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Tondorf Rules

MEDWAY YOUTH BASEBALL 

TONDORF RULES

2023

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Medway Youth Baseball Tondorf Season consists of four age divisions 9 – 12.  The age parameters are:

Eligible for 12 year old team:  Players born between 9/1/2010 – 8/31/2011

Eligible for 11 year old team:  Players born between 9/1/2011 – 8/31/2012

Eligible for 10 year old team:    Players born between 9/1/2012 – 8/31/2013

Eligible for the 9 year old team:  Players born between 9/1/2013 – 8/31/2014

Players are allowed to play “up” to a division but are not allowed to play “down”.   

The 2023 Season communities include: Ashland, Dover-Sherborn, Hopedale, Hopkinton, Holliston, Framingham (9s), Medway, and Wayland (10s-12s). 

2023 Medway Summer Committee:  Jason Duguay, Jim Daly, and Nick Barrett.

RULES & REGULATIONS

The Little League Rulebook, not the Tondorf rules section, will be the guide for all rules not specifically addressed in this document. Situations not covered in either this document or in the Little League Rulebook will be decided by the Medway Youth Baseball Summer Committee. The committee’s decision will be final and may not be appealed. 

Only USA-approved bats may be used.

Each participating community must register a team in each age division. An exception may be granted in extenuating circumstances.  

In order to be eligible to play for a town, a player must:

  • meet the Tondorf age requirements
    • A copy of birth certificates for each player shall be kept on-site during each game by the team coach. They must be produced upon request of Tondorf officials. Failure to do so shall result in forfeiture of game
  • have been eligible to participate in their town’s Spring season
  • have not played in another town’s Spring season
  • have not played club baseball instead of their town’s Spring season

GAME RULES

Each game during the season schedule shall consist of 6 innings. No extra innings will be played. During the playoffs, if a game is tied at the end of 6 innings, the teams will play until there is a winner.

To be considered a regulation game, teams must play 4 full innings or 3 ½ if the home team is ahead. If a game is called before becoming a regulation game but after 1 or more innings have been played, it shall be resumed exactly where it left off if the schedule permits. All records, including pitching innings, shall be counted. The pitcher of record may continue pitching when the game is resumed provided they meet the pitching restrictions of the week in which the game is resumed, i.e., days rest and total weekly innings. If the schedule cannot accommodate the continuation, the game will not be counted in the standings.

If a continued game is scheduled in conjunction with another game between the same two teams, a pitcher may pitch in both the resumed game and the regularly scheduled game providing they meet the pitching restrictions of the week in which the game is resumed.

Games that do not complete 1 full inning will be replayed in their entirety if the schedule permits. No records, including pitching, will count.

Games with a 12-run differential after 4 complete innings or 3 ½ innings if the home team is ahead will be stopped and recorded as a complete game. At any time after 4 complete innings or 3 ½ innings if the home team is ahead, if one team reaches a 12-run differential, the game will be stopped immediately and recorded as a complete game. This is referred to as the mercy rule. The teams will not continue to play for practice.

As an extension of the mercy rule, the Medway Summer Committee reserves the right to end games that do not meet the regulation standard but are decidedly one-sided in score. If this action is taken, the game will be considered complete. The Committee or one of its members will only take such action after consulting with both managers.

No inning may start after 1hr 45 min from the scheduled start time.  The start of a new inning occurs immediately after the final out of the previous inning is recorded.  Games will be scheduled for two-hour completion. If a game does not start on time, the scheduled end of the game will be extended by the same amount of time as the delay. Umpires will administer the rule. The umpire will advise both teams at the top of an inning if time is a factor. The Summer Committee, at their discretion, may end games due to time and weather concerns. Such a decision cannot be appealed.

The umpire or Tondorf officials will advise both teams if time or weather is a factor. In instances of weather, player safety and field conditions will be the determining factor. The decision to terminate a game cannot be appealed. For night games no inning may start after 9:30, unless the scheduled start time of the game has been delayed for any reason. If the start is delayed, the game will be extended by the same amount of time as the delay.  There is a hard stop at 10:00 as the field lights will automatically turn off by order of the Town of Medway.

In all “time” situations, the umpire or Tondorf official will make the call

The schedule that appears on the Medway Youth Baseball website is the official schedule. The game starting times on the website are the official starting times. Scheduled times may be changed by the Tondorf Committee.

If a team fails to field a team of nine players within 15 minutes of the scheduled start time or any delayed start time as determined by the Summer Committee, that team will forfeit the game. No game will start unless both teams have a minimum of nine players in uniform on the bench. If for any reason a team loses players during a game, they must field a minimum of 8 players to continue play.

