CCBL_Constitution and By-laws

 

Constitution of Clinton County Baseball League as amended and revised in April 2016.

 

ARTICLE 1

 

NAME

This organization shall be known as the CLINTON COUNTY BASEBALL LEAGUE (C.C.B.L.).

 

ARTICLE 2

 

MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1. Membership in the League shall not be more than 10 (ten), or less than four (4), uniformed teams. All of the teams must be fully uniformed.

 

SECTION 2. Each club shall be entitled to one (1) representative at each meeting, who will have one (1) vote on the matter before the representatives at all official C.C.B.L. meetings. If manager or representatives of club fails to answer roll call, the club will be assessed a $10.00 fine, subject of the League officers.

 

SECTION 3. If the League is composed of four clubs, three clubs shall constitute a quorum. If the League is composed of six clubs, four clubs shall constitute a quorum. If the League is composed of eight clubs, six clubs shall constitute a quorum. If the League is composed of ten clubs, seven shall constitute a quorum.

 

ARTICLE 3

 

OFFICERS

SECTION 1. The officers of the League shall consist of a President, Secretary-Treasurer, and a Vice-President.

 

SECTION 2. The President of the League is to preside at all meetings, and shall have a power to call a special meeting. If any manager desires to have a special meeting called, he is required to contact the President, or Vice-President, or Secretary-Treasurer, state his reason for requesting a special meeting, and it then shall be decided by the President, Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer whether a special meeting is necessary.

 

SECTION 3. The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep all minutes of the meeting, attend to the publicity of the League, receive all money of the League, and pay all bills incurred by the funds, etc.

 

SECTION 4. The elections of League officers for the next season shall be made at the first meeting of any said season. A stipend of: President--$100, Secretary-Treasurer--$150 will be paid and determined annually. Currently the Vice-president is not receiving a stipend.

ARTICLE 4

 

The schedule shall be adopted by the League before the opening of the season. Playing of Doubleheaders and Wednesday night games to be determined annually.

 

ARTICLE 5

 

SECTION 1. Each team shall deposit with the Secretary/Treasurer of the League an annual fee determined each year for the expenses of running the League. This sum shall be forfeit money to insure playing of the schedule by each team represented. Any club that leaves the field during the progress of the game shall be fined $50.00 and be subject to the expulsion from the League if the League so desires. (Umpiring expenses incurred to be paid when forfeit occurs by the forfeiting team)$25 per umpire (show-fee--if umpires had already been assigned).

 

SECTION 2. All protests of games shall be in writing to an officer of the League and shall be in the hands of a league officer not later than 72 hours following the protested game. All protests must be accompanied by $20.00. This fee covers all expenses incurred by the protest. Such money is to be refunded to protesting team if decision is rendered in favor of protesting team.

 

SECTION 3. All protests shall be decided by the Arbitrary Board of Directors, and the League officers, at a meeting to be called by the President of the League. Upon a review of a filed protest, the C.C.B.L. officers can deem the protest invalid. Protest fee will be returned to protesting team if protest is determined to be valid.

 

ARTICLE 6

 

SECTION 1. The names of the umpires to be used by each club during the season shall be submitted to the Secretary/Treasurer for approval by the League. Starting in 2014, and revisited annually, the League will use an appointed Umpire Coordinator to contact and schedule umpires for all league games and playoffs. An appointed League Umpire shall be UMPIRE-IN-CHIEF to resolve umpire issues throughout the season. League umpires must be paid prior to game time. Home team manager shall notify Umpire one (1) hour prior to cancellation of game due to a rain out. No fees due umpires. Rain out fee -$25.00 per incomplete game. If umpires are already assigned to do a forfeited game, they shall be paid $25 each for show-up fee by the forfeiting team. Umpires pay to be determined yearly at the first League meeting. For 2016, pay will be $60 for home plate, $60 for the bases for a regular 9 inning game. Umpires pay for doubleheaders of two 7 inning games will be $110 each.

 

SECTION 2. Should the Umpire-in-chief be unable to continue umpiring a game, he shall have the authority to appoint another person to serve as Umpire-in-chief for the duration of the game.

 

SECTION 3. If neither team can find a registered umpire at starting time, attending umpire, with consent of managers, can select one at random.

 

ARTICLE 7

 

SECTION 1. Any club failing to pay the League fees as provided shall forfeit any right to membership in the League, and clubs in good standing shall have the right to fill any vacancy.

 

SECTION 2. Any club failing to abide by these rules shall be expelled and shall lose all money deposited with the League.

 

SECTION 3. If any club shall arbitrarily drop out of the League at any time during the League’s official season, beginning with the League’s first officially scheduled game and ending with the League’s last officially scheduled game, including all play-off games and post-season games arranged officially by the League, such club shall forfeit all money deposited with the League Treasury.

