Florida Prospect League Rules FALL 2011 I ELIGIBILITY and ROSTERS TEAM/PLAYERS/COACHES 1. Each team must register their team online at www.floridaprospectleague.com and pay the league fee if applicable. 2. Each team will have an insurance coverage with a coverage of $10,000,000.00 through AAU membership 3. Failure to show proof of insurance will result in suspension from league until proof of insurance is obtained 4. Teams must have 9 players to start all games 5. Each team will be permitted to roster up to 15 players 6. Each team must submit their roster online within 24 hours prior to their first game of the season 7. Teams may add players to their roster throughout the season and players listed on a team roster by September 15 th 2011 will be eligible to participate in the league playoffs but players added after September 15 th 2011 will not be eligible to participate in the league playoffs 8. Players must have played in at least half of the team s games in order to play in the league playoffs. 9. Each player must register online with AAU Sports at www.aausports.org 10. A player s age is set as of May 1 st 2012 11. A player can be listed on two rosters as long as they are not in the same age division 12. A player can play up (i.e. a 10U player can play on an 11U team) but can not play down (i.e. a 10U player can not play on a 9U team) 13. A player playing in 2 age divisions is eligible to play for both teams in the playoffs if both teams advance to the playoffs in their respective age divisions 14. If a player quits a team or is thrown off a team he is not eligible to play on a team in the same age division during the current season 15. Copies of birth certificates, passports or resident alien cards are required by all players on FPL team rosters and submitted to the league prior to the first game of the season or prior to a player being eligible to compete in an FPL game 16. Coaches must obtain an AAU membership prior to being allowed in a dugout or on the field for an FPL game
II Manager/Coach/Umpire Responsibility 1. Manager/Head Coach is responsible for knowing the rules 2. Manager/Head Coach is responsible to maintain a team book which should include (but not limited to) copies of players birth certificates, insurance certificate, roster s, etc. 3. Coaches attire should match or be consistent with the team uniform 4. The Official Scorekeeper for a game will be the Home Plate Umpire/Umpire in Charge. It is recommended that each team still maintains its own scorebook but he umpire-in-charge will maintain the Official Game Sheet. The OFFICIAL GAME SHEET must be filled out prior to each game by both Managers. FULL NAME (last and first name) of all players (starting line-up and substitutes) and uniform number, with position MUST be listed prior to game. The umpire in charge will then maintain the Official Game Sheet throughout the game and then each manager and both umpires must sign the GAME SHEET at the conclusion of the game. 5. Manager/Head Coach for the home team is responsible for submitting the Official Game Sheet to the league within 24 hours after a game has finished via email to scores@floridaprospectleague.com or fax to 888-341-2696. 6. Manager/Head Coach for the home team is responsible for Reporting a Score via the league website within 12 hours after a game has finished 7. All schedules must be submitted to the league prior to the first game of the season. 8. The schedules will lock on September 15, 2011 9. It is the Managers responsibility to reschedule games due to rain outs and must be done within 48 hours of original game date 10. Home Manager must notify Visiting Manager at least 3 hours prior to the start of a game regarding field conditions and local weather conditions 11. It is the Umpire in Charge s responsibility to call a game due to weather or field conditions 12. If a game is called due to weather during the course of a game (and the game is not yet official ) the game will be rescheduled and will start from the beginning of the game 13. Managers are responsible to have pitch counters at the game in the dugout. Pitch counts will only count from an approved manager or coach (not from someone in the stands) 14. Pitch counts should be compared every inning between the two teams to avoid discrepancies III EJECTIONS 1. 1 st Occurrence: Player or Coach suspended for the remainder of the game 2. 2 nd Occurrence: Player or Coach suspended for the remainder of the game plus the next league game 3. 3 rd Occurrence: Player or Coach suspended for the remainder of the season
IV RAIN POLICY 1. Home team should notify the visiting team at least 3 hours prior to the start of the game to determine if the weather conditions will allow for the game to commence 2. If rain occurs during the game and the umpire calls the game and the game did not reach official status, the game will be rescheduled and will be played over from the start 3. If rain occurs during the game and the umpire calls the game and the game did reach official status the game will be considered complete 4. 9U-12U games are considered official if 4 innings have been completed (3 ½ innings if home team is ahead) 5. 13U-14U games are considered official if 5 innings have been completed (4 ½ innings if home team is ahead) V FORFEITS 1. The National High School Federation rule shall apply and AAU tournament officials shall administer the rule so that any team which causes a forfeit will not benefit and may not advance to bracket play unless the tournament committee determines there were extenuating circumstances causing the forfeit. 2. The offended team shall be credited with a win, but runs scored and runs allowed will be based only on actual games played. 3. Teams or coaches who fail to compete in all scheduled games are subject to sanctions, which may include suspension from current and future national championship play. VI PROTESTS 1. Protests must be made verbally with the umpire in charge at the time of the play and prior to the next pitch. The protest must be acknowledged by the umpire in charge. 2. The protest fee is $100.00 per protest 3. Protests must be submitted to the league via email to info@floridaprospectleague.com 4. A decision on the protest will come in 3 business days and will be final 5. Protest will only be allowed for a rule in question or a players age
