Our Rules - Peterborough Mens Senior Slo Pitch
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Rules and Bylaws
Peterborough Men’s Senior Slo-Pitch
Code of Conduct
Given that the “Spirit of the League” is based on fair play, fun, exercise and safety, we have adopted a code of conduct to keep the ballpark a place of fun and recreation for all levels of ability.
Any individual, player or umpire, who uses profanity or derogatory language to another individual, will be subjected to disciplinary actions by the league executive. Any player or umpire who by his actions also does not adhere to the “Spirit of the League” will also be subject to the same disciplinary actions. All allegations of such conduct must be corroborated by at least one other individual before it is reviewed.
If it happens during a game, immediate ejection from the game will occur. The situation will then be reviewed by the executive. If a second incident occurs then the executive will review the incidents and administer further discipline.
It has been, and will continue to be, understood that managers have certain obligations when it comes to equality of play time for all team members. After the initial four games, it is expected that managers will stick to a particular batting order, wherein the next-to-last out of one game becomes the first batter of the next. Defensive time is assigned on an equal basis.
PLAYING RULES
1. League play shall be governed by the current official NSA rules, except as amended below.
2. A home plate mat measuring 24” x 36”, shall be used to determine balls and strikes. A legally pitched ball landing on any part of the mat is a strike.
The location of the pitcher’s box is altered so that the front of the box (the edge closest to home plate) is even with the pitcher’s rubber,
making the rubber, the minimum distance the pitcher can stand from home plate.
The pitcher must begin delivery in the box and have one foot in the box upon release of the ball.
3. Base lines shall be 60 feet.
4. A commitment line shall be drawn across the base line between third base and home plate, 20 feet from home plate. A base
runner having crossed this line may not return to third base.
5. Prior to each game, team managers must advise the umpires which batters will be entitled to courtesy runners from first base.
6. Courtesy runners are permitted to replace players who are:
a. Affected by previous injuries
b. Injured during the current game
c. Fearful of, or incapable of running due to age, or frailty, on an ongoing basis.
It is not the intention to merely replace slow runners. Players who qualify for a courtesy runner cannot be used as a courtesy runner.
The courtesy runner, required by a batter, will be the last out. If the first batter in the game requires a courtesy runner, it will be the
last eligible player in the batting order.
When a courtesy runner finds himself still on base, when his turn at bat comes, then the next appropriate last out will be substituted
for him on the base, so he can take his turn at bat without being an out.
Players who qualify for a courtesy runner will not proceed beyond first base, the exceptions being:
a. A home run hit over the fence, when he will round bases and be credited with a home run.
b. The substitute runner will be awarded second base on an overthrow that goes out of play.
c. The substitute runner will be awarded second base on a ground rule double.
Once declared and reported to the umpires at the start of the game, the player will have no option to change during the game.
Players eligible for courtesy runners, must play a defensive position and take his normal turn at bat in order to participate in a game.
7. a.) Every player participating must take his regular turn in the batting order. Defensively, eleven (11) players at a time may be on the field.
Five (5) players must be outfielders.
All players, including pitchers, must sit out an equal number of innings whenever possible. No player may sit out consecutive innings.
“Sitting Out” Rotation:
13 players 12 sit out 1 inning
1 sits out 2 innings
12 players 7 sit out 1 inning
5 sit out 0 inning
11 players All must play
If for physical reasons, a player is unable to play defensively as required by the rotation, he is ineligible to play in that game(s).
7. b.) If a player leaves the game for a legitimate reason, his location in the batting order will not be recorded as an automatic out,
the exception being, if the player is ejected during the game – the player will then be counted as an out for the balance
of their at-bats that game. A player ejected from a game will receive an automatic 2 game suspension.
8. A player arriving late for a game cannot enter the game after three completed innings.
Offensively, he must be listed at the bottom of the line-up, prior to the start of the game. If not available for turn at bat
during the first three innings, he will be declared an “out”.
Defensively, he must play in the rotation he was identified on the game sheet, at the start of the game.
In other words, the game sheet will not be altered to accommodate the player.
9. a. A team must have nine (9) players on the field at the start of each game. A team with fewer than 9 roster
players available at the start of the game must forfeit the game. Official score of the game will be recorded as 7 – 0.
Forfeiture only occurs after the posted start time has been reached.
b. Player substitution: If a manager knows that he will have 9 players or less, he may contact the President to request a player or
players from the Wednesday League of equal or lesser ranking to bring the roster up to 10. If no player is available from that league,
the President may attempt to get a replacement from one of the teams that have a bye that game day.
10. Fitness of playing field will be determined by the Executive member checking the field.
All players will be contacted by email if we have one on file. Managers will be responsible for calling players without email addresses on file.
11. A strike shall be called if a legally pitched ball, whether struck or not, strikes any part of the home plate mat, without having first touched the ground.
Arc of the ball must be no less than 6 feet, and no more than 12 feet above the ground, as determined by the umpire. Any pitch outside these
limits will be declared a ball, unless swung at, or hit, by the batter.
12. No lead-offs are permitted. A base runner is out, if he fails to keep contact with the base to which he is entitled until contact has been made
by the batter with a legally pitched ball.
