Arm care/Pitching Rules FOR WOBA Championships (Western Ontario Baseball Association)

Pitch Tracking NEW 2024... All OBA rostered players who pitch at a WOBA league game or tournament, must have their pitch count #s reported to their respective OBA team's head coach immediately after the game, so that the number of pitches can be reported onto the Arm Care app utilized by OBA.

Failure to report will result in suspension of coach.


WOBA Appendix 7--Pitching Rules for Year-End Championships  Updated June 3rd, 2024

A.      Illegal Pitch (Curve Ball):

Any breaking ball pitch in which the pitcher deliberately breaks his or her wrist or snaps the elbow in order to induce a forward or side-angled spin on the ball shall be prohibited at all levels of 11U Mosquito and below in WOBA play.

Excerpt from June 3rd, 2024 WOBA Executive and BOD Meeting Minutes

Year-end tournament Pitch count limitations

After discussion it was unanimous that one set of pitching rules should be used as this would demonstrate the best practice  for arm care.

MOTION:            Moved by:  Rob Martin                Seconded by:  Jesse Edmunds

All year end WOBA tournaments shall follow current OBA arm care rules.

CARRIED

What does this mean?
Effective immediately, the arm care guidelines and pitching restrictions used during the regular season shall apply to our year-end tournaments.  Refer to Appendix 7 League Play Pitching rules in the constitution and handbook

a)  Unless otherwise stated, all Arm Care Rules listed in RP2.11 shall be in force throughout the baseball season and apply to all league play

b)  Pitchers shall be limited to the number of pitches thrown in a single day as outlined in the chart above. Pitchers are required to rest in accordance with this as determined by the total number of pitches thrown on any one calendar day.

c)   For the purposes calculating days of rest required, the day after game day is considered Day 1 of the rest period. (i.e.: If an 11U pitcher throws 27 pitches on Friday, he will be next eligible to pitch again on Sunday).

d)  If a game extends beyond midnight into the next calendar day, any pitches thrown thereafter shall be counted toward the pitch count of the day the game started. If, however, the game is suspended for any reason after midnight, when it resumes, any pitches thrown by any pitcher shall be counted toward the new day.

e)  Intentional walks and balks shall count toward the pitcher’s pitch count total if a pitch has been thrown.

f)   Players are permitted to pitch in 2 separate games in the same day as long as they do not exceed the maximum number of pitches that requires no rest for their age category in the first game of the day. (ie: If an 11U pitcher throws fewer than 25 pitches in the first game, the player may pitch in a second game.) No player is permitted to pitch in more than 2 games per day regardless of the number of pitches thrown.

g)  No player may exceed the daily maximum for their age category in any two-day period. If a player pitches in two games in a day or on two consecutive days, their rest required shall be calculated using the combined total of the number of pitches thrown.

o  E.g.1: 21U player throws 45 pitches on Friday in a tournament (no rest required). That pitcher is permitted to pitch again on Saturday to a maximum of 70 pitches.

o  E.g.2: In the same scenario as E.g.1, the total number of pitches thrown are added together to determine days rest. If the player threw 45 pitches on Friday and 70 pitches on Saturday, the pitcher must rest for 4 days and is next eligible to pitch on Thursday.

h)  Pitchers will be permitted to complete the at‐bat of the batter they are facing when their Daily Maximum pitch limit has been reached for that calendar day but must be removed immediately after (i) the batter is retired, or (ii) the batter becomes a runner, or (iii) the third out of the inning is made.

i)   The total number of pitches thrown by an ambidextrous pitcher shall be charged toward their pitch count regardless of which arm(s), or combination thereof, the pitcher uses to throw.

j)   No player may pitch on three consecutive days unless their total pitch count for the three days does not exceed the number of pitches where no rest is required for that age category. A pitcher may not pitch on 4 consecutive days regardless of pitch count.

k)  Once a player assumes the pitching position, they are no longer eligible to catch for the remainder of the day. Once a player assumes the catching position, they are no longer eligible to pitch for the remainder of the day. 