 

ARTICLE 8

 

The League shall adopt at its organization meeting an official ball for the League games. The home team shall furnish the balls for each game.

 

ARTICLE 9

 

All tie and rained-out games are to be played before or at the next meeting of the two teams involved. Tie and rained-out games at the end of the season having no bearing on the final League standings shall not be played. If a regulation game is called because of weather (or any other act of God) during an incomplete inning, it shall become a suspended game, and if during the incomplete inning the visiting team has scored one or more runs to tie to take the lead, the home team must then be awarded an opportunity to play out the remainder of the inning and game to its entirety.

 

ARTICLE 10

SECTION 1. The official starting time of all League, single games shall be 1:00 p.m. with 15 minutes grace. The official starting time of all League doubleheaders shall be 12:00 p.m. with 15 minutes grace. Second game of doubleheaders shall be started 15 minutes after completing the first game. Scheduled doubleheaders shall be two seven-inning games unless otherwise agreed upon by the managers of the two teams playing each other before the start of the first game, in which case there can be a 9 inning game and one 7-inning game, in order named, or two 7-inning games. The first game of a doubleheader shall be the regularly appointed game for that day. Evening games will start at 7:00 p.m. unless the teams involved agree on a different time. The home team is responsible for notifying the umpires or the Umpire Coordinator.

 

SECTION 2. The home team shall have access to the playing field until 20 minutes before game time; thereafter, the visiting team shall have use of the playing field for infield practice until 5 minutes before game time.

 

ARTICLE 11

 

SECTION 1. Each team shall be permitted to and carry on the team roster 25 players.

 

After first half of all games are played, or as determined by the League officers, no player may be signed except as provided for by the military draft rule, namely; Any team losing a player through military draft or enlistment is privileged to submit proper evidence and sign replacements at any time during the playing season, or officially scheduled post-season games.

 

SECTION 2. In case of a service man, honorably discharged, each team is permitted to sign two (2) such honorably discharged service men at any time during the regular season, or officially scheduled postseason game, in addition to the 25 players permitted in ARTICLE XI, Section 1.

 

SECTION 3. Team rosters shall be delivered to the League secretary/treasurer by the time of the first game of the League schedule is played. Rosters will be frozen on the date of the annual All-Star game, or as determined by the League Officers.

 

SECTION 4. Prior to the frozen roster deadline, if a player desires to change teams, he may only do so with the signed permission of his current team manger plus the signed acceptance of the manger of the C.C.B.L. team he desires to transfer to. The transfer then needs approval by any one of the three C.C.B.L. elected officers before the transferred player is eligible to play.

 

SECTION 5. Any player signed to more than one roster in the Clinton County Baseball League is automatically suspended from all League play until reinstated by the officers of the League and the Clubs. Having such a player signed shall forfeit all games in which the player appeared.

 

SECTION 6. Players suspended from any other amateur league are not permitted to play on any C.C.B.L. team.

 

ARTICLE 12

 

SECTION 1. For the 2016 season, and unless amended later, all rosters of the teams shall be considered to be “open” with no residency requirements of any kind. However, to be eligible to participate in a playoff game, all players must have made an appearance in at least 4 regular season games.

 

SECTION 2. Players under any professional baseball contract are restricted from playing on any CCBL team. If a player is hampered by a professional organization not releasing his professional contract, he shall be permitted to play subject to League Approval.

 

SECTION 3. A suspended list shall be in effect when any player fails to play with the team he has signed up with. However, a player has the right to appeal to the officers of the League to investigate his suspension if the player feels that it is not justified. When a player is suspended, manager had the right to sign another player in his place. Should player be re-instated, the manager must release one of previous players to remain within the roster player limit. Such suspensions must be reported immediately to the Secretary-Treasurer of the League by the manager making the suspension at least five days before suspension is to become effective, and no suspension will be entertained after the All-Star Game. All shall be made by the League president.

 

SECTION 4. Inasmuch as the C.C.B.L. is concerned, no professional or ex-professional player will be permitted to play, if it jeopardizes the status of an amateur or High School player.

 

SECTION 5. Manager shall be notified 48 hours prior to the next scheduled League game of said suspended player.

 

SECTION 6. No player shall receive money or anything of monetary value for participating in C.C.B.L. games. Any player in violation of this rule shall be suspended for the duration of the season. Any such game player participates in shall be forfeited.

