Pastime Baseball League

 

 

 

 

Pastime Baseball League Rules

The Pastime Baseball League, LLC (PBL) is a for-profit baseball league with its mission to provide traditional safe, and recreational baseball to adults and fans.  The owners, in coordination with the managers of the league, have the final say in any and all decisions regarding the league and may suspend or expel any player for breach of Pastime Baseball League rules and regulations without refund of fees.

 

All players affirm acknowledgment of the rules of the league at payment.  

 

 All players must pay the required league fees before playing their first game.  There is no grace period.   

 

 There will be no beer or alcoholic beverages of any type permitted at the site of any league game.  Team Managers are responsible for the conduct of their players and fans.  Any fan or player found drinking in the stands or parking lot, may result in a forfeit from that day's game and law enforcement involvement.  

  Any PBL rule not listed here will be based on Major League Baseball Rules, excluding new time rules, and at the discretion of the on-field umpires.

 

 Payment of league fees does not constitute or guarantee a predefined amount of playing time, and playing time is subject to the manager’s discretion.

Games are contingent upon field availability, field conditions, weather, and other events or acts of nature that may prevent scheduled games from being played.

Projected cost per player is based on a 15-player roster.  

 

Managers must have a minimum 15-player roster before the start of the season.  If not, they must attempt to fill the roster spots or pay for the missing roster spots.  PBL will do its best to supply players, but it is ultimately the team's and the manager's responsibility.  

 

 Reduced fees for players entering the league after the official season has begun is only for special circumstances or injury and is at the PBL’s discretion.

 

A player must achieve the minimal age of the league at any time during the calendar year in which they are playing.  No underage players may enter the field under any circumstance. 

 

Teams are to field at least eight (7) players for an official game during the regular season. 

 

      -If a team cannot field at least 7 players, the game will be officially forfeited.  If a team has only 7, the opposing manager MUST lend a defensive player each inning (may be different players each inning).  It is the opposing manager's option to lend 2 defensive players.  If a rostered player arrives after the start of the game, they must take their place in the line-up with the substitute player returning to their original team.

**Teams must have at least 8 players for post-season games and may not use opposition players to fill in empty roster spots.

 

     -If a team has excessive forfeits, the players may be redistributed to other teams to fulfill the league's obligation to provide the opportunity to play baseball.  

 

All teams will have full baseball uniforms defined as jerseys of the same color and style complete with non-repeating numbers, baseball pants, and same-color hats.  Team Managers are responsible for team uniforms.  

 

     -Jerseys may be of any style and must have a number on the back of the jersey. 

 

     -No uniform may have any obscenities or objectionable material displayed.  The PBL will have a final judgment on what does or does not constitute proper baseball attire.

 

All batters and runners must have helmets that meet or exceeds NOCSAE standards with a minimum of one earflap, which faces the pitcher – there will be no exceptions to this rule.  

 

     -Catchers must wear a helmet/skullcap or full-head protective face mask while catching. 

 

All players must attempt to avoid a collision, intentional or accidental, with a fielder. An intentional collision, as ruled by the umpire(s), will constitute an automatic out. 

 

     -If ruled flagrant by the umpire, this action will result in the offending player’s expulsion from the game and possible suspension from the league.

 

     -Players must slide directly at all bases where there is an apparent play or veer out of the way of the defensive player. “Take out” slides are not permitted in the PBL for safety reasons.  Umpires have the call on whether slides are in violation.

 

      -Colliding with or running over a catcher at the plate is an automatic out. If deemed malicious, the runner is automatically ejected and suspended for an amount of time deemed appropriate by the PBL. 

                    *The only exception is on a thrown ball that is chased up the line by the catcher in which the runner cannot avoid contact with the catcher. In this case, the runner is not ejected, and no suspension is enacted. The contact issue will be at the sole discretion of the umpire(s) at the time of the incident.

 

The PBL is a wood-bat league only.

