Rules & Reg's (updated 1/03/17) CAPE CORAL MEN S 45 PLUS SOFTBALL LEAGUE RULES AND REGULATIONS THE LEAGUE WILL PLAY UNDER THE OFFICAL ISA/SSUSA RULES & REGULATIONS, UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED BELOW: Senior bats will be allowed (ALL BATS with a 1.21 bpf or less are allowed) or bats having an ASA 2000, 2004 stamp. Anyone caught using illegal or tampered bats will be automatically be ejected from the game and will also be suspended for two additional games for the first offense. A second offense will result in a suspension for the balance of the current season and they will also be ineligible for the entire next season. A third offense will result in a lifetime ban. A 12 inch ball with COR of.44 and a compression rating of no more than 375 psi shall be used. STARTING TIMES: Umpire s and Managers will log in the official starting time before each game. The scheduled starting times will be determined by the Board. The second game starting time will be 5 minutes after the first game ends (If first game goes over time limit). FORFEITS: A team must have 6 team players at 10 minutes before game time to draw pool players. Less than 6 players, the game will be a forfeit PLAYER POOL: A : When a team has 7 to 9 players they can select up to 3 pool players When a team has 6 players they can select 3 players and play with 9 players. B. The pool selection will start 10 minutes before game C. A match system will be used to select pool players. All players will have a draft order number assigned. The missing players must have a match with the pool player selected.(within 1 round) Example; if a number 4 is missing the pool player can be a 3-10. If more than one team needs players, the pool players are used for the best match on either team. If the pool players are equal matches for two missing players the lower standings team will have first choice. ( cards are used to decide this in games 1-5) D. The manager must place his pool players at either catcher, 1st base or right field. E. The pool players will bat last. (first pool player selected will bat last and second pool player next to last. F. Late arriving players will be added to the batting order last. Pool players will be replaced by late arriving player they matched after the pool player has batted once. Late arriving players can play in the field as soon as they arrive.( Only evaluation pool
players will play for the entire game after late arriving players join the team) EVALUATION POOL PLAYERS: A new player to the league not assigned to a team and designated as an evaluation pool player is given preference in the pool for one game a night, they can match any draft number until evaluated and given a number. ( if the evaluation pool player wants to play a second game he will be treated as any other pool player and must take his chances in the card draw). Players must pay their league fees to be designated as an evaluation pool player. GAME TIME and TIES: All games will adhere to 1 hour and 15 minute time limit. Umpires should set their timer for 1 hour. Once the timer goes off that inning will be completed and one more inning will be played.( The open inning rule for the last inning will apply.) When the game is tied after 7 innings and before the time limit, the teams will play 1 extra inning. At the start of the extra inning, each team will place the last batter of the previous inning on second base in their half inning. This runner cannot have a pinch runner. Once an inning starts it will be completed. INJURED PLAYER S: When a team has only 10 players and one player is injured and cannot continue the game, that team can pick a replacement player. The opposing manager must approve. Every effort should be made to replace the injured player with a player of equal ability. The replacement player can play in the injured player s position or the next pool player position. The opposing manager must approve. When an injured player will be out for more than 4 games, he will be replaced as soon as an available player of equal ability comes forward. When the injured player returns he will be placed on his original team, and the pool player will return to the pool. A majority vote of the board will decide replacements. UNIFORMS: There will be a 2 week grace period at the beginning of each season for each team to assemble their uniforms After that a team may have only one player without a uniform without penalty. A second player missing a uniform will result in a 5 run penalty. Three or more players without uniforms will result in a forfeit. Altering a shirt is not permitted. Handkerchiefs or kerchiefs are not allowed on the head. Pool Players are exempt from the shirt rule. NOTE: During cold weather, a jacket may be worn over the uniform shirt. However, the umpire may check during the game to see the shirt. PLAYERS: All players must bat, unless injured. There will be no substitutions. All managers will see that all players in his line-up play at least 2 innings of the game in the field. There will be 9-10 players on defense. Teams may have 10-13 players on their team roster. COURTESY RUNNERS: Each team will be allowed 2 courtesy runners an inning. A player can only run once in an inning as a courtesy runner. Courtesy runners will only be allowed from 1st base. The courtesy runner is in the game when he touches the
