BIG 12 CONFERENCE 2014 BASEBALL REGULAR SEASON
ADMINISTRATIVE MANUAL
*Changes are underlined
1.ADMINISTRATIVE MANUAL RULES. This administrative manual has the status of Rules of the Conference. Violations of Administrative Manual rules are subject to the following procedural guidelines with the understanding that the Commissioner may impose more severe sanctions if warranted (from Conference Rule 11.3):
First offense:Private reprimand sent to Director of Athletics;
Second offense:Private reprimand sent to President or Chancellor with a warning of an institutional fine if the violation occurs again;
Third offense:Financial penalty.
2.GOVERNANCE.
2.1Sport Committee. The Big 12 Baseball Committee is composed of head baseball coaches, one from each Big 12 member institution that sponsors the sport, plus one senior woman administrator. Any additional administrator who serves on an NCAA Baseball Committee (Sport or Rules) will be an ex officio member of the committee. The chair of the committee will be the head coach from the institution that chairs the conference for the year (Conference Rule 5.2). Accordingly, the 2013-14 chairperson is Oklahoma State and the 2014-15 chairperson is Kansas.
2.2Meetings. The Big 12 Baseball Committee shall meet annually and shall be responsible for policy recommendations governing the conduct of Big 12 baseball competition.
Head coaches must attend the Annual Conference Coaches Meeting or Teleconference. Exceptions to this attendance requirement can only be granted in writing by the Commissioner after the coach's athletics director submits a written request for a waiver. Violations of this rule will result in a $10,000 institutional fine for a first offense and a $25,000 institutional fine for a second and each subsequent offense. (Conference Rule 5.6.1)
2.3Recommendations. Committee recommendations (adopted by a majority vote of members) shall be submitted for subsequent approval by the senior woman administrators, athletics directors and faculty athletics representatives of the Big 12 institutions.
2.4Moratorium. Subsequent to the close of any sport committee meeting, the action taken or the adopted amendment may not be subject to reconsideration or further amendment until two calendar years after the effective date, unless there is new pertinent information (i.e. Conference school adds/drops a sport, NCAA legislative changes, etc.). (Effective 2005-06)
2.5Minutes. Minutes of each Big 12 Baseball Committee Meeting shall be distributed to all appropriate administrative personnel by Conference staff.
3.Game Officials
3.1Dressing Room. Each institution will provide a dressing room closely located to the baseball facility for umpires. Admittance to this room shall be limited to game officials and Conference office representatives. No guests, visitors or institutional personnel (other than a trainer or manager upon request or Conference office representative) shall be admitted. The dressing room shall be stocked with soft drinks, water and/or isotonic beverages and towels.
3.2Umpire Crews(Effective 2013-14). A four-person crew will be assigned by the Big 12 to each Conference home series. A crew chief will be appointed for each series and shall be responsible for all travel plans, logistics and communication with the host institution and supervisor.
3.3Assignment. The Big 12 coordinator of umpires shall work with each institution’s local assignor to assign three officials to work each non-conference contest. The coordinator will make all umpiring assignments for Big 12 Conference series. All fees and expenses, for Conference games, will be paid by the Big 12 based upon established formula, with reimbursement to the Conference by institutions. Umpires are encouraged to travel together as a cost-saving measure.
Coordinator of Umpires: Rich Fetchiet, 734-637-2861 (mobile),
3.3.1Fees & Expense/Conference Games. Umpires assigned by the Big 12 Conference will receive $1,200 per series (regardless of whether games are played if umpires are on-site); mileage allowance (56.5 cents) for four umpires (if the crew is driving from opposite directions. Also note there is a $450 mileage reimbursement cap.); coach airfare for a round-trip more than 200 miles, plus reasonable and pre-approved cost for ground transportation for the crew; $120 expense allowance for each umpire and three hotel rooms for series requiring overnight stay; and $25 airport parking allowance also provided. The Big 12 office will pay game officials directly after verification of assignments from the coordinator.
3.3.1.1Arrival on Site. Umpires are required to arrive on site at least 90 minutes prior to the start of the first game of a series, and 60 minutes prior for all other series games. If the travel distance for a day game is more than 150 miles, umpires are encouraged to be on site the night before the game.
3.3.1.2Payment/Cancelled Conference Games. Umpires who are on site if a series is cancelled due to inclement weather (or other factors) will receive full payment of fees. Officials will not be paid if a series is cancelled and they are notified of such prior to departure for the site.
3.3.2Fees & Expense/Non-Conference Games (Effective 2013-14). A flat fee of $400 per umpire (inclusive of game fee, travel reimbursement, per diem, etc.) per game for all non-conference games in which a Big 12 program serves as the host institution.
