2008 MINUTEMAN
BASEBALL LEAGUE RULES
Rev. 2/29/08
The Minuteman Baseball League is comprised of the Minuteman League, Patriot League and Summer League with player eligibility as defined in these rules. The rules set forth below will apply to all leagues unless specifically noted.
Any changes to the rules after printing will be available on www.mmbrl.com.
1.0
Sportsmanship
Good sportsmanship shall be expected of coaches,
players, and parents at all times. Unacceptable behavior includes, but is not limited
to: the taunting of opposing players, the use of profanity, demonstrative
actions or statements in response to an umpire’s call, and the throwing or
slamming of equipment.
A player, coach or spectator ejected from a game by an umpire will not be allowed to participate or appear at the next game for that team. The Coach of the opposing team of the player, coach or spectator ejected is required to notify their Town Director immediately after the game when such an ejection occurs. It is the Town Director’s responsibility to promptly notify the other Town Director to ensure compliance with this rule.
2.0 Eligible Players
Boys and girls living in the participating towns and born between May
1, 1992 and April 30, 1995 are eligible to play in the Minuteman League during
the spring 2008 season. Players born between May 1, 1992 and April 30, 1993 are
considered 15 year-olds for purposes of the league and its rules. Players born
between May 1, 1993 and April 30, 1994 are considered 14 year-olds for purposes
of the league and its rules. Players born between May 1, 1994 and April 30,
1995 are considered 13 year-olds for purposes of the league and its rules and only
13 year old players are eligible to participate in the Patriot Division. Under no circumstances will
any player born prior to May 1, 1992 be allowed to participate. A player born
after April 30, 1995 will be allowed to participate if he is not playing for
his town’s small diamond (Little League equivalent) program and if he is
eligible to participate in his town’s Babe Ruth League-level big diamond
program by virtue of his school grade level or town league policy. Any such
player will be listed on his team’s roster as a 12 year-old.
3.0 Playing
Rules
The basic playing rules are those outlined in the Babe Ruth League
baseball rulebook of the national Babe Ruth organization, except for the
following modifications:
3.1
Teams will consist of no fewer than 12 rostered players, with every effort
made to equalize talent among the teams created within each town's
organization. Our objective is to maximize playing opportunities while not
keeping rosters so small that forfeits are likely. Roster changes will be
allowed throughout the season, but no one added after May 6, 2008, may
participate in the post-season playoffs. Each Town Director is responsible for
updating the website with roster changes for his town’s teams prior to the next
affected games, and he is responsible generally for making certain that website
roster information is current and accurate.
3.2
All players present at a game will bat in a pre-set rotation (for example, a
13-man batting order is used if 13 players are present). Anyone arriving late
will be slotted into the final spot in the order.
3.3
Every player must play at least 3 innings in the field. No player shall sit
out more than 2 innings in a row defensively.
3.4 A minimum of 8 players is
required to begin and continue a game. A team playing with 8 players will not
be penalized in any way (for example, no automatic out for the “empty” lineup
slot) regardless of the circumstances creating the situation.
3.5
The batting and minimum fielding requirements of Rules 3.2 and 3.3 shall apply
to all players available to participate for each team at the time the home team
takes the field to start a game, even if a player’s injury prevents him from
being able to bat, throw, or field effectively. If a player is able to play in
the field but not able to hit due to injury, that player must nonetheless
appear in the batting rotation, and an out will be recorded when his position
in the batting order is reached. If a player is able to hit but not able to
throw due to injury, that player must nonetheless play his minimum of 3 innings
in the field, or a coach may choose to leave a defensive position unoccupied
during the innings the player would have fielded.
If a player listed in the original
lineup is removed from the batting order due to injury, ejection, or early
departure, that player shall not re-enter the game as either a batter or a
fielder, and his spot in the lineup shall be skipped with no penalty involved.
3.6
No new inning shall begin more than 2 hours and
15 minutes after
the actual (as opposed to scheduled) starting time of the game. Any game
stopped due to this rule shall be considered a complete regulation game,
regardless of the number of innings completed. Extra-inning games may exceed
this time limitation, but only if there is no succeeding game scheduled to be
played on the same field.