base. When the courtesy runner is on base when his time comes to bat, he will be removed and an out will be charged to the team. That courtesy runner will bat in normal batting order. Anyone on the team roster may be a courtesy runner. A pool player may not be a courtesy runner but may be ran for. RUNNERS: A runner that goes into second or third base on a force play must slide or yield. RUN LIMIT: Each team will only be allowed to score 7 runs in each inning except the 6 th and 7 th. In the 6 th the team that is behind will be allowed to catch up - tie the score. The 7 th inning will be an open inning for both teams. MERCY RULE: There will be a mercy rule of 20 runs after 4 innings or 15 runs after 5 innings. THE MAT: The 45+ softball league will use a mat behind the original home plate. When a pitch hits either the original home plate or the mat it will be a strike. The league will use the 1 and 1 count on each batter with no courtesy foul. On a play at home the catcher will be allowed to have his foot on home plate or the mat for a put out. Pitch height will be 6' to 12' high. DRAFT: Before each season the league will hold a player draft. The board will decide what round each manager will go in. The majority will rule. If a team sponsor is also a player, he will be placed on the team that he sponsors (if he wishes) and the board will decide which round the manager will pick that player. The board will set the number of players on a team (10-11-12-13) before each season. All applications above the number set by the board will be placed in standby if they so request. The managers will hold a draft and pick 10-13 players, if available for each team. QUITING: When a player notifies his manager that he is quitting, the manager may request a replacement player. A board member not associated with that team will verify the player leaving from the league. When a player quits he must wait until the next season to come back and may return only with approval of the Board of Directors. NEW PLAYERS: All new players must show their driver license for age verification in order to play in the league. Players must turn at least 45 in the year in which they play. MANAGERS: Each team manager or his appointed representative will determine the batting order and playing position of each of his players. The manager should try to play each player on his team on defense for at least 2 innings each game. CASUAL PROFANITY: Casual profanity pertains to expletives and verbal unsportsmanlike language not necessarily directed at an umpire or opposing players, but are most likely a player uttering them out of frustration. a. This type of behavior is penalized by outs declared against the offending team. b. The first offense will be an out continued offenses will also warrant ejection. c. If the team is at bat and un-sportsmanlike words are used, the next batter will be called out.
d. If the act is committed by the defensive team, the first person to bat in the next inning will be called out. e. The outs will be treated as a dead ball situation. f. If the violation occurs in the bottom of the last inning, where the fielding team may not bat again, the ejection rule will be applied. If a team has an eligible substitute, they can continue the game. The team can also continue with 9 players -with an out being recorded each time for the ejected player(s) time at bat g. A game may be ended by a casual profanity out. h. All other verbal un-sportsman like language directed at umpires and/or opposing players should warrant an ejection. SMOKING & DRINKING ALCOHOL: There will be no smoking on the playing field or team dugouts. No alcohol will be allowed on the Complex grounds. DISPUTED CALLS: Only the manager or his designated representative (in his absence) will be allowed to question an umpire s call. FIRST BASE: When the batter-runner hits the ball and there is a play being made on him, he must touch the orange base or he will be called out. When the defensive player is on or blocking the double bag, the batter-runner does not have to touch the double bag. There will be no sliding into first base by the batter-runner. THIRD BASE: Once a runner s foot touches or goes beyond the commitment line, the runner may not return to third base. He is out if he does. HOME PLATE: There will be a second home plate 8 from the original home plate. The runner must touch the second home plate. If he touches the original home plate he will be called out. The catcher must be on the original home when there is a play at home. The catcher cannot