Springfield Babe Ruth League (SBRL)
The current year Official Baseball Rules and Babe Ruth Rules
will govern play, except as modified herein.
Table of Contents:
1.0 TEAM COMPOSITION AND PLAYER SELECTION
1.1 League Composition
1.2 Player Registration and Tryouts
1.3 Player Selection
2.0 PLAYING AND SCHEDULING PROCEDURES
2.1 Forfeiture of Games
2.2 Termination of the Game
2.3 Rescheduling Games
2.4 League Champion and Team Standings
2.5 Time Limits
2.6 Condition of the Field
3.0 PLAYER PARTICIPATION
3.1 Mandatory Participation
3.2 Player Reentry Rules
3.3 Borrowed Players
3.4 Pitching Eligibility
4.0 SPORTSMANSHIP
5.0 PROTESTS AND RULE INTERPRETATIONS
5.1 Protest Procedure
5.2 Protests of Other Offenses
6.0 PLAYER EQUIPMENT AND SAFETY
6.1 Equipment
6.2 Catchers
6.3 Base Running
6.4 Fake Tag
7.0 TOURNAMENT TEAMS (District and Above)
7.1 Managers
7.2 Players
7.3 Tournament Team Practices
8.0 POST-SEASON ÒIN-HOUSEÓ TOURNAMENTS
8.1 All Leagues
1.0 TEAM
COMPOSITION AND PLAYER SELECTION
1.1 League Composition: To the extent
practical, an equal number of players will be assigned to each team within a
league. Normally, the number of
players will be 12 (Prep, Majors, International) or 13 (Seniors) per team, unless changed by the
President or Vice- President for Administration and Player Agent. When vacancies occur, they will be
filled in accordance with the procedures of paragraph 1.3.7 and 1.3.8. League compositions are as follows:
1.1.1 Prep League: Each team will normally
consist of 12 players, all 13 years old.
1.1.2 International League: Each team will normally consist of 12 players, in any
combination of 14 and 15 year olds.
International League players are those players not selected by the Major
League managers during the Major League auction.
1.1.3 Major League: Each team will normally
consist of 12 players. Unless changed
by the President or Vice-President for Administration and the Player Agent, and
as necessitated by a lack of eligible players, at least 5 but not more than 8
of the original 12 players shall be 15 years old. The remainder shall be 14 years old.
1.1.4 Senior League: Each team will consist of
at least 13 players. Unless changed
by the President or Vice-President for Administration and the Player Agent, and
as necessitated by a lack of eligible players, each team shall include no more
than six 18 and 19 year olds, unless returning, with the remainder consisting
of any combination of 16 and 17 year olds.
1.2 Player Registration and Tryouts: Any player registered during any of the announced
registration dates will be assured of a team assignment as long as the
established League structure has not been exceeded. Once the limit has been reached, all persons registering
thereafter will be placed on a waiting list.
1.2.1 Major League Eligibility:
(A) If the player capacity limits for
the Major League have been reached, any 14 or 15 year-old player, including
returning players, who does not properly register prior to the draft will not
be eligible for assignment to a Major League team.
(B) Any 14 or 15 year-old player who does not attend a Major
League tryout shall not be eligible for initial assignment to the Major
League. EXCEPTION: All 14 or 15 year old players, registered in accordance with
the above rules, who are on High School team rosters, are automatically
eligible for the Major League Auction.
Any other exception to this requirement must be approved by the
President, or Vice President (Administration), and Player Agent.
(C) Returning Major League players, properly registered and
meeting eligibility requirements, are automatically reassigned to the same
Major League team and are not required to tryout unless they wish to waive
their right at the time of registration or at the tryout.
1.2.2 Senior, International, and Prep Leagues:
(A) Player tryouts shall be held each year for each League.
(B) Any Prep League player failing to attend the regular
tryout shall not be eligible for auction unless approved by the Player Agent.
(C) Late registration (after the league draft of the
appropriate age group) will entitle a player to be placed on the Player Agent's
waiting list or to be assigned to an appropriate team.