3.7 In the
Minuteman League, during first round games, a mercy rule of 6 runs per
half-inning shall be in force for the entire game, including the final at-bat
for each team. For all games subsequent to the first round, there will be no
per-inning or per-game mercy rule. In the Patriot League,
a mercy rule of 5 runs per half-inning shall be in force for the full season,
excluding the playoffs.
3.8 If a game
is suspended by umpire’s decision before becoming an official game, it shall be
resumed from its point of discontinuance and played to a regulation conclusion.
A regulation game ending in a tie shall be considered an official game and not
resumed at a later date, except for any post-season playoff game, which shall
be continued to a conclusion from its point of discontinuance. In situations
not specifically covered by this Rule 3.8, the Babe Ruth Baseball rulebook
shall govern.
3.9. The “force-play slide rule” as adopted by the MIAA shall be in effect. This is the NCAA Force-Play-Slide Rule (Rule
8, Section 4). Below is a copy of that
rule.
Force-Play-Slide Rule (NCAA Baseball
Rule 8 Section 4 - adopted by MIAA)
SECTION 4. The intent of the force-play-slide rule is to ensure the safety of all players. This is a safety as well as an interference rule. Whether the defense could have completed the double play has no bearing on the applicability of this rule. This rule pertains to a force-play situation at any base, regardless of the number of outs.
a. On any force play, the runner must slide on the ground before the base and in a direct line between the two bases. It is permissible for the slider’s momentum to carry him through the base in the baseline extended (see diagram).
Exception—A runner need not slide directly into a base as long
as the runner slides or runs in a direction away from the fielder to avoid
making contact or altering the play of the fielder. Interference shall not be
called.
(1) “On the ground” means either a head-first slide or a slide with one leg and buttock on the ground before the base.
(2) “Directly into a base” means the runner’s entire body (feet, legs, trunk and arms) must stay in a straight line between the bases.
b. Contact with a fielder is legal and interference shall not be called if the runner makes a legal slide directly to the base and in the baseline extended (see diagram).
A.R.—If contact occurs on top of the
base as a result of a “pop-up” slide, this contact is legal.
c. Actions by a runner are illegal and interference shall be called if:
(1) The runner slides or runs out of the base line in the direction of the fielder and alters the play of a fielder (with or without contact);
(2) The runner uses a rolling or cross-body slide and either makes contact with or alters the play of a fielder;
(3) The runner’s raised leg makes contact higher than the fielder’s knee when in a standing position;
(4) The runner slashes or kicks the fielder with either leg; or
(5) The runner illegally slides toward or contacts the fielder even if the fielder makes no attempt to throw to complete a play.
PENALTY for 1-5—(1)
With less than two outs, the batter-runner, as well as the interfering runner,
shall be declared out and no other runner(s) shall advance.
(2) With two outs,
the interfering runner shall be declared out and no other runner(s) shall
advance.
(3) If the runner’s
slide or collision is flagrant, the runner shall be ejected from the contest.
A.R.—If the bases are loaded with no
outs, a double-play attempt is made, and interference is called, all other
runners must return to their original bases.
3.10 Either adults or players may be used as base coaches, but all
players acting as coaches must wear a batting helmet.
3.11 Any communications with an
umpire regarding calls or rule interpretations shall be initiated only by a
team’s manager or acting manager, and such interactions shall occur in a
civilized, sportsmanlike manner. Coaches, players, and spectators shall refrain
from initiating such discussions.
4.0 Pitching Rules
The basic pitching rules are those outlined in the
Babe Ruth Baseball rules, except for the following modifications:
4.1 No player
may pitch more than 6 innings in regular season games played during the same
pitching week (Friday through Thursday). Additionally,
a player is not allowed to pitch on back-to-back days if they have pitched 3 or
more innings on the first day. Thus, for example, a player pitching 3
innings in a Saturday game cannot pitch on Sunday.