Effective May, 2018, this rule is amended to allow for an "anticipatory" step off the plate. If more than a single step is taken, the player will
be out.
13. a. Double/Safety First Base – on any ball hit to the infield, the batter must touch the orange safety base at first base only.
Otherwise, he is ruled out.
On any ball hit to outfield, the batter may touch white or orange portion in rounding first base. Once on first base, the runner must use
only the white portion only.
Defensive player must use only the white portion at all times. If the defensive player uses any part of the orange, the runner is
automatically ruled safe.
b. Batting helmets are to be worn by all batters and base runners. A player who enters the batting box without a helmet will be ordered to don
a helmet before proceeding, and be assessed one strike.
c. Pitchers are required to wear a suitable protective helmet and face protector.
14. A base runner is out at home plate if he fails to touch the runner’s home plate. (an appeal play)
15. A ball is dead as soon as a player is injured and, in the opinion of the umpire, need immediate assistance.
While the play will usually be completed, if stopped by the umpire, base runners will return to last base touched.
16. Mercy Rule – all innings, except the last inning shall end as soon as the team at bat has scored 5 runs. Rule is waived during
extra innings during playoffs.
17. Sliding and wearing of steel cleats is forbidden.
18. There will be no extra innings during league play in the regular season. Teams will receive two points for a win, and one point for a tie.
Extra innings will be played in playoff games as required. Extra innings start with one out and the last out from the previous inning on second base.
- the A and B final games will be 9 innings
19. Any protest arising from the interpretation or application of a playing rule, shall be dealt with by a consultation between the umpire
and the Manager or Assistant Manager of both teams. Players protesting, after fair warning by umpires, may be ejected from the game.
20. Over thrown balls – when a ball is thrown out of play (by an infielder or outfielder) every base runner is awarded two bases from the
last base occupied at the time of the throw.
21. To encourage maximum player participation, intentional walks by the defensive team are not permitted.
If a pitcher intentionally walks a batter, (at the discretion of the umpire), the batter will advance to second base. If the pitcher
intentionally walks an additional batter, he will be immediately removed from the pitcher’s box, but will switch defensive position with
another player on the field. A pitcher cannot be brought into the game from the bench.
Removed pitcher will continue to play another position for the balance of the game.
22. All plays are force plays (example: the baseman only needs to touch the base with the ball in his possession for a runner coming
into a base for the runner to be out.) A runner returning to a base must be touched with the ball to be called out.
A defensive player is permitted to tag a runner in between bases.
A runner is “forced” out at home, if a fielder receives the ball and touches the mat, before the runner touches the runner’s home plate.
No tagging is permitted between the commitment line and the runner’s home plate.
23. All bats and balls will be supplied by the League and no personal bats or balls will be permitted in play.
24. Dress Code – all players must wear League approved hats and sweaters, with the sweaters to be in full view at all times during the games.
25. Jewellery Rule – It is recommended by both the league and NSA that players not wear jewelry that may cause injury to themselves or others.
26. A batted ball that hits home plate and rolls into fair territory is a fair ball. The home base mat is in fair territory.
27. A batted foul ball caught by the catcher will be an out.
28. A foul fly shall be judged according to the relative position of the ball and foul line, including the foul pole, and not as to whether the
fielder is on fair territory at the time of touching the ball.
29. Pitching – a player may only pitch a maximum of 4 innings during a 7 inning game. If one of the team's designated pitchers is absent or unable to pitch, the other designated pitcher may pitch the entire game (added 2019)
Extra innings anyone can pitch.
30. During playoffs, all teams play with 13 players. Teams short of this number will be assigned players by the President or Vice-President.
Substitute players will be chosen from teams in the opposite pool. (NOTE: there will be no substitute players used in the 2019 playoffs)
31. If a batter steps on to the field without a helmet, the umpire shall notify him that he has one strike against him.
32. A game will be considered a regulation game after 5 full innings have been played, unless the home team is ahead after 4 and a half
innings have been played.
If a game is called prior to the above, then it will be replayed from the beginning.
33. Tie Breaking
a. Regular Season:
If teams are tied at the end of the regular season, the following rules will be applied, in order, to break the tie(s):
(i) the team with the most wins prevails
(ii) the team with the fewer runs against prevails
b. Play Off Round Robin Series
(i) the team with the best head-to-head record in the round-robin prevails
(ii) if there are 2 or more teams still tied, the team with the best "run differential" prevails
- the maximum run differential in any one game shall be no more than 7
THE INFIELD FLY RULE WILL NOT BE APPLIED. A DECISION AS TO WHETHER THERE IS AN INTENTIONAL UNSPORTSMANLIKE PLAY
(INTENTIONALLY DROPPED BALL) WILL BE MADE BY THE TWO UMPIRES. IF IT IS AGREED THAT A PLAY IS UNSPORTSMANLIKE,
ALL RUNNERS WILL BE DEEMED TO BE SAFE. OTHERWISE, IT IS A REGULAR "TAKE YOUR CHANCES" PLAY, AND AN OUT IS AN OUT.
http://www.phsoftball.ca/info/rules/NSA_rulebook_2012_PDF.pdf Click this for the NSA 2016 Rulebook pdf
Revised April 16, 2015.