2008 Boston Men's Baseball League Rules

2009 RULES & REGULATIONS FOR THE MABL

This league was created to provide for men 18 years old and over an alternative to softball and enable us to play the game that we all grew up playing. Adult attitudes must always prevail, no matter how competitive any league may become. The league President and his Officers will have the responsibility of upholding this ethic. Anyone who abuses the league's code of conduct (section 8) can be suspended or expelled from the league at the sole discretion of the league officers.

Except for the instances stated below, the American League of Major League Baseball rules in place for the current season shall govern.

1. UNIFORMS, HELMETS, BATS & BASEBALLS

1a. All players on all teams must wear full baseball uniforms. Teams must have uniforms by the first game of the year. Players not in uniform will be allowed to play, but only with the opposing manager's consent and while during the opening month of the season.

1b. Pitchers may not wear white pitching sleeves, batting gloves or wristbands.

1c. Teams must use the official league approved baseball - MSBL Rawlings. The home team must provide the first six (6) game balls. In the event that additional balls are needed after the first six, both teams will share the responsibility of providing game balls.

1d. All batters and base runners must wear helmets at all times.

1e. Metal cleats are permitted.

1f. Wood bats are permitted without any weight limitations. No aluminum or wood composite bats are permitted.

2. GAME LENGTH, RUN RULE & RAINOUTS

2a. All games are seven (7) innings. Games called on account of rain, light failure, curfew or darkness will be considered complete and a regulation game if:

Four innings have been completed;
The home team has scored more runs in three or three and a fraction half innings than the visiting team has scored in four completed half innings;
If the home team scores one or more runs in its half of the fourth inning to tie the score.

If each team has the same number of runs when the game ends, the umpire shall declare it a "Tie Game."

If a game is called before it has become a regulation game, the umpire shall declare it "No Game."

A called game ends at the moment the umpire terminates play. EXCEPTION: If the game is called while an inning is in progress after it is considered a regulation game and before it is completed, the game becomes a SUSPENDED game in each of the following situations:

The visiting team has scored one or more runs in the incomplete inning to tie the score and the home team has not scored;
The visiting team has scored one or more runs in the incomplete inning to take the lead and the home team has not tied the score or retaken the lead.

Off-site games, such as Doubleday Field in Cooperstown or Roger's Centre in Toronto will play 9 inning games. Free unlimited defensive substitutions are allowable in such games. In such games, a removed pitcher may not re-enter to pitch in an inning where they were previously replaced.

2b. Any game that is rained out IS NOT REQUIRED to be re-scheduled by the league, and may be made up at the earliest convenience of both teams. However, the league president MAY reschedule a game at his convenience if he is not contacted by a manager. This is not his responsibility, however, and games that are not rescheduled will not count toward final standings. The Umpire-In-Chief and one of the league officers must be notified of rescheduled games. Teams have 48 hours from the time League President Steve Wolf sends out a list of available fields to reschedule a rained out game, after which time Steve will reschedule the game for the first available field slot.

The following procedure is required to cancel a game prior to arriving at field:

Both teams must agree to cancel a game at least 2 hours prior to game time in the event of weather, and 1 week prior to the game for any other reason.
Home Team manager must contact Walter Bentson to inform him game is cancelled so umps do not arrive. If Walter is not at home, message should be left on his cellphone.
Home Team manager is responsible for immediately updating 400Hitter with postponed so players and spectators know game status.
Home Team manager must reschedule game with Steve Wolf. Best effort should be made to reach date consensus with Visiting Team manager.
Home Team manager must contact Walter Bentson to inform of new date, time and location.
No umpire fees will be due if above instructions are followed.