4.2 A player
may pitch a maximum of 9 innings per week (Friday through Thursday) including
the Minuteman League, in-town leagues, and school programs.
4.3 The total
number of combined innings pitched by all of a team’s 15 year-olds in one game
shall not exceed three (3), as measured by Rule 4.4. Additionally,
the total of all innings pitched by a 15-year old cannot exceed 4 innings in
any single pitching week.
4.4 Throwing
one pitch during an inning (not including warm-ups) constitutes one inning
pitched. Thus, more than one pitcher may be charged with an inning pitched for
the same inning.
4.5 A player
must be removed as a pitcher for the remainder of a game after hitting three
batters in the same game.
4.6 The
standard balk rules shall be enforced at all times against 14 and 15 year-old
pitchers. Each 13 year-old pitcher (in either the
Minuteman or Patriot League) will be allowed one balk warning per game
before the standard balk rules are enforced. Balk rules will be enforced
against pitchers of all ages during the post-season playoffs.
4.7 After a
player has been removed as a pitcher, he cannot return to pitch again in the
same game.
5.0 Equipment
5.1 Each team will provide its own batting and catching equipment.
5.2
The home team will make sure bases are in place and will provide three game
balls (official Babe Ruth League balls or comparable), regardless of game
location.
5.3 The MIAA restrictions on
metal bats (limiting diameter to 2 5/8 inches and the length-weight
differential to minus 3) shall apply only to 14 and 15 year-old players. Any
player may use a wooden bat of any specifications. Each non-conforming metal
bat must be clearly identified by white or brightly colored adhesive tape just
above the grip. Each manager will be responsible for enforcement of this rule
among his players. The penalty for illegal bat use by a 14 or 15 year-old will
be as follows:
a.
If the illegal bat is
identified and replaced before an at-bat has concluded, there is no penalty.
b.
If the illegal bat is
identified after an at-bat has concluded but before a pitch has been thrown to
the following batter, the batter using the illegal bat shall be declared out,
and all baserunners shall be returned to the bases they occupied prior to the
final pitch.
c.
If the illegal bat is
identified after the at-bat has concluded and after a pitch has been thrown to
the following batter, the result of the at-bat stands.
6.0 Umpires
6.1
Each Town Director, in conjunction with the Minuteman League’s Umpire
Coordinator(s), is responsible for booking umpires for all regular season and
playoff games scheduled to be played in his town, regardless of which teams are
competing, unless special alternative arrangements have been made.
6.2
Each Town Director is responsible for prompt payment to umpires he has
booked for the regular season games played in his town and for any regular
season home games of his town’s teams that might need to be scheduled
elsewhere. Each team participating in a playoff game shall be prepared to pay
one-half the total umpire expenses of that game directly to the umpire(s) at
the pre-game meeting, regardless of where the game is played.
6.3
One umpire stationed behind home plate is a minimum standard. Every effort
should be made to utilize certified umpires in appropriate umpiring attire. The
use of coaches and parents should be avoided unless a scheduled umpire fails to
appear, in which case the opposing coaches should agree on the use of the best
available umpire-substitutes so that the players will have the opportunity to
play baseball, rather than endure a forfeit.
7.0 Insurance
7.1 Each town program is responsible for
providing liability and excess medical insurance.
8.0 Weather & Field Condition Notification/
Make-Up Games
8.1 It shall be the responsibility of the Town Director in
each town to monitor weather and field conditions as they affect games
scheduled to be played in his town. He shall notify coaches of all affected
teams no later than two hours before scheduled game time if there are any
doubts about playability. Similarly, he is responsible for notifying the Umpire
Coordinator and the umpires scheduled to handle those games. This communication
will avoid unnecessary trips and will allow for field switching in the event
that a scheduled field is unplayable but an unscheduled field is useable.
8.2 With many
fields available to us throughout the towns involved, our goal should be to
avoid the need for make-up games by utilizing alternative fields (even in other
league towns) at the scheduled game time or the scheduled field at an earlier
or later game time on the scheduled day. Umpires should be informed of any
field or time changes with as much advance notice as possible.
