Official Rules for Galesburg Youth Baseball 06/15/15

Official Rules for Galesburg Youth Baseball 06/15/15

Administrative Rules

1.  The Cal Ripken President of the League, along with the Vice President(s), reserves the right to appoint all managers and coaches, including and “acting manager and/or coach, subject to the General Board approval. All coaches must pass Cal Ripken certification and clear a standard background check before acting in a coaching capacity.

2.  The Cal Ripken President of the League, along with the Vice President(s) retains the right to CLARIFY the rules as they pertain to the Cal Ripken League.

3.  Only the manager (or acting manager) will be allowed to be involved in a discussion with the umpire(s). Any such discussion must be done away from the players and parents in a courteous and educated manner.

Draft Procedures

1.  The draft is not open to the public. Managers, coaches, and board members may be present. Managers and current coaches may sit at the draft table. We allow the approved manager to protect their own children (age appropriate) with regards to the league draft. Manager’s child is automatically on his/her team and does not count as a draft pick.

2.  All teams will draft in the order of the previous regular season’s record, going from the last to first.

3.  Before the regular draft begins, each team must be represented by the proper number of second year players. (Babe Ruth – 4 -15/14 year olds), (Major League – 4 – 12 year olds), (Minor League – 4 – 10 year olds) Teams not meeting these numbers will be allowed to draft the appropriate numbers of players in that age group until each team reaches four in inverse order of previous year’s standings.

4.  Each team will draft to a determined number (announced at draft night and determined by the number of players per team, minus two). When you reach this number you stop drafting. When all teams reach this number, we will continue the original draft until all players are drafted.

5.  Expansion draft rules are as follows: Each manager will select 4 players he/she desires to protect (the protected players must be ages 15 or 14, 12, or 10 according to league age). The manager’s son/daughter must be one of the protected players, if appropriate age. The Vice President will be informed of the protected player’s names. The remaining players (ages 15 or 14, 12 & 10) will be submitted to an “expansion pool”. This expansion pool will also contain new players (ages 15, 14, 12 & 10) who have just registered this year.

6.  The managers of the expansion teams will then select up to 4 players from the “expansion pool”. Order of selection will be determined by the blind draw. The managers will alternate selection until each team has selected 4 players. The manager’s son/daughter is an automatic placement on the team and does not count as a draft pick. If the expansion teams need to fill the required number of 2nd year players (age 14, 15, 12, or 10) they will draft until each team has the required number, being 4. After this selection process is completed, all remaining players in the expansion pool will return to their original team. The regular draft will now begin.

7.  In the regular draft phase, teams will draft in inverse order of previous seasons standings, with the expansion team placed in the middle of the draft order (in a 10 team draft, the expansion team drafts 5th). If, more than 1 expansion team, a coin toss will determine expansion team order.

Practices & Division rules

1.  Practices may start April 1st and may not exceed two (2) hours. Teams are limited to a combination of five (5) practices and/or games per week.

T-Ball

1.  A regulation game for T-Ball is 1 hour or 3 innings. The score will be taken off after each inning.

2.  Batting: The batting tee will be placed on top of home plate and adjusted to the height of each player. The batter will swing until he/she hits a fair ball. The ball must pass the 25 foot arc to be in play. There are no strike outs or walks.

3.  Defense: All players must participate on defense.

Rookie League

1.  A regulation game for Rookie League is 1 hour and 20 minutes or 6 innings. If there is any time remaining after the end of the previous inning, the next inning shall be played.

2.  Batting: Each player will bat in a continuous order as his/her name appears on the teams batting order. The official Cal Ripken rules shall be followed by batting out of turn per 6.07 of the official playing rules. Five (5) runs or three (3) outs will make up the offensive half of the inning for each team. No infield fly rule will apply.

3.  Defense: Each team will field eleven (11) defensive players and four (4) outfielders. Each player must play at least three (3) defensive innings in a six (6) inning game and have at least one (1) at bat. Each player MUST change defensive positions every inning. When a ball is hit into the outfield play (whether that be a line drive, pop fly or grounder), once the ball reaches the infield, all runners must stop at the base they are running to. The field shall consist of two pitchers placed next to and behind the pitching machine at the time of the pitch. Any ball hit into the field of play which strikes the pitching machine shall be deemed a “dead ball” and an automatic single. Any ball hit into the area of the pitching machine, which at the discretion of the umpire, poses a potential risk to the players, shall be called a “dead ball” and an automatic single.

4.  Pitching: Pitching shall be conducted by pitching machine and administered by a coach from the team at bat. The pitching machine shall pitch a maximum of five (5) pitches per batter. The pitching machine shall be set with the back leg 45 feet from the apex of home plate. The pitching machine will be set at 36 miles per hour and modified as deemed necessary by the GYBL official. If the batter does not put the ball in play after five (5) pitches, the batter is out. There are no strike outs, walks, or bunting.

5.  No team will be allowed to start a game unless eight (8) players are present at the start of the games. If eight (8) players are not present the team shall forfeit.

Minor League

1.  A regulation game for Minor League is one (1) hour and forty-five (45) minutes or six (6) innings. If there is any time remaining after the end of the previous inning, the next inning shall be played.

2.  Batting: Each player will bat in a continuous order as his/her name appears on the teams batting order. The official Cal Ripken rules shall be followed by batting out of turn per 6.07 of the official playing rules. Five (5) runs or three (3) outs will make up the offensive half of the inning for each team. The infield fly rule will apply.

