Rule 14: Amendments for Junior play.

This rule is for Junior play.

a. Where this rule differs or conflicts with any rule in the major league Baseball Rules, rule 14 has jurisdiction.

b. In all other cases, Major League Baseball Rules are paramount.

Team

a. The age group for the Juniors is 16 - 18 to be determined by calendar year of birth of the season being played. For fall season the determining year is the current year.

The regional director and Junior league commissioner / coordinator may approve exceptions to the age limit. No team shall have more than 2 such players on their roster.

b. Minimum amount of players to be fielded is 8: 1 pitcher, 1 catcher, 4 infielders and 2 outfielders, and only if no other players are available. Maximum fielders 9. (Amends rule 4.17). A team that cannot field 8 players will forfeit the game 7-0 score.

c. Minimum amount of players on team roster: 10, maximum 20.

d. All players will be issued registration cards by the IAB listing their team, season and name.

e. All players must take the health test as required by the Ministry of Sports.

f. Adding players: during season play a players name may be added to the roster providing all payments and other obligations to the league (and sports law) have been met.

g. Switching teams: A player may switch teams only once in a season and providing that both team managers and the league commissioner/coordinator agree. A fee to be paid by the player or the new team will be set by the committee appointed to deal with the financial issues of the senior league.

h. All players must be in uniform during the game. (uniform shirts and hats) including coaches and managers active during the game.

i. All player, coaches, and managers should be in uniform and in the dugout when not in play. Guests belong in the stands.

3. Starting the game:

a. A team can request rescheduling the game on condition that the opposing team, scheduler and chief umpire agree to the new date prior to the originally scheduled game time. If the date is not rescheduled by the original date it will be considered a forfeit.

b. Coaches must submit to the umpire line-up cards by posted game time. In addition to the starting lineup, A lineup card shall include all substitutes (whether present or not); and two copies shall be provided to the umpire before the game. The lineup should be legible and can be written in Hebrew or English. Any player not listed on the lineup as a starter or sub WILL NOT be eligible to play in the game.

c. A team with less than 8 players will forfeit the game 7-0 - lending of players will not be allowed. Should a team show up with less than 8 players by posted game time, the umpire may wait up till 15 minutes before announcing the forfeit. The IAB Junior League committee may set fines for last minute forfeits.

d. No inning will start after two hours and thirty minutes of posted game time. However, it is at the umpire's discretion to add on delays in starting a game.

4. Playing the game:

a. Substitutions: the batting order cannot be changed. A player can enter the game once (starting players can reenter the game in the same place in the batting order that they started the game). A pitcher removed from the game cannot return to the mound.

b. The batting order will consist of nine batters or eight batters (If that is all the players that have come to the game) or the entire roster. A designated hitter (DH) is allowed in the case of a nine man batting order only.

c. If for any reason a team with only 9 players (or a team which started with a full team order) loses a player from the batting order, the order will condense and that player will be out when it is his turn at bat. If a team loses a player or players for any reason and has less than eight players in the batting order than the game will be declared forfeit and the score will be 7-0 or the score at the time of the forfeit. The winning manager may choose between the two.

d. Balk: A pitcher within a five foot radius the rubber without the ball, while there is a runner or runners on base, will have balked, unless the ball is with the catcher who has not yet returned it to the pitcher, or the ball is in play after being struck by the batter. This rule is to prevent the hidden ball trick by deception by the pitcher near or on the rubber and not meant to interfere with a play in progress or when the ball is thrown or batted. It is to be adjudged by the umpire.

e. Catchers must wear a helmet, mask with throat extension or throat guard, chest protector, cup and shin guards.

f. All infielders must wear cups.

g. Bat size and weight limitations will be determined by the Senior League committee. Softball bats are not permitted.

h. Tie games. In the event that the game ends in a tie after 7 innings or the time limit, one more inning shall be played. If another game is to be scheduled between the two teams at the head umpire's discretion he may postpone the inning to that date. If the game i s still tied after the additional inning is played, than the game is a tie.

i. A runner is out:
1.When a defensive player is in possession of the ball and is waiting for the runner to make a tag, and the runner remains on his feet and with great force crashes into the defensive player. In this situation the runner has the option of sliding or trying to avoid the fielder while remaining in the baseline or returning to the previously touched base (when he is not forced to advance or return to a previous base). If the collision is deemed by the umpire to be deliberate, the umpire shall eject the runner.
2. When a runner unintentionally runs into a defensive player, other than the catcher at home base (or the first baseman at first base on the batter runner), while that defensive player is in the act of catching a thrown ball, while next to, in front of or on the base. In this situation, the runner must slide or avoid the defensive player. For this rule any defensive player making the play at home or at first base shall be considered the catcher or first baseman accordingly.
3. When a runner (including the batter/runner) intentionally runs into a defensive player, including the catcher at home base and the first baseman at first base, while that defensive player is in the act of catching a thrown ball, while next to, in front of or on the base. In this situation, the runner must slide or avoid the defensive player. When such a collision is judged by the umpire to be deliberate, with great force next to or on the base and not an effort by the defensive player to "block the base without the ball', the umpire shall eject the runner from the game. Exception: The defensive player is "blocking first base". The batter runner shall not be penalized for not making an effort to avoid the defensive player. This is a judgment call by the umpire and the umpire's decision shall be final.

In all three of the above plays, the umpire must be certain of the violation and the intent. Legal collisions do happen and runners must not be penalized for a legal collision with a fielder.

Example: R2 rounds third base and is on his way to home when the throw from right field comes in 15 feet (5 meters) up the baseline towards third base. The runner unintentionally collides with the catcher who has moved away from the plate towards the thrown ball and is in the act of catching the ball. In this case the umpire shall judge the play a collision with no penalties on either the defense or offense.

5. Protests:

a. Protests, other than use of an illegal player must be declared immediately after the infraction and before the next play. The protest must be given in writing within 48 hours after the game has finished with a check for the protest fee. The protest letter and check must be sent to the protest committee to be appointed by the Senior League committee.

b. The protest fee will be returned to the team if:

i. The protest is found valid.

ii. The protest is found to be for good reason and based on sound reasoning in the judgment of the committee.

c. The protest of an illegal player may be submitted in writing up till one week (168 hours) to the protest committee along with the protest fee. If the protest is upheld the game will result in a 7-0 forfeit. The IAB office will be available to give information on updated rosters by fax' phone or email.

d. The protest must include the following:

i. Game particulars (home team, visiting team, venue, date and posted time)

ii. Game situation at time of infraction (inning, team at bat, number of outs, runners on base)

iii. Names of umpires and positions (plate Base)

iv. Description of infraction
v. Rule violated.

6. Each team will be required to provide at least one umpire a week for league games, and 2 umpires a week for at least 2 weeks of the season. The umpire must be approved by the chief umpire. A team with no qualified umpires must send 2 representatives to the next umpire's clinic.
Umpires need not be members of the team, and are eligible to receive compensation.