Green Bay Area Baseball

League By-Laws

General League Code of Conduct

The code of conduct will apply to all managers, coaches, players, parents, umpires, fans and any other person associated with the Green Bay Area Baseball League organization. Failure to comply will result in action by the organization’s Board of Directors as it deems appropriate and necessary for the protection and welfare of the League. The League shall be governed by Babe Ruth League, Inc. All Rules and Regulations will follow the WIAA playing rules with the following exceptions/clarifications.

  1. All League officials, managers, and assistant coaches are required to submit to a background check.
  2. The use of tobacco products and/or the possession or use of alcoholic beverages at any official League function, game, or practice is strictly prohibited. Any League official or person associated with the organization that violates this rule will be prohibited from any further participation in the League activities of any kind.
  3. Use of profane language, fighting or physical contact with an umpire is grounds for an automatic ejection without warning.
  4. Any malicious action by a player, manager or assistant coach during a game will be grounds for an ejection. Examples of malicious behavior include but are not limited to:
  5. Throwing or kicking of equipment.
  6. Intentionally throwing at a batter by a pitcher.
  7. Threatening movements by a batter toward a pitcher.
  8. A base runner that purposely collides with a fielder or catcher without sliding.
  9. Any person that has been prohibited from further participation in League activities of any kind shall not be allowed to reenter the League without a majority approval vote from the Board of Directors.
  10. The Board of Directors shall hold the right to determine any disciplinary action not spelled out in these by-laws.
  11. All players must wear the uniform supplied by the League in order to be eligible to play.
  12. Any player that intentionally alters their uniform will be responsible to pay the replacement cost of the uniform.
  13. If a player is registered in the Green Bay Area Baseball League, they are not permitted to play in any other baseball league during the course of the season unless approved by the Board of Directors. A player who registers or plays in American Legion baseball is not eligible to participate in Green Bay Area Baseball unless given permission by the Board of Directors.

Team Rules Code of Conduct

  1. Teams shall be governed by Babe Ruth League, Inc. WIAA Official Playing Rules with the following exceptions/clarifications.
  2. A League-approved coach must be present at every League sponsored function in order for the activity to occur.
  3. Each team will be allowed a number of players to be determined by the Board of Directors prior to the start of each season.
  4. Registration forms for all players must be kept on file with the team coach.
  5. All registration forms and team fees must be turned in on time. Any player whose name is not on a registration form that has been turned in will not be allowed to participate until they are officially registered.
  6. 13u and 14/15u players will not be allowed to play in League games until their fundraising money has been turned in. Exceptions to this rule must be approved by the League President in advance of the start of League play. 16/17/18u players must have all fundraising money turned in no later than game 4 of their season. This is due to the short amount of time these players have from handout of fundraisers until the start of the season.
  7. During a League game, each team will be allowed one head coach, two assistant coaches and one scorekeeper to be present in the dugout. Players are the only other personnel allowed in the dugout during a League game.
  8. Coaches are allowed to respectfully question an umpire’s interpretation of a rule. Judgment calls (ex. Balls & Strikes) are not allowed to be questioned. All umpire decisions are final.
  9. A head coach or assistant coach will not be allowed to remove his team from the playing field. If done, the game will be declared a forfeit and the manager or assistant coach will receive a 2 game suspension.
  10. All teams will run on and off the playing field between innings. Warm up catchers will be used if the catcher is putting on his equipment. Players must wear a mask while warming up pitchers.
  11. Teams warming up for the second game shall do so in a safe area that will not disrupt the game in progress, or endanger the health of any participant or spectator.
  12. The home team will occupy the first base dugout.The home team will supply two new baseballs and two good, quality used baseballs at the beginning of each game.
  13. Each team must retrieve foul balls from their sideline.
  14. Each team will keep their equipment in their dugout.
  15. The home team is responsible for putting the bases on the field and chalking the bases prior to the start of the first game of the night. The home team involved in the last game of the night is responsible for putting away the bases after their game, will rake the mound and infield around the bases, and turning off the lights in use. The dugouts should also be swept out.
  16. After the game, the winning team shall e-mail the results and highlights to the following e-mail address . The e-mail must be sent within 24 hours of game completion.
  17. Each team MUST e-mail their pitch counts to
  18. Managers must collect all uniforms by team equipment turn in date.
  19. Each manager, coach, or other representative is expected to attend all Babe Ruth meetings during the year. When unable to attend, the League President should be notified. A manager will be replaced if meetings are consistently missed.
  20. Sponsor’s names shall be on the front or back of all uniforms purchased. Uniforms must have unique numbers.

