2005 United Baseball Association

Greater Manchester Twilight League

Baseball Rule Amendments v7.3

 

1.0 LINE UP

1.1 RULE CLARIFICATION REGARDING OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE LINEUPS:

The defensive lineup and the offensive lineup (i.e. batting order) are independent of each other. A team can have players in the field that are not in the batting order. With the exception of the pitcher, there is free substitution on defense without impacting the batting order (This is similar to the rules in MSBL, MABL and NABA.)

1.2.1 OFFENSIVE LINEUP:

A team may elect, for the entire game, to bat 9 OR MORE PLAYERS, or add players to the bottom of the order during the game. However it must finish the game with no less than the largest number of batters at any given time or take in out in the vacated batting spot(s).

1.2.2 OFFENSIVE STARTER RE-ENTRY RULE

A starter in the batting order may be removed and a substitute, whom has not previously appeared in the batting order, may bat or run in that player's place at any point during a game. The starter may return to bat again, but only in the original spot in the batting order. The substitute may not bat again once removed from the batting order. (i.e. the starter may re-enter 1x, the sub can not re-enter)

1.2.3 INJURY EXCEPTION

If a team that has exhausted its substitutes and re-entry provisions, is unable to bat a player in a particular spot in the order because of an injury (or other extenuating circumstance), then the opposing manager may elect 1) to take an out in the spot 2) allow a previously used player to bat in that spot or 3) allow the batting team to collapse its lineup (Note that if the batting lineup falls to 8 players then the 9th spot is an out. If the lineup falls below 8 players, then the game is a forfeit.

1.3 DEFENSIVE LINEUP:

All teams have the option to substitute freely on the field in any defensive position except for the pitcher.

1.4 EIGHT PLAYER RULE:

Teams may START AND COMPLETE any game with only 8 players and do so without penalty or forfeit. The team(s) with 8 players must record an out in the ninth spot (it must be the ninth spot only) in the order throughout the game, unless the missing player arrives. This rule still applies even if both teams have 8 players.

A team may elect to wait the grace period given by umpires (typically 15 minutes) before starting with 8 players.

Once a game has begun with 8 players, the game will not be delayed to wait for the late arriving 9th player to get ready. Once ready, that player can enter the game at any point during a deadball.

 

 

 

 

1.5 COURTESY RUNNERS:

Two players per team per game may have another player run for them in the event they reach base.. The courtesy runner will always be the last recorded out. It is not mandatory to use this rule as the manager has the option depending upon the situation. But if a change is made, it must be at the farthest base the player reaches

safely on that play. If the non-runner advances to any base beyond that reached before the next pitch a courtesy runner may not be used. The courtesy runner must enter the game before the next pitch, or the use of the courtesy runner is forfeited on that play. If the non-runner is up in the beginning of the game and no recorded outs have occurred then the courtesy runner will be the last player in the batting order.

In addition to the two courtesy runners per team per game, an additional courtesy runner can be used for the catcher with two outs.

The player(s) that need courtesy runner(s) must be announced prior to the start of the game or the right to use them will be forfeited (unless agreed by the opposing manager).

INJURY EXECPTION:

Additional courtesy runners can be used for injured players at the discretion of the opposing manager. The same rules on who is eligible to be a courtesy runner apply.

 

2.0 EQUIPMENT

2.1 UNIFORMS – All players must be wearing baseball uniforms (i.e. baseball cap, baseball pants, baseball jersey with number). For example, no shorts, sweat pants, t-shirts, etc. Note that the baseball jersey, hat or pants does not necessarily have to be consistent with the player’s official team jersey (e.g. a player is allowed to wear a jersey or hat of a different team).

Players are not allowed to play unless they are in uniform. EXCEPTION – The opposing manager can waive this requirement but it is strongly discouraged.

2.2 BASEBALLS – Both the Rawlings R200 and Wilson A1030 are the official game balls. Other baseball models may be used only with the mutual agreement of both team managers.

