Whitby Men’s Slo-Pitch League
League Rules
As
Amended March 10, 2011
The rules as laid down by the Executive
Committee apply to all members with no exceptions and will be enforced by the
Executive Committee.
1. Slo-Pitch
2. A roster of all team members must be
submitted to the Executive Committee before the first game of the playing
season. The roster must include the name, address, phone number and
signature of each returning player. Completed New Player Registration Forms
must be submitted for each for each new player. . Games will be defaulted by a
team fielding any players with incomplete registrations and/or unpaid fees.
3. In
order to avoid forfeiture of a game, a team must start the game with no less
than 9 players, of which 7 must be registered players
from that team. A team with 7 or 8 players may pick up registered player(s) from any other team within the current
season to a maximum of
9 players. A team with 9 players
may pick up a registered player from any other team within the current season
or have the opposing team supply a catcher to a maximum
of 10 players. Only one player may be from the opposing team. One player must play
catcher and the other can play any position other than pitcher. Both must bat at the bottom of the batting order.
The player from the opposing team must play catcher and will not be included in
the batting order or be considered an automatic out when it would have been his
turn at bat. If any registered team member arrives before the completion of the
batting order once, he must replace the 10th and then the 9th and then the 8th
players respectively. Approved Scenarios:
- 7 players + 1 pickup & other team
must supply catcher (9 players - 3 outfielders)
- 7 players + 2 pickups (9 players - 3
outfielders)
- 8 players & other team must
supply catcher (9 players - 3 outfielders)
- 8 players + 1 pickup (9 players - 3
outfielders)
- 9 players & other team must
supply catcher (10 players - 4 outfielders)
- 9 players + 1 pickup (10 players - 4
outfielders)
4. After team rosters have been established
for the season any additional players required must be obtained through the
Draft List held by the Draft Committee.
5. All registered players present for a game
must be entered in the line-up and play both offensively and defensively. A
team shall consist of a maximum of ten players on defense at one time. While
only ten (10) players constitute a full defense, all players entered in the
line-up must take a regular turn at bat. All players must play at least
two full innings defensively; the penalty for violation of this rule is
forfeiture of the game. No substitutions allowed.
6. A player must participate in 50% of the
scheduled games to be eligible for the playoffs. Players who join a team in
midseason must play at least 50% of the remaining games for their team and a
minimum of six regular season games to be eligible to play in the playoffs. The
Executive Committee may approve specific cases of absenteeism, which will
override the general requirement.
7. The winning team is responsible for
calling in the score to the Statistics and Media Committee, who will keep this
record on hand for reference. In the event of a tie
game the home team shall report the score.
Each team must have a competent scorekeeper. The home team is
responsible for keeping the official score of the game.
8. The Statistics and Media Committee shall
be responsible for the rescheduling of rained out games and games cancelled due
to lighting failure. The home team shall advice the Committee at which time a
date will be selected. The Committee will be responsible for advising the other
team of the rescheduled date.
9. The home team has the responsibility to
set out the diamond including the placement of mats and bases.
10. No metal or plastic spikes are permitted
during the game, either on offense or defense. Non-metal soccer cleats are
acceptable.
11. No body contact is allowed. The umpire will
resolve any disputes, which arise during a game. If the contact is considered
to be deliberate, the umpire shall eject the player from the game. If any
altercation arises during a game, the umpire may, at his/her discretion, eject
any or all participants in the altercation. In any event, the umpire shall
submit a written report on any such incident to the League Executive. The
report will be reviewed by the Discipline Committee, which will decide what
further action, if any, is required. As part of their review, the Discipline
Committee may require representations to be made by the players involved before
making a decision.
Any ejection will result in an automatic one game suspension (next
scheduled season or playoff game) for the player(s) involved and a review by
the disciplinary committee which may result in additional penalties. Player(s) cannot play for any other team
until their suspension(s) have been served.
12. For each game, the home team will supply a
new ball and a second used ball.
Unless otherwise designated
only Grey Dot 40 balls will be used.
13. Courtesy runner, a team may use a maximum of
five (5) courtesy runners per game. The courtesy runner must be a roster player
and cannot have previously been used as a courtesy runner during this game. The
courtesy runner must be announced to the umpire at home plate before he takes
his place on the base. If the courtesy runner is due up to bat the team may
substitute with another courtesy runner.
However, if this cannot be implemented (e.g. all five courtesy runners
have been utilized) the courtesy runner due up is out but remains on base and
the next batter in the line-up is due up.
14. Carded Slo-Pitch Ontario or Slo-Pitch
National umpires will umpire every game for the League. For Playoffs – 2 umpires will be used in all elimination
games.
