ISRAEL ASSOCIATION OF BASE
ALL
(Draft as of November 14, 2001)
EXCEPT AS MODIFIED (DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY,
EXPLICITLY OR IMPLICITLY) BY THE RULES SET FORTH BELOW, THE RULES SET FORTH IN
THE OFFICAL BASEBALL RULES ADOPTED BY THE PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL OFFICAL
PLAYING RULES COMMITTEE (LATEST EDITION), SHALL GOVERN ALL IAB SANCTIONED MINOR
LEAGUE PLAY
1. THE TEAM
1.1 AGE LIMIT -
Normally 8 to 10-year old, determined by age as
of December 31st of year of season. Upon the request of a coach addressed to
the relevant Regional Director, a Regional Director shall have the discretion
and authority to permit a 7 year old (but not less than 7) and/or an 11 year
old (but not older than 11) to play on a minor league team, considering safety,
physical development, experience and class in school. A 10 year old can play on
a Minor and Juvenile team provided the player is listed on both rosters when
he/she joins the Minor team. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the age limit (maximum of 10 years old) as of December 31st
of year of season, will determine the eligibility of a player to participate in
an end of season national all-star Minor League tournament, i.e., an 11 year old (by December 31st
of the season) who has played on a minor league team during the season will not
be eligible to play on the regional minor league all-star team. A violation of this rule will automatically
disqualify the offending team.
1.2 PLAYERS AND SUBSTITUTIONS - There shall
be free substitution (without the necessity of advising the other team or
umpire), subject to the following rules: (Amends rule 3.03)
1.2.1 There shall
be a minimum of 8 players and a maximum of 11 members of the defensive team on
the field; in the event of 8 players, there should be three or four players in
the infield (in addition to a catcher and fielding
pitcher) and two or three players in the outfield, at the discretion of the
coach. In the event of 10 or more there shall only
be six (6) in the infield including the fielding pitcher and catcher.
All the players on a team’s
line-up,
whether as starters or substitutes, should play
at least three outs in the field. (For this rule the meaning of "a team's
line-up" is all the players on the team roster that are attending the game
providing they are not injured). A team fielding less than 8
players shall be deemed to have forfeited the game from its commencement, but
should make an effort to play the game with player assistance from the other
team. If, during the course of a game, a team is unable, for any reason, to
continue to field the minimum of 8 players, that team will be deemed to have
forfeited the game regardless of the score at the time. (Coaches should not force an injured or unhealthy player to continue
just to keep the team from forfeiting.
The health and safety of the players are paramount.) (Amends rules 1.01 and 4.17)
1.2.2 All healthy members
on a team’s roster, in attendance, shall be in
the line-up and must bat. The batting
order may not be changed during the course of the game. A batting order card
containing the line-up of the
team shall be given to the umpire prior to the start of the game. The umpire must be notified if a player drops out of the batting order
due to injury or other legitimate reasons.
When a player drops out of the batting order the batting order
condenses. The drop-out player may
re-enter the order only in his original batting position. This rule may not be abused for the purpose
of improving the batting order. (Amends rule
4.04)
2. THE EQUIPMENT
2.1 Double-flap helmets
are required to be worn by batter, base runners and base coaches less than 14 years of age. Only regulation baseball (not
softball) bats (metal or wooden) are permitted. Catcher must wear helmet, face
mask with throat protector, shin guard and chest protector. It is recommended that male
catchers wear a cup, particularly when he squats down to catch. At the discretion of the
umpire, all jewellery should be removed prior to commencement of game. No metal
spikes are allowed - rubber cleats are permitted.
3. THE FIELD
3.1 DISTANCES BETWEEN BASES – 18.4 meters
(60 feet) (Amends rule 1.04)
3.2 PITCHERS CIRCLE - A pitcher’s circle should be chalk-lined on the field, the chalk-marked centre of which will be 12 meters from the
back of home plate; the
radius of the circle shall be one and one half (1.5) meters; i.e. the front of
the circle should be 10.5 meters from the back of home plate and the back of the circle should be 13.5
meters from the back of home plate (“pitcher’s circle”). (Amends rule 1.07)
4. THE SPECIAL PLAY RULES
4.1 LENGTH OF GAME – (Amends rules 4.10 and 4.11)
Except when the "slaughter rule" is applied, the
normal length of a game shall be six innings (subject to the need for
additional inning/s in the event of a tie at the end of six innings). Coaches may agree, before the start of the
game to play fewer innings than six, provided, however, that the game shall not
be for less than (whichever occurs first): four innings (3 1/2 innings if the
home team is leading at the start of the bottom of the 4th inning.) or 90 minutes of commencement (i.e.
if an inning ends within 90 minutes
of game commencement, the next inning should be played; if an inning ends 91minutes or more of
game commencement, the game {based on the
prior agreement of the coaches at the start of the game} will be declared finished).