 

     -Wood bats are defined as all naturally occurring wood (ash, maple, bamboo, etc.), composite or laminated wood, and any bat with a wood-hitting surface.

 

Metal Cleats are permitted if allowed by the field/venue rules.  

 

 Each manager may bat as many players as they so desire in their initial line-up, with a minimum of ten (10), if available.

 

     -If the manager wants to add players at the bottom of the line-up, they may do so at any time. 

 

     -If a player is pinch hit for, the player may not re-enter the game as a hitter but may stay in the game defensively. 

 

     -Active batters cannot be deleted or skipped over, regardless of their batting position or when they were added to the batting order during the game.

 

      -If a team is short of the mandatory 10-man lineup, the missing spots will NOT be an automatic out.

 

      -If the affected team’s roster is reduced to less than 10 players, a substitute player must be assigned and shall bat in the affected batter’s position. 

 

      -If a team is batting all of their players prior to the roster reduction, the manager may move everyone up in the lineup.  

      -In a case when a player has to leave the game early for INJURY, PERSONAL REASONS, or ILLNESS, other than an ejection, there is no penalty when their batting turn arrives. The manager of the team affected must notify the opposing manager of the change at the time of the player’s departure. All players shall move up in the batting order without penalty or a player who has not previously been in the batting order can be assigned that batting position in the batting order per the pinch batter rule.

 

Players may have a courtesy runner if they are unable to run due to a medical condition/injury that prevents them from running the bases.  They still may bat. 

 

     -The Courtesy Runner MUST be a player who made the last batted out and is not the current catcher, current pitcher, or another player who needs a courtesy runner.  

 

     -The Courtesy Runner must be ready to run within a reasonable time based on Umpire's judgment.  

 

     -Teams must use a courtesy runner for the catcher with two outs (speed-up rule) but may use a courtesy runner for the catcher or pitcher at any time.

 

    -Once a player (other than pitchers and catchers) uses a CR, he must have a CR for the remainder of the game. 

 

     ** Special Circumstance:  If all available courtesy runners are either on base, on deck, or not available, ANY available player may be used for a player who needs a runner due to an injury. 

 

Team Managers may use the “A-B" shared lineup to have two players in one batting lineup position.  

 

      -With A/B lineups, Offensive substitution is unlimited, provided said player stays in the same spot in the lineup once he is placed there (i.e., a batter and a runner for that batter may occupy the same position in the offensive lineup; the manager must declare who is batting at that lineup position before the start of the game. Neither player may appear in any other offensive lineup slot.) 

 

      -If a manager uses the A-B lineup, they may use a last batted-out courtesy runner.

 

      -Managers must announce if they are using the A-B Lineup rule BEFORE the start of the game and may not switch after the first pitch.  

 

All players may be substituted defensively at any time without affecting the player’s offensive status in the line-up.

 

     -If the starting pitcher is removed from the game, the starting pitcher may return to the pitching position ONE TIME during the course of the remainder of the game whether they leave the playing surface or not. Only the starting pitcher may return to the pitching position; no subsequent pitchers may assume the pitching position once they are removed.

 

Excessive foul language or inappropriate behavior is not acceptable.  Umpires are instructed to eject players that demonstrate repeated use of bad language or behavior.  Managers are responsible for their fan's behavior, and umpires may eject fans from the area.  Failure to comply may result in a delay of the game at the umpire's discretion.  If the time limit expires, or the umpires call the game, the game will be complete after 5 innings, or postponed, if less than 5 innings, with no guarantee of a makeup. 

 

-We play most of our games on Little League, school, and Christian Private School Fields.  There may be small children nearby and we must adhere to the field rules. 

 

If an ejection occurs, and there are no players available to fill the batting order position, the batting position will be recorded as an automatic out for the batting team.  It will only be an out the first time around the lineup, and then everyone in the lineup moves up.  

