ALLOUEZ PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT 2015 Men's Summer Adult Softball League General Rules & Regulations

Transcription

1 ALLOUEZ PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT 2015 Men's Summer Adult Softball League General Rules & Regulations Eligibility Players must be at least 18 years of age or older by June 5, The roster must contain a minimum of 12 paid players. New players may be added to the roster until Friday, June 5, A team can only add players after the deadline of June 5, 2015, if the team falls below 12 players. Players may participate on more than one team on the same night if the two teams are in separate divisions. Players can also participate on more than one team on different nights in the Allouez League. To be eligible, a new player fee is to be paid for each team he wishes to play with. For the Monday Over-30 league, a team may have player(s) under age 30 years; however that player(s) must turn 30 years of age by June 5, 2015, to be eligible. Once a player fee is paid, there will be no refund. A transfer of fee paid for by a player can be transferred only up to June 5, The Parks Department must be notified. The manager is the official team representative to the Parks Department and he must release a player in writing before a player may sign with another team (an additional player fee will be charged for the change and this must be done before the league deadline for player additions). Any change in a manager or a manager's address, telephone number, etc., must be reported to the Parks Department. Fees Sponsor Fee: $ Player Fees: $25.00/Allouez Residents, $35.00/Non-residents Game Format The 2015 ASA Rules for Slowpitch will be the official rule book with local adaptations as stated below. Each game will consist of seven innings or one hour unless after 50 minutes of playing time, one team is ahead by 10 or more runs, they shall be declared the winner regardless of the number of innings played. The team which is losing in this situation will only be allowed to finish their inning if they are at bat. There will be no run rule or time limit for the tournament championship game. Games will have a one-hour time limit. Five full innings constitutes a game. No new inning may begin after one hour of playing time has elapsed. Green Isle games will play out tie games until a winner is determined. At unlighted diamonds (Langlade), darkness becomes a factor and the first game will maintain a one-hour time limit regardless of whether game is tied. Should this game then be a factor at the end of the season standings, the games shall be continued at that later time, until a winner is determined and the game will start where it had ended that evening. The second games at the unlighted diamond will be played out in the event of a tie subject to umpire discretion due to darkness. If a winner is not determined, the same rule will apply as in game one above. 1

2 Postponement of a game for time limit or weather is at the umpire's discretion. Lightning will be cause to postpone a game while it is occurring. This game will resume only at the discretion of the umpire(s). If not a complete game, a game called due to weather or darkness will be played from the point of interruption providing the game is a factor at the end of the season standings. Number of Players to Start a Game: Ten players constitute a full team. Eight players are needed to start a game. If your team does not have enough players to start the game, you have a 10 minute grace period. However, if you are ready to start the game within the 10 minute grace period, the game will start in the second inning and the team not having enough players will be down by five (5) runs. If, after 10 minutes, the team not having enough players to play will have to forfeit the game. Refer to Forfeit Rule. No exceptions. However, if your team obtains enough players within the 10 minutes, you may start the game (again in the 2nd inning and down by 5 runs), but you will only be allowed to play up to the hour time limit. The starting time for the game will be the time the game was supposed to begin (i.e. 6:00 p.m.) and NOT the actual time the teams start to play (unless the start time is delayed due to field conditions). Exception: If your game is at Green Isle Park, it will be the start time the official indicates. If the game is tied at the end of the hour time limit, please refer to the Game Format section for how this will be handled. A team may bat the entire roster, however, it must be declared at the beginning of the game when the line-up is presented. This will remain throughout the entire game. The team may freely substitute players defensively throughout the game but the batting order cannot be changed. If an injury should occur to a player, both team managers as well as the home plate umpire must agree to remove the injured player from the game and then not be charged an out each time the injured player is scheduled to bat. The injured player cannot return to the game if he does not bat. (Standard Play) Substitutions- All substitutions must be reported to the plate umpire who, in turn, will report the changes to the official scorekeeper. All substitute names and numbers should be listed on the official lineup card submitted to the plate umpire at the start of the game; however, if a player is not listed on the card and is on the official roster, he can be added after the game has begun. In addition, if there is a question regarding the validity of a player, this must be questioned by the end of the First Inning. If a substitution is in the game without reporting, he is considered an unreported substitute. If brought to the plate umpire s attention by the offended team after the first legal or illegal pitch and before the team in violation informs the umpire, the umpire will eject him from the game. (Refer to Rule 4, Section 6B for various situations.) All players are subject to the reentry rule of 6 consecutive outs. If a player leaves and cannot bat as indicated on the line-up, there is no reentry if he returns later. Violation of any substitution rule is handled as a protest by the offended team. In inclement weather (rain) it would be to the team s best interest to bring rakes and shovels to prepare the field for play at umpire's discretion. The Allouez Parks Department does not furnish these items to the umpire crew. The umpires will be the official timekeeper for the start of all games. 2

