WINTER PARK BABE RUTH
Minor Division
Local Rules of Play
Home Team and Visiting Team Responsibility
The home team is determined by the official league schedule. The home team is responsible for the following:
1. Supplying two (2) new baseballs to the Head Umpire.
2. Providing an Official Scorekeeper, for record keeping purposes and keeping the pitch counts.
The visiting team is responsible for making sure the mound and batters boxes are properly raked after the game.
Park Rules
All field lights must be turned off by ten o’clock (10:00 pm) every night. No game must continue past ten o’clock.
The League has provided a lightning detection system for the safety of all participants. In the event the horn sounds, the yellow light over the concession stand will activate. YOU MUST GO TO YOUR CAR OR SEEK SHELTER OUTSIDE THE PARK. There is NO LIGHTNING PROTECTED STRUCTURE IN THE PARK. When the horn sounds twice and the light goes off, play may resume. It shall be the responsibility of Managers and Coaches to instruct Parents and Players to seek shelter in their vehicles. DO NOT WAIT IN THE DUGOUTS or in the stands or under the concession stand awning, doing so puts the safety of players & parents in jeopardy. Failure of a Coach or Manager to direct his/her team to seek shelter shall result in actions by the Board of the League against that person.
Time Limit of Games
Weeknight Games - All weeknight games shall start at 6:30 P.M. or sooner provided both teams mutually agree they are ready and the umpire is present. To facilitate the consistent start and stop of games, and to provide equitable playing time to all teams, the following time limits will be observed.
● Game that starts on time with no rain delays - No new inning may start after 8:15 P.M and all play must be stopped two (2) hours after the league scheduled start time of the game.
● If a game starts late because teams are not ready - No new inning may start after 8:30 P.M.
● In the event of rain delaying the start of the game - If the umpire does not call the game sooner, no game will start later than 7:00 pm. If the start of a game is delayed due to rain, no new inning may start 1.75 hours after the start time of the game.
● In the event of a game starting on time but stopping later in the game due to a rain delay - If the umpire does not call the game sooner, the game will be called if not started within 30 minutes of the stop time. If the game starts back up the “No new inning after 8:15” pm will be extended to account for the rain delay, but in no event will a new inning start after 8:30 pm. For example, if game starts at 6:30 pm and there is a 15 minute rain delay 30 minutes in to the game, no new inning may start after 8:30 P.M.
In the event a game ends due to time, which includes the 10:00 pm park curfew, the final score of the game, if the game is “official” as defined below, shall be the score at the end of the last completed inning. Tied games will end as a tie, which means they will not be continued at a later date. The umpire is responsible for keeping the official time.
Weekend Games – Games are played until completion unless the game is called by the umpire due to rain or to the extent it is 10:00 pm (park curfew). In the event a games ends prior to completion, the final score of the game, if the game is “official” as defined below, shall be the score at the end of the last completed inning. Tied games will end as a tie, which means they will not be continued at a later date.
Official Games
Games shall be scheduled for five (5) innings. A game shall be considered official when one of the following conditions is met. If terminated for any reason after reaching this point, the game results will be officially recorded.
Fall Season:
1. The completion of 4 innings if the visiting team is winning, or
2. The completion of 3 1/2 innings if the home team is winning,
Spring Season:
1. The completion of 4 innings if the visiting team is winning, or
2. The completion of 3 1/2 innings if the home team is winning.
Any game that is stopped due to rain or other reason that has not reached the required number of innings is considered a suspended game and must be played to its completion at a later date. The game shall be resumed from where it was left off. The first three games of the Spring regular season shall not count towards the regular season record of the team so as to facilitate the transition of younger players into the division, but these games are considered official games and as such teams must follow the rules outlined herein, including but not limited to Run Rule, Pitcher/Pitching, Batting/Running, Minimum Playing Time Rules, etc.. The record of wins and losses shall be kept after the third game.
Player Requirements to Start a Game
A team may borrow up to two players from the opposing team in order to have nine players available (except in Tournament games). The last one or two (if needed) players in the batting order in any inning shall be used in outfield positions. This option shall be used before rescheduling a game for lack of players. The outcome of a game conducted in this manner shall count on a team’s record.
For the spring season each team must have a minimum of eight (8) players at the "official start time" for a game to begin. In the event the minimum cannot be met, the game is considered a forfeit and the win goes to the team that has the required number of players. In the event both teams cannot field the minimum number of players, the game shall be declared a double forfeit and a loss shall be recorded.
Once the game is started a team may continue to play as long as they can field eight (8) players. If a team cannot field at least eight (8) players, that team shall forfeit the game.
If a team cannot field the minimum number of players for a scheduled game because it was scheduled on a recognized religious or school function (published by Church, Temple, Mosque or School), the game may be canceled and re- scheduled without penalty, provided notification is submitted to the division Commissioner at least 48 hours prior to the game date. Games cannot be rescheduled for any other reason.
Players Arriving after the Start of Games
If a player arrives after the start of the game, the player must be added to the bottom of the batting order.
Rescheduled Games
The following rules shall apply to all games to be completed, or made up for lack of players or weather. It shall be the responsibility of the Home team manager to arrange rescheduled games by collecting available dates, coordinated with the League schedule, from the visiting team and presenting them to the division Commissioner. The Commissioner, and ONLY the Commissioner, will schedule an Umpire for the rescheduled game. NO GAME MAY BE RESCHEDULED WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE COMMISSIONER. A GAME PLAYED WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE COMMISSIONER SHALL NOT BE OFFICIAL AND BOTH TEAMS PARTICIPATING SHALL REFLECT A LOSS ON THEIR SEASON RECORD. EVERY EFFORT SHALL BE MADE (INCLUDING DOUBLE HEADERS) TO RESCHEDULE GAMES ON THE DAYS WHEN NORMAL LEAGUE PLAY GAMES ARE HELD.
