REBL 2003 RULES OF PLAY

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Rick.Cantor@rebl.org

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REBL 2008 RULES OF PLAY

Updated areas are outlined in red

INDEX

1. Uniforms, Helmets, Baseballs and Other Equipment

2. Game Length, Run Rule and Rain-Outs

3. Teams, Players and Line-Ups

4. Player Behavior and Team Responsibility

5. Courtesy Runners

6. Pitchers

7. Fielders

8. Ex-Pro Status and Regulations

9. General League Rules

10. Code of Conduct

RULES

1. UNIFORMS, HELMETS AND BASEBALLS

1.a All teams must have full baseball uniforms consisting of caps, numbered baseball jerseys, baseball pants, belt, and baseball socks - each player’s uniform must be of similar color and design to his teammates uniforms. Teams having sponsorship will be allowed the sponsors name on their uniforms via patch or uniform shirt.

a.1. Players out of uniform, as described in section 1.a. above, are ineligible to play in a REBL game.

a.2. All teams should have their uniforms by their first game. A grace period of one month will be extended for newly activated players or for new teams to complete their uniforms.

1.b All batters and runners must wear helmets for both at bats and on base. There is no option to this rule. Full double-ear flap helmets are encouraged for at bats and are encouraged for the bases. Catchers must wear a helmet underneath their mask. The same rule will apply for all national tournament play.

1.c The scheduled home team will be responsible for providing baseballs for each game. The home team should bring a minimum of 8 baseballs for use during each game. Only baseballs provided by the REBL will be permitted.

1.d All wood and certain metal bats are allowed and both will be permitted for all game play in the 25+ National League and 35+ Continental League. All metal bats must meet the high school and college specifications of the BESR certification and have that certification stamped on the bat itself. If a bat does not meet the BESR certification and does not have that certification stamped on the bat, it is NOT allowed for use in the REBL. The 25+ American League and 45+ Federal League shall be Wood Bat Only divisions, allowing the use of all wood bats but disallowing the use of all metal bats. Composite wood bats and "metal-wood" bats are also allowed. If a player uses a bat not allowed in their division and a protest is made, the bat will be confiscated, the offending team will forfeit the game, and the offending player will face suspension.

1.e Metal cleats are permitted.

2. GAME LENGTH, RUN RULE AND RAIN-OUTS

2.a All single games are 9 innings, doubleheader games are 7 innings (except playoffs) -

Re: darkness - 7 innings complete – umpires discretion

Re: rain - 5 innings complete.

All league playoff games must be played to completion either by league standards, being a (7) inning or (9) inning game. The umpire may suspend, cancel or call a game if, in their opinion, the safety of the players is compromised due to rain, darkness or time limits.

2.b Any games rained out will not be re-scheduled by the league, but may be made up at any time not conflicting with previously scheduled games. All make-up games must be agreed to by both managers and league notification must take place. Rain out games must be made up in order of cancellations.

2.c There will be a 3 hour time limit for all 9 inning games and a 2 hour, 30 minute time limit for all seven inning games (except postseason). No new inning can be started after the time limit has expired.

2.d There will be no "mercy rule" in any league games.

2.e Tie games will count as one point for both teams. Final league standings will be determined by total points, where a win will equal two points, a tie will equal one point, and a lost will equal zero points. Ties will be decided by head-to-head competition first, followed by least runs allowed in head-to-head competition.

3. TEAMS, PLAYERS AND LINEUPS

3.a A player is eligible to participate in an official league sanctioned game if they reach the required age during the calendar year in which they enter the league for MSBL (25+/35+/45+) and MABL (18+) respectively.

3.b New Players: The league shall control the assignment to teams of all new players who have contacted the league in response to advertising or who have been referred to the league by any means. A player who has not played in any league game in either the current or previous year shall be regarded as a new player.

3.c Team rosters must be submitted to the local league at least 10 days prior to the first game, including league and player fees, proof of date of birth, player contract forms and team medical waiver form. Rosters may not be changed after the first league game unless:

- Players are lost to injuries.

- A player from their roster voluntarily quits for the remainder of the season.

- The local league decides to extend dates for final rosters.

- A team selects a player from the league-maintained Player Waiting List.

3.d All players, prior to participating in a game, must have signed player contracts on file with the league.

3.e A team manager may bat as many players as he desires, with a minimum of 10 (subject to the number of players available, if less than 10). Batters cannot be deleted or skipped over, regardless of their batting position or when they were added during the game. If a team has only 9 (nine) players and therefore bats only 9, the opposing team will have the option of batting 9 as well.

