Travel Baseball

Medford Baseball offers the following travel basbeball teams:

7U, 8U, 9U, 10U, 11U, 12U, 13U, 14U

Travel baseball requires more commitment from players and parents. The skill and competition level is higher. Beginning at 8U teams typically play in a minimum of three weekend long tournaments. Older travel teams may play more tournaments.

When appropriate, each age group can have multiple teams.

Travel baseball rules 7-12u

Eligibility:

Must live in Medford or attend school in Medford, consistent with Babe Ruth Inc. league rules.

Must play in the age group as defined by Babe Ruth Inc. birth date cutoffs (see footnote below).

Strong recommendation that Medford travel players only play on their Medford team during the Spring season for both player health and safety, especially regarding pitching. In rare occasions where playing for an outside team is approved, players should choose their Medford team first when conflicts arise and provide full disclosure to Medford coaches about all non-Medford game schedules and pitch counts.

Roster size:

Minimum 11 / Maximum 12 (7U minimum is 10 players)

No promotions or demotions, roster is set for the season. (Exceptions can be made by the board for injury or other special circumstances).

Playing rules:

Batting: Continuous batting order where everyone bats regardless of specific tournament rules.

Fielding: Players should not sit two consecutive innings, and coaches will make best efforts to play each player a minimum of half the game. Emphasis on learning multiple positions. (7U rule is maximum two innings at any one position, then rotate).

(Batting and fielding rule exceptions made only for Babe Ruth Inc. state/regional/World Series tournaments where their rules must be followed).

Pitching: Medford Baseball will follow Babe Ruth League, Inc. pitching regulations that state a pitcher shall not deliver more than 75 pitches in the same game or on the same day. If a pitcher pitch 1-40 pitches in a game or day, no rest is required. If a pitcher pitches 41-65 pitches in a game or day, 1 day rest required. If a pitcher pitches 66 plus pitches in a game or day, 2 days rest required.

Footnote on age rules:

The Medford Baseball executive board met on October 5th, 2021 and voted on how to deal with age eligibility for the travel program, specifically the issue of allowing players to “play up” from their natural age division.

In an 8-0 decision we voted in favor of the following:

Travel baseball players will adhere to the Cal Ripken baseball age rules for each division based on a player’s birthday. Players will not be allowed to “play up” above their age division. The current Cal Ripken age chart is shown below.

This rule will be implemented now at the 7u and 8u level for all players.

At the 9u-12u levels we will allow players who have previously been “playing up” to try out with their current teams. This applies to players who at a minimum "played up" in the Spring 2021 season and who may have played up for multiple consecutive seasons through Spring 2021, making them part of an established team. We are allowing these players to be “grandfathered” in from the age rule because our intention is not to prevent kids from trying out for their current teams where they are already established, having played there in Spring 2021 and possibly multiple consecutive seasons.

We believe enforcing play at the appropriate Cal Ripken age division gives the Medford baseball program as a whole the best chance to build stronger teams into the future by giving younger players more time to learn the game, beginning at 7u.

It is certainly possible that younger age players may not play with their grade all the time, but in those rare cases we still think the player ends up on the better team and becomes the better player by sticking with their appropriate age.

The executive board does not take this decision lightly. We have spent many hours discussing the issue and have arrived at our decision in the best of interest of serving youth players.

As with any rule, we understand there may be rare instances that require special consideration. In such instances the executive board will discuss and vote on a case by case basis.