In order to avoid a forfeit prior to the start of a game, teams in the 12-, 11- and 10-year-old divisions may borrow players from any of their town’s teams at or below their division. Likewise in order to avoid a forfeit, teams in the 9-year-old division may use players from their in-town Spring League teams. Late arriving players, whose team has borrowed players in order to avoid a forfeit, may play in the game if they arrive prior to the start of the top of the third inning. Any borrowed player must play at least 6 outs in the field and bat once. Team managers must notify the opposing team and umpire of any late arriving players in a “borrowed player” game. Teams cannot borrow players once a game has begun.

A borrowed player may not pitch. Individual players may only be used as a borrowed player twice during the season. Teams may not borrow players during the Playoffs.

Game baseballs must be Diamond DLL or DLL1 or the equivalent.

ROSTERS, COACHES & PLAYING TIME

There is a maximum of fifteen players per roster for each division. One manager and three coaches per team are allowed in the dugout area. This includes the scorekeeper. During play, managers and coaches who are not coaching 1st or 3rd base must remain in the dugout or outside the field fence, not the dugout fence. The only exception is that one manager or coach may stand outside the dugout near the pole by the dugout entrance.  

Player’s equipment bags, bats, gloves, buckets and catcher’s equipment must be kept in the dugout.

Rostered players not in uniform may sit in the dugout. No one other than the players and coaches is allowed in the dugout.

Players in uniform and on the bench must play a minimum of six consecutive outs in the field and bat once.

If a violation of the minimum play rule occurs, either team must notify the umpire before the teams leave the field. The umpire will notify the Summer Committee who will discuss the infraction with the respective managers.  If the Summer Committee verifies the violation, a forfeit may be declared. The Summer Committee will rule on all such violations prior to the involved team’s next scheduled game.  If anytime during the game an illegal substitution occurs, the game must stop and the illegal substitute be replaced.  If the illegal substitute has batted or Pitched to a batter, a forfeit may be declared.

The following will be considered exceptions to the minimum playing/batting rule: if games are stopped due to the mercy rule; if games are shortened due to weather or darkness; if an injury prevents a player from continuing play; or if a player on the home team would have been one of the first 3 batters in the bottom of the 6th. In these instances, managers are encouraged to start the effected player(s) in their next game. 

Continuous Batting Order (for 9- & 10-Year-Old divisions only):  a manager may elect to use a continuous batting order where all players are in the batting lineup.  Each manager must inform the opposing manager if he/she will not be using a continuous batting order when exchanging lineups prior to the start of the game.  If a team elects to utilize a continuous batting order the only other playing requirement is that each player plays 6 outs in the field.

Regular Substitution Rules (these rules do not apply if a team is utilizing a continuous batting order)

A player in the starting lineup who has been removed for a substitute may re-enter the game once their substitute has completed one time at bat and played defensively for a minimum of six consecutive outs.

Starters may be removed from the game before they bat or play 6 consecutive outs providing they meet those requirements when they re-enter the game. Eligible re-entering players assume the position in the batting order of the player they replace, not their original batting position. If multiple players re-enter the game at the same time, the manager may place them in the batting position of any exiting player.

Non-starters may not re-enter the game. A starter (S1) who re-enters as a sub for another starter (S2) must bat once and play defense for six consecutive outs before starter (S2) can re-enter the game no matter who starter (S2) is replacing.

Once a non-starter is removed from a game, they may re-enter only under the following situations:  If a team is unable to field 9 legal players due to illness, injury or ejection.  The opposing manager shall select a previously used player to re-enter the game.

A player must participate in a minimum of 50% of their team’s games during the season to be eligible for the playoffs. An exception may be made by the Medway Summer Committee for a player who is injured at the start of or during the season. Teams must request an exception from the Summer Committee.

PLAYING RULES

Base runners must avoid contact at 2nd, 3rd, and Home whenever there is a play at the base. The intent of this rule is to avoid collisions. Failure to avoid contact will be an Umpire decision to call the base runner out. If the runner fails to slide, they will not necessarily be ruled out; this will also be an Umpire decision.  The runner may not hurdle or jump over the fielder to avoid a tag. In that situation, the runner will be ruled out. Head first slides into an advancing base are not allowed; this includes first base. The player will be called out. A player may slide head first when returning to a base. In these base running rulings, the Umpire’s call is not subject to protest.

If base runners leave early (before a pitch crosses home plate), there will be one warning per team per game. All subsequent runners who leave early will be ruled out.  This call will be at the umpire’s discretion.  If a runner is deemed to have left early on a batted ball, the umpire reserves the right to place the runner where they deem appropriate.  Note that this may result in no action at all, other than a warning, or could result in the runner being ruled out for a second team infraction.

