MLW Wiffle Ball

 

Updated: June 15, 2022

 

General League Rules:

- The regular season consists of teams each playing in 15 games. Every series is three games, and each team plays in five series per year.

- The playoffs consist of the best three teams per division, whereas the top divisional seeds both get a first-round bye.

- In terms of the season schedules, each team will always play their divisional opponents and two cross-divisional opponents. The two cross-divisional opponents are the two teams that each team did not play in the previous year.

- Each year, a single round draft introducing new players into the league is conducted. The draft consists of eight total picks.

- The draft order is based upon the results of the previous year. The first two picks consist of the two teams that missed the playoffs. The team with the worst record of those two picks first. Beyond the first and second picks, the draft order is based on playoff results, with teams eliminated first receiving higher draft picks then those advancing (WS Champion to receive the 8th pick). 

- Roster sizes consist of 6 active and 2 reserve players per team.

- All active and reserve players are under control of their specific team unless they are traded or cut. Only the team captain can perform trades or cuts. Trades must receive verbal approval from the league commissioner.

- The trade deadline is before the final slate of games in the regular season.

- If a player is cut, they effectively become a free agent. Any team then has the opportunity to sign that player as there are no restrictions on where that player can sign next. There is no waiver order system.

 

Field Dimensions at The Meadows:

 

   

 

Gameplay:

- 3 innings of regulation. In case of a tie, extra innings are played until a winner is determined.

- 3 outs per inning.

- 4 balls for a walk, 3 strikes for an out.

- A pitch is considered a strike if it hits the metal strike zone or its PVC/zip-tie border on the fly. Any pitch that hits the PVC framework that doesn’t directly surround the metal portion of the strike zone is a ball.

- The mercy rule per inning on offense is 6 runs per team. Any inning including or beyond the 3rd inning has no mercy rule. 

- Lineups of 3-5 players are required.

- Only 3 players play on defense, including the pitcher. Non-pitching fielders (outfielders) can be freely interchanged throughout the game.

- Outs are recorded via strikeouts, flyouts, force outs, tagging a runner off of any base, or pegging a runner off any base.

 

Batting:

- If a batter is hit by a pitch, it is ruled a ball.

- There are intentional walks. An intentional walk can be performed through verbal action.

- If a batter is thrown four balls or intentionally walked, they must take the walk.

- Pinch hitting is allowed at any point during a game. However, players cannot be added to a batting lineup during a game without substitution.

- A batter may switch batters boxes during the course of an at-bat, but is not allowed to do so while the pitcher is already in their motion towards home plate.

- A player cannot lean in on the plate intentionally to get hit by the pitch. (This may require umpire discretion.)

- Whether a bat is deemed as legal will be based on commissioner discretion. All legal bats being used are the official yellow WIFFLE bats.

- If a player is found to be using an illegal bat, then a fair ball hit will be ruled as an automatic out.

- A player may use any legal bat in their at bat, and are allowed to switch bats at any time during an at bat.

- Teams are allowed to utilize a DH for the pitcher.

 

Pitching:

- The pitcher needs to be touching the pitching rubber with their foot on his/her motion.

- There are no balks.

- If a pitcher comes out of the game, they cannot re-enter the game as a pitcher.

- Pitches must be thrown under the MLW speed limit (75 mph). A pitch exceeding the speed limit will be ruled an automatic ball. A warning is issued if a pitch is 73 or 74 mph. One warning per inning is given, and any additional pitches that read 73+ mph in the same inning are ruled as a ball.

- In the case of pitching changes, each pitcher that appears in the same inning would be eligible for their own speed warning.

- Pitchers must wait for the hitter and production team to be set before throwing a pitch. Umpire discretion will rule no-pitch if this rule is violated.

 

Boundaries/Field Rules:

- If the ball goes over the fence on a bounce, goes under the fence, or goes through an opening on the fence, then a ground rule double is called.

- If a player hits one of the foul poles in the air while it is over the height of the most nearby fence, then a homerun is called.

- If a ball is hit in the air above a foul pole, umpire discretion may be necessary to determine whether a home run or foul ball should be called. An imaginary vertical line running vertically upwards from the foul pole will be used to determine whether or not a ball was inside or outside of the fair line.

- If a player catches a ball while diving over a fence, it will be judged as to when they caught the ball. A player must have some portion of their body in play while catching a ball over the fence.

- If a player throws the ball out of play, each runner will be awarded one base.

