| Harford County Mens Baseball League www.harfordbaseball.com 2003 League Rules and Regulations Last Revised: November 17, 2002 The purpose of the Harford County Mens Baseball League (HCMBL) is to provide adult men the opportunity to play competitive baseball in a setting where mature attitudes and sportsmanship prevail. All games are played locally to avoid the travel and time hardships that would keep many busy adults, with family and work responsibilities, from having the opportunity to play the game of baseball. This document serves as the league charter, describing the administrative structure established for the league and defining the rules and regulations governing league play. I. Background In 1998, Rick Grote and John Kutcher became Co-Presidents of the league. At that time, Rick and John worked to reestablish the league as a Bel Air Parks and Recreation Program and to bring long-term financial and administrative stability to the league. Since 1998, both Rick and John have served as the league officers and the executive board for the HCMBL program. Many challenges have faced the league in the last few years including losing the use of Thomas Run Park for a year while the Aberdeen Arsenal played at that field. In the fall of 2002, Rick and John decided to pass on the day-to-day reins of being League Presidents, and appointed Rob Kunkel to that position. Rob has shown great interest in the operational aspects of the league and has been responsible for the development of our website as well as organizing the first fund raising event the league has had in quite sometime. Rick and John will continue to serve as co-directors and executive board members for the HCMBL program, providing guidance to league officers who will have the responsibility of running day-today operations. The board will retain ultimate financial control and program direction to ensure the continued long-term viability of the league. II. League Structure A. Administrative Structure The administrative structure of the league consists of League Officers and an Executive Board. League Officers serve at the appointment of the Executive Board. The Executive Board oversees and directs the program, and must approve all significant operational and financial matters proposed by the League Officers. This executive oversight of the program includes establishing or approving changes to player/program fees, team/player eligibility requirements, team charters (i.e., expansion/contraction of teams), field selection/contracts, umpire association contracts, equipment/baseball budgets, and any other matters material to the operational and/or financial management aspects of the HCMBL program. League Officers: League Officers are responsible for the day-to-day management of the league. They coordinate scheduling of games, prepare financial budgets for approval by the Executive Board, direct the umpire and fields services procured by the league, track games standings, resolve roster and player issues, manage the revisions of rules with the input from the team captains, resolve disputes and protests, and any other matters that may arise. League Officers are appointed by the Executive Board, and may be removed by the Executive Board at the board’s discretion. League Officers for the 2003 Season are as follows: President: Rob Kunkel Vice-President: <vacant> Treasurer: Bel Air Parks and Rec Committee (Barbara Zorn) Executive Board: Rick Grote, Co-Director John Kutcher, Co-Director Terry Carmody, Bel Air Parks and Rec Committee Compensation: All officers of the league and members of the executive board serve strictly on a volunteer basis. Neither League Officers nor Executive Board members are compensated for their services. B. Player and Manager Eligibility 1. Age requirement: All players must be at least thirty years of age by the end of the current season calendar year. 2. Proof of Age: Driver’s license, birth certificate, or other acceptable documentation. 3. PENALTY: Loss of all games in which ineligible players participate 4. New managers and coaches must be approved by the League Officers. 5. Expansion or contraction of the number of league teams is overseen by the Executive Board, with input and recommendations from League Officers, team managers, and players. C. Rosters 1. A minimum of thirteen (13) players must be placed on a team’s roster. 2. Each team is responsible for a minimum of 13 registration fees (even if a team carries fewer than 13 full-time players). 3. Everyone has to “pay to play” – i.e., every player must pay a registration fee to be eligible for participation in playing in any league games. 4. If a player quits during the season (for any reason) the team manager has the option to add a player or leave the roster “as is.” If the manager wants to add a player the following rules and procedures will apply: A. The manager must notify the league president of his decision to add another player and receive permission to do so prior to the player participating in any league games. B. Players added to rosters late in the season are eligible for post-season play if they are added before the season is two-thirds complete or if approved for post-season play by the league president. C. The league president will maintain a waiting list of potential players to assist teams in finding mid-season replacement players. 8. If a team starts a season with less than 13 players (at the team’s option) and wants to add a player during the season, the manager must notify the league president of his decision to add another player and receive permission to do so prior to the player participating in any league games. 9. Players may not switch teams during the course of a season unless special permission to do so is granted by the league president. 10. If a player misses more than 7 games during a season, then the team manager shall have the option of removing that player from the team’s roster. D. Forfeits and Reserve Players Forfeits should not happen given that teams will be allowed to pick up reserve players (players from other league teams) for individual games to ensure that forfeits do not occur. When a team does not have enough of its own players to field a nine-man team it may pick up a reserve player(s) for the particular game. A reserve player list is provided for managers’ convenience. Players listed have indicated a willingness to play extra games. The following rules apply to forfeits and the use of reserve players: 1. A game can be started and ended by team with only eight players. 2. Each team must have seven of its own players present or there will be a forfeit. 3. If a team has either seven or eight players present, the team may pick up two reserve players for the particular game. 4. A reserve player can only be a player from another team within the league and does not have to be listed on the reserve list. 5. The opposing team may (at their option) require reserve players to bat at the end of the batting. 6. Reserve players may only be used during regular season games. 7. Reserve players must be in a baseball uniform. 8. A reserve player can be from the opposing team. 9. Reserves can play any position except for pitcher. 