A batter-runner who receives a base on balls may continue past first base to second base as a continuous play. Once the batter-runner stops his forward progress, he cannot continue to second base; he must return to first base.

Once a pitcher is standing on the pitching rubber with the ball, all base runners must return to their base.  A runner must be advancing to the next base, not leading, prior to the pitcher standing on the rubber in order to continue to advance.  In the case of a base on balls the runner must have gone past 1st base and be advancing to 2nd base, not leading, prior to the pitcher standing on the rubber in order to continue to advance.

A defensive player may not block off a base, base line or home plate from a base runner without possession of the ball.  This includes routine plays at first base.  The first baseman must not be standing in a position such that he causes the batter-runner to slow down to avoid contact. In these instances, obstruction may be called and the runner ruled safe.

If a player throws a bat after a swing a warning will be issued, if the same batter throws the bat a second time the batter can be declared out and the ball is dead. This rule is subject to the umpire’s discretion and is not subject to protest.

The Catchers box will not be enforced.  Metal spikes are not allowed.  Courtesy runners are not allowed.

A batter may advance to 1st on a dropped 3rd Strike if 1st is unoccupied and less than 2 outs or occupied/unoccupied if 2 outs (12-year-old division only).

“Slash” bunts are not allowed. Once the batter assumes a bunting position, in the opinion of the umpire, they may only bunt the ball, attempt to bunt the ball or take the pitch.  They may not take a “half” swing or “full” swing. The batter shall be ruled out.

Batting donuts are not allowed.

Only one on-deck batter is allowed. That player must be positioned at the far end of the dugout away from home plate, protected by the dugout fence.

All bats must be approved for use in Little League Baseball – USA Baseball stamp.

PITCHING RULES

The pitching week runs from Friday to Thursday for the 9-year-olds and Saturday to Friday for the 10-, 11- and 12-year-olds.     

A player may pitch a maximum of 8 innings per week. One pitch is considered an inning. During the playoffs, a pitcher may pitch up to seven innings in a single game. A violation will result in a forfeit of the game. The Medway Summer Committee may waive this rule due to schedule requirements.

The days of rest required between pitching appearances are listed below. The Summer Committee reserves the right to modify the days of rest rule.

1 inning - no rest is required.

2 or 3 innings – 1 calendar day of rest required.  For example, if a player pitches 2 or 3 innings on Saturday they cannot pitch again until Monday

4 or more innings – 3 calendar days of rest required.  For example, if a player pitches 4 or more innings on Sunday they cannot pitch again until Thursday.

A manager or coach may visit a single pitcher no more than two times in one inning.  A pitcher MUST be removed if visited for the 2nd time in the same inning.  A manager or coach may not visit a pitcher at the mound in between innings. This will be considered an official visit in the inning about to be started.  There is no limit to the number of visits a coach can make to a pitcher per game (for example, you may visit the same pitcher once per inning, every inning).

Once a pitcher is removed from the mound, he may not return in that game as a pitcher.  This holds true for a continuation of a suspended game.

A pitch count will not be enforced but all Managers are expected to consider the health of their players their first priority.  USA Baseball PitchSmart guidelines are below and should be considered.

Age

Daily Max (Pitches)

0 Days

1 Day

2 Days

3 Days

4 Days

9-10

75

1-20

21-35

36-50

51-65

66-75

11-12

85

1-20

21-35

36-50

51-65

66-85

Intentional Walks are not allowed. Balks will not be called. Pitchers may wear eye-black.

No player may catch 4 innings then be placed in the game as a pitcher.  No pitcher can pitch 4 innings and then play catcher.

All other Little League™ pitching rules apply, except as follows: A violation of innings pitched rule will cause an immediate forfeit by the violating team after just one pitch is delivered. The opposing manager simply calls a time out and reports the violation to the umpire who then requires the violating team to present their score book and pitching innings from the web site showing the week’s games for justification. If justification cannot be provided then the forfeit stands. Scorebooks/Game Changer must be accurate and open to the Tondorf committee upon demand.  Managers should make EVERY effort to work together to avoid such a situation.

The winning manager must report the players present and innings pitched for both teams on the MYB web site immediately following weekend games and within one day of weekday games. In the event of a tie, the home team shall enter the stats.  The innings posted on the web site are official. If a manager incorrectly enters the innings pitched, he will not be allowed to correct the innings pitched if a challenge is entered.  For instructions on how to score a game or edit stats please visits the “Coaches Corner” under the Resources tab on the MYB website, or click HERE

EH-EXTRA HITTER*

The Extra Hitter (EH) Rule allows a team to have 10 batters in the lineup with nine players in the field. The starting lineup must designate if the EH will be used or not. If the EH position is used, it must be used for the entire game. The EH is optional on a game-by-game basis as well as a team-by-team basis. If Team “A” uses the EH, Team “B” does not have to use an EH.