- If a ball is thrown home and hits either the backstop or strike zone, then time is called on the field meaning that the play is blown dead after that point.

- The ball has to touch or be inside of the foul lines for a ball to be in fair territory.

- If the foul lines are worn out, it will be judged through umpire discretion or by instant replay.

- The ball has to reach the bunt line (in front of the pitcher’s mound) at its own speed for a fair ball to be called. However, the pitcher is allowed to come up and get the ball in front of the bunt line if it is assumed the ball would have reached the bunt line at its own speed.

- The out of bounds area at the Meadows has multiple components. There are out of bounds lines in foul territory on the left and right sides of the field. However, it is still legal to catch anything in the air beyond these extended lines. It is not legal to catch a ball beyond the extended home run fence line.

 Applicable to Cultz Field Only:

- If a player hits a ball into the trees and the ball is brought back onto the field, umpire discretion may be needed. If the ball was deemed as being hit hard enough to clear the fence if there was no tree, then a home run is called. However, it is ruled as playable if it was deemed not hit hard enough to be a home run.

- A player must have their feet in bounds for an out to be called. (The out of play area consists of the sidewalk, street, driveway, garden, etc.)

 

Baserunning:

- Baserunners can be considered out via force outs, tagging, or pegging.

- Runners going home can be called out via force or tag if the ball hits either the backstop or strike zone prior to the runner touching home plate. (Assuming a no force play situation, a runner must be at least halfway past third base with the intent of going towards home for them to be called out. Umpire discretion may be necessary here.)

- There is no stealing.

- There is no leading off. Players can leave a base once a pitched ball has reached home plate.

- If a player runs out of the baseline to avoid a tag or a peg, they are ruled out. The baseline is defined on the path the runner is taking. Umpire discretion may be necessary.

- Players are allowed to tag up. If someone believes a runner tagged up too early, they can touch the base they tagged up from to appeal the ruling. The umpire will make the final decision.

- Players can get doubled or tripled up.

- If a runner is pegged but the ball hits the ground first, the runner is still called out.

- Pinch running is allowed at any point during a game. Pinch runners then take the spot of the replaced player in the batting lineup. However, players cannot be added to a batting lineup during a game without substitution.

- Sliding into bases is allowed, but you cannot plow over a defender when attempting to advance to a base.

- A ball thrown out of play awards each baserunner one additional base from their current position.

- If a fielder is in a runner's baseline, the runner should step around them if possible. If a fielder intentionally impedes a runner from advancing, player interference will be called and the runner will be awarded the next base.

- If a runner gets in the way or interferes with the fielder intentionally, then the runner is out.

- Players can be ruled out if they fail to touch a given base. The opposing team must appeal to the umpire for this call to be initiated.

- On a home run, no appeals can be performed for runners not touching bases.

- If a batter hits the ball and it hits a runner in the air or on the bounce, then the runner is ruled out.

- If a team has multiple baserunners on, the runners may switch positions if desired. An active player (Player 2) not on base cannot stand in as a courtesy runner for another player (Player 1) unless Player 1 has an at bat that requires them to leave the base.

- Once Player 1 leaves a base to hit, they do not re-assume their previous position on base unless they are multiple men on and they choose to swap.

- For a team with a 3-man lineup, ghost runners serve when necessary. Ghost runners advance as many bases as they are forced to from the runner behind them. Ghost runners are out via force based on the runner behind them.

 

Defense:

- 3 players play the field at once, including the pitcher.

- Anyone in the lineup can serve as one of the two non-pitching fielders. Non-pitching fielders (outfielders) can be interchanged at any time in-between innings, unless there is cause for change, such as an injury.

- A play is blown dead and time is called when the pitcher has the ball on the mound with all current baserunners stationary at a base. Umpire discretion will be used when necessary.

- The infield fly rule applies.

- If there is a fly ball that hits a fielder and then goes over the fence in the air, a home run is called.

 

Instant Replay:

- All instant replays will be initiated by the umpire.

- Any given play is allowed to be reviewable except for called balls and strikes.

- There are three possible rulings that can be called as a result of instant replay: CONFIRMED, STANDS, or OVERTURNED.

- If the replay shows clear evidence of the initial call being correctly made, the call is CONFIRMED and the initial call is final.

- If the replay does not show clear evidence of the initial call being correctly made or incorrectly made, the call STANDS and the initial call is final.

- If the replay does show clear evidence of the initial call being incorrectly made, the call is OVERTURNED and the corrected call is final.