RULES COMPARE — LCB Rec / AB / GSA / USSSA

Ages 9–12 · Print & bag
Use the packet for that day. Yellow cells = the item that most often trips coaches when switching sanctions. LCB Rec = Lakeland City Baseball Official Playing Rules (2022 rulebook). Columns show Minor vs Major and Spring vs Fall where they differ. AB = Polk County Advance Baseball Majors (12U). GSA / USSSA = national tournament packets for 11U–12U kid pitch. Same everywhere here: once a pitcher is removed from the mound, he cannot return as pitcher in that game. Always confirm host/TD ground rules before first pitch.
Item LCB REC AB (Majors) GSA USSSA
Pitching limit Pitch count by league age: 7–8→50 · 9–10→75 · 11–12→85 · 13–15→95. Rest: 1–20=0d · 21–35=1d · 36–50=2d · 51–65=3d · 66+=4d (calendar days between games). Fall only: max 2 IP/game (1 pitch = an inning) + no consecutive games. Pitch count + rest. 11–12: 85 max; 0d ≤40 · 1d 41–65 · 2d 66+. No innings cap. Outs: 18 / day · 27 / 3-day tournament. No pitch-count rest table. Innings: ≤3 to pitch next day · 6 day max · 8 / 3 days. Rest gates on IP.
P / C crossover Catch 4+ innings → cannot pitch that game (1 pitch received = an inning). 41+ pitches → cannot catch rest of that game. Verify Babe Ruth book (not restated in A/B packet). Not in GSA outs packet — track arms separately. Not the primary limit (innings/rest are).
Clock Minor/Major Spring: no new inning after 90 min (if 4th not started, finish current then stop). Fall: 90 min then umpire calls last batter. No new after 105 min. 1:40 finish the inning · champ 2:00. TD sets — no fixed national clock.
Run / mercy Inning cap (reg season): Minor/Training 5 · Major/Junior 7. 10-run rule after 4 innings (3½ home). Spring tournament mercy: 15/3 · 10/4. Minor tournament: no 5-run cap. No run cap Majors. Mercy 15/3 · 10/4. No inning cap. Mercy 12/3 · 10/4 · 8/5. No inning cap. Mercy 15/3 · 8/4 (6-inn).
Must-play / sits Mandatory play: Training/Minor/Major — everyone sits one inning before anyone sits a second. Junior — no consecutive sits. No must-play. Sit who you sit. No must-play. Bat as many as you choose. No must-play. Declare card before first pitch.
Lineup shape Continuous batting all present (4.04). Spring: no batting subs. Fall: bat entire order or 3 outs, whichever first. Free defensive re-entry if mandatory play met. Bat 9 · 10 (EP) · or everyone. Start EP → finish EP. Bat 9+ any number. Every non-hitter must be listed as a sub or forfeit. 9 · 9+DH · 10 EH · DH+EH · or continuous. Lock for whole game.
DH No DH — continuous order. No DH in A/B packet. DH allowed (MLB 6.10). DH allowed 9U–14U (slot-locked rules).
Courtesy runner Catcher only (Training+). Must catch entire next inning or CR’s run comes off. CR = prior recorded out (edge cases in 3.04). Catcher of record only. Pitcher or catcher. No CR before first out of game if no subs. Pitcher and catcher of record. 1st-inning edge cases differ.
Slash (fake bunt→swing) Illegal (6.05(n)) — batter out, runners return. Illegal (Cal Ripken). Illegal 7U–12U. Legal 9U+.
Leads / steal Minor: no leave until pitch reaches batter (7.14). Major/Junior: leadoffs + balks in play; dropped 3rd applies. Leadoffs (Majors). Dropped 3rd per book. Lead-offs on; steal at discretion; dropped 3rd on. Kid-pitch 9U+: full running game (confirm event).
Shift Not restricted in LCB book. Babe Ruth book. Allowed. No shift (MLB no-shift adopted).