tag the runner after he passes the commitment line. When the catcher blocks or is on the second home plate the runner does not have to touch the second plate he will be safe. Any runner that slides at home plate will be called out. PITCHER S BOX: A pitcher s box will be 6 behind the pitching rubber and the width of the pitching rubber. The pitcher must have 1 foot within the pitcher s box when he releases the ball. PITCHER S SCREEN: The screen will be mandatory and will be placed placed in front of and slightly to the glove side of the pitcher. Any batted ball hitting the screen will be counted as a strike (treated the same as a foul ball). After strike two a ball that hits the screen will be considered a dead ball, it will not count as strike three. HOME RUNS: There will be a '3 up' home run limit. Any proceeding home runs will be considered a walk until the other team hits a home run. Once the other team hits a home run the team will be allowed to hit another. The rule simply put is no team can ever be more than 3 home runs ahead of the other. INTENTIONAL WALKS: Before the 6 th inning a batter cannot be walked unless he has been thrown a strike. If a batter is thrown 4 balls without a strike it is his option to take the walk or continue to bat until a strike is thrown. After 6 intentional balls, in
the opinion of the umpire, the batter will be given the equivalent of a ground rule double with all base runners advancing two bases. Intentional walks can be given in the 6-7 innings. WARM UPS: There will be no warm ups in the infield after the first inning. LINE-UP CARDS: Teams must exchange starting lineups prior to the game. Lineups must be filled out properly with the player s last name, first initial, team name, and date. The game will not start until the lineups have been exchanged and given to the umpire. SCORE BOOKS: The home team will keep the official score book for the game. RAIN-OUTS: The rain-out number to call is 574-0595. Games will be moved to another park, if possible. PROTEST: Must be filed by 4:00 pm the day following the game being protested. The protest must be in writing, stating what rule and section from the Official Rules & Regulations is being contested. The protest will not be accept without a $25.00 cash deposit. Deposit will be returned only if the protest is ruled in favor of the team protesting. This must be presented to a member of the Board of Directors by the manager of the protesting team. EJECTION/SUSPENSION FROM OTHER LEAGUES: Any person or team ejected, suspended, sanction, barred, etc. from participation in any other league or sanctioning body (league) shall be likewise suspended from participation in all the City of Cape Coral Leagues until the suspension from the other leagues expire. (a) This rule goes into effect immediately upon receipt by the league of a written Or verbal notice of suspension by the suspending league. (b) Any person or team playing in the league while suspended from another league is an illegal person or team, subjecting games played to possible forfeit. This is true only after the league has been notified of the suspension by the suspending league. (c) No team or player is due a refund of league fees paid for any games not played due to suspensions. (d) When one player is ejected for any reason, that player will be removed from that game and suspended for the next game that is played. (minimum) The game that player was ejected from, an out will be given when that player is due to bat. When 2 players are ejected that are on the same team, the game will end in a forfeit. The 2 players will be suspended for the next game that is played. (minimum) SUSPENSIONS OR EXPULSIONS FROM THE CITY LEAGUE: Any behavior, which threatens any player, coaches, employee, or umpire by unsportsmanlike conduct. EXAMPLE: Throwing the bat or making verbal threats. (a) Use of profane language. (b) A person in an intoxicated condition. (c) Physical contact with an umpire. (d) Fighting with another player or spectator. The above condition constitutes Ejection s, Suspension s or Expulsions.
LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP: Upon completion of the regular season, there will be a 4- team playoff for the championship. 1 st place vs 4 th place, and 2 nd vs 3 rd, with the winners playing for the championship. In the case of a tie: the first tie breaker will be head to head results, the second tie breaker will be the least amount of runs scored against, and the third tie breaker will be the most runs scored. During the play-offs the pool will consist of only those players chosen in the sixth round or higher ie: rounds 6-12 and from those teams not making the play-offs. The board will decide any and all situations that may arise, that are not covered in the SSUSA or ISA rules and regulations and/or League Rules. PLAYER ASSISTANCE: Any player needing financial help to play in the league can receive assistance by a vote of the board