3.4Evaluation. The coordinator of umpires will develop a format for the evaluation of game officials to be presented to the coaches for their review and input. As part of the format, the coordinator will assign an on-site observer to each Conference series. The observer is not part of the umpiring crew. The host institution is to provide the observer a seat in a climate-controlled environment, such as the press box, with an unobstructive view of the entire playing surface.
3.5Game Officials Confidentiality. Game officials, by the very nature of their duties, are placed in a position of being exposed to privileged information regarding personnel or activities of competing teams. Under no circumstances may a game official relay this privileged information regarding personnel or play of an institution’s team, or comments regarding officials or officiating of Conference games, to the general public, the media or personnel of another institution.
3.6Game Tickets. Umpires are not permitted to request nor receive complimentary game tickets for Big 12 competition. Institutions will hold two tickets for each umpire for purchase until the Tuesday preceding a series. Umpires will contact the ticket manager directly and will be financially responsible for any tickets ordered.
4.Pregame Arrangements
4.1Batting Practice. The pregame schedule will feature batting and infield practice for both teams, unless field conditions prevent such. Both the home and visiting teams will be afforded equal opportunity, unless prevented by weather or other conditions beyond the control of the teams.
4.1.1Pregame schedule. The schedule for pregame procedures will be as follows. It is agreed that this format will be altered for mid-week games to allow the visiting team to hit first when such a change will provide the home team the opportunity to attend morning classes. Under this scenario, the visiting team will assist infield preparation (e.g., pulling the tarp).
Big 12 Baseball Pregame Schedule
40 minutes home-team batting practice
40 minutes visiting-team batting practice
12 minutes for home-team infield
12 minutes for visiting-team infield
20 minutes for field preparation
National Anthem
First Pitch
4.2Exchange of Rosters. Coaches shall exchange the 27-player eligibility rosters before the start of a series. There may be no additions to the list once the rosters have been exchanged.
4.3Training Needs. At a minimum, the home team shall provide the following to the visiting team: ice to make a minimum of 10 bags for each game; availability to the home team’s training facility for special treatment of injuries; 10 towels for each game (which must be returned to the home team); and, other items as may be mutually agreed upon by the managers/trainers. It is suggested that the visiting team’s managers/trainers contact the host institution at least two weeks prior to a scheduled contest with any special needs or requests.
4.4Laundry. If the visiting team desires the use of institutional laundry facilities, notification at least one week prior to a scheduled contest is desired. It is understood that not all institutions can afford the visiting team access to laundry facilities, but best efforts will be made.
5.Conference Agreements
5.1Travel Squad Size. Each institution shall be limited to a 27-player roster for Conference games. Visiting teams may travel only the 27 players on the submitted roster. There are no restrictions on the number of players in uniform for the home teamand these players may participate in pre-game activities. An institution playing a non-conference series adjacent to a Conference series is not prohibited by Conference rules from taking additional players to the Conference series. However, these players may not be in uniform, may not sit in the dugout and may not take part in pregame activities. Travel squad restrictions are not applicable if there is no overnight stay associated with the contest (in such instances there are no restrictions on the number of players in uniform for the traveling team and these players may participate in pre-game activities)(Effective 2013-14).
5.1.1Exception for Split Series. For those series played either at neutral sites, split between each team’s campus and/or a combination thereof, there are not restrictions on the number of players in uniform for the originally designated host institution for the games on its campus or at neutral sites. The originally designated visiting institution may have an unlimited number of players in uniform only for games on its campus. The visiting team may also have an unlimited number of players in uniform for a single-game that is part of a split series between each team’s campus and/or at a neutral site if there is no overnight travel.
5.1.2Final Season of Eligibility and Medically Unable to Compete Due to Incapacitating Injury or Illness Exception (Effective 2013-14).An institution may travel any student-athlete who is in his or her final season of competition or will exhaust eligibility at the conclusion of the semester or academic year and who has been deemed medically unable to compete the remainder of the season due to an incapacitating injury or illness without counting the student-athlete against the travel squad limits. The student-athlete may not miss class to travel with the team unless the missed class time is approved by the Faculty Athletics Representative in advance of the travel, and the institution must be able to provide medical documentation of the incapacitating injury or illness upon request of the Conference office. (Conference Rule 11.4.4)
5.2Official Baseball. The official ball of the Big 12 Conference is the Rawlings R1-NCAA. The Conference has negotiated an agreement with Rawlings for a price of $54.55in 2014. The Rawlings R1-NCAAB12 will be used in all home Conference and non-conference games. For more information about the Rawlings agreement, contact Mr. Randy Kirby, 817-279-6445.
5.3Uniforms. Home teams will wear white and visiting teams will wear gray/colored uniforms. Institutions may alter the uniform sequence by mutual agreement. In the event the sequence is altered, the home team shall set the rotation.