If postponement is required once at the field, the following procedure is required:

Home Team manager determines if a game is to begin.
Once a game begins, umpires determine if a game is to be suspended/postponed due to weather or field conditions.
Once a game begins, both umpires are due fees in full.
Home Team manager is responsible for updating 400Hitter with postponed.
Home Team manager must reschedule game with Steve Wolf. Best effort should be made to reach date consensus with Visiting Team manager.
Home Team manager must contact Walter Bentson to inform of new date, time and location.
If a game is called before it begins, umpires receive 50% of fee. Once first pitch is thrown, umpires are entitled to 100% fee.
Full fees are to be paid for any rescheduled or continued games, regardless of previous fees paid for same game on previous date. EXCEPTION: If a suspended game is continued on a later date as part of a double-header with the same teams and same umpires, each umpire will receive $10 per inning (or part of an inning).

All regular season games must be completed by September 1, 2008 unless consent is provided by the league officers, thus also delaying the playoffs. Games scheduled for September 2nd postponed due to rain may meet this criteria.

2c. Should a playoff game be called at any point due to rain, light failure, curfew or darkness, the game shall be considered SUSPENDED.

3. TEAMS, PLAYERS & LINEUPS

3a. Teams must have a minimum of eight (8) players for an official game to begin. If a team begins the game with eight (8), the ninth slot in the lineup will be an automatic out every time through the lineup. If a 9th player arrives then he enters the game in the 9th spot, the automatic out will be discontinued. A team will not be permitted to continue playing with 7 or fewer players in the event of an ejection or injury, and the game will end as a forfeit with the forfeiting team losing 2 points in the standings.

In the event of an ejection, a team will not be allowed to continue playing with fewer than eight (8) players (or in the event extra-hitters are used [see rule 3c.] fewer than the number of players used in the starting lineup) and the game will count as a forfeit loss. All forfeits, whether due to insufficient number of players to start a game due to player shortage, injury, or ejection result in a deduction of 2 points in the standings. If a game in progress ends as a forfeit due to ejection or injury, all game statistics up to the point at which the game was halted will count.

3b. Each manager will be able to bat a minimum of nine (9) players. Any extra hitters may not enter the game as a position player except: in the event of an injury, the extra hitter may enter the game as a position player, only if no reserve is available.

3c. Each manager has the prerogative to bat as many players in his initial lineup as long as there is at least nine (9) hitters, or 10 if using an EH. If the manager wishes to add players beyond the initial 9 (or 10 if using an EH), he may do so at the bottom of the lineup (i.e. hitting positions 11, 12, 13, 14, etc.). These batters at the bottom of the lineup may be added at any time during the game. No batter in a lineup may be deleted or skipped over, regardless of their batting position or when they were added to the game. For example, if a team increases the size of their lineup to 15 hitters, they must always have 15 hitters in their lineup. Added players to the bottom of the lineup may be added as individual hitters or as A/B. A team MAY declare at the time that lineups are exchanged prior to the start of play that batting order positions from 9 and down (or 10 and down if using an EH) will be occupied by two (2) players in each such batting position. That is, 10A/10B, 11A/11B etc. For example, the first time that position 10 gets an at bat, 10A would hit and the next time this slot hits, 10B would be up. Then 10A hits the third time this spot in the order comes up, and so on, alternating between these two players throughout the game. Once a team declares the use of this A/B system, it must continue using it for the remainder of the game in the batting slots for which it was designated. Hitters in an A/B position may be pinch hit for, just as any other player. A/B slots may only be added on the initial lineup card. Individual batters may be added at any time.

3d. A team may use one Designated Hitter to hit in the place on ANY positioned player (not just a pitcher). If the player that the Designated Hitter is hitting for switches positions, the Designated Hitter is lost. The Designated Hitter may enter the field only if he replaces the positioned player that he is hitting for, and the positioned player will then leave the game.

3e. If a player is forced to leave a game due to injury, a reserve player not previously entered into the game will enter the game in his place. If no reserve is available, any previously removed player may re-enter into the game in his place.

