The objective of the Community League-7 League is to teach children the rules of baseball, improve basic skills, teach teamwork and sportsmanship, prepare for the Community League-8 league and most importantly, have fun. Community League-7 utilizes a non-electric, sling-based pitching machine and a softer baseball.
General Rules
1. The home team is in charge of setting up and putting away the pitching machine.
2. All games will be played with the sling machine set at the same tension level (to be determined by the League Coordinator and coaches prior to the first game of the season).
3. Players, coaches, parents and fans will observe the MBA Code of Conduct at all times.
4. Total score will not be kept.
5. Each game will consist of six innings (or fewer if the time limit of the game occurs first)
6. A half-inning consists of batting around the order or 3 outs whichever comes first.
7. No umpires will be provided; coaches for each team are required to lead the structure of the game.
8. Games have a one-hour time limit from the SCHEDULED start time of the game. Without exception, regardless of the game situation, the game must end five minutes before the scheduled start of the next game.
9. Teams are responsible for cleaning up the dugout and bleacher areas following each game.
10. The home team will occupy the third base dugout, only if the field dugout signs designating for team dugouts are not available.
11. Only players and approved coaches are allowed in the dugout; no exceptions
12. All batters and base runners must wear a helmet. Catchers must wear a helmet with a face protector and a chest protector.
Fielding
1. All players play in the field each inning with a six-person infield; the remaining players will play in the outfield and must stay at least 20’ back from the dirt portion of the infield.
2. A team with fewer than 6 players (a full infield) may borrow fielders from the other team.
3. Players must be rotated to different positions after each inning and must be given equal time in the infield and outfield during a game. Coaches must ensure all players are given an equal opportunity to play all positions equally during the season.
4. An MBA developmental strategy is to create force situations so fielders can make plays to bases and create outs. To help support good fielding fundamentals, the batter and all runners may only advance one base on a hit to the infield and up to two bases on a ball hit on the fly into the outfield. Only fielders assigned to an infield position can make a play at a base. Outfielders must throw the ball to the infielders.
5. Two (2) coaches may station themselves in the outfield to assist with verbal instructions before and after each play, so long as this does not impede the progress of the game.
6. The pitcher may not move off the mound until the ball is hit.
Hitting and Running
1. Coaches will operate the sling machine and “pitch” to their own batters. FIVE strikes and/or foul balls are allowed before the player must hit from a TEE. Due to time of game constraints, coaches must adhere to the pitch count rule. There are no strike outs or walks; therefore, a foul ball, even on the 3rd strike caught by the catcher, must be higher than the batter’s head to be considered a put out.
2. Teams will bat in continuous order, (round robin), with all players batting. This order must rotate through the entire season. The on deck batter for the last out of any particular game leads off the next game so all players get equal at bats throughout the season. A batting order and player position spreadsheet form is provided through the MBA website (www.minnetonkabaseball.org) to assist in planning and to document the batting order. All coaches must use this form and must be prepared to submit to the Community League-7 coordinator at any point during the season for review.
3. Any hit ball must travel at least 6 feet or it is considered foul. Coaches should draw an arch that will show if the ball is a hit or a foul. The ball is considered fair until the umpire calls it foul. A foul ball will be called if the batter steps out of the batter’s box prior to the ball being hit. A foul ball in the air can be caught for an out.
4. There is no bunting, stealing or leading off. The runner may not leave the bag until the ball is hit.
5. Players should slide at all bases except first if there is the possibility of a close play (no sliding at 1st base is allowed). Head first slides are not allowed. Players should run through first-base on a ball hit to the infield. Player running through 2nd and 3rd may be tagged out. The 1st baseman is to have his/her foot on the white base and the runner is to step on the orange base.
6. A batter is out if they throw their bat. There are no warnings for thrown bats; coaches must call them out.
7. A player cannot run more than 3 feet off the base line to avoid a tag.
8. A runner may not advance from third to home when bases are not loaded unless the run can be scored without any play at the plate.
9. MBA does not allow the use of an on-deck circle. All players are to remain in the dugout until it is their turn at-bat. A player is only allowed to be outside of the dugout if they are currently at-bat or if they occupy 1st, 2nd or 3rd base.