Mays Family YMCA Baseball Rules I. Basis Mays Family YMCA baseball league baseball rules are adopted by the youth sports committee. The Mays Family YMCA Baseball league will follow High School federation and the following amended rules. II. Coaches a. A team is allowed to have a minimum of 2 coaches and a maximum of 3 coaches present on the field. No Coaches other than the 1 st and 3 rd base coach are allowed on the field. b. Teams are required to have both bases coached by adult coaches. c. Any coach who touches or in any way aids one of his team players shall cause the player to be called out and the ball dead. A batted home run is a deadball and base coaches are allowed to congratulate players when rounding the bases. d. No coach should enter the playing field except for injury and on official visits to the mound. The mound meeting shall limited to time at the umpires discretion. III. IV. Teams and players a. Coaches will need to bring a copy of their official rosters to the field for referencing if needed. Coaches playing an unregistered player will result in immediate forfeit of the game and 1 game suspension pending investigation. b. All players batting and base running must wear a helmet. c. No throwing the bat rule: one warning (per team, per game) a coach must be notified that any player may be called out for throwing a bat. The warning can be forgone by the official if he feels that it was blatant and was meant to cause injury. d. Players warming up pitcher must wear protective catcher s mask. Game time rules a. The following leagues will use the following rules for game duration: League # of innings Time limit Run limit per inning 10 run rule after... A 6 1 hr. 30 minutes 5 3 ½ or 4 AA 6 1 hr. 45 minutes 5 3 ½ or 4 AAA 7 1 hr. 45 minutes none 4 ½ or 5 b. Single A-No new inning will start after the one hour and twenty minute mark. Double A- No new inning will start after the one hour and thirty five minute mark. Triple A- No new inning will start after the one hour and thirty five minute mark.
The official game time is after the conclusion of the parent s pledge. Innings start after the third batter of the previous inning is out. c. All YMCA teams will bat a continuous lineup. All players present will be placed into a lineup and the lineup will not change throughout the course of the game with the exception of an injury and a player leaving early. If a player does leave the game early, due to ejection or voluntarily, their spot in the lineup will be skipped with an out being charged. (Excluding Injury) d. All teams will free substitute in the field with the exception of the pitcher. Once a player has been removed from the pitcher position, they cannot reenter as a pitcher. e. Bunting will be allowed. f. There will be no third strike rule in Single A. Third strike rule will apply in Double A & Triple A. V. Pitching rules a. Any player on the roster can pitch. b. Players can pitch a maximum of 3 innings per game and 6 innings per week. Any player that pitches in 3 or less innings is required to have 24 hours rest from gametime to gametime. For example, if a team s game starts on Friday at 7:00pm, the pitchers used in that game can t pitch unless their next game is at 7:00pm on Saturday or later. Any player that pitches 4 innings must rest 72 hours from gametime to gametime. For example, if a team s game starts on Friday at 7:00pm, the pitchers used in that game can t pitch unless their next game is at 7:00pm on Monday or later. Monday through Sunday represents a week. c. No more than 5 pitchers can be used from a team in a single game. Exception: In the case of an injury to the 5 th pitcher. i. The withdrawal of an ineligible pitcher after that pitcher has been entered into the game but before he has thrown a pitch shall not be a violation of the rules. d. If a pitcher hits 3 batters in an inning or 5 in a game, they will be required to be removed from the game. e. Balks will be called in AA & AAA. Warnings will be left up to the discretion of the umpire. (There will be progressive enforcement). f. A pitcher s undershirt cannot be exposed if it is white. g. The pitcher cannot wear a batting glove underneath their glove. h. Play is to halt once the pitcher has the ball on the mound (A only). Regular baseball rules apply otherwise (AA & AAA). VI. Schedules a. Regular season schedules shall be prepared by the Youth Sports Director. b. The schedule should provide no more than 3 games per week per team with the exception of weather related makeups. c. No inning shall start after 9:30pm. VII. Field Decorum & Spectator Code of Conduct a. The use of tobacco and alcoholic beverages is strictly banned from all YMCA events.
