Glen Rock Baseball Association
Rules and Regulations
Pony League
2007
GENERAL
Games will be played in accordance
with the basic rules of baseball as specifically amended by these rules. Basic rules of
baseball will be taken as those stated in the Little League Official Rules.
LENGTH AND FORMAT OF THE GAME
1. Regulation Game - A regulation game is 6
innings long unless modified by one of the rules below.
2. Official Game - A game is considered
official after 4 complete innings or 3 ½ innings if the home team is ahead. The games
called before they are “official” shall be rescheduled on a date set by the Pony
League Commissioner. A “called game” must be restarted from the point of
suspension.
3. Time Limitations - No inning may start later than 20 minutes before the start of
the next scheduled game. Until daylight savings time, no inning may start after 8:00 PM.
If, in the judgment of the umpire, it is too dark to continue play, the umpire has the
authority to call the game. In the case of extra inning games, the above limitations
apply.
4. Line-ups - Players’ names shall be
listed in batting order and given to the opposing manager before each game. Managers shall
willingly offer the score book and lie-up sheet to other managers to verify pitching
eligibility.
5. Minimum Number of Players - No team may
start a game with less than 8 players. If the minimum number of players are not available,
the game is forfeited. During a game, fewer than 8 players may be permitted if injury
causes a team to lose the services of 1 player. No game may be played with less than 7
players. If the game is not “official” and fewer than 7 players are available,
the game is forfeited.
6. Player Eligibility - Players absent from
practice or a game without legitimate reason, or demonstrate poor sportsmanship, may be
disciplined by sitting out extra innings and/or excluded from the next game at the
manager’s discretion and/or the Pony League Commissioner.
7. Substitutions - If 11 or more players are
present at the start of the game, all players must sit out 1 inning per game. If less than
11 players are present at the start of the game, no player may sit out more than 1 inning. No player may sit out more than 2 innings per 6
inning game. Players being disciplined for Rules infractions may sit out more than 2
innings per game. Players arriving after the start of the second inning are not subject to
this minimum playing time. The game will be forfeited if minimum playing times are not
achieved. Each manager must properly document substitutions in the event of a protest.
8. Batting Order - At the beginning of each
game, the manager will list all of the available players in a batting order to the
opposing manager. Each player must bat in the order reflected on the list regardless of
whether or not he played in the field in that inning or the preceding innings. The batting
order can not be changed during the game, unless a player has left the game or if a player
has arrived after the start of the game (first pitch). If a player is listed in the
batting order but is not present at the time of his initial plate appearance, his position
in the batting order will be scratched. If the player subsequently arrives, he will be
placed at the end of the original batting order.
LAYOUT OF THE DIAMOND
9. Bases - The distance between all bases
shall be 70 feet.
10. Pitchers Rubber - The distance between the
rear point of home plate and the front side of the pitcher’s rubber shall be 50 feet
and 6 inches. Pitchers must be in contact with the rubber at the point of release of
pitch.
EQUIPMENT
11. Uniforms - League-authorized T-shirts and a
baseball cap are required to be worn during the game.
12. Protective Helmets - All batters and base
runners must wear approved protective helmets.
13. Bat Restrictions - All bats must have the
“Little League” approved endorsement.
14. Baseballs - Each team must supply one new baseball for each game.
15. Cleats - Metal cleats are prohibited.
16. Protective Cup- Catchers are required to
wear cups. It is recommended (but not required) that all other players wear a cup.
BASE RUNNING
17. Stealing - Stealing is permitted once the
ball has passed home plate or while the ball is “in play”. The defense must
force the lead runner to tag up. (Throwing the ball to the mound does not freeze the
runners.) Once this has happened, the ball
may be returned to the pitcher and then - no base runner may advance. A base runner
leaving before the ball crosses home plate will be declared “out” after one team
warning has been issued to any base runner from the team. Leaving early is a “dead
ball” infraction - the pitch counts but other base runners must return to their
original bases.
18. Dropped Third Strike - The batter is out on
a dropped third strike and cannot advance. Base runners can advance at their own risk.
19. Leading - Leading is not permitted. Leading
is a violation of the stealing rule.
20. Overthrown Ball - If an overthrown ball
goes outside the area of play, the runners shall advance to the base they were going to at
the time the ball was thrown and shall be awarded the next base.
21. Runner Hit by Batted Ball - If a base
runner is touched by a batted ball in fair territory before the ball was touched by a
defensive player, the base runner is out and the ball is declared dead. Other base runners
must return to their previously occupied base unless they are forced to advance because
the batter would be awarded first base.
22. Infield Fly Rule - The infield fly rule
will apply.
23. Running into a Defensive Player - Base
runners must slide or avoid defensive players. A
base runner may not run into a defensive player or attempt to knock a defensive player out
of the play. A base runner may slide into a base guarded by a player. If an umpire
determines that a base runner intentionally runs into a defensive player, the umpire will
declare the base runner out. The ball is dead and no other base runners may advance.
PITCHING
24. Eligibility - A player may pitch no more
than 2 innings in a 6 inning game and no more than 5 innings in a 7 day period. The
delivery of a single pitch constitutes having pitched an inning.
25. Pitching in Relief - The manager must
inform the home plate umpire and the opposing manager of a pitching change. Unless
injured, the relief pitcher must pitch to a minimum of one batter. Delivery of a single
pitch constitutes having pitched an inning. A player once removed as a pitcher may not
pitch the same game.
26. Trips to the Mound - A manager or coach may
take only one trip to the mound per inning. On the second trip to the mound, the pitcher
must be removed. Only one person may go to the mound at a time.
27. Balks - Balks will not be called in the
Pony League.