3f. If a pitcher is removed from the pitcher position, the player may remain in the game at another position. If the removal took place after the 2nd visit by the coaching staff in the same inning, the player may not pitch again in the same game.

3g. No courtesy runners are allowed.

3h. A player must be out of MLB-affiliated professional baseball for 3 years before becoming eligible to participate in the Boston MABL. Independent professional league and international professional league alumni may play in the MABL at any time.

3i. A player is eligible to participate in an official league sanctioned game on the date of their 18th birthday. The opposing manager may, at any time, have the right to question a player's age and request identification. A player has 24 hours to produce proof of age. The league officers, will determine penalties whether to the individual or the team for an underage player.

3j. No players may switch teams during the season without the written consent of both managers and the league Board of Directors.

3k. During the off season (defined as the period of time from the final league playoff game to the first game of the following year), players are considered free agents. A player is considered officially a member of a team when he has been placed on the returning player roster submitted to the league and has completed a Player Waiver. Any player appearing on more than one team roster will be subject to review by the Board of Directors. At that point, the board will determine to which team that player belongs. If the player should play for a team other than the board assigned team, the offending team will forfeit any game in which that player appears.

3l. A player must have any outstanding fees paid to the league and/or teams played on including National Tournament teams before being allowed to participate in league sponsored events and games.

4. SLIDE RULE

4a. Players shall not intentionally collide with any other players. In the case of a runner intentionally colliding with a fielder, the runner will be called out and may, at the umpire's discretion, be expelled from the game. All base runners must either slide or give up their right to a base (avoid collision by stopping or leaving a base path) if the defensive player (e.g., catcher) has possession of the ball, is in the act of receiving the ball, or is about to immediately receive the ball and will be able to make an apparent play on the base runner.

4b If a defensive player is not in possession of the ball, is not in the act of receiving the ball, or is not about to immediately receive the ball so that he is able to record an out (an apparent play at any base), he cannot block the base (e.g., home plate) or be in the base path so as to impede (obstruct) the base runner's right to that base. Under such circumstances, the defensive player shall be responsible to avoid collision. If a collision does occur under these circumstances, the runner will always be considered safe and the obstruction rule shall be enforced. The defensive player may be ejected from the game (if the action is intentional, he must be ejected), and will be suspended from league play if the obstruction is judged to be flagrant.

4c. Infielders are not allowed to decoy a throw or catch. If a decoy throw or catch is detected, all runners shall be allowed to advance one base beyond the base held after all play stops. If the same fielder decoys twice in the same game, the fielder shall be expelled from the game. Decoying is referred to as a false catch or throw done in an attempt to get the player to slide unnecessarily, when strategic value is not gained.

5. STANDINGS, PLAYOFF ELIGIBILITY AND TIEBREAKERS

5a. Final league standings are determined by points (2 for a win, 1 for a tie, 0 for a loss, -2 points for a no-show forfeit).

In total 8 teams will make the playoffs and will do so in the following manner :

Top 2 teams from each conference (6 teams total);
The next 2 best remaining records (based on points) regardless of conference.

Seeds 1-3: Division winners of the Atlantic, Bay State, and Commonwealth, determined by points.
Seeds 4-6: Second place finishers in Atlantic, Bay State, and Commonwealth, determined by points.
Seeds 7-8: Next 2 best teams (wildcards) according to points, and regardless of division.

In the event of a tie, the following procedures, in the order they are listed, will be used to break the tie:

Two Teams:
1. Head to Head
2. Record within Conference
3. Fewest Runs Allowed within Head to Head Games
4. Fewest runs allowed during season
5. Coin Toss

Three or More Teams:
(If any team eliminated during the process, then the remaining teams revert back to Step 1 and start over, with only 2 teams left, goes back to two team tiebreaker listed above)
1. Cumulative Head to Head Records
2. Records within Conference
3. Fewest Runs Allowed within Head to Head Records
4. Fewest runs allowed during season
5. Coin Toss

5b. Highest seeded team will be assigned as home team in games 1, 3 and 5 of each series.