5.4Complimentary Admissions. By Conference rule, each visiting team is afforded twice the number of complimentary admissions of the allowed number of travel squad participants. In baseball, however, the visiting team is allowed a maximum of 60 complimentary admissions. The host institution shall utilize best efforts to locate reserved seats in the area of close proximity to the visiting team dugout. The visiting team will notify the host institution of its desire to utilize these tickets in a timely manner. Distribution of tickets designated by student-athletes shall be done in a manner consistent with NCAA guidelines.
5.5Conference Credentials. Selected Big 12 staff will utilize photo credentials that allow for access at all member institutions. These credentials will be produced by the league office for Big 12 staff and each of the governance groups (Presidents/Chancellors, FARs, ADs, SWAs). Big 12 staff will alert the respective media relations contacts in advance when planning to attend an event.
5.6Practice. It is the responsibility of the visiting team to notify the host institution in writing at least one week prior to the start of a series to arrange for a practice opportunity on days preceding a series. The host institution will determine if weather and/or field conditions are acceptable and the visiting team may be required to assist in the field preparation (e.g., removal or placement of the tarp).
5.7Scouting. There shall not be any scouting by institutional personnel of opponents at any time, except that Conference teams entered in the same tournament may scout each other during that event. This provision does not preclude the use of videotape (e.g., taping televised games and reviewing same). By agreement, coaches are prohibited from sharing information about Conference teams with non-conference or other Conference institutions (including videotape sharing); however, nothing prohibits an institution from securing information about Big 12 teams from non-conference institutions.
5.8Filming/Radar Guns. Videotaping of contests from the stands is permitted, as is the use of radar guns. Individuals operating video and radar equipment may not be in uniform. Big 12 policy dictates that, by mutual agreement, the home team shall be responsible for videotaping games and providing a copy to the visiting team upon conclusion of each game. In the event the visiting team must leave prior to receiving a copy of the tape, the home team will overnight the tape to the opponent. The visiting team should contact the home team to discuss specifics of the filming and delivery of the tape prior to the start of the series. The visiting team will provide an adequate number of tapes to the home team prior to the start of the series if it desires copies of the game tape. If the home team does not videotape the game for the visiting team, it will use best efforts to provide suitable filming space for the visitors. Two seats behind home plate will be made available for visiting team radar.
5.9In-Stadium Replays. In-stadium video replays are permitted as outlined in Appendix C.
5.10Public Comments. All reports or comments pertaining to officiating, home-management responsibilities or concerning players, coaches, and/or officials shall be directed only to the Conference office. Public airing of such matters by coaches, players, administrators, or officials is prohibited and subject to sanctions by the Conference.
This policy also extends to comments about the officiating program in general in addition to remarks about officiating in a particular game/series.Discussion with Conference office staff and/or officiating coordinators about officiatingis confidential and not to be shared publicly, including the use and exchange of video.Public airing of officiating matters, whether directly or indirectly, during or after a game, verbally or by use of video, on or off the record, is prohibited.
Additionally:
(a)Coaches shall not contact officials directly through correspondence or telephone, and all matters pertaining to officials or officiating shall be directed to the Conference office or the Supervisor of Baseball Umpires.
bSports Information Directors shall not make game officiating assignments public prior to game day.
5.11Crowd Control. As a general principle, crowd control shall be a home-management responsibility. Administrative personnel, coaches, players, and game officials influence crowd behavior by their actions and their attitudes. Coaches and players can assist in regulating crowd reactions by controlling their own reactions to the play of the game; game officials can materially aid in such situations by clearly and quickly signaling calls. The following procedures have been adopted as they pertain to crowd control at Big 12 Conference baseball games.
In order to reduce the potential for crowd misconduct, the following announcement will be made during pregame activities:
"Good ______Big 12 baseball fans. The ______(name of host institution) and the Big 12 Conference promote good sportsmanship by student-athletes, coaches and spectators. We request your cooperation by supporting the participants and officials in a positive manner. Profanity, racial or sexist comments or other intimidating actions directed at officials, student-athletes, coaches or team representatives will not be tolerated and are grounds for removal from this facility. Any spectator who interferes with the game by coming onto the field or throwing objects onto the field at any time will be removed. Your cooperation is appreciated."
If debris is thrown on the playing field in isolated instances, institutional personnel and game officials shall remove such debris and continue with the playing of the contest. If debris is thrown on the playing field in such a manner that the normal conduct of the game may not be resumed or other conditions prevent normal resumption of the contest, the umpire shall request both teams to return to their respective benches or dressing rooms until the home administration has cleared the field. In such cases, the following announcement should be read: