PICKERING MEN’S SLOWPITCH LEAGUE

2011 LEAGUE RULES 
(changes for current season are denoted in green)

1. There must be no beer or liquor on park properties, including the parking facilities. Any team or part of a team caught drinking alcoholic beverages in the parks or parking lots will be suspended from the league for the remainder of that year and a decision on their eligibility for succeeding years will be made by the board of directors.
   

2. The minimum age to join the League is 18 years of age by December 31 of the current year. 
   

3. (a) The minimum age to play in the Masters 35 And Over Division is 35 years of age as of December 31 of the current year.  Note: This division is not operating during the 2007 season.
   (b) The minimum age to join the Masters 40 And Over Division is 40 years of age as of December 31 of the current year.
   

4. All new League members must be Pickering or Ajax residents or business owners. 
   

5. Each team roster will have a minimum of 14 players and a maximum of 21 players. The League reserves the right to assign players to a maximum of 14 players.
   

6. The League has the option of adding players to any team that repeatedly has players missing.
   

7. The League will maintain a “first come, first served” list of available players, from which vacancies in the League will be filled.
   

8. (a) Each team is responsible to provide a roster of their team members to their convenor prior to the start of the season. An electronic copy of the roster spreadsheet can be found on our website (www.pickeringmensslowpitch.ca/roster_form.xls). All changes must be immediately reported to your convenor and are subject to League approval, if made after June 15th.
   (b) Players in a game must be on the team roster. All changes must be approved by the League. (No team generated changes after June 15 of the current year without League approval.)
   (c) Any team caught using an illegal player will forfeit any game points earned while that illegal player was playing for the team. Any teams that lost to the team using the illegal player will be awarded the points forfeited by the other team. This rule applies to regular scheduled games, tournaments and playoffs.
   

9. Players are allowed to register and play for only one team within the League (including tournaments).
   

10. Score sheets retained by coaches must contain the following information: 

1. Players last name and first initial.

2. Home team and visiting team names.

3. Division, date, game time and location.

4. Name and signature of umpire.     

11. League members may not umpire games in their own division.
    

12. Sponsorship is the responsibility of each team.
    

13. All balls will be provided by the umpires at each game. Used balls will be returned to the umpires at the conclusion of each game.
    

14. Any team with a rained out game must contact their divisional convenor by the Wednesday following the date of the rain out to request a make up game.
    

15. Unsportsmanlike conduct or conduct which reflects badly on the League will be dealt with by the Executive Committee. If warranted, temporary or permanent suspensions will be issued.
    

16. Teams must report to the diamond before a rain out is declared. Teams not reporting with enough eligible players to start a game will be declared to have forfeited the game. Only if contacted by a member of the executive will a team not have to show up in the event of a declared rain out. Umpires have the final decision in declaring rainouts.

 
PLAYING RULES

1. C. A. S. A. rules will apply except where overruled by League rules.
   

2. Metal spikes are not permitted.
   

3. Any team unable to field a team of eight players 10 minutes after the scheduled start of the game will default. If both teams default, no points will be awarded.
   

4. It is the responsibility of the home team to set out the bases using the measuring tape provided by the League.
   

5. Commitment Line and Safe Line 

1. When a runner crosses the commitment line he must continue toward the safe line in an attempt to score a run. A runner will be ruled out if he re-crosses the commitment line in retreating to third base. (Exception: If the runner is returning to tag upon a caught fly ball or making an attempt to touch third base having missed it while running the bases).

2. If a runner is tagged by a fielder between the commitment line and the safe line the runner will be ruled safe at home and run will be scored.

3. If a runner touches any portion of the mat, or runs or jumps over the mat while attempting to score, he will be ruled out. (Exception – A runner will not be called out if the mat is touched in an attempt to avoid a collision.) Any part of the runner’s body, hands or feet, needs to touch the safe line, or ground beyond the safe line, in order to score a run.

4. A play at home (mat) should be treated exactly as a force play at first base. The fielder must have control of the ball while touching the mat prior to the runner touching the safe line for an out at home. The runner must touch the safe line, or the ground beyond the safe line, prior to the fielder touching the mat with possession of the ball to score a run.

5. This rule is used to remove contact between fielders and runners on plays at home plate to avoid injuries.

6. Batting Order

a.   All players at the game are to be placed in a continuous batting order. Free substitution in the field is permitted. The League strongly recommends regular rotation
      to provide maximum involvement for all participants.
b.   A player on the roster can be added to the bottom of the batting order at any time of the game.

7. A maximum of 10 runs may be scored in any inning except the last inning, in which an unlimited number of runs can be scored.  The open inning must be played where warranted even if it means the time will be overrun. 
   

8. Home Run Rule - No team can have more than two (2) home runs than the other team has at any time in any game. Any batter who hits a home run when his team is already two (2) home runs ahead of the other team will be assessed a strike. This rule applies to over the fence home runs only. This rule also applies to tournament and playoff games as well as regular season games.
    

9. Pinch Runners

1. In “A” Division & “B”Division, 3 pinch runners are allowed per game. 

2. In all other divisions, teams requiring runners will state that requirement to the opposing team. If a player becomes injured within the game, then a runner will be allowed. These runners are to be the last man out and are allowed to begin from behind the catcher’s position.

3. In "C", "D", "E" and "F" Divisions, once aa player requests a runner due to an injury and uses a runner, he must use a runner for the remainder of the game.

10. C. A. S. A. pitching rules will apply except as follows:

1. a pitch must obtain a minimum height of 6 feet and a maximum height of 12 feet.

2. the home plate will be a 24 inch by 48 inch mat and for a pitch to be called a strike, it must satisfy the rules of delivery and hit a portion of the mat.

11. In “A” Division, 2 intentional walks per team per game are allowed. There will be no intentional walks in any other division.
    

12. Anticipation Rule: Base runners may leave their base when a pitched ball is batted or reaches the mat but must return to that base immediately after each pitch not hit by the batter.
    

13. No full inning can start after 1 hour and 15 minutes after the start of the game. All games are to consist of a maximum of 9 innings. 2 points are awarded for a win and 1 point is awarded for a tie.
    

14. If a player is ejected from a game, further disciplinary action may be taken under Rule 15 of the League Rules.  In addition, should the ejected player be due to bat at any time following the ejection, he will be an automatic out, unless there are two out.  The automatic out will not be applied to end an inning.
    

15. Any coach who wishes to register a protest must advise the umpire at the time of the occurrence. The coach then has 48 hours to get to his convenor or another executive member to advise of the protest.
    

16. All scores of regular and playoff games must be e-mailed to the league web site. All rainouts must also be reported by e-mail. Scores not reported by the following Monday at midnight will not be counted. Rainouts not reported will not be rescheduled. Teams must retain copies of their score sheets for the full season.
    

17. Jewelry:

1. A batter or runner is ruled out immediately if discovered wearing exposed jewelry. Any advance by other runners as a result of this player batting the ball is nullified. If, after making a play, a defensive player is discovered wearing exposed jewelry, the manager of the offensive team may take the result of the play or have the play nullified and have the batter return to bat with the same count as before the infraction and all runners must return to their previous base. In all cases, the player must remove the jewelry. 

2. Note: Facial jewelry may not be covered with tape. 

3. Exposed jewelry such as wrist watches, bracelets, any type of earrings, neck chains, or any other items judged dangerous by the umpire may not be worn during the game. Medical Alert bracelets or necklaces are not considered jewelry. 

18. A standard ball will be used by all teams in all divisions. 

FINE SCHEDULE

Note:  Please be advised that the League reserves the right to have the Fine Deposit brought back up to the $100.00 level if fines have been applied against a team.

TOURNAMENT AND PLAY-OFF RULES 

1. The “Home Team” will be decided as follows:

1. Tournaments – Coin toss

2. Playoffs – Team with best record will be “home Team”, if records are tied, use coin toss

2. No extra players who are not league members will be allowed on any team participating in the League tournaments nor will existing teams be allowed to combine.
   

3. Reporting:

1. Winning teams in tournaments must turn in their score sheets to the scorer at the beer tent in Kinsmen Park immediately after their games

2. Winning teams in playoffs must phone scores to the league line or e-mail the scores to the league.

4. In the event of rainouts, team representatives are to meet at Kinsmen Park.
   

5. For all tournament and playoff finals, no full inning can start after 1 hour and 30 minutes after the start of the game. The games will consist of a maximum of 9 innings. If a game is tied at the end of regulation time, the International Tie Breaker rule will be used as follows: The offensive team shall begin its turn at bat with the player who is scheduled to bat last in that respective half inning being placed on second base. The player who is running can be substituted in accordance with the substitution rules.
   

6. If regular playoff and tournament games are tied after 1 hour and 15 minutes, the game will be decided by using the International Tie Breaker rule.
   

7. Teams are required to give advise their convenor 3 weeks in advance of the tournament date of their intention to enter a tournament. Failure to do so will result in the team being assessed a fine for a tournament default for each scheduled game not played.  Note: Changed from "opt out" to "opt in" by removing the word not in front of :to enter a tournament).
   

8. If there are 5 teams or less in a tournament, only 2 teams will be awarded prize money.
    

9. There must be a minimum of 2 teams entered in each division for tournament play.

PRIZE MONEY

TIE BREAKING FORMULA: FINAL SEASON STANDINGS

Two Teams

1. Most wins.

2. Head to head.

3. Best run differential for the season.

4. Least runs against for the season.

5. Most runs for the season.

6. Playoff between tied teams.

Three or More Teams 

1. Most wins.
2. Best won/loss record between teams.
3. Best run differential between tied teams.
4. Best run differential for the season.
5. Least runs against between tied teams only.
6. Most runs for between tied teams only.
7. Playoff between tied teams.