Little League baseball is an introduction to the game for many young players. While many aspects of the game look the same when it is played by children, there are many rule differences as well to make the game simpler than the one played by adults. Many of the rules instituted by Little League Baseball and Softball pertain to the size of the field and player participation.
Size of the Field
Little League baseball players play on a smaller field than adult players. The distance between all bases in Little League baseball is 60 feet. The distance from the pitching rubber to the back tip of home plate is 46 feet. In Little League baseball, fences are not required on fields. However, if the field does have an outfield home run fence it should be at least 165 feet from home plate. The size of the bases should be 14 inches by 14 inches. At first base, a safety base shall be used by the runner. The safety base is orange in color and is next to the base used by the fielder. The base runner steps on the orange base.
Player Participation and Safety Equipment
All players must play in every game. Every player must get at least two innings in the field and one at bat during the game. All batters must wear helmets that cover both ears when they come to bat. The helmets must be made of hard plastic. If the batter reaches base, he must wear the helmet as long as he stays on the base path. All catchers must wear a catcher's mask, a chest protector and shin guards. The catcher's mask must have a throat protector hanging from the bottom rung.
Pitching limitations
All pitchers face restrictions on the number of innings they may pitch in a game and in a given week. The maximum number of innings a pitcher may pitch in a calendar week--defined as Sunday through Saturday--is six innings. A pitcher may pitch six innings in one game, but he will not be able to pitch until the next week. A pitcher who throws four innings or more must have three full days of rest before he pitches again. If a pitcher throws four innings on Sunday, he may not pitch again until Thursday. If a pitcher throws less than four innings, he must rest one full day before pitching again. If the pitcher throws three innings on Monday, he cannot pitch again until Wednesday.
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