Big Rapids Men’s Softball Association
2013 Rules and Regulations
#1: Managers’ Responsibilities:
a)Use website Contact page for communications with league officers and supply a working email address, checking the email regularly for changes that may occur and relate information back to his/her players.
b)Inform players of ASA and BRMSA rules and City of Big Rapids ordinances
c)Control the team and fans in attendance on and around the field at all times
#2: Inclement Weather Cancellations
a)ALL games will be started at scheduled times unless coaches are contacted by the BRMSA Head Umpire or BRMSA President
b)ALL games will be postponed or suspended if at any time a tornado WARNING is in effect after 5:15 pm for Mecosta county
c)Rain Make-Up dates will be posted on the BRMSA.com website
d)It will be the umpire’s discretion to determine any games deemed dangerous due to weather conditions or diminishing sunlight. If a coach calls the game themselves and players walk/drive away without being suspended/stopped by the field umpire, Head Umpire, or President, the game will be considered a forfeit by the team.
e)Cancellations will be posted on the website as well as called into the local radio stations by 5:00 each night, radio stations include:
- 100.9
- 102.3
- 97.3
#3: Game Times & Forfeits
a)Each game has a 1-hour time limit, please hustle on/off the field of play, a minimum of 4 innings will be considered a complete game due to time or other stoppages of play
b)Game time is forfeit time
c)Do NOT destroy the field markings (foul line, batter’s boxes, and pitcher’s circle) prior to the first game of the night, any hitting once the field is marked for play before game #1 should be done in the OF
d)ALL games are to be held on the date/time/field on the schedules, BRMSA reserves ALL rights to modify game times, dates, or field at their discretion to complete games in a timely manner and season
#4: Umpires/officials
a)Umpires have general authority to handle any/all unsportsmanlike conduct of players in accordance to ASA Rule 10 Section 9 and either suspending players or declaring a forfeit in his/her judgement that there has been a violation of this code that makes it unsafe to continue to play.
b)Umpires have the authority to eject a fan for unruly behavior without warning, including threatening, shoving, pushing, or striking an official or player, and throwing or kicking any object deemed to be dangerous
c)NO player should threaten or use abusive or discriminatory or verbal attacks towards players, officials or spectators. Obsessive use of profanity, obscene gestures, or vulgar language and WILL NOT be tolerated. NO player shall use unnecessary rough tactics including intentionally collisions, or hit a player or official with an object.
d)NO player, fan, scorekeepers, shall argue umpire’s judgment of illegal balls pitch height (BRMSA remains a 6’ – 12’ height range)
e)ONLY teams managers may address (NOT ARGUE) the official’s calls. All other players will be deemed unruly and subject to ejection.
#5: Players misconduct, penalties, & suspensions
a)ALL players shall sign the BRMSA player waiver, unsigned players are NOT eligible to participate. By signing the waiver, players agree to adhere to ASA and BRMSA Rules. Failure to comply will result in player suspension(s).
b)Misconduct offenders MUST leave the field and surrounding area immediately, failure will result in team forfeit.
c)Ejections will carry an additional 1 game suspended, additional suspensions may be levied at the board discretion. ALL misconduct offenders will be fined $25.00, payment is to be made to the BRMSA Treasurer (NOT the Umpire) and is required before player can participate in any BRMSA game (Men’s or Coed). The fee does carry over to the following year, if the suspended player hasn’t paid at the beginning of the next season, he will not play until paid.
