League Rules

Rules and Bylaws

PMSSP PLAYING RULES – as of May 21, 2024

Play shall be governed by current NSA rules, in addition to or except as described below.

Rule 1 – Definitions (see NSA Rules)

Rule 2 – The Playing Field

1. The distance between bases shall be 60 feet.

2. Fitness of the playing field will be determined by an Executive member prior to the first game of the day.

a. Game cancellation will be posted on the website or players will be advised via email.

b. Managers are responsible for contacting players without internet access or email addresses on file.

3. Umpires may suspend play due to weather or field conditions.

Rule 3 – Equipment

1. Only bats and balls supplied by the League may be used in game play.

2. All players must wear League provided hats and jerseys, with the jerseys in full view at all times during the games.

a. In unique or special circumstances a player may deviate from this rule with the approval of both managers and the umpires.

3. All players, coaches and umpires must wear proper sports footwear while on the field of play.

a. Sandals, Crocs and work boots are not proper footwear.

4. An umpire may require a player to remove or cover jewellery or other items that in the opinion of the umpire could

cause an injury to themselves or another player.

Rule 4 – Players and Substitutions

1. A maximum of ten (10) defensive players may be fielded.

Exception:

- Where both teams have 11 or more players present, those teams may field 11 players with

the agreement of both managers.

- managers are under no obligation to field 11 players

2. A team must have at least nine (9) players available to play at the start of each game.

a. A team with fewer than 9 roster players available at the start of the game shall forfeit the game.

b. Forfeiture occurs when the scheduled start time has been reached and the opposing team is prepared to play.

c. Official score of a forfeited game will be recorded as 7 – 0.

3 a. Outfielders must remain fully on the outfield grass until a ball is pitched.

     b. Infielders must remain fully on the infield dirt until the ball is pitched
     c.There must be two infielders on either side of second base until the ball is pitched

A violation of this rule results in no pitch- dead ball.

4. During the regular season, if a manager knows in advance that he will have 9 players or less, he may contact players from the second

(Wednesday) division of equal or lesser ranking to bring the roster up to ten (10).

a. If no second division player is available the manager may attempt to get a similar replacement from one of the teams that have a bye

that game day.

b. If still unsuccessful, a manager may attempt to get a similar replacement from any other PMSSP League team.

5. During playoffs, all teams must play with the players from their regular season roster.

a. No substitute players may be added to a playoff roster.

6. Where more than 10 players are playing

a. All players, including pitchers, must sit out an equal number of defensive innings whenever possible.

b. No player may sit out consecutive innings or sit out more than once in a game until all other team members have sat out.

c. A player may volunteer to sit out for health and safety reasons but must take their scheduled turn at bat to remain in the game.

“Sitting Out” Rotation:

12 players available: 2 sit out 2 innings

11 players available: 1 sit out 1 inning

10 players available: All must play.

7. After the initial four regular season games, managers will create and use the same batting order for the remainder of the season.

a. To provide an equal opportunity for all players to lead off a game and to bat at the top of the order, the permanent batting order shall rotate

so that the player who led off the previous game moves down to the number 2 spot for the next game and the player at the bottom of the order moves to the lead-off position and so on.

i. The lead-off batter is not determined by who was last out in the previous game.

b. In the playoffs, managers may create a new batting order for each game but must maintain equal playing time for all players (per Rule 4,

Section 6).

8. If a player is forced to leave the game for health or injury reasons, his location in the batting order will be skipped and not recorded as

an automatic out.

a. If a player is ejected during the game their rostered position will be counted as an out for the balance of their at-bats that game.

9. Use of pinch runners is not permitted however courtesy runners are permitted to replace players who are injured, fearful of or incapable of

running due to age, frailty or other condition.

a. It is not the intention to merely replace slow runners.

b. Prior to each game, team managers must advise each other and the umpires which batters will be using courtesy runners.

i. A player may request a courtesy runner in-game due to injury or for health reasons.

c. Once declared and reported to the umpires the player requesting a courtesy runner may not change their status during the game.

d. The courtesy runner will be the preceding eligible teammate last called out.

i. If the first batter in the game requires a courtesy runner, it will be the last eligible teammate in the batting order.

e. All players must bat and be able to reach first base on their own, however

i. If a batter who has indicated they will be taking a courtesy runner is walked, they need not travel to first base - their courtesy runner may simply take their place at first base

f. Players who qualify for a courtesy runner will not proceed beyond first base, the exceptions being:

i. The batter will round the bases and be credited with a home run where a ball is batted over the fence.

ii. The batter will be awarded second base on a ground rule double.

iii. The batter will be awarded second base on an overthrow that goes out of play.

