For this post, I did some research on the differences in
rules among the various baseball leagues, and compiled them for the reader.
Yes, baseball is baseball, but the rules can differ. For this post, I looked at Little League,
Babe Ruth / Cal Ripken, High School Federation (NFHS), College (NCAA), and
Professional (MLB, aka the Official Baseball Rules or OBR). A table of these differences, with references
to the rule numbers, is shown at the end.
The first situation is the batter's foot touching the plate
while not entirely out of the batter's box when making contact. In all cases, having one foot on the ground
entirely outside the box while making contact is an out. But it's possible to touch the plate and still
stay partially in the box. In Federation
and College, the batter is out. In the
other leagues, the play is legal.
Let's take a situation where the catcher, or another fielder
near the plate, makes an errant throw to first because the batter-runner is not
running inside the 45-foot lane. We all
know that if the ball hits the runner while outside the lane, or if the runner
hinders the fielder at first base from catching the throw, the runner is out
for interference. However, only in Federation
and College should the runner be called out even on a throw that the fielder
can't reach, if the umpire judges that the runner caused the errant throw. In the other leagues, the runner is safe,
similar to football where pass interference isn't called if the throw is
uncatchable.
This next situation can get hairy. With a runner on first base, the plate umpire
calls ball four as the catcher throws down to second base. The runner, jogging towards second, is tagged
before reaching the base. The catcher asks
for an appeal on a checked swing, to which the plate umpire obliges, and the
base umpire reverses the call to a strike.
In all leagues besides Federation, the runner is out. However, in Federation, the umpire should return
the runner to first base; the runner should not be penalized for the delayed call
reversal.
Another significant difference is in balk calls. In all but Federation leagues, the umpire
should call "balk" but allow the play to finish. If the batter and all runners advance at
least one base on a batted ball, the balk is nullified and the play stands. In Federation, however, a balk results in an
immediate dead ball; the umpire should call "Time" immediately and
enforce the balk penalty.
MLB recently made it illegal for the pitcher to fake a throw
to third, then throw to first to pick off a runner. Babe Ruth rules also consider this a
balk. However, in Little League, Federation
and College, this move is still legal.
Only Babe Ruth rules agree with MLB when it comes to
coaches' free trips to the mound (one free trip per pitcher per inning before
the pitcher needs to be removed). In College,
there is also a limit of three free trips per game (plus an additional free trip
added if the game goes to extra innings).
Federation also has a three-free-trips-per-game limit, but no limit per
inning, and a free trip is added each inning if the game goes extras. In Little League, two free trips per pitcher
per inning are allowed, plus a limit of three free trips per pitcher in the
game.
To issue an intentional walk, all the leagues except Federation
require four balls to be pitched, like any other base on balls. However, Federation rules allow the intent to
be stated verbally before any pitches, at which point "Time" is
called and the batter is entitled to first base.
Appeals are easier for the defense in Federation ball as well,
in that teams can make a verbal appeal for a runner missing a base or leaving
too soon. In all the other leagues, a proper
live ball appeal must be made where the base is tagged by a fielder with the
ball.
Federation allows a courtesy runner for the pitcher or
catcher, which is not allowed in any of the other leagues. However, Little League is the only one with a
"special pinch runner" rule, where once per inning, any teammate not
presently in the lineup can run for a base runner; this is only allowed one
time for each player in the game.
Little League, Babe Ruth, and Federation all allow starting
players, once removed for substitutes, to re-enter into the same position in
the batting order. Little League has the
added stipulation that the sub must have had at least one at bat or played at
least six outs on defense before being removed for a re-entering player. College and MLB rules do not allow re-entry.
In Little League and Federation, a "fake tag" is
considered obstruction, but this is not true in Babe Ruth, College and MLB.
Finally, all leagues except Babe Ruth (unless locally
accepted) and MLB have a "mercy" rule. In Little League and Federation, a game ends
if the losing team is behind by at least 10 runs after five turns at bat (or 4
turns for a 6-inning Little League game).
College allows a mercy rule by consent of both managers before the game,
but the game ends after seven turns at bat by the losing team when down by 10
or more runs.
