outfield. (Pitcher/catcher qualify as infield.) Below 12u no player should be classified or utilized as “only” an infielder or “only” an outfielder. At 12u and below all players that request to play catcher should be given at least two opportunities to do so over the course of the season.
Pitching (baseball- travel): Pitching rules apply to 9u and above, 7u and 8u are at the coach’s discretion. ALL TRAVEL PLAYERS 9u and above SHOULD BE PITCHING unless specific request from the parent that they not pitch. All players should pitch at least twice a season, that is the minimum. A pitching outing is defined as at least 4 batters. During the regular season coaches should spread pitching evenly except in cases where a specific player pitching will dramatically impact the flow of the game. Pitch Smart guidelines must be used and followed.
Pitching (baseball-In Town): Parents of travel players are required to let their in-town coach know when they pitched and how many pitches they threw. In-Town coaches are expected to follow Pitch Smart guidelines. Travel coaches have the right to tell an In-Town coach not to pitch a particular player in a given game if they are planning on pitching that player in an upcoming travel game.
Pitching (softball): All teams should be developing at least 3 pitchers. A coach can decide if s/he would like to split the pitching within a given game or give different pitchers different games. Unless extenuating circumstances and approval from the commissioner no pitcher should throw more than 50% of a team’s innings in a given season. If a pitcher throws a complete game, she should not start the next game unless there is approval from the commissioner. Softball pitching needs to be practiced. A coach is not required to have a girl pitch in a game who has not been practicing at pitching in order to comply with this guidance.
Travel Baseball/Softball Post-Season:
Post-Season is defined as league playoffs, Ripken/District games and any elimination games of bracketed tourneys
Pitching: Coaches are empowered to “pitch to win” in playoff games, District games and tourney elimination games. This is pursuant to all league and PAL pitch count rules. It is possible that players may not pitch at all during district and tourney games, this is at the coach’s discretion.
Batting: Roster batting is not required. All players are required to get at least one at bat and one inning on defense in every game no matter what.
Fielding: All players in the line-up should also play in the field. What positions they are at is completely at the coach’s discretion during post-season and bracket games. All players must get one inning in the field and one at bat, the coach may put the player at any position they choose.
Baseball Questions/Feedback: Contact Commissioner Neil Victor first, if issue is not resolved contact BH PAL VP Peggy House
Softball Questions/Feedback: Contact Commissioner Roger Foltynewicz, if issue is not resolved contact BH PAL President Bill Faxon