Official Playing Rules

  1. League games shall be governed by WIAA Rules and Regulations and Official Playing Rules with the following exceptions/clarifications.
  2. Metal spikes are allowed for all age groups.
  3. The home plate umpire will announce the game starting time to both managers. Both teams will record it in their scorebooks.
  4. Each team’s scorebook must list both the first and last names of each player.
  5. The home team’s scorebook will be considered the official book for each game.
  6. Fake tags are illegal and dangerous. If an umpire calls a "fake tag", all base runners shall advance one base and the player that faked the tag will be ejected from the game.
  7. Teams may start a game with eight players. The ninth spot in the batting order shall be declared an automatic out. If another team-rostered player or other appropriate substitute arrives after the game starts they may enter the game when they are ready, and must occupy the ninth spot in the batting order. Games cannot be completed with less than seven players.
  8. Time permitting, each team will be allowed ten minutes on the field for warm ups. The pitcher will not be allowed on the mound until his team takes warm ups to start the game. The visiting team shall warm up first.
  9. Players must wear batting helmets while at bat, on deck, running bases or coaching bases.
  10. 14-15 year olds must use a bat size of "-5". The 13 year old League will use a bat size up to a "-7". Due to changing bat size rules, this rule will be evaluated every year. Senior League must use BBCOR bats.
  11. In case there are no umpires present at a game, both teams involved should mutually choose a person(s) to umpire. If a person(s) cannot be mutually agreed upon, the game will be postponed.
  12. Single games and the first doubleheader game start at 5:30 pm with a 2nd game at 7:45 pm. A grace period of ten minutes will be allowed before a game is declared a forfeit. A new inning may not start after two hours of playing time. If the minimum number of innings has been played, the game will be declared official, providing it is not tied. If a game is not official after two hours time limit, it will be continued until it qualifies as an official game.
  13. In doubleheaders where the first game is tied after the two hours time limit, teams must continue until it is completed. If the second game cannot start by 8:15 pm, the second game will be rescheduled.
  14. Any game that is not completed due to rain, darkness or other natural cause, will be resumed from the point of suspension. A complete game is four and ½ innings if the home team is leading, five innings if the visitors are ahead. Any game that is tied, and then suspended for any of the above causes shall be resumed from the point of suspension. Each team shall resume the game with the same line up that was in the game when it was halted if those players are present and able to play. No time limit will be in effect when the game resumes.
  15. All make-up games due to postponement or rain must be played that same week. The Chief Umpire must approve all rescheduled games.
  16. Any team with a ten run lead after five innings, four and ½ if the home team is leading, shall be declared the winner.
  17. At the start of the game a pitcher will get eight warm-up throws on the mound and five every inning thereafter. In the event of an injury and in the umpire’s judgment, the new pitcher gets as many pitches as necessary to warm up and prevent injury. The umpire shall use his discretion under inclement weather.
  18. Pitching limits will be based on pitch count according to the grid below. In all cases, once the pitcher reaches their pitch limit, they may finish the current batter’s at bat. The maximum number of pitches that a 14/15 yr old may throw in a single day is 110 pitches. The maximum number of pitches that a 13 yr old may throw in a single day is 90 pitches.