 

ARTICLE 13

 

SECTION 1. ALL DISHONORABLE AND UNSPORTMANLIKE CONDUCT IS EXPRESSLY CONDEMNED AND ANY VIOLATOR MAY BE PENALIZED ACCORDING THE DISCRETION OF THE OFFICERS OF THE LEAGUE! NO THROWING OF BATS, HELMETS, OR OTHER EQUIPMENT WILL BE TOLERATED AND ABUSIVE LANGUAGE WILL BE DISCIPLINED BY THE LEAGUE OFFICERS. MANAGERS MUST TAKE CONTROL OF UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR BY THEIR TEAM’S PLAYERS. PROPER TEAM AND OR PLAYER DISCIPLINE WILL KEEP THE CLINTON COUNTY LEAGUE IN ITS PROPER PERSPECTIVE.

 

SECTION 2. Ejection Rule-Any player, coach or manager ejected from a C.C.B.L. game will be suspended for the following scheduled game. A second ejection in a season will result in a two game suspension. All ejections will be reviewed by the C.C.B.L. officers and could result in further expulsion from the C.C.B.L.

 

ARTICLE 14

 

This Constitution is subject to the approval of the Officers, and Managers of the Teams composing the League, and all decisions by them shall be final.

 

ARTICLE 15

 

Anything at variance with the rules of Major League Baseball contained herein shall be null and void.

 

ARTICLE 16

 

SECTION 1. All baseballs used in the post-season Playoff Games shall be provided by the teams in the playoffs. League approved ball is r100 or equivalent ball approved for all C.C.B.L. games. All bats used in league are to be approved BBCOR, wooden, or composite wood. (2012). Use of an illegal bat will result in an automatic out and ejection from the game. (See Article XIII Section 2)

 

SECTION 2. All monies collected in playoffs will be divided by the two teams playing after expenses are incurred. General expenses included are umpires and baseballs. In the Championship Series, the League will pay for a third umpire at each game.

 

SECTION 3. Labor Day for Playoffs: All teams have option to play on this day if both teams agree.

 

SECTION 4. Ties for Playoffs will use the following criteria to determine further post season play:

 

• Head to head.

• Least runs allowed in head to head play.

• First game played during season play by the teams involved.

 

SECTION 5: If two or more teams are tied for the final playoff position(s) game will be played to qualify for the playoffs. No team(s) will be eliminated from the playoffs without playing a game to determine position.

 

Article 17

 

The rules of Major League Baseball and those contained in the Major League Rule Book shall govern all League play with the following exceptions:

 

(A)

Games must start with nine (9) players. If a team drops to eight (8) players, game continues and that position in batting order will be automatic out, unless or until another player arrives to replace the player.

(B)

After second trip to mound by the manager the pitcher may be placed in another position.

(C)

Designated Hitter Rule; (Revised March 12, 1997)

1.

The Designated Hitter can bat for any player in a team’s batting order.

2.

The Designated Hitter must be designated prior to the start of the game.

3.

The Designated Hitter’s name shall be placed on the lineup card beneath the player for whom he is batting.

4.

Pinch hitters for a Designated Hitter may be used. Any substitute hitter for a prior Designated Hitter within the same game becomes the new Designated Hitter. A replaced Designated Hitter shall not re-enter the game in any capacity.

5.

A runner may be substituted for the Designated Hitter and the runner assumes the role of the Designated Hitter. A Designated Hitter may not pinch run.

6.

A Designated Hitter is “Locked” in the batting order. No multiple substitutes may be made to alter the batting position of the DH.

7.

The Designated Hitter may be used defensively continuing to bat in the same position in the batting order, but the player originally D.H. ‘d for must then bat in the place of the substituted defensive player, unless more than one substitute is made, and the manager then must designate their spots in the batting order.

(D)

15 run rule after 5 innings (2014) and 10-run rule after seven innings will be in effect in League and Post-Season play.

(E)

No regular C.C.B.L. games are to be canceled or postponed unless agreement by two teams involved. Make-up games to be played as soon as possible on an available diamond secured by the home team. A minimum of 48 hours notice shall be given to reschedule a game. If there is less than the 48 hour notice, the team being asked to reschedule make take a forfeit if they so desire. (2011).

(F)

Re-Entry Rule (Revised March 12, 1996)

• Only the starting nine defensive position players on a team may re-enter the game under the reentry rule.

• A player who begins the game as a designated hitter may never re-enter a game under any circumstance.

• Any of the nine starting players may be withdrawn and re-enter once, provided such player occupies the same batting position whenever he is in the lineup.

• A substitute player who is withdrawn from a game may not re-enter.

(G)

Courtesy Runner Rule (May 7, 1998)

 

• A courtesy runner may be allowed to replace only the catcher after he reached base at any time during an inning.

• The courtesy runner can only be a player who has not been in the game under any other capacity.

 

(H) Balk Rule(2013)

A balk will be called on a Fake throw to 3rd base without first stepping off the rubber.

 

(I) Collision and Slide Rules (2013) See following.