Play in the major division is governed by the official Little League baseball rules except for the following local rules imposed by Shaw Butte Little League. These rules are intended to promote fair and equal play among all participants.

Home Team: Sets up the field and takes third base side bench. See the specific field rules for setup procedures. Home team takes infield practice the 10 minutes immediately before the start of the game and starts the game in the field. Home Team is responsible for supplying 2 game balls.

Visiting Team: Takes down the field and takes first base side bench. See the specific field rules for take down procedures. Visiting team takes infield practice from 20 minutes to 10 minutes before the scheduled start of the game and starts game at bat.

Length of Game: The game shall be a maximum of six innings. No new inning shall start after 2 hours from the official game start time recorded by the umpire and official scorekeeper. A game will be considered a tie if the score is equal after six innings of play or after the time limit is reached (i.e. no new inning after 2 hours). There is no hard stop time limit.

Minimum Playing Time: Each player shall play defense a minimum of 2 innings in a 4 inning game, 3 innings in a 5 inning game and 4 innings in a 6 inning game. In addition each player shall play a minimum of 1 inning in the infield per game unless there is an issue regarding player safety which must be communicated to the SBLL board of directors prior to the start of the game. Violations of these rules will not result in penalties applied to the game where the violation occurred. Violations of these rules may result in disciplinary action against the team manager by the SBLL Board of Directors.

Batting Order: All teams shall bat the entire roster present at the game.

Substitutions: Since the entire roster is batting free substitutions are allowed as long as all other rules concerning player position assignments (e.g. catching, pitching, infield, etc.) and minimum playing time rules are met.

Pitchers: At least six players per team must pitch during the season. The intent of this rule is to promote the development of pitchers. The manager should work with the players during practice to determine if their control is good enough to pitch in a game.

Run Rule:
A game will be called if the home team is leading by more than 10 runs after completion of the top of the 4th inning or if the visiting team is leading by more than 10 runs after completion of the bottom of the 4th inning  

Play in the Minor division is governed by the official Little League baseball rules except for the following local rules imposed by Shaw Butte Little League. These rules are intended to promote fair and equal play among all participants.

Home Team:  Sets up the field and takes third base side bench. See the specific field rules for setup procedures. Home team takes infield practice the 10 minutes immediately before the start of the game and starts the game in the field. Home Team is responsible for supplying 2 game balls.

Visiting Team:  Takes down the field and takes first base side bench. See the specific field rules for take down procedures. Visiting team takes infield practice from 20 minutes to 10 minutes before the scheduled start of the game and starts game at bat.

Length of Game:  The game shall be a maximum of five innings. No new inning shall be started after 1 hour 45 minutes from the official game start time recorded by the umpire and official scorekeeper. A game will be considered a tie if the score is equal after five innings of play or after the time limit is reached (i.e. no new inning after 1 hour 45 minutes). There is no hard stop time limit.

Minimum Playing Time:  Each player shall play defense a minimum of 2 innings in a 4 inning game and 3 innings in a 5 inning game. In addition each player shall play a minimum of 1 inning in the infield per 5 inning game unless there is an issue regarding player safety which must be communicated to the SBLL board of directors prior to the start of the game. Violations of these rules will not result in penalties applied to the game where the violation occurred. Violations of these rules may result in disciplinary action against the team manager by the SBLL Board of Directors.

Batting Order:  All teams shall bat the entire roster present at the game. The average at-bats per game per player should be roughly equal. The intent is to ensure that each player get approximately the same number of at-bats through the season. The means for accomplishing this is up to the manager. One method would be to rotate the batting order each game starting with the last batter from the previous game.

Substitutions:  Since the entire roster is batting free substitutions are allowed as long as all other rules concerning player position assignments (e.g. catching, pitching, infield, etc.) and minimum playing time rules are met.

Pitchers:  At least six players per team must pitch during the season. The intent of this rule is to promote the development of pitchers. The manager should work with the players during practice to determine if their control is good enough to pitch in a game.

Pitch Count:  All Little League pitch count rules apply in their entirety.  In addition no player shall pitch more than 3 innings in a game.

Stealing:  No delayed steals and no taking 2nd base on walks (all other stealing is per the Little League regulations). Violation of this rule shall result in the runner returning to the base where the runner started prior to the infraction. It is also suggested that the manager go easy on steals in the first two weeks of the season. It is acceptable to steal on passed balls early in the season.

Maximum Runs Per ½ Inning:  In the 1st, 2nd and 3rd innings, the maximum number of runs per ½ inning is five. If a team is trailing in the 4th inning at the time their at-bat begins, the team can score an unlimited number of runs until their total is 5 more than the other team. If a team is leading in the 4th inning at the time their at-bat begins, the team is limited to five runs. In the 5th inning each team can score an unlimited number of runs.

Run Rule:  A game will be called if the home team is leading by more than 10 runs after completion of the top of the 4th inning or if the visiting team is leading by more than 10 runs after completion of the bottom of the 4th inning.
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The Farm Division is an instructional league. No team standings are kept by SBLL, nor are any individual records maintained. The emphasis is on developing skills, sportsmanship, team play and having fun. Official Little League Rules apply to the Farm Division including the following SBLL local rules and guidelines.