Pitching Rest Rules 13 Yr Old – Number of pitches thrown in a day / 14/15 yr Old - Number of pitches thrown in a day / Number of calendar days rest between appearances
75 to 90 Maximum / 90-110 Maximum / 3 Days
51 to 74 / 51 to 89 / 2 Days
35 to 50 / 35 to 50 / 1 Day
34 or Less / 34 or Less / No rest required (may pitch a max of 2 consecutive days at this pitch range. After this point, the player must rest 2 days)
  1. In a league game, each team will compare pitch count totals at the completion of each half inning. In the case of differing totals, the home team’s scorebook shall be considered the official total. Coaches will not be allowed to protest pitch count discrepancies.
  2. Any game in which an ineligible pitcher has been used and is protested. The game will go under review by the protest committee.
  3. In the event that a player gets injured after a game has begun, a courtesy runner will be allowed. The courtesy runner will be someone not currently in the lineup or the last player to make an out if a coach is batting the lineup. The opposing manager will be allowed to select the player from the opposing team that will act as the courtesy runner. If there is no one on the bench, the player making the last out in the previous inning can be used. A courtesy runner may be used only once per game.
  4. A courtesy runner for the catcher or a pitcher can be used at any time.
  5. In a seven inning game, each player must play a minimum of three innings in the field and make at least one plate appearance.
  6. Teams in the 13 year old league may bring down players from the 14U league to substitute in order to have a game roster of nine or ten players. The players will be identified on a list by the league commissioners prior to the start of league play. 14 year old players not on this list cannot be used as substitutes. The 14 year old substitute may not play the position of pitcher or catcher. The 14 year old substitute may not be in the starting lineup for the game if nine or more players are present. A team may not bring up the same player to substitute on their team more than three times in a season unless given permission by 13 year old Commissioner (VP).
  7. Teams in the 14-15 year old League may bring up players from the 13 year old League in order to have a game roster of nine or ten players. The 13 year old substitute may not play the position of pitcher or catcher. The 13 year old substitute may not be in the starting lineup for the game if nine or more players are present. A team may not bring up the same player to substitute on their team more than three times in a season.
  8. Umpires must return League equipment to the equipment shack after their last game of the day.

Player Re-entry Rules

  1. A coach has the option of batting the full line up. If a coach chooses this option, they must notify the umpire and the opposing head coach prior to the start of the game.
  2. A player must re-enter the game in the same batting position that they were in when they originally started in the game.
  3. Once a pitcher is removed from the pitcher’s position in the lineup, they are not allowed to re-enter back into the game as a pitcher.
  4. Players may exchange positions while in the field without regard to re-entry or withdrawal.
  5. A starting player and his substitute may not be in the game at the same time with the only exception being when an injury has occurred and all other eligible players have been used.
  6. If a player enters illegally as a fielder, there is no penalty except that he must be removed from the game. However if the player re-enters illegally as a batter, the player’s team will be penalized under baseball BRL Rule 6.07a-d, “Batting Out of Turn”

Ejection Rules

  1. 1st Offense – A player, coach or manager ejected from a game will be suspended for the next game. If the individual that was ejected disagrees, a written appeal must be made within 24 hrs of the event occurring. The appeal is to be sent to the President of the League. The President and each of the three League Directors will review the appeal as a panel. In the event of a tie vote, the President’s vote shall break the tie. The panel may add additional game suspensions depending on the severity of the offense.
  2. 2nd Offense – Same as above.
  3. 3rd Offense – The Board of Directors will review the situation and determine the proper action possibly resulting in removal from the League.

Protest Process

  1. Protests will be allowed only on rule interpretations and not umpire judgment calls (balls, strikes, etc).
  2. The umpires and opposing manager must be informed immediately when the game is being played under protest. This must be done at the time of the disputed play and duly noted in both scorebooks for future reference.
  3. A written protest must be submitted to a League President within 24 hours of the finish of the game and must contain the section and number of the rule upon which the protest is based.
  4. The President and each of the three League Directors will review the protest as a panel. Any panel member who has coaching or parental involvement shall not rule on protests. The President will select an alternate panel member if this situation arises.
  5. The protest panel shall rule on the protest within 24 hours after it has been submitted to the League President. The decision of the protest panel is final. The League President shall notify both managers and the Chief Umpire of their findings via telephone or e-mail.
  6. The Chief Umpire will reschedule the game if the protest Is upheld. The game will start from the point where the protest was made.

Player Eligibility

  1. Any player 13 years of age on April 30th of the current year is eligible to try out for the “13 Year Old League”. All 13 year olds will play in this league.
  2. Any player 14-15 years of age on April 30th of the current year is eligible to try out for the “14-15 Year Old League”. Any player 16-18 years of age on April 30th of the current year is eligible to try out for the 16-18 year old Senior Divivsion.
  3. Players must verify their age with valid documentation of their date of birth when registering.
  4. All players must try out to be eligible for the draft.
  5. If a player can provide a valid reason for not being able to attend tryouts, they will be placed on a supplemental draft list and teams will draw those players out of a hat.
  6. Players registering after the draft will be placed on a 2nd supplemental list and will be placed on teams that are in need of additional players.
  7. HOW SET ORDER?

Coaches