3.f A manager may add batters to the bottom of the lineup at any time but if a batter is pinch hit or run for (except under courtesy runners as outlined in section 5), the player may not re-enter the game as a hitter but may remain in the game as a fielder or pitcher. Added players to the bottom of the lineup may be added as individual hitters or as A/B. Each team has a hitting and a defensive lineup that are independent of each other. Players may play in either lineup or both.

3.g A team MAY declare at the time that lineups are exchanged prior to the start of play that any batting order position will be occupied by two (2) players in each such batting position. That is, 3A/3B, 10, 11A/11B, 12, etc. The first time that position 9 gets an at bat, 9A would hit and the next time this slot hits, 9B would be up. Then 9A hits the third time this spot in the order comes up, and so on, alternating between these two players throughout the game. Once a team declares the use of this A/B system, it must continue using it for the remainder of the game. Hitters in the A/B position may be pinch hit for, just as any other player.

3.h All teams must announce offensive additions, substitutions, and/or changes to the home plate umpire AND opposing team manager and/or scorekeeper. Only after this has been done will the added player be deemed a legal substitution.

If a team fails to announce an offensive addition/change, the player will be called out as soon as he occupies the batter's box and the lineup will revert back to the lineup in effect prior to the player entering the game. The unannounced player will not have officially entered the offensive lineup and is therefore still available offensively even though an out has been assessed.

3.i If a player is forced to leave a game due to injury or ejection, a reserve player, not previously entered into the game as a hitter, must hit in the replaced hitter’s place. If there are no reserves who can replace the individual, the spot is skipped and all hitters below that position move up. The first time this vacated spot comes up in the batting order, an out will be assessed, after that one time, no out will be recorded for skipping the spot vacated by the displaced player.

3.j A team must have 8 of their own players for an official game and may borrow a player from an opposing team with the opposing manager’s consent or may borrow a player from another team, also with the opposing manager’s consent. If the team’s 9th player arrives after the start of the game, the borrowed player reverts back to his team.

3.k All players may be substituted for defensively, at any time, without affecting the players offensive status in the line-up. If the pitcher is removed, he may re-enter to pitch only one time during the course of the game, but not in the same inning. The removed pitcher may play any other position after being removed or no position at all.

3.l No player may switch teams without the consent of both managers and the league president. If this does not meet with approval, the player must sit out one calendar year from competition, from the last date of his playing, or re-enter the league’s next draft, making himself available to any team for selection. In the event a team disbands during the season or at season’s conclusion, all players with 3 years seniority in the league will become automatic free agents and will be permitted to play for any desired team. Players not having 3 years in the league will re-enter the draft. If a player is not invited back by his manager, he must be given his release so that he may go to the team of his choosing or re-enter the draft. If a player is invited back to play and he desires not to play for his former team and cannot be successfully traded, he must sit out one entire year or re-enter the draft, making himself available to all teams.

3.m In the event a player wishes to leave his existing team and form a new team, he may do so. No other player can be taken from the existing team without the consent of the existing team’s manager. No other players may be taken from any other team without the respective team manager’s approval.

3.m.a. REBL teams, managers, and/or their players are prohibited from conspiring, colluding, or attempting (intentionally or unintentionally) to raid other REBL team rosters for the purpose of filling their own roster or another team roster. This includes, but is not limited to, suggesting or encouraging (intentionally or otherwise) players to seek their release from their current team, request or seek a trade from their current team, and/or quit their teams for the purpose of going into the draft so that they may be selected by another team. If such tampering can be proved or has the reasonable appearance of tampering as determined by the Board of Directors, then teams, managers, and the player(s) involved may be subject to disciplinary measures including, but not limited to, censure and/or suspension. REBL teams, managers, and/or their players are also prohibited from conspiring, colluding, or attempting (intentionally or unintentionally) to cause teams (including their own) to dissolve for the purpose of forming new teams.

3.n Final team rosters must have no less than 14 players.

3.o Last names must be used in the scorebook to allow for player identification for follow up inquiries that relate to playoff and national tournament participation requiring minimum playing requirements.

4. PLAYERS BEHAVIOR AND TEAM RESPONSIBILITY

4.a There will be no beer or alcoholic beverages permitted at the field before, during or after the game. The field refers to the general playing area and ancillary areas.

4.b The league has the right to suspend or expel any team member who abuses league rules or who does not exhibit a sense of sportsmanship or who plays without regard to the safety of the umpires or other players.

4.c An umpire has sole discretion to expel any player or manager from the game.

4.d Fighting among players or aggressive physical contact with an umpire will not be tolerated and players expelled from the game for either violation will be subject to suspension or expulsion from the league.