4.2 SLAUGHTER RULE -
In
the event a team is leading by 15 runs or more at the end of the third inning
(2 1/2 innings if the home team is leading at the start of the bottom of the 3rd inning), the game shall (unless the coaches agree
otherwise at that point in time) be called and the
team leading by 15 runs or more shall be declared the winner of the game. Notwithstanding
a game being declared over due to the slaughter rule, all the players on the losing team who have not had a chance to bat at the
time of such declaration will, at the request of the losing team's coach, be
given an opportunity to bat, without affecting the score or the previously
declared outcome.
4.3
RUN LIMIT -
Unless
otherwise agreed between the coaches prior to beginning of the game (and the umpire is so advised), there
shall be a 10 run maximum or
limit for each half inning. However, there will be no such limit during
the last half inning for each team provided that such limit has not come into
effect for the opposing team during any previous half inning. (For example: team A is playing team B. In the second inning team A was stopped from
batting because they reached the 10 run-per-inning-limit, but team B was not
stopped by the run-limit at any time during the game. In the last inning, team B will be limited to
10 runs while team A will be allowed to bat and score without limitation. If both team A and Team B have been stopped
by the 10 run-per-inning-limit during the course of the game, prior to the last
inning, both teams will be limited to 10 runs in the last inning.)
4.4 TIE GAMES – (Amends rule 4.10 (b))
Games may end in a tie.
5. THE PITCHER (Amends rule 8.00)
5.1 PITCHER CIRCLE - A pitcher’s circle
should be chalk-lined on the
field, the chalk-marked centre of which will be
12 meters from the back of home plate; the
radius of the circle shall be one and one half (1.5) meters; i.e. the front of
the circle should be 10.5 meters from the back of home plate and the back of the circle should be 13.5 meters
from the back of home plate (“pitcher’s circle”). The coach/pitcher should
normally throw from a distance of 13.5 meters. However, in exceptional cases
for weak inexperienced batters only, the coach/pitcher may pitch from a shorter distance, but not closer
than 10.5 meters from home plate (determined by the position of the front foot
after delivering the pitch). These points should be clearly marked in the
pitching area so as to avoid confusion and needless discussions. At the
commencement of each game, the exceptional- case
batter/s on each team who will be pitched to from the shorter distance, should
be specifically designated and the umpire and opposing coach should be so
advised.
5.2 Pitching shall be performed, overhand, by
the coach of a team to his own team, or by another person designated by the coach, for that purpose.
5.3 The coach/pitcher
may (at his/her choice) wear a fielder's mitt for purposes of safety only.
Other than for purpose of protection, a coach/pitcher
may not field a batted or thrown ball.
5.4 The coach/pitcher
may not move from the mound area during the course of play other than to avoid
being hit by a batted ball or
thrown ball.
5.5 In the event of a batted ball that hits or is
caught by the coach/pitcher, if in the opinion of
the umpire the coach/pitcher has made a reasonable
effort (if such was possible under the circumstances) to avoid being hit by the ball, the ball is
dead and the play shall be taken over. In the event of a thrown ball that hits
or is caught by the coach/pitcher,
if in the opinion of the umpire the coach/pitcher
has made a reasonable effort (if such was possible under the circumstances) to
avoid being hit by the ball, the ball is dead at that point in time and all
base runners should return to the last base which they occupied at the time the
pitcher was hit by the ball.
5.6 If, in the opinion of the umpire, the coach/pitcher has not made a reasonable effort to avoid
catching (save instinctively in self defence)
or being hit by a batted or thrown ball, or otherwise interferes in the
defensive play (even though not hit or catching a batted or thrown ball), the
umpire shall rule the batter (or runner toward whom the defensive play was
directed) out, the ball dead, and all base runners should return to the last
base which they occupied at the time the coach/pitcher
caught or was hit by the ball or otherwise interfered in the defensive
play.
6. THE BATTER
6.1 Balls are not called. Strikes occur when the
batter swings and misses or hits a ball into foul territory. There are no
called strikes, except: (See rule 2.00, Amends rule 6.05 and 6.08)
6.1.1 If the batter does not attempt to swing at a
total of three (3) hittable (consecutive or non- consecutive) pitches
within a reasonable strike zone determined by the umpire ( even though he may have struck at one
or two other pitches during the course of counting the 3 hittable pitches), the
umpire shall declare that strikes will now be called. There after, "hittable
pitches" not swung at, will be
strikes, as well as any swung at and missed pitch or
foul ball as long as the foul ball is with less than 2 strikes.
A foul ball
with two strikes on a batter is not a third strike.
6.1.2
The umpire shall keep count of all hittable
pitches from the moment the batter commences to bat. The umpire's call is a
judgement call, final and not subject to question, appeal or review.
6.2 Bunting is not permitted. (See rule 2.00)
6.4 The infield
fly rule does not apply. (Cancels rule 6.05(b))
6.5 Rule 6.09(b) the "Dropped Third Strike
Rule", does not apply. The batter
is out on a third strike whether the catcher catches the ball or not.
