In-House Information

LAA In-House Baseball Player Age Policy

BACKGROUND
Starting in 2006, Cal Ripken has changed the Age determination date from August 1st to April 30th. That is, the age the player will be on April 30th will determine the Division, or age group, in which that player will play. For example, Michael is 10 years old and he will turn 11 on May 15th. Therefore, Michael will be 10 years of age on April 30th, and will try out, and continue to play, for LAA's Minors Division (9's & 10's). Now, if Michael's birthday were on April 15th, he would be 11 years of age on April 30th, and would try out in LAA's Majors Division (11's & 12's).

The purpose of this rule, which has been adopted by USA Baseball, the governing body for amateur baseball, is to address the decline in player participation after the 10 and 12-year-old age brackets. The benefit is to keep more players in programs longer, and better prepare players for the transition to conventional sized fields a.k.a. 90-foot fields.

How does this affect LAA?
Players born between May 1st and August 1st (previous age determination date) will remain in the Division they played in last year. According to registrations for the 2005 season, this will affect approximately 100 players from T-Ball to the Majors.

In the Majors Division we have the lone exception to the Age Determination Date as set forth by Cal Ripken Baseball. As a local league option, the Cal Ripken Baseball League President may elect to permit a 12-year old player to play (for the 2006 Season only) in the 13-year old league. Players who turn 12 from May 1st to July 31st may be permitted to 'play up' in consideration of those players who are more skilled and experienced. These players, known as 'Swing Players', have the option of playing at the 13-year old age level (Babe Ruth Prep - 90-foot field), or at the 12-year old age level in the Majors Division - not both.


IN HOUSE POLICY
To implement the Cal Ripken League directive, In-house tryouts for Rookies, Minors, and Majors Divisions will be age pure in each Division. Players will try out and/or play in their age appropriate Division as follows:

  • Babe Ruth Prep Division 13 yrs of age; Born from May 1, 1992 to April 30, 1993.
  • Majors 'Swing Player' 12 years of age * ; Born from May 1, 1994 to July 31st, 1994.
  • Majors Division 11-12 years of age; Born from May 1, 1993 to April 30, 1995.
  • Minors Division 9-10 years of age; Born from May 1, 1995 to April 30, 1997.
  • Rookies Division 8 years of age; Born from May 1, 1997 to April 30, 1998.
  • Midget Division 7 years of age; Born from May 1, 1998 to April 30, 1999.
  • T-Ball Division 5-6 years of age; Born from May 1, 1999 to April 30, 2001.

* 12-year old 'Swing Players' may participate in the Babe Ruth Prep Division
(13-year old level) at the discretion of the Cal Ripken League President.

In order to address those more skilled players at the Rookies, Minors, and Majors Divisions, LAA Cal Ripken will assemble a Player Evaluation Committee (Committee). This Committee will consist of independent members of the LAA Baseball Board of Directors (Board), and/or at-large participants in the planning of the LAA Cal Ripken Baseball Season, as approved by the Board. The purpose of this Committee will be to evaluate certain players, considered by the Board, to have the necessary skills and maturity to 'play up' in the Division above their age group. These candidates to play up will be identified, prior to the baseball tryouts, by the Committee.

Committee members will gather information on players from current Baseball Board members, coaches, and other LAA members as necessary. This information will be used to assemble a list of players for each age group, who are considered to have the skills and maturity to play up in age. The Committee will present this list of players to the Board for approval to try out at the Baseball Division above their age group. Upon approval from the Board the Committee will notify the parents of these players that they may try out for the older Division. Players will be removed from this list if requested by the player's parents. That player will then play at the age appropriate level, as recommended by the Committee, for the season. Upon completion of tryouts the Committee will present their recommendations on who may play up to the Board. The Board will then vote to approve each player for playing up within the LAA In-house program.

Grievances to this process should be brought to the attention of the LAA Baseball Director for consideration.