(D) Returning Senior League players, properly registered and
meeting eligibility requirements, are automatically reassigned to the same
Senior League team and are not required to try out unless they wish to waive
their right at the time of registration or at the tryout. Players assigned to teams off the
waiting list will return to the draft the following year, but are eligible to
be drafted by the same team. All
High School players are automatically eligible for auction. All Senior League players are eligible
for auction.
1.2.3
Special Player Restrictions: Special player restrictions
as to playing positions are discouraged.
However, a parent or guardian may establish a playing position
restriction (e.g., not allowed to pitch) by submitting a written request to the
Player Agent at registration or prior to the beginning of tryouts.
1.3 Player Selection:
1.3.1 General:
(A) The auction process shall be used for all leagues except
the International League.
(B) Player auctions for each League will be conducted by the
Player Agent and his designated assistant from a list compiled from the
registrations and tryouts. This
Player Agent's list will include the player's name, tryout number, league age,
current high school team, and previous year All-Star participation, arranged in
alphabetical order. Copies of this
list will be made available to each team manager prior to tryouts.
1.3.2 Option Players: Prior to the start of
tryouts, any manager exercising an option on any candidate must notify the
Player Agent, who, in turn, will notify the other managers. Option players are as follows:
(A) The sons and daughters of each team manager may be
designated as option players. Sons
or daughters so designated shall be automatically assigned to the teams of
their respective parents. Sons and
daughters not designated as option players will be subject to the same
tryouts/auction procedures as all other players.
(B) A sister or brother of a player already on a team may be
placed on that team if the parents so request and subject to the approval of
the President or Vice-President for Administration and Player Agent.
1.3.3 Auction Point Credit: Each
team will be given 2000 points for each player required to fill out the roster
up to the authorized number of players.
ManagerÕs option players are charged against each team's point total at
a rate not lower than 1500 points and not higher than 3500 points, to be
determined by the Player Agent and League Director. Factors to be considered in determining option points
include, but are not limited to, prior year All-Star selection, high school baseball
experience, strength of tryout, and any other factor deemed appropriate.
1.3.4 Auction Procedures:
(A) "Select Bidding" will be the first step of the
auction for the Prep, Major, and Senior leagues. Managers in the Prep and Major leagues shall present to the
Player Agent prior to the Auction a list of the 10 (or a number to be
determined by the Player Agent) most talented players from the tryouts for
consideration in "select bidding." This select group may include High School players. In the Senior League, the 10 (or a
number to be determined by the Player Agent,) most talented, will be selected
from a list of all registered players.
Bidding shall begin on the 10 players receiving the most nominations at
2,000 points and increasing in 100 point multiples. Player names will be presented randomly. If there is no bid on a player
initially included in this group, that player's name shall be removed from the
list and returned to the list of players otherwise available for auction.
(B) The second step of the auction will be selection from a
roster of all remaining High School players, 18 and 19 year olds and previous
year All-Stars. The bidding for
each player shall start at a minimum of 800 points. Subsequent bids will be made in multiples of 100 points,
with no maximum. Player names will
be presented randomly. If no bid
is received on a player initially included in this group, that player's name
shall be removed from the list and returned to the list of players otherwise
available for the auction.
(C) "Normal Bidding" will be the next step of the
auction. The bidding for each
player shall start at a minimum of 800 points. Subsequent bids will be made in multiples of 100 points,
with no maximum. Names of players
will be presented in random order for auction. Each candidate will be presented for auction until he or she
is acquired, or is earmarked for the player's pool. This procedure shall be repeated until all managers have
filled their rosters, or all the candidates have been auctioned or placed in
the player's pool.
(D) Bids by a manager shall not exceed an amount which would
reduce his remaining point total to less than that required to fill the team
roster at a cost of 800 points per player. When all managers with unfilled rosters reach a point where
they have no more than 800 points per vacancy remaining, the remaining players
will be chosen from the player's pool.
The managers involved will alternately select from the pool with the
initial order of selection established by a draw.
(E) In the situation where the number of players per team
will not be the same, the following will occur:
(1)
The number of uneven players will be determined.
(2)
Each team will draw a number to determine which team(s) will draft any
additional player(s).
(3)
Each team will receive 2000 points for each player needed to fill his or her
roster. Example: if eleven players
needed, that team will receive 22,000 points; if twelve, 24,000 points.