15. Games will be 1 hour and 25 minutes. If the home team is at bat and leading or
tied at curfew the game will end and the score will stand. If the home team is
behind at curfew and have not completed their own at bats, the score will
revert back to the last complete inning.
Umpires are required to announce the starting and
end times of the game to both team reps/coaches at the beginning of the
game.
Games cannot exceed their scheduled end time
regardless of how many minutes have been played. Games scheduled to start
at 5:00 p.m. must end at 6:25 p.m.,
6:30 p.m. games
at 7:55 p.m.,
8:00 p.m. games
at 9:25 p.m. and
9:30 p.m. games
at 10:55 p.m.
16. If after fifteen (15) minutes past the
starting time, a legal team cannot be fielded; the game shall be
defaulted.
17. In the event that you are aware you will not
be able to field a team, notify the opposing team representative and the
Statistics and Media Committee at least 48 hours prior to the game. This will
be considered a cancelled game, still a 7-0 loss, with no financial penalty to
the team, which cancels.
18. Each team is allowed a maximum of one
default game (less than 48 hours notice) with no financial penalty. Subsequent
default games will cost the defaulting team $40 per default, payable to the
Whitby Men’s Slo-Pitch League. All owed money must be paid prior to the
playoffs; otherwise the team will not be permitted to play in the playoff
championship tournament.
19. Alcoholic beverages will not be consumed
before, during, or after any games on park premises. Players found drinking on
park premises and reported to the League Executive are subject to an immediate
and automatic suspension as follows:
a) First offense - suspended for the
next 5 consecutive games on the team schedule.
b) Second offense - suspended for the
balance of the season including playoffs.
c) Third offense - life suspension from
the Whitby Men’s Slo-Pitch League.
These offenses are cumulative from one
year to the next. In each case the individual involved may appeal the suspension, however, if the appeal is not successful, the
suspension will stand.
20. Offensive
and defensive players will obey the following:
Commitment Line - A line in
foul territory drawn 21 feet from the back of home
plate and perpendicular to the third base line. When a runner crosses this line
by touching the ground beyond the line but does not reach home plate, he shall
be called out when a defensive player in contact with home plate legally holds
the ball. Runners, who have not crossed the line or who cross the line but must
tag up on a caught fly ball, may return to third base with liability to be put
out.
Safe Line - A line drawn in
foul territory starting at the top left-hand corner of home plate perpendicular
to the third base line. A runner attempting to reach home must do so by
touching the ground in foul territory on or beyond the SAFE LINE. Sliding into
home plate is not allowed. The runner is out if he touches home plate or the
mat whether or not a play is being made. A runner is not out if the plate is
touched in an attempt to avoid a collision.
21. The only acceptable jewelry is a Medic Alert and a wedding
band otherwise the player is not allowed to play offensively or defensively.
22. Home run rule: The league has a 2-plus
home run rule. This means once a team has hit 2 home runs they cannot hit
another until the opposing team hits one.
If the opposing team has not hit one and the team with the home runs
hits a ball over the fence it will be considered a single walk. All runners will not advance one base unless forced.
Balls deflected over the
fence by a fielder is considered a 4-base award and not a home run and
therefore would not count toward the home run total and would not be a single walk if applicable.
Inside-the-park home runs will not count toward the home run total in the
application of the 2-plus rule.
A ball hit over the fence as a single walk will count toward the individual player’s
season home run total.
Homeruns Hit by Pick-up Players will not count towards the individual's
HR Totals, nor will they be applied to any team’s HR Totals.
.
A batter shall
be ejected from the game if he is discovered to be using an altered bat or a
non-approved bat after entering the batter's box. The ejected player is
suspended for the remainder of the tournament with a review by the Disciplinary
Committee. A second offence will result in a minimum of one year suspension.
Note: An altered bat is one that has had its physical
structure changed, including, but not limited to
1. The bat has had the
surface of the barrel or the taper changed in any way such as by sandpapering
or applying a solvent to the surface such as fingernail polish remover or by
any other means,
2. The bat has had the plug or the knob
removed/replaced or changed in any way,
3. The bat has had anything
removed or added or inserted to the inside or outside of the bat other than
tape at the handle or knob.
4. The bat has been repainted.
Other examples
of an altered bat would be changing or replacing manufacturers' markings or
replacing the handle of the metal bat with a wooden handle.
Cracked, worn,
or damaged bats are not altered bats, but will be removed from play. Such
cracked, worn, or damaged bats will not result in a player suspension unless
the player returned the offending bat into play after it has been removed.