Bracket / ties Reg season can tie. Spring tournament TB: last out at 2nd (extra innings later add runner at 3rd too). Champ: no time limit, cannot tie. Texas TB: last out at 2nd, 1 out. International TB: last out at 2nd, 0 outs. Play until a winner (national book); confirm TD.
Bats (9–12) USA Baseball stamp only (+ wood). USSSA stamp not legal. Junior may also use BBCOR. USA only. 1.15 BPF · USA · BBCOR (+ wood). USSSA 1.15 · BBCOR · wood · USA also OK.
Cleats Major and below: no metal. Junior: metal OK. Host / Babe Ruth. Molded / turf only (7U–12U). Non-metal only through 12U.
Official score League scorekeeper = official book and pitch-count recorder. Home GameChanger official (score + pitches). Home book; umpire score final. Event / TD.
IBB Per playing rules / umpire (not a special manager-only signal in LCB book). Coach/catcher; no pitches; not on pitch count. Manager only signals. Pitcher or catcher may announce.
ONLY / LOUD IN LCB REC (2022)
  • Inning run caps: Minor 5 · Major 7 (reg season).
  • Sit-out fairness before anyone sits twice (Training/Minor/Major).
  • Continuous batting + Fall “whole order or 3 outs.”
  • Pitch count + P/C crossover (41+ / catch-4) + Fall 2 IP + no back-to-back games.
  • USA bats only (USSSA stamp illegal). No metal cleats Major−.
  • Catcher CR must catch the entire next inning.
  • Source: lcb-2022-rulebook.pdf (baseball-coach skill references).
ONLY / LOUD IN AB (MAJORS)
  • No run cap — stack the order.
  • No must-play — defend to win.
  • USA bats only · lined up before plate meeting.
  • Home GameChanger = official (miss it → forfeit).
  • Two new leather balls at the plate.
  • Courtesy = catcher only. Texas TB (2nd, 1 out).
  • Season points seed fall single-elim / spring double-elim.
ONLY / LOUD IN GSA
  • Outs budget (18/day, 27/3-day) — not pitches, not USSSA innings.
  • Fixed 1:40 clock (champ 2:00).
  • Mercy 8 after 5 (third tier).
  • International TB: 2nd base, no outs.
  • Sub left off the card = forfeit even if on roster.
  • Slash illegal. Shift OK. DH OK. CR for P or C.
ONLY / LOUD IN USSSA
  • Innings + next-day rest (3 / 6 / 8) — not GSA outs.
  • Slash legal 9U+ (don’t import LCB/GSA/AB habit).
  • No shift.
  • Mercy softens to 8 after 4 (no 8-after-5 tier).
  • Pitching violation → forfeit + manager banned from complex for event.
  • One-way electronic signals OK. Grade-exception max 3/team.
DON’T CARRY HABITS ACROSS SANCTIONS
LCB Major 7-run spacing → AB Majors (no cap — stack)
LCB Fall 2-IP / no consecutive → GSA outs weekend
LCB/AB USA-only bats → GSA/USSSA (BPF/BBCOR OK)
GSA outs tally → USSSA weekend (use IP + rest)
LCB/AB/GSA illegal slash → USSSA (legal 9U+)
GSA shift OK → USSSA (no shift)
LCB/AB catcher-only CR → GSA/USSSA (P also)
AB Texas TB (1 out) → GSA international (0 outs)
Sources: LCB Official Playing Rules (2022) — skills/baseball-coach/references/lcb-2022-rulebook.pdf · Polk County Advance Baseball Rules (Spring 2026) · GSA 2025 9U Open–12U Rules · USSSA National By-Laws (ed. Aug 1, 2026 / rev 9-12-2026). Gaps fall to the sanction’s stated base book. This card is team-agnostic — not a substitute for the weekend packet or TD sheet. Pitching safety: even when a sanction counts outs or innings, keep arm-care limits in mind (see Arm Care player card). Note: older coaching notes sometimes cited Advanced Baseball as a 6-run cap; LCB Rule 5.07 is 5 Minor / 7 Major-Junior for regular season — use the rulebook.