(4)
Teams will select players via the auction system. Teams that draft additional players (paragraph 2 above) will
select the extra player during the auction.
1.3.5 Draft Procedure for the International League:
(A) Every 14 and 15 year old candidate not chosen by a Major
League team shall be eligible for the International League draft.
(B) All eligible players who have attended a Major League
tryout, and who have been rated by the Major League managers, will be ranked
according to those ratings. The
top one third will be assigned as "Category A" players, the middle
third will be designated as "Category B" players and the bottom third
will be designated as "Category C" players. These categories of players will be provided to the managers
or drafting individuals who are drafting the International teams. These categories can be used (but are
not required to be used) as guidelines to assist the drafters in drafting
International teams.
(C) International League managers will draw numbers from a
hat to determine the order in which they will select players. Teams will select
the remaining eligible players, picking in the order established by the draft
sequence- ascending and descending order (commonly known as snake order).
(D) The son/daughter of a team manager is automatically
designated as an option and assigned to that team unless the manager chooses to
refuse the option. A manager's
option shall count as the fourth pick.
If a manager has more than one option player (several sons/daughters)
when the first member of a brother/sister option is drafted, subsequent sons/daughters
shall automatically be selected as the manager's next picks (i.e. fifth, sixth
and so on).
(E) The names of all players who did not tryout and were not
exempted in accordance with rule 1.2.1, and all late registrants will be put in
a hat. From where the draft sequence order stopped the next manager in sequence
will pick from the hat in the order established by the draft. Managers will continue to pick names
from the hat until all the players from this group are exhausted and all the
remaining slots are filled in.
1.3.6 Duration of Team Assignment:
(A) Player trading: Managers
may exchange players at the conclusion of the auction. Exchanges of players may be made only
with the approval of the Player Agent and both managers concerned. Exchange of returning Major or Senior
League players may be made only with the approval of the Player Agent, League
Director, both managers, the player, and the parents of the player (if a
minor).
(B) For the Major and Senior Leagues, a player acquired
through the selection procedure shall remain a member of the selecting team for
the duration of the player's Major or Senior League career, unless the player
is subsequently
traded or released
for cause, the player voluntarily leaves the program, the team is disbanded, or
he or she decides to reenter the draft.
(C) International League players acquired through the
selection procedure described above shall remain a member of that team for the
duration of the season unless released for cause or moved up to the Major
League. (See 1.3.7 and 3.3). Prep
League players may move up to the International League as roster players.
(D) Player Released for Cause. The League Director, with the
manager in attendance, will personally present for consideration and action by
the Board, justification for recommending release of a player from SBRL for
cause. Presentation of the case
shall include the following:
(1)
Reasons for the recommendation including specific sportsmanship violations or
failures to attend practice and/or games without an acceptable excuse, along
with frequency of alleged actions.
(2)
Steps taken by the manager to improve the player's actions.
(3)
A statement that the player and his/her parents have been advised that he/she
is to be recommended for release.
(4)
The League Director shall advise the player and parents of their right to
appear in his/her behalf before the Board.
(5)
No refund of any fees collected at registration will be made without the
approval of the President, Treasurer, and League Director.
NOTE: The above procedures will also be followed in the case of
managers/coaches the league directors may believe should be released from the
SBRL program.
1.3.7 Filling Vacancies in the Major and International
Leagues:
(A) A vacancy is the loss of a roster player for the
remainder of the season. Major
League vacancies can only be filled by players from the International
League. In turn, International League
vacancies can only be filled from the waiting list. The waiting lists will contain the names of applicants who
registered after the maximum player limit was reached. Names will be placed in order of the
date/time registration occurred.
(B) The International League Director and the Player Agent
will, by random drawing accomplished prior to the auction, determine the order
in which International League teams will be required to provide players to fill
Major League vacancies. Only after
each International League team has given up one player will a second player be
taken from the same team. The
order of second round selections will also be made by a random drawing prior to
the auction by the International League Director and the Player Agent.
(C) Team managers who have vacancies shall notify the Player
Agent immediately of the vacancy.