2.3 BATS – Minus 5 bats are allowed.

2.4 Helmets – All batters must ear wear a double or single earflap helmet.

3.0 NO COLLISION RULE:

The UBA Greater Manchester Twilight League has a no collision rule defined as follows:

A runner trying to advance to a base must AVOlD DELIBERATE CONTACT. That is they must either slide to the base or attempt to go around a fielder if the fielder has the ball in their possession or in the umpires’s judgment is about to receive the ball. A runner who violates this rule will be called out

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.0 GAME

All UBA GMTL regular season and playoff games are 7 innings.

4.1 REGULAR SEASON TIE GAMES – If a game is tied after 5 full innings and the game is called for darkness, rain or curfew, then it is recorded as a tie game in the standings.

4.2 OFFICIAL PLAYOFF GAMES – If a playoff game is called because of darkness, rain or curfew with the home teaming winning after 4 ˝ innings or the visitors winning after 5 full innings, then the game is considered finished unless the game is tied. If the game is tied, then the game will be resumed from the point at which it was called. If the game didn’t go as long as the number of innings specified above, then the entire game will be replayed from the beginning regardless or the score.

4.3 PLAYOFF GAME REQUIREMENT

A player must appear in at least 3 regular season games to be eligible for playoffs.

4.4 REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS

Regular season standings will be based on winning percentage defined by wins divided by (wins plus losses). Ties will not count toward winning percentage. In the event that two teams are tied for a spot in the standings based on winning percentage, the first tie-breaker will be inter-divisional winning percentage. The second tie-breaker will be head-to-head winning percentage. The third tie beaker will be regular season cumulative run differential.

 

5.0 SCORING

5.1 LEAGUE BATTING AND PITCHING STATISTICS CHAMPIONS

Final batting and pitcher statistics will be compiled by individual teams and submitted to the league president.

The final statistics should combine both regular season statistics with playoff statistics (but not all star) for the purpose of determining league leaders and all time records (Note: that this is consistent with most amateur sports like high school and college). In addition, statistics should include any league sanctioned non-scrimmages played outside of the league (e.g. Tournaments, Willimantic Twilight League, Hartford Twilight League, etc).

The batting champion will need to have (2.1 plate appearances) X (the number of regular season games scheduled plus the minimum number of playoff games that every team is guaranteed). For example, if a regular season has 22 games and at least 2 playoffs games per team, then the number of plate appearances required to win the batting title would 50 (24 * 2.1 = 50.4 = 50 PA’s). (Note that 2.1 is derived by taking 7/9 of the official minor league requirement of 2.7 plate appearances. Since we typically bats more than 9 batters, we will use 2.7 instead of the major league 3.1. In addition, we then normalize the number based on 7 inning games.

The pitching champion will be based on 1 inning X (the number of regular season games scheduled plus the minimum number of playoff games that every team is guaranteed). For example, for a 22 game season and 2 game playoff, then 24 innings would be required to become the ERA champion. (Note that 1 inning per game is used because it is the major league standard. The minor league standard of 0.8 innings per game is not used. Nor is the major league standard normalized for a 7inning game. This is because we typically only play 2 games a week.) ERA’s should be based on 7 innings.

A starting pitching only needs to go 4 innings for the win.

6.0 PLAYER CONDUCT

6.1 WAIVERS

All players must sign the league waiver form. A player who has not signed the league waiver form will be declared ineligible.

6.2 SUSPENSIONS AND EXPULSIONS

The league has the right to suspend or expel any team member who does not exhibit a sense of sportsmanship or who plays without regard to the safety of the umpires, managers, coaches, fans or other players.

6.3 NO ALCOHOL AT MT. NEBO OR NORTHWEST PARK: Up to 1 game suspension per incident. This covers post game as well.

7.0 GENERAL

7.1 INTENTIONAL BASE ON BALLS: A pitcher is required to pitch to the batter when issuing an intentional base on balls. The defensive team is not allowed to simply "wave the batter to first". EXCEPTION: If and only if both opposing managers agree, then a batter can be "waved to first".

7.2 NO HIT BY PITCH MINIMUM: A pitcher is not automatically ejected after having reached some predefined threshold for hitting batters. This is at complete discretion of the umpire based on intent and safety.

8.0 For any and all rules not explicitly addressed in this addendum, the UBA Greater Manchester Twilight League will follow Official Major League Baseball Rules.