SECTION RP2.10 PITCHING RULES (2019)
a) Any player advancing to play in a higher series shall be restricted to the pitch count limitations of the series in which he/she is registered. Rookie Ball players advancing to play in a higher series cannot pitch.
b) Any player rostered in a series higher than the age-appropriate series shall be restricted to the pitch count limitations of the series applicable to the age of the player subject to RP1.1; Rookie Ball aged players are not permitted to pitch.
c) Except Junior-aged players playing Senior, underage players who are playing in a series higher than their age must beidentified on the lineup card. Any underage player not identified on the lineup card is ineligible to pitch. Should any such unidentifiedunderage player pitch, the pitcher will be removed from the pitching position and the manager ejected.
d) In Minor Mosquito and Mosquito games, the number of trips to the mound by manager/coach shall not be limited except when the umpire rules that the purpose of the trip is to delay the game.
e) In Peewee Girls, Minor Peewee and Peewee games, a third trip by a manager/coach to the same pitcher in the same inning shall result in the pitcher’s automatic removal from the pitching position.
f) From Minor Mosquito to Midget and Women, a pitcher once removed from pitching, regardless of the number of trips to the mound by the manager/coach, may continue in the game at another position, but shall not be permitted to return to pitch in thatgame.From Minor Bantam to Senior, a second trip by a manager/coach to the same pitcher in the same inning shall result in the pitcher’s automatic removal from the pitching position. The pitcher, once removed after the 2nd trip in an inning, may continue in the game at another position but shall not be permitted to return to pitch in that game.
g) In Junior and Senior, a second trip by a manager/coach to the same pitcher in the same inning shall result in the pitcher’s automatic removal from the pitching position. The pitcher, once removed after the 2nd trip in an inning may continue in the game at another position but shall not be permitted to return to pitch in that game.
Pitch Count Limitations
h) A pitcher may not pitch more than the following limits in a calendar day. If the limit is reached while facing a batter, the pitcher may pitch to the earlier of: (i) the completion of that batter or (ii) the end of the inning.
Minor and Major Mosquito 70 pitches
Minor and Major Peewee, Peewee Girls 80 pitches
Minor and Major Bantam, Bantam Girls 90 pitches
Minor and Major Midget, Women 100 pitches
i) If a pitcher throws more than the following limits in a calendar day he/she cannot pitch the next day – the player must have 2 nights rest.
Minor and Major Mosquito 45 pitches
Minor and Major Peewee, Peewee Girls 55 pitches
Minor and Major Bantam, Bantam Girls 65 pitches
Minor and Major Midget, Women 75 pitches
j) Where a team has multiple games on the same day, if a pitcher throws more than the following limits during a game or in combination of one or more games, the pitcher may not pitch again in a subsequent game that day:
Minor and Major Mosquito 45 pitches
Minor and Major Peewee, Peewee Girls 55 pitches
Minor and Major Bantam, Bantam Girls 65 pitches
Minor and Major Midget, Women 75 pitches
The pitching rules were modified in 2012 to change the circumstances in which a pitcher may be eligible to pitch in more than one game on the same day. Prior to 2012, if a player reaches the number of pitches that would make them ineligible for the next day, the player could still pitch later that day up to the maximum number pitches in their particular division. This is no longer the case. The table below details player eligibility.
(Examples will use the Mosquito pitch counts, adjust for your specific division)
Example 1 – 2 games in 1 day
1. Game 1 Pitcher throws less than 46 pitches – Eligible for Game 2
a. Total pitch count for Game 1 and Game 2 less than 46 eligible for next day unless it is third day in a row
b. Total pitch count Game 1 and Game 2 greater than 45 pitches, pitcher not eligible for next day.
2. Game 1 Pitcher throws more than 45 pitches – Not eligible for game 2 and not eligible for next day
Example 2 – 3 games in 1 day
1. Game 1 Pitcher throws less than 46 pitches – Eligible for Game 2
a. Total pitch count Game 1 and Game 2 less than 46 pitches – Pitcher eligible for game 3
i. Total pitch count for Games 1, 2 and 3 less than 46 pitches – Pitcher eligible for next day unless it is the 3rd day in a row.
b. Total pitch count for Game 1 and Game 2 greater than 45 pitches – Pitcher is not eligible for 3rd game and nextday
2. Game 1 Pitcher throws greater than 45 pitches – Pitcher not eligible for Game 2 or Game 3 and the next day
3. Game 1 Pitcher does not pitch, throws less than 46 pitches in Game 2 – Eligible for Game 3
a. Total Pitch count for Game 2 and Game 3 less than 46 pitches – Pitcher eligible for next day unless 3rd day in arow.
b. Total Pitch count for Game 2 and Game 3 greater than 45 pitches – Pitcher not eligible next day.