Run Rule
In the Minor Division all games will end when the game is official and either team has a fifteen (15) run lead (Fall Season) or ten (10) run lead (Spring Season) and has had equal times at bat or the home team is leading. Time limits herein stated will be in effect. The game may continue after declaring a team the winner by run rule, at the option of both Managers.
Pitchers/Pitching
A pitcher may pitch six innings per calendar week [Fall: A pitcher may pitch a maximum of 2 Innings per game], including re-scheduled and make-up games. If a pitcher delivers one pitch, that constitutes an inning pitched.
The Babe Ruth calendar week is Monday through Sunday. A pitcher must have 2 full calendar days rest between pitching assignments if he or she pitches more than two innings in any one game. For example, if a pitcher pitches more than 2 innings on Thursday, he or she cannot pitch again until Sunday. If a pitcher pitches more than 2 innings on Saturday, he or she cannot pitch again until Tuesday. A game in which an ineligible pitcher is used is declared forfeited. An unofficial game does not count towards the weekly pitch inning count.
In addition to the inning limitations noted above, pitchers are also subject to a pitch count limitation as follows:
● Pitcher throws 1 to 20 pitches – one full day calendar rest regardless of number of innings pitched;
● Pitcher throws 21 to 40 pitches – two full calendar days rest regardless of number of innings pitched;
● Pitcher throws 41 to 60 pitches – three full calendar days rest regardless of number of innings pitched.
For example, if a pitcher throws 21 pitches in one inning on Tuesday, he or she can not pitch again until Friday. A pitcher that delivers more than 40 pitches [Fall: 30 pitches] in any one game shall be required to rest 3 full calendar days regardless of the number of innings pitched. For example, if a pitcher throws 41 pitches in 1 inning on Saturday, he or she cannot pitch again until Wednesday.
In addition to the inning limitations and rest requirements above, pitchers are also subject to a pitch count maximum. For the Minor Division, this is:
Maximum Number of Pitches Per Day: 60 [FALL: 40]
Should a pitcher reach this maximum during a player's at bat, this pitcher is allowed to continue pitching to this batter until his at bat is complete.
This pitch count does NOT include pre-game warm-ups or warm-up pitches between innings.
Batting/Running
All players will be placed in the CONTINUOUS batting order. However, only nine (9) defensive players will be used, with this arrangement, defensive substitutions may be made at any time.
Sliding in to a base is not mandatory for the base runner. If a runner attempting to reach a base intentionally and maliciously runs in to a defensive player in the area of the base, he will be called out on the play and ejected from the game. The objective of this rule is to penalize the offensive team for crashing the defensive player, rather than trying to reach the base. Obviously, this is an umpire’s judgment call.
A catcher without the ball in his possession, has no right to block the pathway of the runner attempting to score. The baseline belongs to the runner and the catcher should be there only when he is fielding a ball or when he already has the ball in his hand.
Each team will be allowed three outs or not more than four (4) runs in each of the first four (4) innings. The fourth run may be scored as a result of a hit, steal, walk, error, or hit batter. The fifth inning, or later innings will play until three outs are made [Fall: The fifth inning will be played as follows, there is a four (4) run rule, however, if the home team is losing by more than four (4) runs, they will be allowed to play until they tie the game or have 3 outs, whichever comes first].
There is no limit on the number of runs that can be scored via catcher’s error or passed balls in the Spring [Fall: 1 run per inning]. A runner must immediately return to the nearest base when the pitcher controls the ball while standing inside the mound circle; the runner is still subject to being put out. A runner that fails to immediately return shall be warned one time in a game and a second offense shall result in the runner being called out by the umpire.
Intentional Walks
Intentional walks are not permitted in the Minor division. A Manager or Coach may not direct a pitcher to violate the Rules of Play by "trying" to walk a batter. Such a direction by a coach or manager is considered a violation of the Code of Conduct by the manager or coach and by the pitcher if such directions are carried out.
Minimum Playing Time Rules
For the Spring seasons, each player will play a minimum of two defensive innings (6 outs) and have at least one at bat per official (has herein defined) game. For the Fall season only, every player will be given the opportunity to play infield at least one inning per game and must play three defensive innings (9 outs). This is the “Must Play” rule of the Minor division. It is the responsibility of the Manager to ensure compliance with this rule. Failure to comply with the rule is grounds for a protest and forfeit of the game. Players who arrived after the first defensive inning of the game are exempted from this rule. Managers are not exempt from this rule as a result of a game ending after 4 innings and/or the run rule.
Protest
In the event of a protest condition, the following procedures must be followed:
1. The protesting manager must call time out before the next pitch is delivered. A protest that occurs on a game ending play or condition must be made by noon of the following day to the Division Commissioner.
2. Notify the Home Plate Umpire and the Official Scorekeeper, who records the protest in the scorebook, and the opposing manager, stating the reason for the protest.
3. At this point the game continues under a "protest condition'. Discussion over the validity of the protest will not occur at this point.
4. The protesting manager must submit, in writing, the conditions which he/she deems is a valid protest. The report must document the specific issue in enough detail for the Protest Committee (all baseball player agents for the league) to rule.
5. The written protest and Committee ruling will be presented at the next regularly scheduled Board Meeting.