Overview of 2012 13 14 Pony League Rules File name: 2012 Pony League Rules.doc Cities represented: Huron Valley (5 teams) Huron Valley Director Matt Ownby Northville (4 teams) Northville Director Brian Izzo & Ian Hogan Novi (6 teams) Novi Director Tim Rush South Lyon (8 teams) South Lyon Director Greg Monteith The Leagues and Regions will look as follows: American League National League Huron Valley Region Novi Region HV #1 Novi #1 HV #2 Novi #2 HV #3 Novi #3 HV #4 Novi #4 HV #5 Novi #5 Novi #6 South Lyon Region Northville Region SL #1 Northville #1 SL #2 Northville #2 SL #3 Northville #3 SL #4 Northville #4 SL #5 SL #6 SL #7 SL #8
Schedules: a. Regular Season i. Interleague play can start by April 28 th and will conclude by June 30 th. ii. Each team will play 16 regular season games. iii. Each team will play, but is not limited to, 4 crossover games within their league, 2 home and 2 away. iv. Each team will play, if the respective league schedule and field availability allows, 1 game against a team from the other League. v. A 24 hour notification period is needed is a game is to be switched that does not fall into the rainout section below. Switching a game or field from the posted schedule must be communicated by phone and e-mail to the respected coaches and directors. Please refer to our coaches directory for all contact information. b. Regional Playoffs i. The regional playoff champions will be determined on or before June 30 th. c. Independence Day Break i. No interleague games are planned during the week of the Independence Day holiday (July 2 nd 8 th ). d. World Series i. The 4 Regional Playoff champions will participate in a single elimination World Series tournament the week of (July 9 th 14 th ). ii. In the first round, the National and American League Champions are determined by games involving the respective Regional Playoff Champions within each league. Games to be played Wednesday July 11 th at Northville. Exact location in Northville to be communicated prior to game. iii. The championship game will involve the National and American League Playoff winners. This game will be played on Saturday July 14 th. iv. A coin flip will determine the home team for each game. e. Rainout Procedure i. The league director for the home team is responsible for rescheduling any cancellation or suspended game. Directors should strive to reschedule games within 1 week of the original dates and shall notify the teams of the new dates and times. A rescheduled game date is binding on both teams. Failure of either team to comply with the new schedule will result in a forfeit. ii. (Northville) Weekday games played on Northville diamonds follow a procedure whereby Northville Parks & Rec may determine whether a game will be played. Details (including a hotline) will be posted at the league website: http://www.leaguelineup.com/information.asp?url=northville-baseball&catid=72263
Rules: Note: Unless otherwise stated, Official Baseball Rules apply Official Game Format Rules a. Player Minimum: Teams must begin play if they have 7 or more uniformed players. Teams must start with 7 must finish with at least 7 players. If both teams do not have enough uniformed players by the end of the 2 nd inning, a forfeit is recorded for both teams. Head coaches cannot waive this rule. Teams should complete forfeited games as scrimmages. Umpire(s) may, but are not required to, work forfeited games as scrimmages. Umpire(s) may, but are not required to, work forfeited games. The official start time may be delayed a maximum of 15 minutes if a team does not have the minimum 7 players to begin the game. b. Time Limit: 2 ½ hours (2 hour time limit for Northville Double-headers). i. No new inning can begin after the time limit has been reached ii. The time when the last out of an inning is made will be the start time for the next inning. iii. Under no circumstances will an inning in league play start after 10:30pm. c. Regulation Game i. No new inning can begin after the time limit has been reached. ii. If the score is tied at the end of a regulation game, extra innings will be played if the time limits for the game have not been reached. d. Official Game: will be 4 innings (or 3 ½ if the home team is ahead) e. Official Scorer: The home team will provide the official scorer. The visiting team also will provide its own scorer who will compare scoresheets throughout the game with the official scorer. The home team head coach will keep the official scoresheet for review, if requested, by the league commissioner. i. As a minimum, an official scoresheet must contain the following: 1. Date, time and place of game 2. First and last names and uniform numbers of all players 3. Number of innings pitched by each player f. Mercy Rule: If a team is leading an opponent by at least 12 runs after 5 complete innings (4 ½ if home team is leading), the team in the lead shall be declared the winner. g. Inning Run Limit: All inter-league games: 8 run max per inning for the first six innings, unlimited afterwards (if within the time limit rule) h. Rain Delays: All teams will abide by city umpire rules with respect to rain delays and or cancellations. (Northville 30min delay following thunder or lightning) i. Suspended Game: If a game cannot be completed prior to becoming official, it is considered a suspended game. i. League directors must be notified of a suspended game promptly, so the game can be rescheduled. ii. When resumed, a suspended game will be played as a new game (i.e. no record is used from the incomplete game previously played). j. Field: bases 80 ft; Pitching = 54ft
