The Mosquito Division is 11U, meaning players must be 11 or under as of the December 31 following the season. Players move to Mosquito from 9U Tadpole so most payers will turn 10 during their first year and 11 as second years and be in Grade 4 and 5.
Mosquito is a considerable jump up from Tadpole with the introduction of hardball, full player pitching and stealing. First year players are given an opportunity to pitch in the first two innings of games.
Mosquito players at all experience levels will concentrate on the improvement of their baseball skills in the spring season. Evaluations are held to ensure teams drafted by coaches are equally balanced for skill and development. There is a focus on participation and players will explore the field positions, game play, and strategy. Additional opportunities are offered to experienced players and a heightened level of competition is introduced. Umpires and scorekeeping are used at this level. Summer ball is offered, which includes tryouts and further evaluation. Coaches in this division will model respectful competitiveness with a emphasis on sportsmanship and understanding of the rules.
Tadpole goals are:
- Have fun and develop confidence
- Increased focus on baseball knowledge and skills
- Introduction to umpires, strategy and competition
TABA will provide all the field gear. Your child will need a glove, helmet, grey baseball pants, cleats, protective jock/jill, and a bat. Please see our equipment page for information on bats. Coaches will be continued support and materials, and additional opportunities may be offered throughout the season.
Mosquito Rules
- Jerseys and hats are supplied by TABA and should be worn to all practices and games. Full uniforms should be worn to games including pants, belts and socks.
- Base runners, batter, and on-deck batter must wear batting helmets with chinstraps properly attached. It is mandatory that players wear a protective jock/jill. Players may wear running shoes or molded rubber cleats (soccer cleats are accepted)
- Each team is responsible to clean up the field after practices and games
- The coaches are responsible to set up the field for games. After the last game coaches are to make sure all equipment used during the game is returned to the storage area and locked up. All equipment will be provided by TABA.
- Base paths are set at 60 feet with the pitchers mound set 42 feet from the tip of home plate.
- Equipment is NOT to be used for any activity that is not TABA sanctioned. Only the coaches and the executive will be given access to the equipment boxes.
- Coaches are responsible for the behaviour of their team players, fans and parents during games and to make sure there is no abuse of the equipment. INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE AND BEHAVIOUR WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. Umpires may direct coaches to address inappropriate behaviour by fans. It is the responsibility of the coach to notify TABA of any major issues that occur at the ball park immediately following the game and/ or practice.
- Games postponed due to rain will be rescheduled when possible through the division coordinator. It is the coaches’ discretion when to call a game or practice due to darkness, field condition or weather, and the coaches responsibility to notify the team manager and team.
- Games must start within 15 minutes of the scheduled start time.
- It is the umpire’s discretion when to call the game due to darkness (should call open inning when light begins to fade), or for field or weather conditions.
- Each game shall 6 full innings, with no new inning started after 1 hour and 45 minutes.
- Run limit is 4 runs per inning. Last inning is open without a run limit.
- Score is to be kept by both teams and the home team shall be considered the official scorekeeper. Each team’s scorekeeper is responsible for completing their teams pitch count sheet.
- Ties are permitted. There is a 10 run mercy rule after 4 innings.
- Each team is required to have a batting order in writing, including the players numbers. A copy of the batting order shall be given to the opposing team and the home plate umpire
- Each team shall field a team of no more than 10 players and no less than8 players. There shall be six infielders and four outfielders. All players will be included in the batting order. Placement of players in the batting order should be rotated each game.
- All players are to remain in the dugout or on the benches at all times when their team is at bat except the on-deck batter. Players warming up to return to the defensive line-up can do so in the out of bounds area nearest their dugout
- Coaches for the batting team should call outs for their team. Strike zone is from the chest to the knees and the ball covers the plate. The batting team provides the pitching machine operator Catchers must wear full gear and a glove of their choice.
- Player are responsible for pitching for the duration of the season in all games.
- Coaches must switch players to different positions from inning to inning, alternating between infield and outfield.
- In the event of extra players than fielding positions, each child must sit once before someone sits twice.
- Players are allowed to play a maximum of 4 innings in the infield per game, of which only one position may be played twice. The catcher may occupy the position for a maximum of 3 innings each. Only 2 of the innings played at catcher will count towards their infield time
- Players shall be allowed to play a maximum of 3 innings in the outfield per game. All outfield positions are considered to be the same position.
- Bunting is allowed
- The batter cannot run on the third strike dropped by the catcher.
- Leadoffs are not allowed. The ball must cross home plate before any base runner(s) can leave the base(s).
- When a base runner leaves the base before the pitch crosses home plate and the batter DOES NOT hit the ball, the Umpire shall call “Leadoff” and the base runner must return to the base and No Out is called.
- When a base runner leaves the base before the pitch crosses home plate and the batter DOES hit the ball, the base runner is automatically out. The batter will be allowed to advance as normal.
- Stealing to 2nd and 3rd base is permitted at any time other than when the pitcher is holding the ball on the mound prior to the runner beginning his steal attempt.
- Stealing home on a pass ball / wild pitch or overthrown ball back to the pitcher is not permitted. A runner from third may advance home if an attempt is made on him stealing third base or an attempt is made to throw out a runner at any other base.
- No head first slides allowed in Mosquito and the runner shall be called out. A player may dive back to a base they already occupy. Slide or Avoid Rule is in effect. If a play is being made, or is about to be made, it is MANDATORY for players of all age groups to slide or make an effort to avoid a collision at all bases and home plate. Failure to do either will result in an automatic out. The ball is dead and no runners may advance beyond the base that was last legally acquired.
- The infield fly rule does not apply.
- Second year Tadpole players may be called up to play on a Mosquito team a maximum of 3 games plus one tournament. The Tadpole and Mosquito Coordinators will coordinate call-ups to ensure eligibility and fairness. The player must receive the same treatment as regular players, must not play more innings than a regular team player and must not pitch.
- All BC Minor Baseball rules will be in effect, but TABA rules take precedence.
PLAYER PITCHING RULES
- Coaches are responsible for keeping pitch counts and must be made available to other teams when asked. Pitch count sheets are available on the TABA website. Coaches must follow the current BC Minor pitch count rules. Failure to do so will result in a suspension.
- 2021 Pitch Count rules from BC Minor Rulebook are as follows:
1-25 Pitches = No Rest
26-40 Pitches = 2 Night Rest
41-55 Pitches = 3 Nights Rest
56-65 Pitches = 4 Nights Rest
66-75 Pitches = 5 Nights Rest
- Pitchers may only pitch on 3 consecutive days if their combined total for days 1 and 2 do not exceed 25 pitches, and games are during spring tournaments, summer, single seasons or Provincials. Pitchers may not pitch on 4 consecutive days.
- A rainout or delayed/suspended game will not affect the pitching regarding the 2 or 3 nights rest rule. Any pitcher who was ineligible to pitch when the game was originally supposed to start shall remain ineligible when the game is played.
- The first two innings of each game must be pitched by a player in the younger birth year of the division.
- If a pitcher hits a batter or batters three times, the pitcher is to be replaced by another player.
- One trip to the mound by coaches per inning – per pitcher. A pitcher is removed on the 2nd trip to the mound by coaches.
- A pitcher withdrawn from the mound, but who stays in the game at another position shall not be permitted to return to the mound as a pitcher in the same game.