6.6 Rule 6.08(b), the "Hit by Pitch Rule" does not apply.
6.7 THROWN BAT -
6.7.1 The batter is out and the ball is dead if
(a) the batter throws the bat unintentionally in a
dangerous manner and it hits the catcher, umpire, any player, or
coach in his normal position, goes into a dugout or into the crowd which is
outside of the playing field (bat must hit spectator or player); or (b) the batter
intentionally throws the bat in a dangerous manner or
(c) upon hitting a fair or foul ball, the batter unintentionally throws the bat
and it interferes with play in any way. These are not appeal plays. They
are interference plays and "in a dangerous manner" is to be adjudged
by the umpire.
7. THE RUNNER (See rule 7.00)
7.1 Runners are not permitted to leave a base until
the ball is hit, i.e. there are no lead-offs. Once the ball is hit, the runners
are free to advance, at their own peril, until the ball is returned to the
pitcher’s circle and in the mitt
of the defensive player designated at pitcher position. The ball is thereupon
to be declared dead by the umpire and no runner is permitted to advance any
further. If, immediately prior to the time the ball is returned to and in the
possession of the designated pitcher in the circle, the runner has advanced
more than half-way to the next base, the runner will be entitled to that next
base. This is an umpire's call, which is final and not subject to question,
appeal or review. The pitcher's circle should be clearly designated, in
accordance with the provisions of paragraph 4 above, at the commencement of the
game.
7.2 In the event a ball is hit directly back to the fielding
pitcher while he is in the pitcher's circle,
the player has the option to play the ball or to hold same. Should the
designated pitcher decide to hold the ball, the ball will be declared dead, the
batter will take first base and all other runners who are forced shall advance
one base from the base they occupied immediately prior to the ball being hit.
7.3 Should the fielding pitcher field a ball outside the pitchers circle
and return to the circle to claim the ball dead, the batter will be awarded
first base, all runners forced will advance and with regards to other runners
not forced, rule 7.1 will apply.
7.4 If a base runner leaves a base early (i.e. before the batter hits the ball) and the ball is
thereafter hit, the play should continue and be completed as normal.
Immediately following the play, the umpire shall offer the defensive team the
choice of accepting the entire play as it stands, or taking the entire play
over. This is not an appeal play. The umpire must call the play
if noticed. (The rule
set forth in this paragraph 7.3 shall not
apply in respect of a base runner
leaving a base prior to a fly ball being caught and failing to tag-up - this
offence is covered by rule 7.08(d) of the Official Baseball Rules).
8. COACHING (See rule 4.05)
8.1 Save in the case where a team has only one
coach present at the game and acting as the
coach/pitcher, the coach/pitcher shall
not act as a coach for the offensive team except to coach the
batter until such batter has hit the ball or struck out..
The team coach may coach from the coach's box on the first or third base foul
line. With only one coach present at the game who is also
pitching, he may coach the offensive team from within the pitcher's circle,
providing that he does not interfere in any way with the defensive effort in
making a play on the ball or on an offensive player, except in instructing the
offensive player to run or return to a base, slide or direct the runner in his
advance or return to a base. A violation of this rule will result in
the umpire declaring the batter or offensive player, in regard to who the
interference occurred, out and the ball dead from the moment of the
interference. All other runners return to
the base they last occupied at the time of the interference.
8.2 Other
than the batter, on-deck batter and base runners, there shall be no more than three
individuals from the offensive team on the field at any time such team is
batting, one such individual pitching and up to two (one adult and one player or two players) as base
coaches. No coach from the defensive team shall
be on the field at the time the team is on defense except one coach standing in the area near the defensive team's dugout.
9. UMPIRE -
The
home team must provide the umpire "ground-rules" for the field as well as these rules which are to be reviewed (but not modified) by the
coaches and umpire prior to the beginning of the game.
10. SPORTSMANSHIP -
Sportsmanship,
fair play and mutual respect are essential elements of the game of baseball.
Adherence to these qualities is equally important as the outcome of the game.
Therefore, the coaches of each team shall ensure the good and sportsmanlike
behaviour of his players, as well as any parents accompanying the team. The
coach should be a role model for his players and refrain from questioning and
arguing umpire judgement calls ( i.e. safe or out at a base, strike etc). The
conduct of players, coaches or parents who act in a disrespectful, abusive,
intimidating or unsportsmanlike manner towards members of the other team (such
as players spitting on hands prior to shaking hands at the end of the game) or
towards the umpire or opposing coaches, shall be reported to the regional
director for investigation. If the abusive, intimidating, disrespectful or
unsportsmanlike conduct or actions are confirmed, then: (a) the team committing
these acts will forfeit the game regardless of the actual score on the field,
and/or (b) the offending player/s and/or coaches
will be suspended from playing future game/s, and/or (c) such other action will
be taken by the Israel Association of Baseball (IAB) deemed appropriate under
the circumstances, all as determined by the President of the IAB in coordination with the regional director.