What To Expect – Minors

Minor League Baseball is a big transition from Mini-Minor for most young players. It will be their first experience with peer pitching, with striking out more often, with sitting on the bench while others play and learning to play with players of different ages and skill levels. Minor League is a final transition to full-fledged baseball for most young players. Working with players through this time of change is a true challenge for managers and coaches.

Team Selection: Players from the draft list will be selected until all the Minor League teams have the required number of players.  Managers and coaches may have their children play on their team (if in the proper age category). No other requests to play on a specific team will be considered.

Player Draft: Minor League Baseball who are 9 (before September 1) or are 10, 11 or 12 years old may attend try-outs for the Minor League Baseball program. The tryouts are usually held in February of each year (notice is posted). Players who qualify will be placed on the draft list unless they otherwise stipulated. Those on the draft list may be* selected to a Major Division team. Those not selected may be subject to a call-up at a later date. 

*This year all 12-year-olds who attend the tryouts for the Major Division will be playing in the Major Division. Only the 12-year-olds who do not attend the tryouts will be playing in the Minor Division of Baseball.

Game Length: Games are scheduled for six innings. A game will be considered complete if four innings have been completed (or three and one half innings if the home team is ahead) or, of course, if six innings have been completed. The only way a game will not go to six full innings is because of bad weather, time limit, or darkness. During the regular season, attempts will be made to reschedule canceled games if both managers wish to play the game. This of course will be subject to field availability. 

Inning Length: the offensive team will continue at bat until one of the following occurs:
a) if they have three outs, or
b) if they score three runs
c) The last inning is a modified open inning declared by the umpire. (eg. Visiting team can only score enough runs to go ahead by 3 runs or if the visiting team is already ahead may only score an additional 3 runs. Home team may score enough runs to win by 1 run.)

There is no open inning.

Stealing Bases: Prior to the May long weekend, no player shall steal home base. After the May long weekend, players may steal home if there are 2 outs.

Regular Season: There will be no team win-loss records maintained or displayed during the regular season. Teams will still maintain game scores and other game statistics however, Division Champions will be determined through playoffs to be held on the end of the regular season.

Scorekeeping: The Home Team will provide a trained scorekeeper for each game. Managers are responsible for providing a team line-up to the umpire and scorekeeper. At the end of the game the scorekeeper will give each manager a copy of the game score sheet and turn in the other copies to the Director of the Minor League.

Playing Time: Team members will play a minimum of three innings in each six inning game. 

Playing Positions: All players shall be given opportunity to play the outfield and infield positions on a roughly equal basis for games attended.

Batter Warm-Up: Team members warming up pitchers must wear a catching helmet and catching glove for safety and insurance purposes.

Batting Lineup: Over the season, players shall be rotated through the batting order in a roughly equivalent manner for games attended.

Pitcher Rotation: The following pitching rules apply at Layritz:
a) any player on the team roster except 12 year old, may pitch; and
b) a Pitcher must follow the pitch count rules
c) a Pitcher once removed from that position, may not return as pitcher during the game
d) delivery of a single pitch constitutes an inning pitched
e) any player who has played the position of catcher in 4 or more innings in a game is not eligible to pitch on that calendar day
f) if a pitcher pitches more than 40 pitches in a game, they are not eligible to catch for the remainder of that calendar day

Borrowing Players: refer to the General Rules section.

A Word on Minor League Philosophy: Managers and coaches are encouraged to challenge players to try a variety of defensive positions, including pitching. Also, it may be advantageous to use a pitching strategy that concentrates a little less on striking out players and more on creating hits in the game while still having pitchers pitch to the best of their ability. This will provide great challenge to all players in the defensive role (more hits to field and more runners to watch) and will provide more opportunity for batters and runners to practice in the offensive role. A game that involves mainly walks (or strikeouts) is not much of a learning experience for either team. Remember that Minor League Baseball is still a transition period for most players.

Division Championships: A playoff schedule will commence at the end of the regular season (approximately the May long weekend). The Minor League teams will then begin a playoff formal format playing each team at least once. When this playoff is over, the two top teams will have a final game to determine which team will represent Layritz Park in the City Championships, held at the end of June. This playoff format is designed to keep teams involved to the very end of the season.

All rules applicable to regular season play, apply to the postseason Layritz playoffs. In the event a team is selected to play in tournament or district championship, the team or teams must follow the rules applied to that competition. If you have any questions concerning the rules contained herein please contact the Director of the Minor League for your division of play.