3 Protests: Protests on technicalities must be in writing by the manager and accompanied by a $15.00 fee which will be returned if the protest is upheld. The statement and fee must be turned in within 48 hours of the game in question. The home plate umpire must be notified at the time of the infraction. A protest should contain the date, time and place of the game as well as the names of umpires. Also include the rule and section of the official rule book under which the protest is made, and the decision and conditions surrounding the making of the decision. Be sure to report all essential facts and the teams involved. Rescheduling Games: All games scheduled are final. If a team is unable to make their scheduled game, it will be declared a forfeit. The Parks Department will not reschedule games due to a team unable to play because of lack of players, injuries, vacations, etc. Forfeit Rule 1st infraction /forfeit - no penalty to team 2nd infraction/forfeit - $15.00 fee to be paid before following week's game 3rd infraction/forfeit - Out of the League Any team owing forfeiture fees from the previous week must make arrangement with the Village of Allouez who will monitor fees for timely collection. Any collection program will be handled at discretion of the Parks Department. Any team owing forfeiture fees from the previous season will not be eligible to play in the league. Members from these teams will not be eligible to play on another team. Any team using an ineligible player will forfeit all games in which the player has participated. Players, managers and teams may be subject to exclusion the following season. See Forfeit Rule. A player is considered ineligible if: His address is incorrect. He is not registered in advance of the first game in which the player participates. A player's correct address is the one at which he resides at the time of the player registration. A player may be asked for official identification to prove residence at any time. The following is the procedure to follow if you think a player is ineligible: Before June 5, 2015/last day to add players. The Umpire has the authority to question any and all player s eligibility. The team scorekeeper will inform the home plate umpire of a possible ineligible player by the end of the first inning. The home plate umpire may ask to see identification and the umpire will indicate on the score card the name in question & whether I.D. was given or not. If identification does not match the name on the lineup ( a switch) or is not presented, the player will be considered ineligible & the team will forfeit the game, although they can still play it out if they choose. If there is a question as to whether a player is ineligible (is the name on the team roster?), when the lineup is turned into the office, it will be compared to the team roster. If the name is not on the team roster, the offending team will forfeit the game if they won, or an ineligible player notation will be made in the standings. The parks and recreation office will contact the two team managers with the results of the comparison. 3

4 After June 5, 2015 The Umpire has the authority to question any and all players eligibility. The team scorekeeper will inform the home plate umpire of a possible illegal player by the end of the third inning. The home plate umpire will ask to see identification and have the scorekeeper compare the lineup in question with the team roster. If the player is ineligible, the team can still play, but the game is lost by ineligible player forfeit. The umpire will note this on the score card. The above procedure will be followed. Let your players know they should have identification with them. Any act of unsportsmanlike conduct before, during or after a game, including the use of profane language or the use/prior use of controlled substances/alcoholic beverages, may cause removal of the offending player, coach or team from the playing area of the premises by the order of any working Parks personnel. Successive game offenses will result in player(s) or team being dropped from the league and forfeiture of all fees. Ejected Player - Any player(s) ejected from play must sit out the next scheduled game. If the game is rained out, the player(s) will then miss the next game scheduled. Drinking of all alcoholic beverages is prohibited in all parks except Green Isle Park. Drinking of alcoholic beverages is not permitted for anyone on the roster before or during the game. Violation will result in one warning. Further violation will result in forfeit. Under no circumstances shall any player or person other than the manager or the captain of either team have any legal right to protest on any decision and seek it's reversal on a claim that it is in conflict with these rules. ASA Rule 10, Sec 6. Ties: When necessary, the following methods will be used to break a tie: 1) Head-to-head competition (when the teams involved played one another & if time permits) 2) Least number of runs given up amongst teams involved 3) Least number of runs given up within the league 4) Coin flip A courtesy runner will be allowed - one per inning. If more than one courtesy runner is requested by a team, it will be up to the umpire s and the opposing team s manager s discretion. The courtesy runner must be the runner who made the last recorded out and must be entered prior to the first pitch to the succeeding batter. Teams will be allowed to use the field for warm-up at the discretion of the umpires, time permitting. If the field is in questionable condition, teams are to remain off until game time. Infield fly rule: Less than two outs, runners on 1st and 2nd or 1st, 2nd or 3rd, batter is automatically out on fair ball only. Runners advance at their own risk. Strike zone: Ball must land on or any part of the mat or plate to be a strike. The strike zone includes the white and black part of the plate. 4

5 Steel cleats are not to be worn. Bats: Only softball/asa and tagged with universal Greater Green Bay approved bats. - No bat over 34" or 2-1/2" in diameter. - Bats must have a safety grip or cork, tape or composition material. - No titanium bats allowed. The city of Green Bay and De Pere and the Village of Allouez, Ashwaubenon & Howard have cooperatively implemented the ASA banned bats. All bats used in these five communities MUST be tagged with the Official Greater Green Bay approved tag. Bats not tagged will be considered illegal and not allowed. No tagging will be conducted at any ball field. Once a bat is tagged, it is considered legal in the above mentioned communities. The ASA website for banned bats is: asasoftball.com. A legal pitch must attain a perceptible arch of 6 ft/minimum - there is no maximum height. An illegal pitch shall be called immediately when it becomes illegal. Hitter may swing at that pitch thus marking it legal. A pitcher may not jump while attempting to pitch the ball. Pitcher must take a position with both feet on the mound and with one or both feet in contact with the pitching rubber. The pitcher s pivot foot must be in contact with the pitching rubber throughout the delivery. An illegal pitch is called by the home plate umpire at his discretion. Sliding is permitted. However, any runner who intentionally "takes out" a defensive player by not sliding is automatically out, along with the batter. Player is out if they attempt to run over the catcher. Runners are always awarded two bases on overthrows which go out of play or become blocked. Regardless of who made the throw, two bases are awarded from the last base touched at the time the ball left the hand. If the ball is in play, runner (s) may advance at their own risk. Throwing of equipment (i.e.: bats, helmets, etc) is not permitted. Umpire will warn the entire team once. Next infraction will result in ejection from the game. Rain Cancellations: Before 4:00 p.m. The parks office will call and all team managers. We will also send out a message using rainedout. After 4:00 p.m. - If the officials decide to cancel, the umpire will call the team managers. Other than exceptions herein listed, the league will be governed by official ASA. 5