4.e Players shall not intentionally collide with any other players. In the case of a runner intentionally colliding with a fielder, the runner will be called out and may, at the umpire’s discretion, be expelled from the game. All base runners must either slide or give up their right to a base (avoid a collision by stopping or leaving a base path) if the defensive player (e.g. catcher) has possession of the ball, is in the act of receiving the ball, or is about to immediately receive the ball and will be able to make an apparent play on the base runner. If a defensive player is not in possession of the ball, is not in the act of receiving the ball, or is not about to immediately receive the ball so that he is able to record an out (apparent play. at any base), he cannot block the base (e.g. home plate) or be in the base path so as to impede (obstruct) the base runner’s right to that base. Under such circumstances, the defensive player shall be responsible to avoid collision. If a collision does occur under these circumstances, the runner will always be considered safe and the obstruction rule shall be enforced. The defensive player may be ejected from the game (if the action is intentional, he must be ejected), and will be suspended from league play if the obstruction is judged to be flagrant.

4.f Each league must set its own standards of player/team sportsmanship, but must encourage suspensions for infractions unbefitting to the image and policies of the league.

4.g Failure to abide by age regulations and use of ineligible players - the managers must all recognize their responsibility to the league and the perpetuity of it as to not cross the line where winning is more important than playing. An opposing manager may at anytime have the right to question a player's eligibility to play in that game and thereby request proof of that player's eligibility. Upon such a request, the player (or player's manager) must provide a state-issued identification (or copy) for the player in question. If such identification cannot be provided, the player is prohibited from participating in that game and must be removed from the lineup. The manager must then provide identification for the player in question to the league office by Friday of the following week. If identification cannot be provided in that time, the player will be considered ineligible and barred from participating in the league until proper identification can be provided. If the player participated in any previous games, the offending team and player will be subject to penalties set forth by the league president and board of directors. As a national precedent, the penalties will be forfeiture of all games in which the ineligible player participated in and a minimum two-year suspension. If the manager had prior knowledge, he is subject to similar suspension.

4.h Manager Responsibility Rule - The League Disciplinary Committee may remove a manager from his managerial duties for conduct that is determined to be prejudicial to the welfare, interest, reputation or charter of the league, including: history of poor on-field conduct with umpires, teammates, opponents and fans; failure to adequately maintain a current phone number and e-mail address; repeated failure to respond to and participate in requested league communications; history of tardiness when reporting scores and statistics; misappropriation of team fees; history of delay when furnishing team fees to the league at pre-set dates and any other action or behavior that is determined to be detrimental to the league.

5. COURTESY RUNNERS

5.a Players that will need courtesy runners, must have their manager notify the opposing manager before game time. If not so notified, the opposing manager may deny the request. Each team will be allowed the maximum of 2 courtesy runners per game. The player making the last batted out must be the courtesy runner, including the pitcher and catcher, with the only exception being another player who requires a courtesy runner. Batted out is defined as a batter who does not reach first base safely (any out on the bases beyond first base is not a batted out). If a batted out has not yet been recorded in the game, the courtesy runner shall be the last player in the batting order (the “A" player if the last position in the lineup is an A/B position). If a courtesy runner's position in the batting order comes up, he may be replaced by the last batted out, but not before (when he is "on deck"). Once the game begins and the full complement of 2 courtesy runners has not been used, if a player sustains an injury, an additional courtesy runner may be used. In the event a player becomes injured during the game and the maximum number of courtesy runners (2) have already been designated, a pinch runner must be used and no courtesy runner will be allowed. If a batter (designated as needing a courtesy runner) opts to run, or forgets to get a courtesy runner and subsequently runs, he will lose his courtesy runner for the remaining portion of the game. The offensive team that is replacing the courtesy runner has 30 seconds to make the runner change. If the runner is not replaced within this time period, the original runner must run and the right to use the courtesy runner for this particular batter will be forfeited for the balance of the game. The 30 second time limit will begin at the time the umpire calls for time to allow replacement for the runner.

6. PITCHERS

6.a No player while pitching may wear white or gray sleeves, nor may a pitcher wear a batting glove or wristband while pitching.

6.b One intentional walk per game will be allowed.

6.c If a pitcher hits 4 batters in any one game, the pitcher must be removed on the fourth hit batsman.

6.d There is no regulation as to how many innings a pitcher may pitch in a game or a week.

7. FIELDERS

Infielders are not allowed to decoy a throw or catch. If a decoy throw or catch is detected, all runners shall be allowed to advance one base beyond the base held after all play stops. If the same fielder decoys twice in the same game, the fielder shall be expelled from the game. Decoying is referred to as a false catch or throw done in an attempt to get the player to slide unnecessarily, where no strategic value is gained.