The Player Agent will alert the managers of the International League
team from which the vacancy will be filled. Within five (5) days, the Major League team manager will
inform the Player Agent of the player he wants to draft. The player agent will notify both the
player and his manager of this selection; and the player will have 24 hours in
which to accept or decline. If
agreement is made, the player so moves and the vacancy on the International
League team will be filled in accordance with 1.3.7(E) below. If the player declines, he will not be
permitted to move up on any team for the remainder of the season, to include
post-season play. The Major League
team manager must then select a second player from that same International
League team and so on until the vacancy is filled or the player agent
determines it is not in the best interest of the League to continue selecting
from that team. At that time,
another team will be designated from which a player will be selected.
(D) If two or more vacancies exist on a single Major League
team, the procedures outlined above will be repeated with the International
League team next in line to provide a Major League player until each vacancy is
filled.
(E) International League teams with a vacancy will notify
the League Director who in turn will notify the Player Agent. The Player Agent will assign a player
to that team from the waiting list and provide the necessary information
directly to the International League team manager.
1.3.8 Filling Vacancies in the Senior and Prep Leagues:
(A) Vacancies in the Senior and Prep Leagues can only be
filled from the waiting list. The
waiting lists will contain the names of applicants who registered after the
maximum player limit was reached.
Names will be placed in order of the date/time registration occurred.
(B) Team managers who have vacancies shall notify the League
Director immediately, who in turn, will notify the Player Agent. The Player Agent will assign a player
to that team from the top of the waiting list, and will provide the necessary
information to the appropriate team manager.
1.3.9
Special Cases: Any
deviations from these player selection and replacement rules and any situation
not covered by these rules may be executed only with the approval of the
President, Player Agent, and the League Director. Managers affected by these rules will be notified.
2.0 PLAYING AND SCHEDULING PROCEDURES
2.1
Forfeiture of Games: Managers shall not voluntarily forfeit
games, nor act in such a manner as to intentionally force a forfeiture. Violation of this rule is grounds for
disciplinary action by the Board. Note: The intent of this rule is to discourage managers from
seeking advantage for their teams through intentional forfeiture.
2.2 Termination of the Game:
2.2.1 The 10-Run Rule: A game
may be terminated on becoming a regulation game if one team is ahead by 10 runs
and has equal times at bat, or the home team is leading; at the request of the
losing team's manager. The team
that is ahead at the time the game is terminated shall be declared the winner.
2.2.2 The 10-Run provision will also be applicable if the limits established
by 2.5.4 (Time Limits) have been met and a game has not been completed in
accordance with the provisions of 2.3.2. (E.g. the team that is ahead by 10
runs, 10 minutes before the start of the next scheduled game, will be declared
the winner.)
2.2.3 A team may play with 8 players. No automatic outs will be charged. If the ninth player arrives after a
game is in progress, the player must be inserted into the lineup immediately in
the ninth position of the batting order.
If a team is unable to field 8 players at any time between the time
specified in paragraphs 2.5.2 or 2.5.3 and the completion of the game, the game
will be forfeited to the opposing team.
2.3 Rescheduling Games:
2.3.1 Any scheduled game which is postponed or must be replayed for any
reason shall be rescheduled on the first available date, except that no team
shall be scheduled to play more than four (4) games per league week. Also, the Schedule Director shall have
the authority to give priority to playing a postponed Saturday schedule to
reschedule the maximum number of games in the least amount of time.
2.3.2 All games will be either regulation games or "no games" as
defined in Babe Ruth and Official Baseball Rules. There shall be no suspended games as defined in Official
Baseball Rule 4.12 for local games.
In the case of games that would be considered ÒsuspendedÓ in accordance
with Rule 4.12 (5), the score will revert back to what it was at the end of the
last complete inning. Games called before completing the
number of innings required for a regulation game shall be declared "no
game" and must be played from the beginning with the exception of the
provisions in 2.2.2 (10 Run Rule) and 2.5.4 (D) (Games called because of time
limits).
2.3.3 Tie games, fulfilling the
requirements for a regulation game, shall be entered as a "Tie" in
the official record. No
"Tie" game shall be played again.
2.4 League Champion and Team Standings:
2.4.1 A team shall be credited with two (2) points for each win, one (1)
point for each tie game, and zero (0) points for each loss. The League Champions shall be the team
with the most points after completing the regular season schedule. If there is a tie for first place,
Co-Champions will be declared. In
case of ties, the initial pairings in the tournament will be decided by run
differential.