Player Participation Rules a. Age i. Maximum: Participating players must be born on or after 5-1-97. Exceptions may include a developmental disability waiver and are subject to the discretion of the directors. b. Uniformed players in attendance at the start of the game will: i. Hit according to a batting order submitted to the official scorer prior to the start of the game, irrespective of whether they are playing in the field. ii. Sit (not play in the field) a maximum of two consecutive innings. (South Lyon be scheduled to play a minimum of 2 innings by the end of the 4 th inning, and at least 3 innings prior to the 7 th inning. c. Defensive free substitution on applies except for the pitching position. d. Players arriving after a game starts: will be inserted into the batting order after the last hitter (at the bottom of the order). e. Injured Player: A player removed from the game, regardless of situation, (e.g. due to injury) will not have an official at bat recorded, and the next hitter in the order will become the batter with a count of no balls and no strikes. When / if the player is able to reenter the game, he will be placed in his original position in the batting order. f. Replacement Players: Teams are allowed to add a maximum of two players from within their league/city as replacements for a shortage of players so long as these players are not scheduled to play on the same day. They must wear their original team uniforms and must play one of the outfield positions and bat last in the order. This rule only applies when a team is short the nine players needed to field a complete team. In the event the team isn t short, invited players can still play in the game. Only exception to this rule is that a team will be capped at 9 players for the playoffs. g. Pitcher Re-entry: Once a pitcher has thrown a pitch, if he is removed, he will not be allowed to re-enter the game as a pitcher. h. Pitching restrictions: This will apply for regular season and playoffs. i. Maximum four innings per game ii. 36 hours rest between pitching appearances required if a player pitches four innings in one day. The time is based on the scheduled start times of a respective game iii. Players may pitch on consecutive days as long as they do not pitch more than 4 innings total in the consecutive day period. iv. Maximum ten innings per week v. An inning pitched: one pitch constitutes an inning pitched vi. Pitching logs should be kept so that they can be provided upon request.
Player Participation Rules a. Bat restrictions: i. The length of the bat can not exceed 34 inches and 2 ¾ inches in diameter at the thickest part. ii. The bat drop shall not be greater than: 1. All inter-league games: -8.5 If a player is found to be above these restrictions during the game the team will receive a warning from the umpire and the director must be notified. Any second occurrence during a game will result in the player being ejected, and a subsequent out recorded for their spot in the batting order for the remainder of the game. b. Spikes: No metal spikes will be allowed. i. If a player is found to be using metal spikes he will have the opportunity to change his shoes, but cannot return to the game until he has new shoes. c. Balks: One warning per pitcher per game. d. Sliding: Sliding on close plays is mandatory. If there is significant contact between the runner and the fielder, and the runner did not attempt to slide, he shall be automatically called out. If he does not slide, and there is no contact, the team shall be given a warning, and the next time it occurs, the runner is out. e. Throwing the bat: these rules are to limit the potential for injury, and assuming a slap on the wrist when a player has been injured is not right even if the violation was unintentional.. i. If a bat is thrown away from any fielder, then a warning is proper ii. If the thrown bat strikes a fielder or the umpire, the umpire should have the latitude to call the batter out at the conclusion of the play. iii. Any injury or second offense by the same player should result in an ejection. f. Courtesy Runners: At the coaches option, a catcher or pitcher on the base paths may be replaced anytime during the inning, the courtesy runner is to be the last recorded out by a player other than the pitcher or the catcher. g. Intentional Walks: will be indicated to the umpire who then will indicate that the batter take 1 st base, without having the pitcher throw 4 balls.
Rules Disputes a. Protests: League games may not be protested b. Penalties Official complaints may be written to the league directors. The directors will consider appropriate action on complains related to code of conduct and/or rules violations including player eligibility, player participation, pitcher eligibility, etc.. Complaints involving umpire decisions should be brought to the attention of the applicable league Director of Umpires for their prompt consideration. General Agreements a. Weekday games will begin at 6:00pm or 6:30pm (Northville DH to begin at 6:00pm. b. All home teams responsible for the umpire fees and baseballs. c. Home teams league director responsible for rescheduling of all make-up games. d. Standings, field locations and some game schedule information will be posted at: a. www.northville-baseball.com e. All ball/strike and judgement calls made by an umpire are final and will not be disputed. Head coaches may, however, ask for clarification of a call or calmly discuss the interpretation of a rule. The intent is for sportsmanlike conduct to prevail. ANY HEATED ARGUING SHALL NOT BE TOLERATED.