10. Should a courtesy runner find himself on base when his turn at bat comes, then the next appropriate last out will be substituted for him on the base, and he may take his turn at bat without being called out.

11. Players eligible for courtesy runners must play a defensive position and take their regular scheduled turn at bat in order to participate in a game.

a. If any player is unable to play defensively, he is ineligible to play in that game.

12. There is no limit on the number of courtesy runners.

Rule 5 – The Game

1. Overthrown balls – when a ball is thrown out of play every base runner is awarded two (2) bases from the last base occupied at the time of

the throw.

2. If a player knocks a fair ball out of play, every base runner is awarded two (2) bases from the time of the pitch.

3. If a player unintentionally carries a live ball out of play, the runners are awarded one (1) base from the time the player carried the ball out of play.

4. Advances resulting from overthrows are based on the runner closest to home

a. No runners are advanced by being forced by a runner behind them

i. e.g. Where 2 runners are between the same bases, the runner closest to home gets 2 bases and the following runners might only get one base

(i.e. runners are not forced to an additional base).

5. Any batted foul ball caught by the catcher is an out.

6. A foul fly shall be judged according to the relative position of the ball and foul line and not whether the fielder is in fair territory at the time of

touching the ball.

7. The infield fly rule is not in effect.

a. If an umpire believes a fielder intentionally dropped a fly ball in order to make a double play, all runners will be called safe and advance if forced.

8. The ball remains live until time is called by the umpire.

9. In the absence of an official score keeper

a. The home team keeps the official score and provides it to the league webmaster within 2 days of the completed game.

b. The visiting team may verify the score each half inning and upon completion of the game.

10. Mercy Rule – all innings, except the last inning shall end as soon as the team at bat has scored 5 runs.

a. This rule is waived during extra innings during playoffs.

11. A game will be considered a regulation game after 5 full innings have been played, unless the home team is ahead after 4 1/2

innings have been played.

a. If a game is called prior to the above, it will be replayed from the beginning.

12. There will be no extra innings during the regular season.

a. Teams will receive two points for a win, and one point for a tie.

13. Extra innings will be played in playoff games as required.

a. Extra innings start with one out and the player last out from the previous inning on second base.

i. If the last out player used a courtesy runner, that same courtesy runner will start at second base

14. The final playoff games may be 9 innings.

15. For the playoff round robin series the team that was highest in the standings at the end of the regular season is the

home team.

16. Team standings in the regular season are determined by win/loss/tie points

a. Tie Breaking (Regular Season):

i. The team with the most wins prevails.

ii. The team with the fewer runs-against prevails.

iii. The team with the most runs-for prevails.

iv. If still tied, a coin toss will decide the final standings.

b. Tie Breaking (Play-off Round-Robin)

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.

iii. The maximum run differential in any one playoff game shall be no more than 7.

Rule 6 – Pitching

1. The arc of the pitched ball must be no less than 6 feet, and no more than 12 feet above the ground, as determined by the umpire.

       a. Any pitch outside these limits will be declared a ball, unless swung at by the batter.

2. The leading edge of a 36X24 inch strike board shall be placed at the rear tip of the home plate. Any legal pitch that touches the board is a strike.
       a. The exposed home plate does not form a part of the strike zone.
      b. Any batted ball that hits or lands on the strike board is a foul ball.

3. The pitcher’s rubber is the minimum distance the pitcher may stand from home plate.

a. For safety reasons, the pitcher must have one foot on or behind the pitching rubber when the ball is released.

b. Violations result in a called ball.

4. Pitchers are required to wear a suitable protective helmet and face protection, and may wear additonal protective equipment at their discretion.

5. Intentional walks are not permitted.

a. Regardless of the strike/ball count, if in the opinion of the umpire a pitcher intentionally walks a batter, the batter will be awarded

second base.

b. Runners on base will advance only if forced.