28. Curve Balls - Curve or screw balls will not
be thrown in the Pony League. If, in the judgment of the umpire, a curve or screw ball has
been thrown, it will be called a “ball”.
29. Intentional Walks - Managers may not
instruct a pitcher to intentionally walk a batter. Violation of this rule shall result in
the batter being awarded second base and all other base runners being advanced
accordingly.
30. Hit Batters - A pitcher who hits 2 batters
in the same inning or 3 batters in the same game must be removed.
SPORTSMANSHIP
31. Sportsmanship - Without curbing the
competitive desire to win, managers and coaches should always strive to maintain an
atmosphere of sportsmanship on the playing field. Some specific guidelines are:
· Teach your players baseball
fundamentals and game strategy.
· Encourage your players but avoid
remarks which might be insulting or humiliating to both your players and the players on
the opposing team.
· Take responsibility for parents of your
players who do not comply with the League’s views on sportsmanship. Quiet disgruntled
parents.
· The catcher may “yell”
encouragement to his teammates but may not talk to the batter. No defensive player should
encourage or intimidate a batter to swing at a pitch.
· Avoid abusing or yelling at an umpire.
If there is a rules infraction, discuss the infraction with the umpire. If you disagree
with an umpire’s judgment, keep it to yourself and control your players. If an umpire
is consistently making the same judgment error, discuss the issue with the opposing
manager and approach the umpire jointly. Report poor umpiring to the Pony League
Commissioner.
· Be flexible and compromise on minor
technicalities when this is in the player’s interest.
32. Penalty for Poor Sportsmanship - Players, managers and coaches
exhibiting poor sportsmanship will be warned by the umpire in the presence of the manager.
A second display of poor sportsmanship will result in automatic ejection from the game by
the umpire. A manager or coach may be ejected, if in the opinion of the umpire, the
manager or coach is promoting or unwilling to control any unsportsmanlike like conduct.
The Pony League Commissioner may impose sanctions against players, managers and coaches
who exhibit poor sportsmanship.
33. Field Discipline - All players must remain
on the bench or behind protected areas while the game is in progress, unless they are on
the playing field. Only designated coaches shall be allowed at 1st and 3rd base during the
game. No players, coaches, parents, etc. shall be allowed behind the backstop during the
game.
TEAM RESPONSIBILITIES
34. Field - Both team managers should arrive at
the field in sufficient time to insure the field is free of debris, playable, and to
correct any problems. A delay in starting a game due to field conditions will not push
back the starting times of the remaining games.
35. Equipment - The home team shall be
responsible for positioning and removing the bases, collecting and returning protective
helmets and locking the equipment box.
36. Copy of Rules - Each team is responsible
for having a copy of these rules available
for review by an umpire.
37. Decision on Field Conditions - Unless otherwise determined by the
GRBA’s Vice President of Fields, when field conditions are doubtful, the home team
manager shall decide if the game is to be started. After the first pitch, the umpire shall
be the sole authority regarding continued play, especially regarding darkness.
INJURIES
38. Player Injury - A player may be removed
from the game at any time because of injury. He may return to the game at a later time at
the discretion of the manager. If an injured player is unable to bat, no penalty shall be
assessed. An injured player who misses an “at bat” but subsequently returns to
the lineup shall assume his original batting order position.
39. Injury Reports - Any injury sustained in a practice or a game must be reported (with an injury report form) to the Pony League Commissioner as provided in the GRBA Safety Manual.
MISCELLANEOUS
40. Bunting - Bunting is permitted.
41. Forfeits - The plate umpire shall declare a
game forfeited in favor of the opposing team when, after being warned by the umpire, a
team 1) Refuses to continue to play, 2) Uses methods to delay or shorten a game, 3) Fails
to discontinue rules violations.
42. Game Postponements - A manager may request
postponement of a game if he is unable to field a minimum of 8 players due to school,
religious, or other conflicting events. This request must be made to the Pony League
Commissioner at least 24 hours before the scheduled starting time. The game shall not be
deemed postponed unless the League Commissioner advises both managers of the postponement. At the time of
the request for postponement, the manager must offer a suitable date and time for
rescheduling the game. The date and time must be agreeable to the opposing manager. Games
will not be allowed to be rescheduled just because a superior player is not available.
43. Protests - Protests will be considered only
when based on the violation of the Rules and Regulations or the use of an ineligible
player. No protests will be considered on a decision involving an umpire’s judgment.
44. Protest Procedure - The protesting manager
shall immediately, and before any further play begins, notify the plate umpire and the
opposing manager that the game is being played under protest and the reason for the
protest. The protesting manager should notify the Pony League Commissioner of the protest,
in writing, within 48 hours. No protests will be considered without the written report.
45. Protest Consideration - If, in the judgment
of the Pony League Commissioner that a protest has merit, the protest shall be decided by
an arbitration panel consisting of the Vice President of Baseball and 2 League
Commissioners.
PLAYOFFS, CHAMPIONSHIPS, AND ALL STAR
GAMES
46. Rules - All League rules shall apply to
post season games unless amended by the Pony League Commissioner.
47. All Star Selection - How a player is
selected by a team to participate in the All Star Game shall be left to the discretion of
the Team Manager.
48. Number of All Star Selections - The number
of All Star selections from each team shall be made by the Pony League Commissioner with
the approval of the GRBA Vice President of Baseball.
49. All Star Pitching - The starting pitchers
may not pitch more than 2 innings.
50. Length of All Star Game - The All Star game
shall be 7 innings long to guarantee that each player will have at least 1 time at bat.
51. Playoff Seeding - All teams will be seeded according to regular season record.