Quarter Finals :

Seed 1 vs Seed 8
Seed 2 vs Seed 7
Seed 3 vs Seed 6
Seed 4 vs Seed 5

Semi Finals :

Winner of (Seed 1 vs Seed 8) vs Winner of (Seed 4 vs Seed 5)
Winner of (Seed 2 vs Seed 7) vs Winner of (Seed 3 vs Seed 6)

Finals :

Lowest Remaining Seed vs. Highest Remaining Seed

5c. In order for a player to qualify and participate in his team's playoff games, he must participate (play) in at least 50% of his team's regular season games.

EXCEPTION 1: A player who has not played in 50% of his team's games, but has pitched at least 20% of his team's regular season total innings, will still be playoff eligible.
EXCEPTION 2: The lone player designated as manager at the beginning of the season may be playoff eligible with 10 game appearances.
EXCEPTION 3: A player who switches teams midseason will get credit for 50% of games played for his prior team, rounded up if he played an odd number of games, up to a maximum of 4 games of credit.
EXCEPTION 4: A player on Active Military Duty may receive credit for games missed due to service with prior permission from the league president.
EXCEPTION 5: In the event of a winning forfeit, or a unplayed rainout that cannot be made up due to lack of time, teams may credit players towards playoff eligibility as follows:
1. One game appearance may be allotted to each player on the official roster at the time of the game.
2. A total of 7 innings may be credited to the pitcher or pitchers of their choice from these players. No pitcher may be allotted more than 7 innings over the course of a season via this rule.

6. GENERAL LEAGUE RULES

6a. Preliminary rosters and league fees are due to the League President at or before the league draft in April. Final rosters must be entered/updated into 400hitter.com in entirety AND submitted before the first game of the season. No player may participate in a game until he is placed on a team's roster. For a player to be placed on a roster once the season has begun, the team manager must notify a league Board Member AND have that player confirmed as "paid" before the player may participate in a game.

6b. For any player to participate in a league game, the following must occur no later than one (1) calendar day prior to the scheduled game :

The league must receive a signed player waiver for that player and
The player must be placed on the roster in 400Hitter.

Rule 6b Note: Use of an ineligible player will result in the automatic forfeiture of any games in which the offending player has appeared (though in these instances, the -2 points penalty will not apply). Additionally, the manager will serve a 3 game suspension. The MABL board reserves the right to review and penalize further if necessary.

6c. League fees are based on an 18-player roster. Players may not be removed from a roster once the season begins, thus both additional AND replacement players during the season increase team roster sizes. Teams must pay an incremental $26 for each player added to a roster after the 18th player.

6d. Teams must have a minimum 16 players on their roster.

6e. No player may be added to team roster on or after July 1st. EXCEPTION: A player from the league registration list who signed up online by July 1st may be added to a roster up until and including August 1st. EXCEPTION2: A team may add any player they wish to their roster after July 1st, but in doing so, the entire team will be rendered non-playoff eligible.

6f. Two (2) forfeits by a team in one season may, at the discretion of the league officers, mean immediate expulsion from the league with no money refunded to the team or its players. A team that forfeits a game must pay the full fee to each umpire assigned to that game at the time of the scheduled game. A team may reschedule up to one (1) regular season games based on reasons other than weather without the game being termed a forfeit, as long as the following condition is met: the manager rescheduling the game notifies the other team's manager (or designee), the Umpire-In-Chief, and one of the league officials at least 1 week before the scheduled game. A non-returned phone message or e-mail will not constitute notification. A team may also take a loss on a game if they will be unable to field enough players provided that the team gives 3 days or more notice before the game is to be played, with the losing team not losing 2 points.

6g. The cost for moving a game (due to non-weather related reasons) from one day to another with less than 2 full weeks notice (14 days) will be $150 by the team requiring the move. This cost will be payable to the Boston MSBL and will be applied toward field costs for that season (or the following season). Should both teams equally request a game be moved, each team will pay $75.

