How2Day: T-Ball & Coach Pitch Rules

T-ball players hit the ball off a stationary tee, not a throw from a pitcher. Jupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Getty Images
T-ball and coach pitch are modified versions of baseball designed to introduce the fundamentals of the sport to young players without exposing them to the fear of being hit by a pitch. T-ball and coach pitch are children's games in which the ball is either hit off a stationary tee that is adjusted to the batter's height, or thrown by the coach of the batter's team with the intention of making the ball easy to hit.

T-ball is designed for players aged four to eight, according to the T-Ball USA Association, who hit the ball off a stationary batting tee, rather than a moving ball thrown by a pitcher. Players can not walk or strike out. A ball is considered fair if it travels 10 feet into fair territory after being hit; otherwise, it is a foul. Generally, an inning is over when all players have batted once. Although T-Ball USA allows up to 20 players per team, it recommends that no more than 15 bat per inning. Bats are 25 to 26 inches long and 2.25 inches in diameter, weighing no more than 17 to 20 oz. maximum. The ball is 9 to 9.5 inches around, weighs 4 to 5 oz., and is softer than a standard baseball. The tee is a flexible, height-adjustable tube on a moveable base. In coach pitch, the batter's coach throws a maximum of six pitches, according the the United States Specialty Sports Association rules, after which the player is out if there is no successful hit. Bunting is permitted. Batters hit by a pitch are not awarded first base.

In t-ball, the bases are 50 feet from each other and there is no stealing allowed. Players are not allowed to lead off either, but must stay on the base until the bat makes contact with the ball. In coach pitch, players are allowed to steal one base per pitch, but stealing home is not allowed.

All players on a team play in the field in t-ball, though it is recommended that the maximum number of fielders is 15. There is either an imaginary playing line between first and third base or an actual painted arc 40 feet from home plate. Whichever is used, fielders from the defensive team may not move closer to home plate than the line until the ball is actually struck. Coach pitch features nine players on the field, the same as traditional baseball, with no more than six, including the catcher, stationed within the infield baselines. There is also a defensive pitcher who stands in the pitcher's circle while that batter's coach is pitching. Time is called and baserunners must stay on their bases once the ball is returned to the pitcher, provided the player has at least one foot in the pitching circle.

The T-Ball USA Association recommends that score not be kept, especially for younger players and that standard games are four innings long. However, for those six and up, many T-ball leagues allow scoring and, consequently, winning and losing. Coach pitch utilizes the standard scoring rules of baseball.

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