Bellevue East Little League

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Rule Changes for 2008

 

Updated Baseball Pitch Count Regulations 

Here are the significant enhancements for the 2008 season for all divisions of baseball:
 
  • A pitch limit for pitchers league age 7-8 has been added, with a maximum of 50 pitches per day. Previously, the limit for these ages was the same as for pitchers who were league age 9-10.
  • A provision has been added that prohibits a player who has been removed as a pitcher in a game from playing the position of catcher for the remainder of that day. This is intended to further prevent overuse injuries. The position of catcher has the second-most overuse injuries, which can be acerbated by moving from pitcher to catcher in the same day. (However, moving from pitcher to any of the other seven positions, or from catcher to pitcher, apparently does not cause the same concerns.)
  • The “automatic” intentional walk was removed. If a pitcher wishes to intentionally walk a batter, he/she must do so by pitching four pitches intentionally outside the strike zone that are not struck at by the batter, and are called “balls” by the umpire. All such pitches will count in determining that pitcher’s pitch count.

 

 Pitch Count Clarification from Little League International

“Regarding the prohibition for a pitcher to play the position of catcher later in the day/game – does it make a difference if the pitcher is removed based on the pitch count, or just removed for ineffectiveness before the pitch count is reached? What if the pitcher is not removed and finishes a game – could he/she be a catcher in a game later that day? Why not also restrict a player from moving from catcher to pitcher?”

 
Answer: The intent of the rule is based on the fact that experts in pitching injuries say that a player who warms up to pitch, and then pitches in a game, should not play the position of catcher for the remainder of that day. Any other position is acceptable. The same is not true for a player moving from catcher to pitcher. This portion of the regulations and rules has been clarified. You can find the text of the regular season pitching regulation here and the tournament rules here .
 
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