6h. In the event of a team expulsion, each subsequent scheduled game will constitute a forfeit.

6i. The away team will have use of the playing field for the final 15 minutes before game time, provided the visiting team has the required number of players for an official game to begin. The home team will have use of the playing field for the 15 minutes prior to the visiting team's 15 minutes, provided the home team has the required number of players for an official game to begin.

6j. After each game, the winning team's manager (or home team manager, in the event of a cancellation) shall be responsible for updating 400Hitter with the score by noon the following business day. If the manager does not have such access, they shall email or call in the final score to the official league scorekeeper (bostonbb@bostonmsbl.com).

6k. The winning team's manager is responsible for entering the line score and game summary into 400Hitter for each game by noon the following business day. Each manager is responsible for entering batting and pitching statistics for each game into 400Hitter in a timely fashion.

6l. If the outcome of a game is in question, managers will report the game as "suspended" in 400Hitter and alert the board immediately so that they may render a decision. In turn, the board will notify all teams to let them know that the game outcome is under review.

6m. The protest committee will be comprised of the league president and Board of Directors. All protests should be logged in writing to the league protest committee within 24 hours after the game for which the protest is made.

7. PLAYERS BEHAVIOR AND TEAM RESPONSIBILITY

7a. There will be no beer or alcoholic beverages permitted at the field before, during or after the game. The field refers to the general playing area and ancillary areas.

7b. The league has the right to suspend or expel any team member or player who abuses league rules or who does not exhibit a sense of sportsmanship or who plays without regard to the safety of the umpires or other players.

7c. An umpire has sole discretion to expel any player or manager from the game.

7d. Fighting among players or aggressive physical contact with an umpire will not be tolerated and players expelled from the game for either violation will be subject to suspension or expulsion from the league.

7e. The MABL sets its own standards for sportsmanship and must enforce suspensions for infractions or for conduct not appropriate for league members.

7f. Any player who is ejected from a game will receive an automatic one game suspension effective for their team's next scheduled game. There is no appeal for this rule. The league reserves the right to review any ejection for further disciplinary action. Exception: If the player designated at the beginning of the season as the team manager is ejected from the game due to his actions as a manager rather than a player, there will be no automatic one game suspension. The league reserves the right to further review.

8. CODE OF CONDUCT

8a. Prohibitions - Managers and players shall conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner at all times. No manager or player shall commit the following:

Lay a hand upon, shove or strike, or threaten an official. Players and managers guilty or such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game and shall remain suspended until the Board of Directors reviews his conduct. Players and managers guilty of such conduct may be subject to suspension for the remainder of the season or expulsion from the league for life.
Refuse to abide by an official's decision. Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game and shall remain suspended until the Board of Directors reviews his conduct. Players guilty of such conduct may be subject to probation or suspension for the remainder of the season.
Be guilty of objectionable demonstrations of dissent at an official's decision. Players and managers guilty of such conduct may be subject to suspension from further participation in the game.
Use unnecessarily rough tactics in the play of the game against the body or person of an opposing player. Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game and shall be subject to probation or suspension for the remainder of the season.
Be guilty of physical attack as an aggressor upon any player, manager, official, or spectator, before, during, or after a game. Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game and shall remain suspended until the Board of Directors reviews their conduct. Players guilty of such conduct shall be subject to suspension for the remainder of the season or expulsion from the league for life.
Be guilty of verbal abusive attack upon any player, manager, official, or spectator, before, during, or after a game. Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game and shall remain suspended until the Board of Directors reviews their conduct. Players guilty of such conduct shall be subject to suspension for the remainder of the season.
Smoke on the field of play or in the dugout. Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game.