b. Teams and spectators are not allowed to cheer against any opposing players. Nothing negative will be allowed. Offenders can be ejected without warning. c. Any player, coach or spectator ejected will be suspended automatically from their next game and placed on one year probation. They must leave the property or the team will forfeit. d. Teams are allowed to play with 8 players. If any new players arrive after the start of the game, they will be added to the bottom of the lineup and start playing at once. i. If a player is ejected that spot in the lineup will count as an out. ii. If a player is injured that spot in the order will NOT count as an out. e. The playing field uses the following dimensions: Single A Double A Triple A From home to 2 nd base 84 ft. 10 inches 99 feet 113 ft 2 inches Distance between bases 60 ft. 70 ft. 80 ft. Home plate to pitcher s 46 ft. 48 ft. 54 ft. mound Bats shall be no more than 33 in. long 2 ¼ in diameter 33 in. long 2 ¾ in diameter or 2 1/4 34 in. long 2 ¾ in diameter Bats may be taped or fitted with a sleeve no more than 16 in. from the small end. No laminated bats shall be used. No softball bats shall be used. Illegal bats shall be removed. ALL BATS MUST MEET BBCORE RATING. VIII. Game preliminaries a. The YMCA will provide 3 game balls per game. Teams are responsible for retrieving foul balls. After 3 baseballs coaches are responsible for balls. b. The coach shall notify the umpire immediately upon the arrival of a late player. The umpire will then notify the opposing coach and the official scorekeeper. c. Both teams will provide one able adult to keep the official scorebook and scoreboard. d. The Sports Director will be the sole judge of weather cancellation. In the event of a cancellation if half the game is played we will not make it up. e. No equipment will be left on the playing fields and should be left in the dugout. Teams will be issued a warning. Play will stop until equipment is removed. f. No one with the exception of players, coaches, officials and YMCA staff shall be allowed on the field during play. (time called) g. Teams shall exchange lineups before the game and give a copy of their lineup to the official scorekeeper. h. Lineups shall include numbers, player s full names and their starting defensive positions. i. Games can end in a tie.
IX. Base runners a. The AA and AAA league is the only league that is allowed to use open bases.(lead offs for base runners will be allowed for AA and AAA only). b. Single A league runners are not allowed to leave the base until the ball crosses the plate. A team will have one warning per team if the player leaves the base early. After a team warning has been give, the offending team will be called out on the next violation. c. Courtesy runner the last recorded out may pinch run for the catcher whenever the catcher is on base. This is a mandatory substitution when there are two outs. d. There is no head first slide allowed. Players will be allowed to dive back to a bag head first, but cannot slide headfirst when advancing to another base. e. Runner cannot collide, lower shoulder or shove any player when approaching base. X. Uniforms: a. All players must wear YMCA issued uniforms. Any team not in proper YMCA uniform will forfeit the game. Any individual player not in proper YMCA uniform will not be permitted to play in the game. b. All players shall wear numbered uniforms and caps identical in color, trim and style. Players must also wear long pants. c. A pitcher s undershirt cannot be exposed if it is white. d. The pitcher cannot wear a batting glove underneath their glove. e. Pitchers cannot use 1 st Baseman mitt or glove with white on the exterior leather. f. Metal spikes are not allowed in any age group. g. No jewelry or watches are allowed to be worn. h. Catchers must wear a catcher s mitt. i. We require that all pitchers and catchers wear protective cups. We also recommend that all players wear a protective cup, especially the infielders. XI. Forfeits a. Forfeits will be called by the umpire in chief if the following occurs: i. A team cannot field 8 players within 10 minutes of the appointed time. ii. The game will be permitted to continue by borrowing players from the opposing team (with the agreement of both team s coaches). Games forfeited or played with barrowed players will not be made up. iii. A team refuses play. iv. A team fails to obey within reasonable time an umpires order to remove a player from the game. v. A team employs tactics to delay or shorten a game. vi. After one warning a team continues to violate any rule of the game.
XII. Practicing a. Teams will be permitted to practice no more than two times per week. YMCA will only provide one, one hour practice per week. If a team chooses to practice twice a week it will be the coach s responsibility to secure a second practice site. I understand that the goal of the Mays Family YMCA youth sports program is to help the child grow to his/her fullest potential in spirit, mind, and body: activity helps the body grow; thinking advances the mind; and belief makes our spirit grow. I additionally understand that the key that holds the Mays Family YMCA youth sports program in line is the coaches and parents keeping winning in perspective and focusing on the development of the child. Coaching Behavior: Unsportsmanlike conduct of the players, coaches or spectators will not be tolerated. Any player, coach or spectator ejected will be suspended for at least one (1) game and will be placed on one (1) year probation. If ejected again during the probation, that person will be removed from the program. All violations will be documented and referred to the Youth Sports Committee. XIV: Safety I. Players Wearing Cast: In order to protect the safety of all players in the baseball program, any participant wearing a cast will be prohibited from participating in YMCA games or practices. Exceptions will be granted with approval from the Executive Director and documented approval from a Doctor. II. III. No throwing the bat rule: one warning (per team, per game) a coach must be notified that any player may be called out for throwing a bat. The warning can be forgone by the official if he feels that it was blatant and was meant to cause injury. Players must allow baserunners access to the base. Blocking a base can only take after the position player has caught the ball and not before ruling is determined by official/umpire. If an injured or bleeding player is discovered by the official while the ball is dead, the clock is stopped. The player shall be replaced for at least one down, unless the half time or an overtime intermission occurs. This is an official s time-out. If the official discovers a player who is bleeding, has an open wound, or has an excessive amount of blood on his uniform, play will be stopped after the play in progress has ended. After play has stopped, Rule 1 applies.
XV: Officiating: 1. The umpire will call balls and strikes from behind the catcher. Unless there is only one umpire. There will always be one certified umpire on the field. YMCA Staff may step in to umpire. 2. No Contesting Balls and Strikes 3. No Challenging called outs on the field. Please remember the Mays Family YMCA philosophy: Second The Child First, Sport