8. EX-PRO STATUS AND REGULATIONS

8.a A player must be out of pro-ball for 3 complete MSBL seasons before becoming eligible to participate in a MSBL league. This is a general rule meant to stand as an example for other local MSBL leagues to examine. Local MSBL leagues may establish their own criteria for ex-pros as its individual board and managers see fit. Pro-ball refers to major and minor leagues. Independent leagues are to be considered separately.

9. GENERAL LEAGUE RULES

9.a If a team forfeits a game during the season, their league deposit will be reduced by $200 and forwarded to the opposing team's deposit. If a team forfeits a second time in a single season, their point total is reduced by 2 points in the standings, their deposit for the following season is increased by $600, and they face additional penalties, including suspension or expulsion from the league. If a team forfeits three or more games in a single season, they are ineligible for any postseason play.

9.b All protests must be lodged to the league protest committee/board within 24 hours after the game for which the protest is made. All protests shall be decided by the league board of directors and/or protest committee.

9.c In order for a player to qualify and participate in his team’s local league playoffs must participate in at least 30% of his team’s regular season games. If a player has been added to the roster after 80% of the season has passed, said player is not eligible for post-season play. If such a player fails to meet the requirements due to injury, an exemption may be requested and submitted to the Board of Directors explaining non-compliance.

9.d Each year, all players on the league’s waiting list will be invited to a draft. The annual draft will be conducted in a manner to allow parity in leagues by having the prior year’s teams with the lowest finishing records drafting first.

9.e In regard to the Men’s Adult Baseball League, players upon reaching the age of 25 do not automatically have to enter the senior division. When desired, MABL players, unless entering as a full team, when reaching age 25 will enter the senior division draft. MABL players already entered into the league cannot be solicited to join senior division teams and when entering into the senior division must go through the draft, unless entering as a full team.

9.f In all regular and postseason games, the scheduled home team shall sit in the first base side dugout. If a team plays "back to back" games at the same field, it will be their option to move or vacate the first base side dugout, regardless of home/visitor status.

10. CODE OF CONDUCT

Prohibitions

Managers and players shall conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner at all times. No manager or player shall commit the following:

Lay a hand upon, shove or strike, or threaten an official. Players and managers guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game and shall remain suspended until his conduct is reviewed by the board of directors. Players and managers guilty of such conduct shall be subject to suspension for the remainder of the season or expulsion from the league for life.
Refuse to abide by an official’s decision. Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game and shall remain suspended until his conduct is reviewed by the board of directors. Players guilty of such conduct shall be subject to probation or suspension for the remainder of the season.
Be guilty of objectionable demonstrations of dissent at an official’s decision. Players and managers guilty of such conduct shall be subject to suspension from further participation in the game.
Discuss with an official or officials the decision reached by such official or officials, except for the manager or his designee who are authorized to participate in such discussions. Players guilty of such conduct shall be subject to suspension from further participation in the game.
Use unnecessarily rough tactics in the play of the game against the body or person of an opposing player. Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game and shall be subject to probation or suspension for the remainder of the season.
Be guilty of physical attack as an aggressor upon any player, manager, official, or spectator, before, during, or after a game. Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game and shall remain suspended until their conduct is reviewed by the League Disciplinary Committee. Players guilty of such conduct shall be subject to suspension for the remainder of the season or expulsion from the league for life.
Be guilty of verbal abusive attack upon any player, manager, official, or spectator, before, during, or after a game. Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game and shall remain suspended until their conduct is reviewed by the League Disciplinary Committee. Players guilty of such conduct shall be subject to suspension for the remainder of the season.
Consume alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs during the game or be upon the field of play at any time in an intoxicated condition. Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game and shall be subject to probation or suspension for the remainder of the season.
Smoke on the field of play or in the dugout. Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game.

Penalties

The board of directors may, by vote of the majority of the directors, suspend any player or manager for such a period and upon such terms as it may propose, for the conduct with in its opinion is prejudicial to the welfare, interest, reputation, or charter of the league.
Except as otherwise provided, the Disciplinary Committee shall determine the appropriate action required for violations of the codes of conduct, and shall report their decision to the player, manager and the board of directors.
A player found in violation of any provision delineated in the codes of conduct, after being placed on probation for the remainder of the season shall be suspended for the remainder of the season.
Any player found in violation of any provisions delineated in the codes of conduct, after being suspended from further participation in a game shall be suspended for the remainder of the season.

Grievances, protests, and appeals

Grievances may be filed by an individual player or by the manager of a team provided that a grievance is formally submitted to the commissioner or appropriate board. The commissioner shall adjudicate all such grievances and shall report any action taken to the board of directors.
An appeal of any action or ruling may be filed with the board of directors by an individual player or by the manager of a team provided that the appeal is formally submitted. However, all decisions by the board of directors are final and not subject to appeal.