Equipment: In general all Little League International rules must be followed for equipment. That includes rules that require the use of batting helmets, protective cups, catchers gear, allowable bats and gloves. Long pants must be worn for all games and practices. Closed-toe shoes must be worn for all games and practices. Rubber cleats are acceptable, but not required. Metal cleats are NOT allowed at any time.

Safety: We do not have umpires at Farm games. The managers and coaches are responsible for following the rules of the league and enforcing fair play. The managers and coaches are also responsible for the safety of all players on the field. Make sure players are not throwing bats after an at-bat, handling bats in the dugout area, etc. On deck batters are not allowed to warm-up with a bat in hand. No player is allowed to handle a bat until he/she becomes the person "at bat".

Home Team: Sets up the field and takes third base side bench. See the specific field rules for setup procedures. Home team takes infield practice the 10 minutes immediately before the start of the game and starts the game in the field. Home Team is responsible for supplying 2 game balls.

Visiting Team: Takes down the field and takes first base side bench. See the specific field rules for take down procedures. Visiting team takes infield practice from 20 minutes to 10 minutes before the scheduled start of the game and starts game at bat.

Length of Games: Games will be five (5) innings or no new inning after one and one half (1 1/2) hours. The time for ending the game may be altered by mutual agreement of the managers, but a game may not exceed five (5) innings.

Defensive Players/Minimum Playing Time: Each player shall play defense, including six infielders (pitcher, catcher, 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, Short), with up to 4 extra players in the outfield (all outfielders must play in the outfield grass), a minimum of 2 innings in a 4 inning game and 3 innings in a 5 inning game. In addition each player shall play a minimum of an average of half the season’s 2 innings in the infield. Positions shall be rotated during the games so the kids have a chance to play as many positions as possible during the season. Exceptions can be made if the manager feels there may be a danger in placing a player at a particular position (e.g. catcher, pitcher, and 1st base, and 3^rd base).  A catcher is not mandatory but is encouraged.  All defensive players should be instructed not to talk to the batter when he/she is at bat. Yelling, "swing batter" is specifically forbidden.

Batting Order: All teams shall bat the entire roster present at the game. The batting order should be rotated each game so that different lead-off batters start the game. The goal is to have each player have the same average at-bats per game during the season.

Substitutions: Since the entire roster is batting free substitutions are allowed as long as all other rules concerning player position assignments and minimum playing time rules are met.

Pitching Machine: A pitching machine will be used for the entire season. There will be no player pitching. The team batting shall operate the machine, preferably the manager or coach. An adult must operate the pitching machine at all times. Managers may agree on a single operator if they desire. In the event of a machine breakdown, the coaches shall pitch the balance of the game. The speed on the pitching machine shall be determined by the team at bat. The speed shall be set at 35 mph for the 1st half of the season and 40 mph for the remainder of the season. At no time shall the speed of the machine be set faster than 40 mph. A batted ball that hits pitching machine or protective screen (if used) is a "Dead Ball". The batter will be awarded first base if the batted ball hits the pitching machine. Note: For consistency all balls should be fed into the Juggs pitching machine the same way using what simulates a ‘4 seam grip’. Also ensure that the tire is making initial contact with a smooth spot on the ball, not a seam.  For the Louisville Slugger mechanical pitching machine, use a 4 seam grip and pull back evenly on the pitch release lever.

Pitcher Position: When using the pitching machine, the player assigned to the pitcher position shall always play on the 1st base side of the machine behind a line perpendicular to the delivery point on the pitching machine. Players must be instructed to hand the ball to the coach operating the machine. A player should never throw the ball to the coach or pitcher that is standing within 10 ft of the pitch machine from any position in front of the machine. If the ball hits the moving wheel, it can be thrown directly back at the player or in any direction around the machine. The pitcher or coach should move a sufficient distance to the left of the pitching machine to receive the throw back from the catcher.

Ball and Strike Count: While using the pitching machine, there will be no walks or a base awarded for being hit by a pitch from the machine. The batter will bat until hitting a fair ball or receiving 6 quality** pitches from the machine. A batter hitting a foul ball on the 6th pitch will receive an additional ball until striking out or hitting fair. The operator of the pitching machine will be responsible for calling the batter out on pitches.  (Out of strike zone (such as VERY high or VERY low) pitches should not be counted towards as part of the 6 pitches - please communicate with the other coaches when adding extra pitches for this reason.)

Bat Throwing: A batter shall not throw his or her bat. Bats shall be dropped. A batter who throws his or her bat in a reckless manner shall be given a stern warning for the first offense; for a second offense in the same game, the player shall be ejected from the game. Any manager or coach can initiate the warning or ejection. Both managers are responsible for the safety of all players on the field.

Stealing Bases: No stealing will be allowed at any time. Stealing shall not be allowed on an overthrow on the return of the ball from the catcher to the pitcher. Players may only advance on a hit ball.