3.  Defense: Each team will field ten (10) defensive players and four (4) outfielders. Each player must play at least three (3) defensive innings in a six (6) inning game and have at least one (1) at bat.

4.  Pitching: When there is an intentional base on balls, the umpire will be notified by the pitcher after the batter has presented in the batter’s box and the batter will take first base. Intentional base on balls will be limited to one per player per game. Any ball which leaves the pitchers hand when the pitcher is standing on the rubber which does not cross the plate or the first or third base foul lines shall be designated a dead ball and called a ball by the umpire. Pitchers may pitch a maximum of six (6) innings per week, and not more than three (3) innings per game. A nine (9) year old must pitch two (2) innings if there are (3) games in a week. Cal Ripken pitching limitations will be enforced, however, once a pitcher is removed from the game as a pitcher, he/she cannot return as a pitcher. There will be no balks.

5.  No team will be allowed to start a game unless eight (8) players are present at the start of games. If eight (8) players are not present, the team shall forfeit.

Major league

1.  A regulation game for Major League is one (1) our and forty-five (45) minutes or six (6) innings. If there is any time remaining after the end of the previous inning, the next inning shall be played.

2.  Batting: Each player of the offensive team shall bat in the order that his/her name appears in his/her team’s batting order. The official Cal Ripken Rules shall be followed for batting out of turn per 6.07 of the Official Playing Rules.

3.  Defense: Each player must play two (2) defensive innings in a six (6) inning game. Each player must bat at least one (1) time each game.

4.  Pitching: Intentional base on balls, the pitcher must pitch all four (4) balls to the batter and will be limited to one (1) per player per game. Pitchers may pitch a maximum of six (6) innings per week. Cal Ripken pitching limitations will be enforced. See section 0.06 pitching limitations of the Official Playing Rules. An eleven (11) year old must pitch 2 innings if there are three (3) games in a week. A manager may make an instructional trip to the mound, with the umpire present to instruct about a balk. Only one (1) per pitcher and will not count as a trip to the mound. Balks will be called.

5.  No team will be allowed to start a game unless eight (8) players are present at the start of the game. If a team plays with eight (8) players, the ninth batting order position will be declared an automatic out. If eight (8) players are not present, the team shall forfeit.

6.  Upon the final out of a half inning, the teams will have two (2) minutes & thirty (30) seconds to resume play. If play does not resume within the allotted time, the home plate umpire will determine whether the offense or defense incurred the delay. If the offense is at fault, the umpire will signal a strike call. If the defense is at fault, the umpire will signal a ball. The umpire will continue to assess a ball/strike for each ten (10) seconds further that play is delayed. The scorekeeper will keep the official time.

Babe Ruth

1.  A regulation game for Babe Ruth is two (2) hours or seven (7) innings. If there is any time remaining after the end of the previous inning, the next inning shall be played.

2.  Upon the final out of a half inning, the teams will have two (2) minutes & thirty (30) seconds to resume play. If play does not resume within the allotted time, the home plate umpire will determine whether the offense or defense incurred the delay. If the offense is at fault, the umpire will signal a strike call. If the defense is at fault, the umpire will signal a ball. The umpire will continue to assess a ball/strike for each ten (10) seconds further that play is delayed. The scorekeeper will keep the official time.

3.  Batting: Each player of the offensive team shall bat in the order that his/her name appears in his/her team’s batting order. The official Cal Ripken Rules shall be followed for batting out of turn per 6.07 of the Official Playing Rules.

4.  Defense: Each player must play 2 defensive innings in a seven (7) inning game. Each player must bat at least one (1) time each game.

5.  Pitching: Intentional base on balls, the pitcher must pitch all four (4) balls to the batter. Pitchers may pitch a maximum of seven (7) innings per week. A thirteen (13) year old must pitch two (2) innings, if there are three (3) games in a week.

6.  No team will be allowed to start a game unless eight (8) players are present at the start of the game. If a team plays with eight (8) players, the ninth batting order position will be declared an automatic out. If eight (8) players are not present, the team shall forfeit.

All Divisions (Except T-Ball)

1.  If the score is tied at the end of regulation play (six innings, seven innings for Babe Ruth) extra innings will be played until the score is no longer tied or time expires. If time expires, and the score is tied, one extra inning will be played.

2.  If a dispute arises at a sanctioned GYBL event, whether it is between coaches, umpires, parents, or other adults, a 24 hour “Cooling Off” period must elapse before any formal complaint can be initiated. If after the 24 hours, a complaint still needs to be registered, the complainant shall register the complaint with the Division Vice President of the appropriate division. If the Division Vice President cannot resolve the issue, he/she shall then inform the President or Vice President of the League.

3.  There are NO game protests.

4.  Any coach or player ejected from a game is also ejected from the next game as designated in the Code of Conduct section 6.1.4. The umpires determine the need to eject managers, coaches & players in addition to GYBL officials as outlined in section 7.1.0 of the GYBL Code of Conduct. This decision will be upheld by The Galesburg Youth Cal Ripken Baseball League (GYCRBL).

Rules Violations

1.  Any manager who suspects a violation of the playing rules is to notify the Division Vice President within 24 hours of said game. Failure to do so will forfeit any consequences for suspected violations. For any reports of violations of pitching/playing rules, the Division Vice President will investigate the complaint; inspect the official scorebook and/or pitching records and complete interviews as necessary. The written notice of the suspected violation, investigation and outcome will be forwarded to the President of the League, the Secretary, and the parties involved in the suspected violation.

2.  If a manager is found to be in violation of the playing rules:

A.  First Violation: Written warning from the President of the League and Division Vice President.