Pitching and Catcher Guidelines:

Note - It is the goal of Hobgood Baseball that the head coaches work to develop and utilize all players who show interest in pitching during the season.  

Hobgood Baseball enforces the following pitching and catcher guidelines. Managers and coaches failing to follow these guidelines will be suspended or one game, a second offense will result in suspension for the remainder of the season. There are no exceptions.

A.     Any player on a regular season team may pitch.  (Note: There is no limit to the number of pitchers a team may use in a game.)

B.     Once removed as the pitcher of record, that player cannot return as pitcher during that game.

C.      A player may not pitch in more than one game per day, even if their pitch count falls into the 0 days rest threshold.

D.     If a pitcher hits 2 batters in the same inning, or 3 players in a game, the head coach of the batting team may petition the umpire to have the pitcher removed for safety issues. 

a.      The petition to remove the pitcher shall be made by the head coach of the batting team to the head umpire. 

b.      The umpire will enforce this request, and the pitching team should put in a new eligible pitcher.

E.      The manager must remove the pitcher when said pitcher reaches the limit for their league as noted in the above table. They may remain in the game but must play another position.

a.      If a pitcher reaches the limit for their league while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until any one of the following conditions occurs:

                                                    i.     That batter reaches base.

                                                   ii.     That batter is put out.

                                                  iii.     The third out is made to complete the half-inning.

b.      Any player who has played the position of Catcher in four (4) or more innings in a game is NOT eligible to pitch on that calendar day.

c.      A pitcher who delivers 41 or more pitches in a game cannot play the position of catcher for the remainder of that day.

F.      If a pitcher reaches a day(s) of rest threshold while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until any one of the following conditions occurs.  The pitcher will only be required to observe the calendar day(s) of rest for the threshold they reached during that at-bat, provided that pitcher is removed, or the game is completed before delivering a pitch to another batter.

a.      (1) That batter reaches base;

b.      (2) That batter is put out; or

c.      (3) The third out is made to complete the half-inning or the game.

G.     A new pitcher shall receive 8 warm-up pitches before the umpire signals a return to play.  A returning pitcher shall receive 5 warm-up pitches before the umpire signals a return to play.

H.     The withdrawal of an ineligible pitcher after that pitcher is announced, or after a warm-up pitch is delivered, but before that player has pitched a ball to a batter, shall not be considered a violation.

I.       Pitches delivered in games declared “Regulation Tie Games” or “Suspended Games” shall be charged against pitcher’s eligibility. In suspended games resumed on another day, the pitchers of record at the time the game was halted may continue to pitch to the extent of their eligibility for that day, provided said pitcher has observed the required days of rest.

Example 1: A 12U league pitcher delivers 70 pitches in a game on Monday when the game is suspended. The game resumes on the following Thursday. The pitcher is not eligible to pitch in the resumption of the game because they have not observed the required days of rest.

Example 2: A 12U league pitcher delivers 70 pitches in a game on Monday when the game is suspended. The game resumes on the following Saturday. The pitcher is eligible to pitch up to 75 more pitches in the resumption of the game because they have observed the required days of rest.

Example 3: A 12U league pitcher delivers 70 pitches in a game on Monday when the game is suspended. The game resumes two weeks later. The pitcher is eligible to pitch up to 75 more pitches in the resumption of the game, provided they are eligible based on their pitching record during the previous four days.

Note: The use of this regulation negates the concept of the “calendar week” with regard to pitching eligibility