Base-Running: The intent of the Farm division is instructional. It is the batting team’s responsibility to determine the appropriate number of bases to advance. Proper base running etiquette should be followed. As a guideline, a hit to the infield should advance the runners by one base. A clean hit to the outfield (defined as a medium speed or harder grounder, line drive, or fly ball on which a play is not attempted by any infielder) should advance the runners by two bases.  Generally speaking, coaches should be conservative with taking two bases, and two bases should not be taken on a play where an infielder has a reasonable attempt to make a play. 

Maximum Runs Per ½ Inning: The maximum number of runs per ½ inning is five. After five runs have scored, the team batting will take the field and start the next ½ inning. Managers are responsible to keep track of runs scored in an inning.

Infield Fly Rule: The Farm Division shall not observe the Infield Fly Rule as defined in the Little League Official Rules.

Base Coaches: The manager or coaches of the batting team are allowed to take positions in the coaching boxes near the 1st and 3rd bases. All other adults must stay off the playing area. Base coaches will call their runners safe and out with the coach operating the pitching machine having the final call.

Defensive Coaches: Defensive field coaches are permitted on the playing field for instructional purposes. They must take positions in the outfield behind the infielders and should not distract the batter. An additional defensive coach may help instruct the catcher, but must remain off the field of play.

Bunting: Intentional bunting is not allowed.

Sliding: Sliding is allowed, although not encouraged. Sliding headfirst is illegal and the runner shall be called out. This is a safety rule.

Scorebook: No Official scorebook shall be kept. The intent of the farm league is to develop skills, sportsmanship and team play. Manager and coaches are encouraged to congratulate and help players on both teams.

Canceled or Interrupted Games: Games may be rescheduled by the mutual agreement of the affected managers. Games do not have to be made up. When a game is canceled or rescheduled, the managers must inform the Board of Directors member responsible for the snack shack. They may need to adjust food ordered or prepared for that day.

T-ball is intended to be an introduction to little league baseball. The emphasis is on learning the game including sportsmanship and team play, developing skills, and having fun. No scores, team standings or individual records are maintained. Official Little League Rules apply including the following SBLL local rules and guidelines.

Equipment: In general all Little League International rules must be followed for equipment. That includes rules that require the use of batting helmets, protective cups, catchers gear, allowable bats and gloves. Long pants must be worn for all games and practices. Closed-toe shoes must be worn for all games and practices. Rubber cleats are acceptable, but not required. Metal cleats are NOT allowed at any time. Because of the nature of our T-Ball field, use the throw-down bases.

Safety: We do not have umpires at T-ball games. The managers and coaches are responsible for following the rules of the league and enforcing fair play. The managers and coaches are also responsible for the safety of all players on the field. Make sure players are not sliding into bases, throwing bats after an at-bat, handling bats in the dugout area, etc. On deck batters are not allowed to warm-up with a bat in hand. No player is allowed to handle a bat until he/she becomes the person "at bat".

Home Team: Sets up the field and takes third base side bench. See the specific field rules for setup procedures.  Home Team is responsible for supplying 2 game balls.

Visiting Team: Takes down the field and takes first base side bench. See the specific field rules for take down procedures. 

Length of Practice: practice shall not exceed 1 ½ hours.

Length of Games: Games will consist of three (3) innings. Innings are defined by the entire side batting one time around.

Minimum Play Time: The purpose of the T-ball division is to introduce the kids to baseball and build a love for the game. The number of players on the teams will be kept as small as possible. Ideally each player should play defensively in every inning. If the team has more than 10 players, play the extra players in the outfield.   In addition, positions shall be rotated every inning so the kids have a chance to play as many positions as possible during the season. Exceptions can be made if the manager feels there may be a danger in placing a player at a particular position (e.g. pitcher and 1st base).  

Batting Order: All teams shall bat the entire roster present at the game. The batting order should be rotated each game so that different lead-off batters start the game. The goal is to have each player have the same average at-bats per game during the season.

Substitutions: Since the entire roster is batting free substitutions are allowed as long as all other rules concerning player position assignments are met.

Stealing Bases: No stealing will be allowed at any time. Player may only advance on a hit ball.

Leading-Off: Leading-off is not allowed. A runner may leave his base after the bat makes contact with the ball.

Infield Fly Rule: The T-ball Division shall not observe the Infield Fly Rule as defined in the Little League Official Rules.

Base Coaches: The manager or coaches of the batting team are allowed to take positions in the coaching boxes near the 1st and 3rd bases. All other adults must stay off the playing area. Base coaches will call their runners safe and out

Defensive Coaches: Defensive field coaches are permitted on the playing field for instructional purposes. They must take positions in the outfield behind the infielders and should not distract the batter.

Sliding: Sliding is not allowed.

Scorebook: No Official scorebook shall be kept. The intent of the T-Ball league is to develop skills, sportsmanship and team play. Manager and coaches are encouraged to congratulate and help players on both teams.

All players should be instructed not to talk to the batter when he/she is at bat. Yelling, "swing batter" is specifically forbidden.