#6: Protests
a)For ALL protests, the team manager or assistant manager MUST bring the protest to the attention of the umpire that they are protesting prior to the END of the game and before the team leaves the field. The protest can be made with the $10.00 required protest fee at the time the protest is made. Umpire will take the information and submit to BRMSA and the BRMSA Violation Committee will review the protest, if upheld, the $10.00 will be refunded and the game considered a forfeit of the offending team. Protests can only be for these terms:
#1 – Illegal players = non-roster players and/or suspended players
#2 – Rule interpretation
UMPIRE JUDGEMENT CALLS CANNOT BE PROTESTED
#7: Playing rules
a)Vogel 1, the Right Field net will be considered for safety purposes of players on Vogel 2. Any hit ball that strikes the net in the air untouched will be considered a Home Run. Any touched ball that strikes the net will be considered a 4-base error and not count towards the HR limit
b)2013 will start the season with a new ball, that ASA has begun using for tournament play – the Worth Hot Dot – 300/52
c)Rosters for ALL teams will be in ALL binders for teams to review after a protest is made. These won’t be used to stop the game, only for review when completed.
d)BRMSA recognizes rules in accordance with official ASA play, with exception to those rules modified by BRMSA
e)BRMSA recognizes the “ASA non-approved bats list” – a pictorial list can be found in the binder, a link to this can be found on the websit
f)Pitching height for BRMSA is 6-12 feet, even though ASA is 6-10 feet
g)NO metal cleats or spikes are allowed, offenders will be ejected without warning. Matching or like uniforms are not required and need not be numbered
h)Minimum of 8 players is required to Start AND End a game
- 9th and 10th spots in the lineup are not considered an out when playing with 8 players
i)ROCKET RULE is optional and declared prior to the start of the game
j)Outs shall not be called for vacated batting positions UNLESS said player vacated due to ejection
k)Each team will be allowed 1 courtesy runner per inning, courtesy runner will be
- The Last Person called out
- If an Out has NOT been made, the person listed last in the lineup
- If the last person in the lineup is coming to bat soon, will be the last person that scored
l)Mercy Rule for Men’s play = 12 runs after 5 innings, 10 runs after 6 innings
m)Batter will begin with a 1-1 (1 ball & 1 strike) count with NO courtesy foul
n)Strikes will be called for proper height pitches that hit the matt or the plate from the pitch. A runner may use the plate or matt when scoring. Defensive players at home plate have equal rights to the matt and plate when there is a force play.
o)Double first base used according to ASA Rule 8 Section 2M
p)When anyone other than another runner physically assists a runner while the ball is in play, the runner who is assisted is out. If runner scored, the run will be nullified.
q)A batter is out when he enters the batter’s box or is discovered using a banned or altered bat. The batter will be called out, disqualified from the game, will hold an additional game suspension, and the bat confiscated.
r)Home Run limit – 4 untouched home runs per team, ALL fields, then they are considered outs. Home runs do not have to be run out, players are not required to touch 1st base.
s)One player may play on a maximum of 2 Men’s league teams, in separate leagues. If during the end-of-year tournament these teams would face, the player must decide at game time which team to participate with.
t)Each team CANNOT carry more than 3 players from an upper league.
u)Each team will be responsible for recovering ALL home runs and foul balls hit by their teammates
v)Extra innings – if at the end of an hour, or 7 innings, the teams are tied, we play until someone wins – NO ties as:
- The last out of the last inning is placed on 2nd base and the team starts with 0 outs until and play resumes until 1 team is victorious
#8: Year-end tournament: ALL rules and regulations set for the current BRMSA regular season play will be adhered to during the end of year tournaments. Teams rosters are used from the regular season and players MUST have participated in a minimum of 3 regular season games to participate. ALL alignments are final. All games, days, & times are subject to change at any time if deemed necessary to complete in a timely manner
#9: Alcohol/tobacco consumption is a privilege to consume at the Big Rapids City parks during the playing hours, BUT are NOT allowed in the dugouts, or the playing field at ANY time. Officials will warn teams only before the 1st games of the season. Failure to comply will result in ejection from the game and hold an additional 1 game suspension with the requirement of the $25.00 reinstatement fee. In addition, consumption of alcohol in the parking lot and after the lights for play are out at Hemlock is considered a violation and local BRPS officers patrol and have the right to ticket offenders.