Field Practices Rookie Field Schedule* *Each schedule entry lists 2 teams for a 3 hour block of time. The first team listed has the facility (field or cage) for the 1st hour and a half of the time. (ie: for a 5:00pm start, Team 1 has it from 5pm to 6:30pm and team 2 will take it from 6:30pm to 8pm)
Rookie Basic General Rules
MANDATORY RULE AT ALL LEVELS:
Starting in 2007, All Managers and Coaches are required (mandatory) to be Cal Ripken Certified and have a background check performed by the State of New Hampshire. No adult will be allowed on the baseball fields in a coaching capacity without BOTH of these certifications
Rookie
A program designed for 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 & some 9 year olds.
Minimum of three innings, with a maximum of five innings. (Coaches mutually decide what length to play, prior to the game.)
Pitching machines are mandatory for games not an option. If a batter misses enough pitches in a count to construct a normal strike out (3), the batter should be given 2 final pitches. Each batter gets a maximum of five (5) pitchesfrom the pitching machine.
If a batter misses the first three pitches, and once told "last two"-again misses his last two pitches (maximum total of five), he should not be allowed to go to first base, and should return to his offensive dugout.
All batters bat in the order, regardless of defensive play.
Defensively, coaches are allowed to be on the field (coaching) during play.
The ability to exceed nine defensive players is allowed by adding to the outfielders.
Early in the first two thirds of the season all batters get to hit threw regardless of the three outs. Eventually after the first 2/3 of the season is complete three outs in an inning result in the teams switching offensive and defensive field positions. This may not be inforced in the first two third's of the season, so as to promote team at-bats. Once a team has has finished two third's of it's season in Rookie, three outs can be called for the remainder of the season, so that children learn the fundamentals of baseball. This is detetrmined mutually be each coach-prior to the start of the game. Some teams have under-developed players in comparison to other teams, this is why coaches should meet prior. Early in the first 2/3 of the season if a player is out at a base or as a result of a caught fly ball, that player should be called out-but may remain at the base. This does not mean the remainder of the offensive lineup should not bat threw. Unless it is the last 1/3 of the season and the coaches agree to three (3) outs, all players will bat threw the line-up, regardless of three (3) outs.
Again, the success of this division is usually as a result of the coaches meeting prior to each game to discuss how that game will be played. This mutual discussion assures that each team will play the game the same. Discussion as to how to treat outs, that each player only gets a maximum of five (5) pitches and if the game will exceed 3 innings is common in this discussion.
Recommendation to defensive player changes, in order
No umpires (Defensive outs are called by the coach standing next to the pitching machine, resulting in a switching of the offensive and defensive field positions).
Free substitution.
No stealing.
Running to second on an overthrow at first is not permitted.
Thanks, John Creteau
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