2.4.2 Relative team standings below first
place shall be determined as above. No play off games will be played to resolve
ties.
2.5 Time Limits:
2.5.1 Infield Practice: The home
plate umpire will not allow more than five minutes per team for infield
practice. However, he or she will
not delay the gameÕs scheduled start time solely for infield practice. (The intent of this rule is to keep
games moving, particularly on Saturdays.
If teams wish to take infield practice, the time is to be deducted from
their playing time.)
There will be no pre-game batting
practice on the game field.
2.5.2 Initial Game of the Day: If a team is not ready to play fifteen (15) minutes after
the scheduled game time, and upon notification by the umpires that the game
shall begin, that team shall forfeit the game if the other team is ready to
play.
2.5.3 Second
and Subsequent Games of the Day: If a team is
not ready to play within ten (10) minutes after the scheduled game time or
fifteen (15) minutes after the end of the preceding game, whichever is later,
and after notification by the umpires, that team shall forfeit the game if the
other team is ready to play.
2.5.4 Game Time Limits:
(A) Major and Senior Leagues: Game time limits will be governed by the current year
existing contract between SBRL and the Umpire Association hired by SBRL, if
more restrictive than those outlined in 2.5.4 (B).
(B) Prep and International Leagues: For any game, no inning may start later than two (2) hours
past the scheduled start time, nor continue later than ten (10) minutes prior
to the scheduled start time of the following game (i.e. an inning in progress
will be halted by the umpires ten minutes prior to the next scheduled
game). Scheduled start time is the
planned time the teams are scheduled to play on a reserved field. If by the scheduled start time, the
umpire determines that circumstances exist which justify delaying the gameÕs
start, he or she may delay the scheduled start time up to fifteen (15)
minutes. If the umpire delays the
scheduled start time, it will also push back the allowed start time for the
last inning. However, it will not
change the time for finishing the last inning because it does not change the
scheduled start time of subsequent games.
(EXAMPLE: The home plate
umpire delays by 15 minutes the start of a game scheduled to begin at 6 PM in
order to remove water from the vicinity of home plate. For this game, no new inning may now
begin after 8:15 - two hours after the delayed start. Despite this delayed start, the game may not continue past
8:20 if there is a game scheduled for 8:30.)
(C) For all games, no new inning will begin after 10:40
P.M., nor continue past 10:50 P.M.
An inning starts when the final out of the preceding inning is made.
(D) If a
game is called, it is a regulation game if four (4) innings have been completed
or if the home team is ahead at the end of 3 and 1/2 innings.
(E) If a
game is called because of time limits, it is a regulation game, even if four
(4) innings have not been completed (or 3 and 1/2 innings or if the home team
is ahead.)
(Note: If there is no following game and it is
not 10:50 PM, the last inning will be completed. If the umpire must stop the game during an inning, because
of a time limit, he will do so at the completion of an at bat or the completion
of the play resulting from that at bat.
To avoid either team taking advantage of the situation, the umpires will
not inform coaches and/or players in any way that it is the Òlast batterÓ or
Òlast play.Ó The league
understands and accepts that in such cases the game may go for a minute or two
longer than the time limit.)
2.6
Condition of the Field: The appropriate League
Director or individuals designated by the President shall determine if the
field is not in condition to play and so notify the Schedule Director, umpire
scheduler, and Field Maintenance representative. Failing such notification and the field is in questionable
condition, the opposing managers shall decide whether the game will be
played. If they disagree, the home
plate umpire will make the decision.
After the game is turned over to the umpires, fitness of the field for
play is strictly the home plate umpireÕs decision.
3.0 PLAYER PARTICIPATION
3.1 Mandatory Participation: All players present must play at least three (3) complete
innings (or at least one-half of the innings in a shortened game), and shall
bat at least once. EXCEPTION: In the Senior League, when 13 players are present, a two
inning rule shall apply and each player will bat at least once.
3.2 Player Reentry Rules:
3.2.1 Any of the nine (9) starting players may be withdrawn and reentered
once during each game.
3.2.2 A reentering player may reenter at any position in the batting order
except that he/she shall not bat before his/her substitute has played in the
field and has batted at least once.