8.3 If a game needs to be postponed for reasons other than weather or field
conditions (e.g. advance knowledge of a team’s inability to field 8 or more
players), the manager of a team unable to play a game at its scheduled time and
place must notify the opposing team’s manager, the Umpire Coordinator, and his
own Town Director at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled game time. If he
does not, his team will be charged with a forfeit, the game will not be
rescheduled for playing, and he will be responsible for paying any umpire
expenses individually, rather than as an expense shared between the involved
towns.
8.4 Any game
appropriately postponed (under Rule 8.3 or because of weather or field
conditions) shall be replayed at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday of the following
weekend, unless both teams agree on a time for the game to be played prior to
that, such as:
a.
Moving the game to a different, playable field at the originally scheduled time
(see 8.2 above).
b. Playing a double header on a different, playable
field.
c. Using a weeknight with the fewest conflicts. This
arrangement may be more feasible after school sports conclude (around June 1)
or for games between teams from the same town.
The Town Directors of the involved towns must be
kept informed of all rescheduling plans and must give final approval. If no
rescheduling arrangements can be made for a game postponed under Rule 8.3, the
game shall be considered a forfeit in favor of the team originally willing and
able to play at the scheduled time.
8.5 If the
regular season ends with some games not made up, standings for determining
playoff seeds will be based on winning percentage (e.g., a team with a 7-4
record has a higher winning percentage than a team with an 8-5 record). Ties
will be broken based on head-to-head play (if possible) or on strength of
schedule.
9.0 Reporting of Game
Results
9.1 After each game, the winning team's
manager is responsible for reporting the final score and pitcher utilization
for each team according to procedures
discussed at the managers' meeting. Information for tie games should be
reported by the home team’s manager. Results should be reported by 11:00 p.m.
the same evening as the game. The appropriate method of reporting is the league
website. If the website is inoperative for some reason, game information may be
e-mailed to the website administrator and league president.
9.2 A manager reporting through
the website shall follow the instructions given there for appropriate
submission. The information required in a game report submission, whether via
the website or e-mail, is as follows:
b.
Date the game was played.
c.
Pitchers for the winning team, listed with names, ages, and number of
innings pitched by each. (Remember that
one pitch thrown in an inning constitutes an inning pitched for that pitcher.)
d.
Pitchers for the losing
team, listed with names, ages, and number of innings pitched by each. (Winning manager should remember to confirm
this data with the losing manager before leaving the field.)
e.
Name of the person entering
the report and the best way to make follow-up contact, if needed (e-mail
address or phone #).
9.3 Standings and other game-related
information will be disseminated through the web site and/or by e-mail at the
beginning of each week.
10.0 Leagues, Regular Season Rounds of Play, and
Post-season Playoffs
10.1 The Minuteman League will play three rounds
of games with a post season playoff. After each round (4 games, 4 games, and 6games)
the teams will be regrouped in an attempt to schedule games against teams of
comparable ability. Minuteman League
games are primarily scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.
The Patriot League will play their games during the
week with a separate single elimination playoff among all teams at the end of
the season.
10.2 All teams
(Minuteman and Patriot Leagues) are eligible to participate in the post-season
playoffs. Any team choosing not to participate should inform its Town Director
no later than the Monday prior to the scheduled start of playoffs. As much as
possible, seeding shall be made based on third-round divisional placement and/or
regular season record.
Additional
details regarding playoff format will be determined by the Directors and
disseminated to all teams in a timely fashion.
10.3 All
pitching rules under Section 4 shall be in force during the playoffs, except:
a. The balk rules shall be enforced
against all pitchers without benefit of a warning.
b. During the Minuteman League playoff
competition, a pitcher’s total weekly innings limitation for his team shall be
8, rather than 6. The pitching week will be defined as beginning on the date of
the first playoff game and ending on the date of the championship game, even if
it is postponed into a subsequent calendar week for any reason.
c.