Did you get all that? Let's summarize:
Situation
|
Little League
|
Babe Ruth /
Cal Ripken
|
Federation (NFHS)
|
College (NCAA)
|
Professional (MLB)
|
Batter's foot
touches plate on contact while not entirely out of batter's box.
|
Legal.
6.06(a)
|
Legal.
6.03
|
Batter is out.
7.3.2
|
Batter is out.
7-10(a)
|
Legal.
6.03
[6.06(a)]
|
Errant throw to 1B
because BR ran outside the lane.
|
Play stands.
6.05(j)
|
Play stands.
6.05(k)
|
BR is out for interference.
8.4.1g
|
BR is out for interference.
7-11(p) AR1
|
Play stands.
5.09(a-11)
[6.05(k)]
|
On ball 4, forced
runner tagged out before check swing appeal changes the call to a strike.
|
Runner is out.
|
Runner is out.
9.02(c)
|
Runners are returned to original bases.
10.2.3l
10.2.3 Situation H
|
Runner is out.
|
Runner is out.
8.02(c)
[9.02(c)]
|
Pitcher balks.
(70'+ bases only)
|
Live (delayed dead) ball.
8.05 Penalty
|
Live (delayed dead) ball.
8.05 Penalty
|
Immediate dead ball.
6.2.5b
|
Live (delayed dead) ball.
9-3 Penalty
|
Live (delayed dead) ball.
6.02 Penalty
[8.05 Penalty]
|
Fake to 3B, throw to
1B.
|
Legal.
|
Balk.
8.05(c)
|
Legal.
6.1.5 Situation
|
Legal.
9-3(b) AR
|
Balk.
6.02(a3)
[8.05(c)]
|
Coach's trips to the
mound.
|
2 free trips per pitcher per inning. Also, limit of 3 free trips per pitcher per
game.
8.06
|
1 free trip per pitcher per inning.
8.06
|
First 3 trips per game are free. Pitcher must be removed
on 4th and subsequent trips. In extra innings, 1 free trip per
inning.
3.4.1
|
1 free trip per pitcher per inning. Also, limit of 3 free trips
per game. In extra innings, 1 free
trip is added.
9-4(a)
|
1 free trip per pitcher per inning.
5.10(l)
[8.06]
|
Intentional walks.
|
Pitched, live ball.
|
Pitched, live ball.
|
Verbal, not live.
2.4.3
|
Pitched, live ball.
|
Pitched, live ball.
|
Appeal for missed
base or leaving too soon
|
Must tag base while live.
7.10
|
Must tag base while live.
7.10
|
Verbal.
8.2.6c
|
Must tag base while live.
8-6(b)
|
Must tag base while live.
5.09(c)
[7.10]
|
Courtesy runner
|
Not allowed.
3.04
|
Not allowed.
3.04
|
Allowed for P/C.
2.33.1
|
Not allowed.
5-5
|
Not allowed.
5.10(e)
[3.04]
|
Special pinch runner
|
Once per inning, any teammate not presently in the lineup
may be used. Once per player per game.
7.14
|
None.
|
None.
|
None.
|
None.
|
Re-entry of starters
|
Allowed.
(min 1 AB and 6 def. outs by sub)
3.03
|
Allowed.
3.03
|
Allowed.
3.1.3
|
Not allowed.
|
Not allowed.
|
Fake tag
|
Obstruction.
2.00
|
Allowed.
|
Obstruction.
2.22.2
8.3.2 Situation B
|
Allowed.
|
Allowed.
|
Mercy
|
10 runs after 5 turns at bat by losing team in a 7-inn
game, or after 4 turns in a 6-inn game.
4.10(e)
|
None.
4.10
|
10 runs after 5 turns at bat by losing team.
4.2.2
|
Optional, by pre-game consent.
10 runs after 7 turns at bat by losing team.
5-8(b4)
|
None.
7.01
[4.10]
|
Sources: Little League 2015; Babe Ruth 2016; NFHS Rule
Book 2016 / Case Book 2015; NCAA 2015-16; MLB 2015 / [2014 in brackets]