Exception Noted:  WOBA league play exception for 15U Bantam & 18U Midget as noted on the WOBA League Rules-Quick Reference chart.

l)   RP2.11(l): Any player who is playing in a series higher than their age-appropriate series shall be restricted to the pitch count limitations and required rest periods applicable to the age of the player, provided the following:

o  9U aged players who are called‐up to play on a 10U or 11U team are not permitted to pitch.

o  9U aged players who are rostered to a 10U or 11U team shall be permitted to pitch with the following limitations.

m) Penalty: For violation of any Arm Care rules as prescribed in RP2.11(c) to (l), the Manager is ejected, and the game is immediately forfeited. The Manager shall receive a one game automatic suspension. If a pitcher throws during their mandatory days rest period in violation of RP2.11(c), the pitcher’s maximum days rest period will reset to the maximum rest period of 4 days from the second appearance.

n)  In the event that a player pitches on a required rest day and the violation is not caught until after the game, the player shall be required to rest 4 complete days from the day he/she last pitched, and the Manager will receive an automatic two game suspension.

o)  Any player who is playing in a series higher than their age must be identified on the lineup card. Any underage player not identified on the lineup card is ineligible to pitch. Should any such unidentified underage player pitch, the pitcher shall be removed from the pitching position and the Manager ejected.

p)  When a player reaches their Daily Maximum pitch count, the manager or coach may remove the pitcher from the pitching position immediately without penalty, regardless of the number of trips already charged to the pitcher during the inning or at‐bat.

q)  During league play, the home team shall designate an official pitch counter for their team who shall be responsible for tracking the pitches of both teams.

r)   The official pitch counter must provide the current pitch count upon request by either manager or the umpire.

s)   The official pitch counter shall inform the plate umpire when a pitcher has delivered their Daily Maximum pitch count. The plate umpire shall inform the manager that the pitcher must be removed, (i) immediately if the Daily Maximum threshold has been reached at the end of an at‐bat, or (ii) following the completion of the at‐bat or inning, subject to RP2.11(h)./ WOBA Appendix 6, B(g)

t)    Failure by the Official Pitch Counter to inform the plate umpire of a pitcher reaching their Daily Maximum pitch count does not relieve the Manager of their responsibility to know the pitch count and remove the pitcher.

Penalty: Failure to remove the pitcher with no notification by the Official Pitch Counter will result in the manager’s immediate ejection and the pitcher shall be removed from the pitching position immediately and will not be permitted to complete the at‐bat. This will be treated as an emergency situation and the incoming pitcher shall receive as many warm‐up pitches as the plate umpire deems necessary.

u)  Any coach or manager whose actions cause a player’s pitch counts to be exceeded or not counted as required by these rules, and that action is not identified until after the game is completed, shall be subject to a suspension of not less than 2 games which may be extended at the discretion of the WOBA Umpire in Chief.

v)  Any and all violations to the above noted pitch limitation rules must be reported to the WOBA within 24 hours of the infraction.  An online incident reporting form and an ejection form are both available on the WOBA website: https://wobabaseball.ca

 

C.     Additional Rules for OBA/Select Teams Participating in Rep Exhibition Play

a)  When a pitcher takes their position at the beginning of each inning, or when they relieve another pitcher, they shall be permitted to pitch up to eight preparatory pitches to the catcher, during which play shall be suspended. The plate umpire may reduce this number if, in their judgement, there has been unnecessary delay by the pitcher and/or catcher. If a sudden emergency causes a pitcher to be summoned into the game without sufficient opportunity to warm up, the plate umpire shall allow them as many pitches as the plate umpire deems necessary.

b)   The Manager (or designate) shall record the number of pitches thrown for each of their team’s players within 24 hours (or before the start of the next game, whichever is earlier) of the game’s start time using the OBA Pitch Count Tracker. During Rep tournament play, pitch counts must be entered within 1 hour following the end of the game (or before the start of the next game, whichever is earlier) by the home team Manager (or designate).

c)   The Manager of the opposing team will receive notification of the pitch count entry into the system and will have 24 hours from that time to verify or challenge the pitch count from that game.

o  i) Any challenge of an official pitch count will be forwarded to the Series Chair for resolution.

o  ii) The decision of the Series Chair with regard to Pitch Counts shall be final.

d)      Penalty:

a) Failure to enter pitch count results within the specified Timelines, as set forth in RP2.11(u), will result in the following penalties:

o  On a team’s first offense of the season, immediate suspension of the Manager until the pitch count is entered.

o  On a team’s second (or any subsequent offense), the Manager will receive an automatic 5 game suspension.

b) Failure by team to adopt these pitch count rules will result in the team forfeiting their right to classify for an OBA Championship and participate in OBA sanctioned tournaments.

e)       Any coach or manager whose actions cause a player’s pitch counts to be exceeded or not counted as required by these rules, and that action is not identified until after the game is completed, shall be subject to a suspension of not less than 2 games which may be extended at the discretion of the Series Chair.