Minor league baseball, which began in 1901, serves as a training ground for players who want to play in the major leagues. Therefore, the rules between the two leagues are similar. Minor league clubs typically are affiliated with a major league club, though some teams operate independently. As of 2010, there are 19 leagues that fall under the umbrella of minor league baseball.
Field and Equipment
As in the major leagues, minor league fields must have 90 feet between the bases and 60½ feet from home plate to the pitcher's mound. The grass line of the infield is measured with a 95-foot arc from the pitcher's plate to each foul line. The backstop is 60 feet behind home plate. The distance from home plate to the closest outfield fence can be no less than 250 feet, though the rules of major and minor league baseball recommend that it be at least 325 feet. When the new minimum standards were introduced in 1991, many minor league parks renovated their facilities to meet these specifications. The ball used cannot weigh more than 5¼ ounces or be larger than 9¼ inches in circumference. The bat used must be 2.61 inches or less in diameter and no more than 42 inches in length.
Game Play
Teams are comprised of nine players each and take turns playing offense and defense each inning. While on offense, a team receives three outs to bat in as many runs as possible. When on defense, a team must attempt to get the other team out by striking out batters, tagging runners before they touch the bases or catching fly balls before they touch the ground. A run scores each time an offensive player legally touches all of the bases and home plate in the correct order before the defense gets three outs. The winner is the team with the most runs after nine innings. If there is a tie, there are extra innings until one team wins. To be complete, a game must go at least five innings.
Minor League Differences
Though most of the rules between the major and minor league baseball are the same, there are some differences. For example, minor league players must wear a batting helmet with two protective ear flaps as opposed to only one in the Major League. There are also fewer restrictions on the number of times a coach or manager can visit the pitcher during an inning, and the minor league umpires tend to be more lenient on players interacting with the fans.
Drafting
Minor league baseball is divided into single-A, double-A and triple-A levels. Usually these teams are affiliated with and run by a major league team, though some are independent. Usually a player drafted by a major league team starts play in the minors, often in single-A. The major league team can call up players from any of its minor league affiliates.
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