Any player designated as the EH must also meet the minimum defensive outs requirementFor the purposes of player substitution rules, the EH is considered a starter. All substitution rules apply. When an EH enters the game as a defensive player, they continue to bat in the same position in the batting order. An EH may enter the game in the middle of an inning to replace the pitcher.

Teams fielding only 10 players are encouraged to use an EH. If a team with 10 players uses the EH and loses one of their players during the course of the game for any reason, there will be no penalty. The batting order position of the lost player will be eliminated from the lineup. No out will be charged. 

* Does not apply if using a continuous batting order (9 & 10 Year Old divisions only)

UMPIRES

Umpires will be patched when possible; however non-patched umpires may be assigned as well.

PLAYOFFS

Playoff ranking will be determined by total points. Teams will receive two points for a win and one point for a tie. If teams finish with the same point total, head-to-head competition will determine the higher seed. If three teams are tied, the records in games involving the teams will determine seeding. If the records are equal the next tie breaker will be the Total Runs Against stat.  If teams play an unequal number of games the Summer Committee will determine playoff seeding.

A new week of pitching will start on the day the playoffs start. However, rest rules still apply. If your pitcher throws two innings on Friday and the playoffs start Saturday, he is not eligible to pitch on Saturday. This rule will be strictly enforced. Pitchers may not pitch more than 8 innings during the entire playoffs no matter how long the Playoffs take to conclude. A violation of the 8 innings rule will result in a forfeit. The Medway Summer committee reserves the right to modify the pitching rules.  

BEHAVIOR

Managers have responsibility for the towns they represent. Players may not argue calls with the umpire. If managers object to a call, the manager, not an assistant coach, should approach the umpire and discuss the issue quietly. If the fans outside the fence can hear the conversation, it is too loud.

Managers are expected to communicate to their parents about proper conduct.  Managers should address parental outbursts immediately.  Managers are also responsible for the conduct of their assistant coaches.  Please report any incidents or disruptive parents to the Summer Committee.

Players, managers or coaches ejected from the game must leave the complex immediately and will not be allowed to participate in the next game. A second ejection will result in expulsion from the Tondorf season – including playoffs.  

Hazing or taunting of any player, manager, coach or umpire will not be tolerated. Fans and players are encouraged to cheer enthusiastically but are expected to differentiate between cheering and hazing/taunting. Chanting by bench players is not allowed and will be strictly enforced.  The penalty following one warning is manager ejection for that game and the following game.

All players’ uniform shirts must be tucked inside their pants.

CASSIDY COMPLEX:

PARKING

Complex is located at 13 Winthrop Street in Medway.  Parking can be tight, especially on weekends.  Please carpool.  Observe all signs, cones and lines.  When a parking attendant is present you MUST heed their instructions.  Park close to the car next to you.  If your game is on Podzka Field please park in the open area past the field.  There is also a satellite lot just a short walk from the complex located at 2B Oak Street – Choate Park.

WARM – UPS

No practice will be allowed on any infield prior to any games. Players must warm-up on the outfield grass and pitchers must use the bullpen. No on-field batting practice or pre-game pitching warm-ups are allowed. 

BATTING CAGE

Only two people are allowed in the cage at one time, the Tondorf player and an adult. Two Tondorf players are not allowed in the cage at one time. The batter must wear a batting helmet. The “home” team is assigned to the cage from one hour to 30 minutes prior to the start of a game. The “visitor” gets the cage from 30 minutes prior to game time. The batting cages are labeled by field.

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

No alcoholic beverages allowed on the complex at any time. 

SMOKING

Smoking is not allowed within the playing field or batting cage area. 

DOGS

By order of the Medway Parks Commission, dogs are not allowed in the Cassidy Complex. 

RAINOUTS

The Medway Summer Committee will be responsible for calling games prior to the official start time, once a game has started the umpire can call a game due to field conditions.  Due to the full schedule, lack of off-days, and field availability some games may not be made up.  All attempts will be made to play games as scheduled – the fields are very resilient and rain earlier in the day does not mean games are cancelled.  Make-up games will be scheduled if possible.  Rescheduled games could be made with as little as one-day notice.

If a game is cancelled in advance due to weather the Summer Committee will notify Managers who will then contact their teams.  Cancellations will also be communicated through SportsEngine.