VII RULES OF CONDUCT 1. Only the Manager, coaches and players in full uniform are allowed in the dugouts or on the field. 2. Only the Manager may discuss any play or rule with the umpires. If a coach argues with an umpire he/she will be automatically ejected from the game. 3. Air horns, bells or any other artificial noise makers are prohibited during games. 4. Smoking is not allowed during games. 5. Alcohol or illegal substances are not allowed during games (including in the parking lots). 6. Dugouts are to be cleaned at the end of each game. 7. Any adult who gets in a physical altercation on or off the field, before, during or after a game, will be suspended indefinitely (a minimum of one year) from the league. If the league deems the incident involved more than one individual, severe penalties shall be invoked up to and including the removal of the team from the league without refund or recourse. 8. Any fan who becomes unruly or uses abusive language towards players, umpires, coaches, league officials or other fans will be asked to leave the premises (including the parking lots), and may be suspended as determined by the league. Coaches will be held responsible for their players and fans, and are required to assist in the enforcement of this and all rules. VIII GAME PROCEDURES 1. Teams who have their own fields will choose their dugout 2. Each team must give 2 new baseballs to the umpire prior to the start of a game 3. When a game is played at a neutral location the home team will be in the 1 st Base side dugout 4. Official Game Sheet will be filled out and turned into the umpire in charge at home plate meeting prior to game and will be supplied by the home team 5. All starters and subs must be listed on the official game sheet prior to game time to be eligible for play 6. When playing a double header, each team will be home team once during the day 7. Teams can choose to play one 9 inning game instead of two 6 inning games IX SPECIAL RULES 1. A runner for the catcher must be used with two outs 2. The batters and runners must use double ear flap helmets 3. All players must be in full uniform to be eligible to play in a game. This includes socks, shirt, pants, cap and cup 4. Metal cleats are permitted at only 12U-14U 5. Butcher Boy only allowed at 14U age division 6. Stealing home, suicide squeeze or bunting with runner on 3 rd base allowed at 12U-14U age divisions
7. When a team is leading by 7 runs, they may not steal. They can advance on a pass ball or wild pitch 8. Players advancing to second or any other base with intent to break-up a double play must slide directly into the bag. If a runner goes in standing up and a play is being made on him, and he makes contact with the defensive player, he will be declared out. All calls regarding rough play, sliding, etc., shall be judgment calls of the umpires. Penalty: Runner is out and the ball is dead. All runners must return to the last base they legally had advanced to prior to the infraction. While a head first slide should be discouraged it is not against the rules. 9. Bat size shall not be limited by the High School Baseball Rules published by the National Federation of State High Schools (NFHS) regarding bat specifications. However, the AAU reserves the right to ban any bat at its sole discretion and without prior notice. 10. EXTRA PLAYER (EP) AND/OR DESIGNATED HITTER (DH) 11. At the beginning of a game, either the EP and and/or the DH may be elected. 12. The Designated Hitter (DH) provision as covered in the rulebook published by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) applies. 13. The Extra Player (EP) is listed in the batting order and may assume any of the nine defensive positions (including pitcher) without being counted as a substitution. 14. Under all of the following options, there are never more than the standard nine defensive positions. 15. Use neither DH nor EP: Nine (9) players in the batting order and the same nine (9) players on defense. 16. Use only the DH, and not the EP: Nine (9) players in the batting order, one of which is replaced by another line up player on defense. 17. Use only the EP, and not the DH: Ten (10) players in the batting order, of which nine play on defense. 18. Tie Breaker Rules: Proceed to extra inning. To start each extra inning of a tied game, place the last recorded out on second base, play each extra inning until 3 outs are recorded. Play continues until a winner is declared X AGE SPECIFIC RULES 1. 9U- 40 pitches per day and 80 per week 2. 10U- 45 pitches per day and 90 per week 3. 11U- 50 pitches per day and 100 per week 4. 12U- 60 pitches per day and 100 per week 5. 13U- 65 pitches per day and 120 per week 6. 14U- 70 pitches per day and 130 per week
AGE SPECIFIC RULES CONT D 7. 9U pitchers will get 1 balk warning and instruction. Each subsequent balk will result in the runner advancing 8. 10U and above there will be no balk warning 9. 9U-12U no new inning will start after 2 hours 10. 13U-14U no new inning will start after 2 hours and 15 minutes 11. Mercy Rule (6 inning games)15 after 3, 12 after 4 and 10 runs after 5 12. Mercy Rule (7 inning game) 15 after 3, 12 after 4 and 8 after 5 BASES and PITCHING DISTANCES and INNINGS by AGE AGE DIVISION BASES DISTANCE PITCHING DISTANCE GAME LENGTH 9U 60/65 Feet 44-46 Feet 6 innings 10U 60/65 Feet 44-46 Feet 6 innings 11U 70 Feet 48-50 Feet 6 innings 12U 70 Feet 48-50 Feet 6 innings 13U 80 Feet 54 Feet 6 innings 14U 90 Feet 60 Feet 6 Inches 7 innings If pitching distances or bases are not the above distances, it is the responsibility of the home manager to notify the visiting manager at least 24 hours in advance. If visiting team was not notified at least 24 hours in advance, the visiting team can protest the game but must play the game (under protest)