 

​     -It is the duty of the managers to report any and all player ejections within 24 hours. 

 

     -Any player ejected out of a game must serve an immediate one-game suspension the following scheduled game, even if it is a playoff or championship game.

 

 

All games must start at the scheduled time.

 

     -All teams and umpire(s) are expected to be ready to play at the scheduled time. 

 

     -In the event of a rescheduled game, the PBL will contact the umpiring agency to ensure that the rescheduled game has umpire(s). 

 

     -Any grace periods will be at the discretion of the umpires.  

 

     -The game timer begins at the scheduled time, even if the game starts early or late. 

 

     -An inning ends immediately after the 3^rd out. 

 

​All games shall be nine (9) innings, with no inning starting after 2 hours 45 minutes from the scheduled or actual start of play, whichever comes first. 

 

Double headers will be 7 inning games. 

Tied games that have completed the nine (9) innings and have reached the 2-hour 45 minutes limit may not be continued and are deemed a tie. 

 

The Run rule will be 10 runs after 7 innings.

 

All protests must be lodged with the PBL within 24 hours of the completion of the game.

 

     -A written protest with details of the incident in question must be submitted from each manager within 48 hours of the game in protest.  The PBL will decide all outcomes.  

 

There is NO FIGHTING ALLOWED!

 

     A player who initiates a fight will immediately be banned from all PBL venues and will forfeit any and all fees paid to the PBL. 

 

 Regular season games that are rained out will be rescheduled by the PBL, if possible. 

 

     -Games will be made up at a time and day not conflicting with previously scheduled Pastime Baseball League games and will depend on field and umpire availability. 

 

     -Games may be made up on other days of the week besides Sundays.  

 

     -The PBL will do its best to make up Rainouts, but it cannot be guaranteed.  

 

     -If a makeup date cannot be agreed upon by both teams in a timely manner, the game will not be made up.  If at least two separate available makeup dates are offered and one team refuses all options while the other team is available, the game will be forfeited by the unavailable team.  

 

     -A game is considered "Official" after 5 innings and will not be made up if called by rain.  

 

Final league standings will be decided by won-lost records first (winning pct.), followed by head-to-head competition, total runs allowed, and then runs scored. 

 

All playoff games must be played to completion of at least 5 innings to be official.  Time Limits and the run rule are in effect. 

 

     -If rain makes the game unplayable after the start, the game picks up from that point at a scheduled future date to be able to get to the official 5 innings. 

 

     -Playoff/Championship games will use MLB extra inning rules if tied after 9 innings or time limit. 

Championship games must be completed to at least 5 innings in the event of inclement weather.

 

The time limit will be extended to 3 hours for semi-final playoff games and 3 hours and 15 minutes for championship games per umpire approval.  The run rule does not apply in the Championship game.  

 

To be eligible to participate in the playoffs a player must have played half of the scheduled regular season games minimum for that respected playoff team before the start of the first playoff game.

 

     -The Managers must have all stats on each player up to date on the league website before the first playoff game to demonstrate that a player or players are eligible.  

 

A player may switch teams only with the consent of the managers involved and the PBL during a season or after. 

 

     -If a player wishes to be released from his current team and continue to play in the PBL, he will be optioned to the last-place team.  If the last-place team does not require his presence, he will be optioned to the next team up in the standings.  This will continue until he is picked up by a team. 

At the end of a season, if a player wishes to leave a team, he must become a free agent, which allows any team based on standings of the prior year to pick said player.  If they wish to go to a team directly, they must sit out a season.  If a team takes a season off, any player from that team may return to that team if they come back the following season.  

 

     -In the event a player wishes to leave their existing team and form a new team, they may do so with the consent of the PBL.  

 

     -No other player(s) can be taken from an existing team without the consent of that team’s manager and the PBL.

 

 

 

Any questions or concerns should be sent to:  

 

PastimeBaseballLeague@gmail.com