Farm Division Baseball is an instructional division intended to help young players become familiar with this great sport. Regular season games have no impact on end-of-season playoffs, there will be a random draw for playoff seeding. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE should adults at the field - whether they be coaches or spectators - behave in an unsportsmanlike manner.
Non-wood bats must have the USA Baseball stamp (USSSA stamp is not legal) and be no more than 2 5/8” in diameter at the widest part of the barrel. All bats must comply with rule 1.10 of the official baseball rules.
When on Offense
- Entire rosters will be placed in the batting order (continuous batting lineup will be used)
- Six pitches can be delivered during the at bat. A batter cannot be out if he/she fouls off the last pitch of the at bat (keeps the bat ‘alive’ if fouls off the last pitch).
- The offensive team’s turn at-bat continues until the defense gains 3 outs or the offense scores 6 runs.
- Late arriving players will be placed at the bottom of the batting order
- Dropped third strike and infield fly rules are not in effect
- Stealing bases is not allowed, though players may take a lead when the ball reaches the plate.
- Base runners are prohibited from using head-first slides into bases, though may use head-first dives back into bases already passed
- On-deck batters (or any other player not currently batting) are not allowed. When a team is on offense, all players (besides the active batter or base runners) must remain in the dugout.
- A coach or parent may stand in front of the back stop, behind the catcher to help gather passed balls.
- Base runners may advance one base on an infield hit, and one base on the first overthrow. If a second overthrow is made in the same play, the ball is dead and runners cannot advance (note: an overthrow is defined as an attempt to throw the ball to a base and the ball gets passed the intended target).
- In the event no pitching machine is available, a coach from the team on offense will pitch to his/her batters a maximum of six pitches. A batter cannot be out if he/she fouls off the last pitch of the at bat.
When On Defense
- The defensive team must field no more than 6 infielders (pitcher, catcher, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd basemen, and shortstop). The remainder of the players may play outfield, though must be positioned at least 20 feet behind the baselines. A maximum of 9 players may be on the field at a time.
- All male players are required to wear a protective cup; catchers must wear shin guards, chest protector, and full, one-piece catcher’s helmet with dangling style throat protector.
- The umpire delivers pitches through the pitching machine; defensive players will remain at least 10 feet away from the pitching machine.
- A coach may be out in the field when his/her team is on defense to help instruct players. Coaches may not interfere with a live play.
Game Rules
- Farm Division baseball is open to players who are Little League age 6 - 8.
- All managers, coaches and players are required to be in proper League attire, which is considered full uniforms for players and team hats for managers/coaches; metal cleats are not allowed.
- Coaches and umpire will meet prior to the game beginning to establish official game start time. The umpire will use a phone timer to establish official game time. Games will last 90 minutes or six innings, whichever comes first. Time expires at 90 minutes, though the inning in progress will be completed in its entirety unless (1) the home team has the lead and is at-bat after time has expired (2) the home team gains the lead after time has expired or (3) the visiting team has a lead of 7 or more runs after time has expired. The next inning officially starts after the 3rd out of the previous inning.
- The game will be over if there is a 15-run (or more) lead after three innings (or 2 ½ if the home team has the lead) or a 10-run (or more) lead after four innings (or 3 ½ if the home team has the lead).
- Games may end in a tie. No new inning may begin after time expires.
- A minimum of one adult and a maximum of three adults from the coaching staff or parent volunteers are allowed in the dugout area at one time; these adult volunteers must be background checked through Arapahoe Little League
- Players on the team roster in uniform are the only children allowed in the dugout;
- No negative chatter is allowed at any point during games by players, members of the coaching staff or spectators; deliberate attempts to distract any player is unsportsmanlike and not permitted.
- Injured base runners will be replaced by the player who made the last out in the current or prior inning