4. Game 1 pitcher throws greater than 45 pitches – Not eligible for Game 2, Game 3 and next day
5. Game 1 pitcher does not pitch, throws more than 45 pitches in Game 2 – Not eligible for Game 3 and next day.
k) If a balk is called but the pitcher throws the ball it will count as a pitch thrown, even if it is not counted as a pitch for ball/strike purposes.
l) The official scorekeeper shall designate the official pitch count recorder.
m) The official pitch count recorder must provide the current pitch count for any pitcher when requested by either manager or theumpire.
n) The official pitch count recorder shall inform the home plate umpire when a pitcher has delivered his/her limit of pitches forthe game. The home plate umpire will then notify the pitcher’s manager that the pitcher must be removed.
Note: Failure by the Official Pitch Counter to inform the plate umpire that a pitcher has reached their limit of pitches for the game shall not result in a forfeit. It is the still the responsibility of the
manager to remove a pitcher when they are no longer eligible and failure to do so by the manager will result in the manager’s ejection and immediate removal of the pitcher from the mound.
o) If a team has no remaining players eligible to pitch in a game, the opposing coach may designate a player who has yet to pitch in the game. This pitcher may not throw more than 30 pitches. If the limit is reached while facing a batter, the pitcher may pitch to the earlier of (i) the completion of that batter, or (ii) the end of the inning.
p)
i. At Minor Mosquito, Mosquito, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Peewee Girls, Minor Bantam, Bantam and Bantam Girls, pitchers may not pitch on 3 consecutive calendar days
ii. At Minor Midget, Midget, pitchers may not pitch on 3 consecutive calendar days unless:
1. the pitcher threw 30 pitches or less on each of the first two days.
2. the maximum number of pitches which may be thrown on the third day is 50.
iii. At Junior, Senior and Women’s, there is no restriction on pitchers pitching on 3 consecutive calendar days.
q) Illegal pitching penalty: where a player throws more pitches than is permitted under g); or pitches without the rest requiredby RP2.10 h); or pitches on 3 consecutive days in violation of p); or pitches and catches in the same game in violation of r), or pitches in a subsequent game in a day in which the pitcher has thrown more than the allowed number of pitches described in i) in previous games that day, the penalty shall be forfeiture by the player’s team. A second violation by a team will result in the manager/head coach’s indefinite suspension.
r) At Minor Mosquito, Mosquito, Minor Peewee, Peewee and Peewee Girls, a player may not be a pitcher and a catcher in the same game. Where a game is suspended and completed on another day, a player may be a pitcher and a catcher in the same gameso long as the player does not pitch and catch on the same day during the suspended game.
s) Pitches shall count on the calendar day on which the pitch is thrown. An exception shall be made where a game commenceson one day and is played continuously past midnight or resumed after midnight. In that case, the pitches shall count as being thrownon the day on which the game commenced. In the case where a game is suspended, for whatever reason, on one day and resumed on a second day, pitches shall count on the calendar day on which the pitch is thrown (i.e. both parts of the game shall be considered on separate days). Where weather or other reasons cause the delay or postponement of a game or games, the time of the delay cancount towards the nights rest required under g) and can constitute a break in the 3 consecutive day rule under n).
t) The pitching limits apply to every pitcher. For an ambidextrous pitcher, the limits and restrictions of RP2.10 apply to the pitcher and not to each individual arm. For clarity, the pitches thrown with the right arm and left arm on a calendar day are added together to determine whether a pitch limit has been reached.
u) Where a coach/manager goes to the mound a second time during an at-bat to remove a pitcher in order to not exceed the pitch count limits as per RP2.10, the coach/manager will not be penalized as per the Substitutions & Pitching Changes rule in the Official Rules of Baseball. Note: For this to apply, the second trip must be after the last pitch which could be thrown without exceeding the particular pitch count limit of RP2.10. For example, after the 55th pitch but before the 56th pitch at Peewee or Minor Peewee.
v) The defensive team may intentionally walk a batter before or during an at bat by the manager / coach notifying the umpire.The umpire will call time and award the batter first base and advance any other runner(s) forced to advance by the batter being walked. Only pitches thrown will be added to the pitch count.