10. Reserve players who make a special trip to assist a team (i.e., not players who were waiting around after a prior game) may play the game as batters, even if other players show up on the team that requested their presence. 11. We can’t write enough rules to cover all possibilities – so the burden of being reasonable will rest with the two team managers! Keep in mind, the idea is to play ball, not squabble over rules. Managers can agree to waive the above rules on a case-by-case basis to help get a game in. II. Playing Rules 1. Games will be played under the “American League Baseball Rules” unless modified by the following in-house rules. 2. Official game is at least four innings or 3.5 if the home team is leading before being called. Regulation game is seven innings. 3. Aluminum or wooden bats are permitted. 4. Once a pitcher is removed, he is not allowed to pitch again in the same game, but may play another position. 5. Unlimited fielding substitutions are permitted with the exception stated in “4” above. 6. A pinch runner may be used to run for the current pitcher and catcher, an injured player, or for anyone else that the opposing manager agrees. In this event, the pinch runner must be the player that made the last out. (Details: If no outs have been made in the game yet, the last batter in the lineup is considered to have made the last out. If the player that made the last out is also eligible for a pinch runner themselves and elects to have one, the team can use the player that made the out before them and so on. But must go in that sequence.) A pinch runner is also allowed to be used once a game for any reason for any runner, in addition to the circumstances previously mentioned. This pinch runner may be any player on the team. Note, this option is ONLY available once per game, and the team using it must notify the opposing manager at the time they do so. 7. The winning team must call in game results to the league scorekeeper. Scores not reported within 4 days may be counted as a loss. 8. All rules will be strictly enforced by the umpires. Umpires shall rule upon all matters not covered in League rules. 9. All players must bat unless they elect to sit out the entire game due to injury or illness. If a player does not want to bat after starting the game, an out will be recorded when his turn in the lineup comes up, unless the player becomes injured or informs the other team prior to the start of the game that he must leave the game early, or is otherwise required to leave early by emergency circumstances outside their control. 10. Whenever a runner is going into a base or home, and the defensive player has possession of the ball to make a play, the runner should slide into the base to avoid contact. If the player does not slide and contact is made, the runner is automatically out. A flagrant violation will result in immediate rejection from the game. 11. Managers/coaches may play as long as they meet the age requirements and have paid a registration fee. 12. Non-playing managers do not have to pay a registration fee. 13. Players arriving late will be inserted at the bottom of the batting order after the opposing manager and umpires have been notified. 14. Fake tags are not allowed and will result in the immediate ejection of the fielder. III. Uniforms and Equipment 1. Team hats and jerseys with a unique number on the back will be worn by each player. Uniforms are the responsibility of each team. Of course exceptions can be made but it is up to each player to attempt to dress appropriately to provide a good image for the league. 2. Metal spikes are allowed. 3. A single (facing pitcher) or double ear-flap helmet must be worn by all batters and base runners. 4. All catchers must wear a chest protector, shin guards, a protective cup, and throat protector. 5. Each team will supply two new game balls to the umpires before each game. IV. Protest Procedures 1. The protesting Manager shall immediately, and before any succeeding play begins, notify the umpire and the opposing manager that he is playing under protest. 2. Following such notice, the umpire shall consult with both managers in an effort to resolve the dispute. If the dispute is not resolved, the umpire will then note same in official score book. 3. The game will continue, whether or not the dispute is resolved on the spot. 4. No protest will be allowed for any reason if the umpire is not advised of such protest before he signs and dates the official score book. 5. During league play, protest for any reason whatsoever must be submitted in writing to the League President within 48 hours of the conclusion of the game being protested, accompanied by a $160.00 protest fee (two umpire fees and a field fee). The protest fee is non-refundable. 6. The League President shall have the authority to make rulings concerning all protests except for those that involve the team for which they play. Other managers will be consulted by the President on an as needed basis or at the request of the protesting team. V. Rainouts 1. Thomas Run Park will be responsible for the cancellation of all games prior to the scheduled start time of each game. Once the game begins, the decision is made by the umpires. 2. All rescheduling will be handled by Thomas Run Park. 3. Call 410-836-4396 to find out if games are rained out! VI. Behavior 1. Any player who is ejected from three games in a season will be expelled from the league for twelve consecutive games and will not receive a refund on his registration fee. 2. Players ejected from a game for any reason will miss the remainder of that game and may be suspended for the next game his team plays at the League President’s sole discretion. The President will contact the opposing manager to get his opinion on the ejection prior to making any judgments. VII. Drafting Rules 1. New players wishing to join the league must go through the draft/evaluation process unless they are personal picks of a specific team. 2. The managers and coaches will be the evaluators. 3. All new players will be evaluated for the following skills: batting, fielding, running, and throwing. Pitchers and catchers will receive separate evaluations for their positions. 4. Players going through evaluation cannot be picked up as personal picks, and must go through the draft process. 5. Drafting procedures are defined by the League President and may be structured for the purpose of aiding weaker teams in the league. For example, the League President may decide that teams will draft in the reverse order of their league records from the previous season. (i.e., The team with the worst record will draft first in each round of drafts until their roster is full. Then the team with the next to last record will draft first etc…) However, the League President may also elect to place additional players on weaker teams prior to such a drafting procedure as well, to help establish them. 6. Teams that want to control their own destiny with adding players to their roster should seek to actively recruit team prospects. There are no longer “personal pick” limits! |