6. Each team will have two designated pitchers.

a. A designated pitcher may pitch a maximum of 4 innings during a 7 inning game.

b. If one of the team's designated pitchers is absent or unable to pitch, the other designated pitcher may pitch the entire game.

c. Any designated pitcher can pitch in extra innings.

d. Any rostered player may pitch at the discretion of the manager.

Rule 7 – Batting

1. Batting helmets shall be worn by all batters and base runners.

2. A batter who enters the field of play without a helmet will be assessed one strike and will be required to don a helmet before proceeding.

a. If a batter’s failure to wear a helmet is not detected before they reach base, they are not out but must immediately don a helmet before

play resumes.

3. A line shall be drawn one bat length from the front of the home plate.

a. A batter is out if they step on or across this line while attempting to hit a pitch.
b. If the batter hits the ball while in violation of this rule, the ball is dead and any base runners return to the base last occupied.

4. If a batter hits a pitched ball while any part of his foot is touching the exposed home plate or the strike board, the batter is out.

Rule 8 – Base Running

1. An advancing runner is out if a defensive player touches a base with the ball in his possession before the advancing runner touches

that base (i.e. all bases are treated as a force out for advancing runners)

a. Except at first base or where the runner is forced to advance, advancing runners may retreat before they touch a base.

b. A runner returning to a base must be tagged by a defensive player before they reach base.

c. A defensive player is permitted to tag a runner in between bases except between the commitment line and home plate.

2. No lead-offs are permitted. A base runner is out if he fails to keep in contact with the base to which he is entitled until the ball is struck

by the batter.

3. The double safety bag at first base is designed to reduce the chance of injury where there is the potential for collision, trip or foot injury

a. Where there is a play attempted at first base (the ball is thrown or carried toward first base in an effort to get a batter/runner out),

i. The defensive player may touch the white bag only. If they touch any part of the orange bag the batter/runner is safe.

ii. If the batter/runner touches any part of the white bag they are out.

b. Exemption:

i. If the ball enters foul territory and the defensive player retrieves it, the defensive player may use the orange bag and the

batter/runner may use the white bag to avoid a collision.

c. Where there is no play attempted at first base the batter/runner may touch either the white or orange bag.

d. Once first base has been reached safely, the orange bag is no longer available and both defensive player and runner must use the

white bag.

4. Sliding into a base while advancing is prohibited, but diving or sliding back to return to a previously occupied base is allowed.

5. A commitment line shall be drawn across the base line between third base and home plate, 20 feet from home plate.

6. Once a base runner crosses the commitment line they must continue home.

a. If that base runner reverses direction they are called out immediately and no play need be made at home.

i. Exception: a base runner that crosses the commitment line may reverse direction in order to return to 3rd base to tag up on a fly ball.

7. A base runner is out at home if he touches the strike board, home plate or fails to touch the scoring plate before a defensive player who is in

control of the ball touches the strike board or the home plate.

8. If there is no play at home the umpire will not indicate safe or out if they notice that a runner has missed the scoring plate

a. The defensive team may request an appeal and have the catcher with the ball touch the home plate or strike board before the next pitch.

9. No tagging is permitted between the commitment line and the scoring plate.

a. If the defensive team attempts to tag a runner between the commitment line and the scoring plate, the runner is automatically safe,

their run scores and the ball remains in play.

Rule 9 – Ball in Play (see NSA Rules)

Rule 10 – Umpires

1. If a player is injured and, in the opinion of the umpire, needs immediate assistance the umpire may stop the play immediately,

the ball is dead and base runners will return to the last base occupied.

2. Players may be ejected from a game at the umpire’s discretion for flagrant or persistent unsportsmanlike conduct.

Rule 11 – Protests

1. Any protest arising from the interpretation or application of a playing rule, shall be dealt with by a consultation between the umpires

and the Manager or Assistant Manager of both teams.

a. Players protesting, after fair warning by umpires, may be ejected from the game.

2. A player ejected from a game will receive an automatic 2 game suspension.

a. Two members of the executive shall meet with the ejected player and discuss the ejected player’s continued participation in league play.

Rule 12 – Profanity (see NSA Rules)

Rule 13 – Physical Abuse (see NSA Rules)