8b. Penalties

The Board of Directors may, by vote of the majority of the directors, suspend any player or manager for such a period and upon such terms as it may propose, for the conduct with in its opinion is prejudicial to the welfare, interest, reputation, or character of the league.
The Board of Directors shall determine the appropriate action required for violations of the codes of conduct, and shall report their decision to the league president, player and their manager.
A player found in violation of any provision delineated in the codes of conduct, after being placed on probation for the remainder of the season shall be suspended for the remainder of the season.
Any player found in violation of any provisions delineated in the codes of conduct, after being suspended from further participation in a game shall be suspended for the remainder of the season.

8c. Grievances, protests, and appeals

Grievances may be filed by an individual player or by the manager of a team provided that a grievance is formally submitted to the Board of Directors in writing. The league president shall adjudicate all such grievances and shall report any action taken to the Board of Directors.
An appeal of any action or ruling may be filed in writing with the Board of Directors by an individual player or by the manager of a team provided that the appeal is formally submitted.

9. The Official Scorer

9.01 Winning And Losing Pitcher

(a) The official scorer shall credit as the winning pitcher that pitcher whose team assumes a lead while such pitcher is in the game, or during the inning on offense in which such pitcher is removed from the game, and does not relinquish such lead, unless (1) such pitcher is a starting pitcher and Rule 9.01(b) applies; or (2) Rule 9.01(c) applies. Rule 9.01(a) Comment: Whenever the score is tied, the game becomes a new contest insofar as the winning pitcher is concerned. Once the opposing team assumes the lead, all pitchers who have pitched up to that point and have been replaced are excluded from being credited with the victory. If the pitcher against whose pitching the opposing team gained the lead continues to pitch until his team regains the lead, which it holds to the finish of the game, that pitcher shall be the winning pitcher.

(b) If the pitcher whose team assumes a lead while such pitcher is in the game, or during the inning on offense in which such pitcher is removed from the game, and does not relinquish such lead, is a starting pitcher who has not completed (1) four innings of a game that lasts five or more innings on defense, or (2) three innings of a game that lasts four innings on defense, then the official scorer shall credit as the winning pitcher the relief pitcher, if there is only one relief pitcher, or the relief pitcher who, in the official scorer’s judgment was the most effective, if there is more than one relief pitcher. Rule 9.01(b) Comment: It is the intent of Rule 9.01(b) that a relief pitcher pitch at least one complete inning or pitch when a crucial out is made, within the context of the game (including the score), in order to be credited as the winning pitcher. If the first relief pitcher pitches effectively, the official scorer should not presumptively credit that pitcher with the win, because the rule requires that the win be credited to the pitcher who was the most effective, and a subsequent relief pitcher may have been most effective. The official scorer, in determining which relief pitcher was the most effective, should consider the number of runs, earned runs and base runners given up by each relief pitcher and the context of the game at the time of each relief pitcher’s appearance. If two or more relief pitchers were similarly effective, the official scorer should give the presumption to the earlier pitcher as the winning pitcher.
(c) The official scorer shall not credit as the winning pitcher a relief pitcher who is ineffective in a brief appearance, when at least one succeeding relief pitcher pitches effectively in helping his team maintain its lead. In such a case, the official scorer shall credit as the winning pitcher the succeeding relief pitcher who was most effective, in the judgment of the official scorer. Rule 9.01(c) Comment: The official scorer generally should, but is not required to, consider the appearance of a relief pitcher to be ineffective and brief if such relief pitcher pitches less than one inning and allows two or more earned runs to score (even if such runs are charged to a previous pitcher). Rule 9.01(b) Comment provides guidance on choosing the winning pitcher from among several succeeding relief pitchers.
(d) A losing pitcher is a pitcher who is responsible for the run that gives the winning team a lead that the winning team does not relinquish. Rule 9.01(d) Comment: Whenever the score is tied, the game becomes a new contest insofar as the losing pitcher is concerned.

9.02 SAVES FOR RELIEF PITCHERS