If a reentered player comes to bat before the player who previously
replaced him/her has played in the field and has had a turn at the plate, the
reentered player shall be automatically declared out on appeal at any time
after the first pitch to the illegal batter and before the first pitch to the
following batter. After the first
pitch to the following batter, the reentered player's turn at bat becomes
legalized. When declared out on
appeal, any base runner advanced during the illegal turn at bat must return to
the preceding base.
3.2.3 All non-starting players must be entered in the line-up no later than
the beginning of the fourth inning and must remain in the line-up for three
consecutive complete innings before being withdrawn. A player playing less than half of the available innings in
a shortened game will start the following game and shall play at least three
consecutive innings.
3.2.4 A substitute withdrawn from the game cannot reenter the game, except
when necessitated by player injury or ejection, and no eligible replacement is
available on the bench.
3.2.5 Alternatively, a manager may elect to bat the line-up and freely
substitute players in the field provided each player meets the mandatory
participation in accordance with paragraph 3.1. A player playing less than half
of the available innings in a shortened game will start the following game and
shall play at least three consecutive innings.
3.2.6 A courtesy runner may be allowed to enter the game for the catcher when
there are two outs. The courtesy
runner must not be in the line-up at the time the change is made, unless you
have nine (9) or fewer players.
(The purpose of this rule is to speed up the game.)
3.2.7 A player may pitch in a game, be removed, and later reenter as a
pitcher as long as he or she was removed during the managerÕs first visit to
the mound, to that pitcher, during that inning.
If the pitcher was removed on the managerÕs second visit to the mound
during the same inning, he can reenter the game, but not as a pitcher.
3.3 Borrowed Players:
3.3.1 General: All leagues will be allowed to borrow
players to avoid forfeiture of league games or post-season SBRL Óin-houseÓ
tournament games. During
post-season SBRL tournaments, teams may borrow players who are not ranked in
the top nine (9) players voted for by all-star ballots. 19 year olds may be
borrowed only once by any team for one game only during the tournament. Teams may and should borrow to bring
the number of players on their game roster to ten (10) players, but may not
borrow to exceed ten (10) (Senior League 11) players.
3.3.2 Borrowing Players:
(A) Prep League teams may borrow only from within the Prep
League.
(B) International League teams may borrow players from other
International League teams or from the Prep League.
(C) Major League teams may borrow players from other Major
League teams or from the International League.
(D) Senior League teams will borrow players from other
Senior League teams, 15 year old players in the Major League or 15 year old
players in the International League.
It is desired that Senior teams attempt to borrow from other Senior
teams then from Major teams and finally from International teams in that order.
3.3.3 Participation Rules for Borrowed Players:
(A) Borrowed players are not allowed to pitch.
(B) A borrowed player must play at least three (3) innings
and bat at least once. If a
borrowing team has at least nine (9) players of itsÕ own, a borrowed player may
not start or play more than three (3) innings. If a borrowing team has eight (8) or fewer of its own
players, they all must play the complete game.
(C) If a borrowed player starts the game, and subsequently
one of the teamÕs own players arrives at the field to play, the late arriving
player will be treated as a non-starting player and entered into the line-up in
accordance with paragraph 3.2.3. A
late arriving player should be given adequate time to warm up prior to entry
into the game.
3.4 Pitching Eligibility:
3.4.1 A Major, International, or Prep League pitcher may pitch seven (7)
innings per calendar week. An
exception to this rule may occur in a tie game (tied after 7 innings). The last pitcher in the seventh inning
of a tie game may continue to pitch in that game until he has pitched in ten
(10) innings in the week in question.
3.4.2 A Senior League pitcher may pitch ten (10) innings per calendar
week. An exception to this rule
may occur in a tie game (tied after 7 innings). The last pitcher in the seventh inning of a tie game may
continue to pitch in that game until he has pitched in thirteen (13) innings in
the week in question.
3.4.3 Rules 3.4.1 and 3.4.2 apply to all regulation and league in-house
tournament games regardless of when played. This includes rescheduled and make-up games.
3.4.4 A pitcher who pitches one (1) pitch in an inning shall be charged for
one inning pitched.