During the Patriot League playoff competition, a pitcher’s total weekly innings
limitation for his team shall be 8, rather than 6. The pitching week in the
Patriot League Playoffs shall be defined as Monday through Sunday.
d.15 year-old pitching limitation for the
playoffs. There will be a 4 inning maximum rule for the first 2 games and then
a second 4 inning maximum rule for the second 2 games. This rule applies to the
total number of innings that can be pitched by a 15-year old. All other
pitching rules remain unchanged.
AR 1. Player A, a 15 yr old, pitched 3 innings in the first round (game 1 of the playoffs). No other 15 yr old can pitch in round 1 (game 1 of the playoffs) as the max total for all 15 yr olds in a game is 3 innings. Player A is available to pitch 1 inning in Round 2 (game 2 of the playoffs) on Friday if their Round 1 game (game 1 of the playoffs) was played on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday respectively. If the round 1 game (game 1 of the playoffs) was pushed out for some reason to Thursday, and Round 2(game 2 of the playoffs) was played on Friday, then, Player A under the same circumstances would be ineligible to pitch on Friday, given that these are back to back days and having pitched 3 innings Thursday, disqualifies him for pitching Friday.
AR 2. Player A, a 15 yr old, didn't pitch in rounds 1 or 2 (games 1 or 2 of the playoffs), but, pitched 3 innings in round 3 (game 3 of the playoffs) on Saturday. Although he may be entitled to pitch one more inning in round 4 (game 4 of the playoffs), he would be ineligible to pitch in Round 4 (game 4 of the playoffs) if the Round 4 game was played on Sunday, as he can't pitch on back to back days if on the first day he pitched 3 innings. However, if Sunday's game (for weather reasons) was pushed out to Monday, he would be eligible to pitch one more inning.
AR 3. Player A,
a 15 yr old, didn't pitch in round 1 (game 1 of the playoffs) . He
pitches 3 innings in round 2 (game 2 of the playoffs) on Friday night.
While this player has a fresh set of 4 15-year old innings available for rounds
3 and 4 (games 3 and 4 of the playoffs), this pitcher would be ineligible to
pitch in Round 3 (game 3 of the playoffs), given this is a back to back game
with Round 2 (game 2 of the playoffs) and given he pitched 3 innings in Round 2
(game 1 of the playoffs) , disqualifies him.
10.4 The Directors
may publish additional rules to govern the playoffs, as they deem necessary.
11.0 Special Rules
Applying to Summer League Play
All Minuteman
League rules shall apply to the Summer League, with the following
modifications:
11.1 The summer program will initially be limited
to 20 team slots, and those slots will be filled first by teams from the “core”
towns participating in the spring league. If all 20 slots are not filled, teams
from outside towns will be considered for acceptance as long as fields are
available and travel issues are resolved. If the demand for teams from the core
towns exceeds 20 slots, we will expand the summer league for the core towns
only, as long as fields are available to fill scheduling requirements.
11.2
Each summer team’s roster must be
posted to the website prior to the first day of scheduled summer league play.
Each team is encouraged to roster 20 players. No player may be rostered on more
than one summer team in the Minuteman League, but to avoid forfeits, roster
flexibility among a town’s teams will be allowed, with coaches strongly
encouraged to share this information with each other prior to game-time. A
team’s playoff roster is limited, however, to the players listed on the posted
website roster.
11.3 Each
summer team’s roster may include as many as three 16 year-old players, defined for
the 2008 season as being born between May 1, 1991 and April 30, 1992. These
players are not allowed to pitch. The intention of this rule is to provide an
opportunity for players of this age who are not chosen to play in a town’s
summer all-star travel program.
11.4 The pitching week in summer league play shall
be defined as Monday through Sunday.
11.5 The Minuteman League mercy rule of Section
3.7 shall apply to first round games. No mercy rule shall apply to games in any
subsequent rounds or in the playoffs.
11.6 The summer commissioner is responsible for
creating an appropriate playoff format and for promulgating any special rules
necessary to fair administration of the playoffs.