PHILADELPHIA FALL BASEBALL LEAGUE

(PFBL)

BYLAWS

LEAGUE OFFICERS:

President and Treasurer – Mike Anderson

Vice President and Commissioner – Derrick Morgan

 

Article 1 NAME:

 

The name of this organization shall be the Philadelphia Fall Baseball League (PFBL).

 

Article 2 OBJECTIVE:

 

The objective of this organization shall be to conduct a schedule of amateur baseball games to be played in the Philadelphia area, and to conduct these games in a clean, orderly and sportsmanlike manner, providing sport for the player and spectator alike.

 

Article 3 MEMBERSHIP:

 

1. The organization shall be composed of each of the teams qualified to play in the league.

 

2. All teams will be required to pay the Team Entry Fee which covers insurance, trophies, and other league costs.

Article 4 OFFICERS:

 

1. The officers of the organization shall be a President, Vice President/Commissioner and Treasurer.  

Article 5 RULES OF PLAY:

 

The Rules of Play may be adopted or amended by a vote of the League Coaches prior to each season provided that no rule of play adopted between the beginning and end of the current season shall go into effect until a new league season begins, unless agreed upon by a 100% consensus.  All Rules of Play are to be enforced by the League Officers.

Article 6 FRANCHISE:

 

1. The franchise fee in the Philadelphia Fall Baseball League (PFBL) shall be determined during the conduct of preseason meetings in accordance with the existing financial status of the organization.  Each member team shall pay the franchise fee in full to the League Treasurer not later than the deadline set by the League Officers each year.

2. The league fee will be comprised of costs associated with insurance, umpire assignor fees, trophies, and website costs (if any). 

Article 7 CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS:

 

1. These Bylaws may be changed or amended upon a ¾ vote of the voting team representatives of all member clubs.

Article 8 EXPULSION OF A MEMBER CLUB:

 

Any club may be expelled for cause after a fair discussion of both sides of the issues, by a ¾ vote of the League Coaches.

Article 9 RULES:

The Philadelphia Fall Baseball League (PFBL) shall play under the rules of Major League Baseball, unless otherwise discussed in these bylaws.

Article 10 SCHEDULE:

1. Games that end in a tie will be considered completed, and will not be rescheduled or continued.

 

2. All games canceled (prior to 9:00 AM on a game day, or 60 minutes before scheduled start time) due to unforeseen circumstances must be rescheduled and played at the earliest possible open date for both teams.  Both team managers must consult with the League President if there are problems rescheduling due to field conflicts, unavailability, or other reasons.  

 

3. All games on the regular season schedule, aside from forfeited games, must be played.  If a scheduled game must be canceled or stopped before it becomes an officially completed game, the game must be rescheduled and started anew before the end of the regular season.  The league may choose to extend the regular season and push back the playoffs if necessary.  After a game cancellation or stoppage, the two coaches have two weeks to agree upon a date, time and location for the makeup.  That agreement must be passed along to the League President so that the umpires can be informed.  If the two coaches cannot come to an agreement after two weeks, the League President will schedule the makeup.  In the case of a stopped game, the game will be restarted from the outset.

 

4. All regular season games are scheduled to be 7 innings.  A game is considered official after 3 ½ innings have been completed if the home team is leading, or after 4 innings have been completed if the visiting team is leading.

 

5. All playoff games are scheduled to be 7 innings, unless tied.  

 

6. No team shall schedule or play any baseball games that will conflict with the league schedule.  The final schedule can only be changed with the approval of the League President, or a majority vote of the League Coaches.  If the time, location, or date of a game is to be changed, both teams involved must agree to the change and must get permission of the League President, or a majority vote of the League Coaches.  If any changes are made without prior approval of the League President, or a majority vote of the League Coaches, the teams involved will be fined $50 each.

 

7. Teams have the right to schedule makeup games for any day/night they so choose, as long as the scheduling does not interfere with anything else on the league schedule.  All scheduling must be approved by the League President.

Article 11 GROUNDS:

 

1. The home team manager shall decide the fitness of the grounds for play.  Should the home team manager decide the grounds are unfit for play, he must notify the visiting manager not later than 9:00 AM (or one hour before the scheduled start time) and the umpire service not later than 9:00 AM (or one hour before the scheduled start time) on game day.  Failure to do so results in a forfeit for the home team (or a double-forfeit if neither game can be played during a doubleheader).  

 

2. If the home team coach notifies the opposing team coach of field issues after the 9:00 AM deadline (or one hour prior to the scheduled start time deadline) and both teams are able to agree on a relocation or rescheduling of the games, this will be allowed.  It is not required that the opposing team agree as they are entitled to a forfeit win at that point and credit for player eligibility.  Any umpire show fees associated with a post-9:00 AM notification will be the responsibility of the home team.

 

3. It is mandatory for the home team at each game to prepare the field for proper game play.  There should be a straight white foul line leading from home plate to first base, as well as from home plate to third base, when possible.  All bases should be anchored to the ground in some manner, if possible.  Throw down bases are allowed and home run fences are not required.  

Article 12 STARTING TIMES:

 

All doubleheaders are to begin at 10:00 AM on Sundays.  Forfeit time is 10:21 am.  The second game of the doubleheader is to begin no more than 20 minutes from the end of the first game.  The umpires present must declare a start time for the second game immediately after the ending of the first game and forfeit time for that second game is 21 minutes after the declared start time.

 

1. A team forfeiting a game is responsible for the total umpire fees for that game.  Head coaches should carry the full amount of umpire fees to every game, in case their team forfeits.  If a team forfeits, and does not have the ability to pay the full amount to the umpires at the time, that team must submit whatever payment is possible and then the league will pay the rest out of their team’s entry fees.  The forfeiting team is responsible then for paying the amount withdrawn from the team entry fees back to the league within one week of the forfeit.  

 

2. No new inning shall begin in any scheduled regular season game beyond 2 hours and 30 minutes from the actual start time.  At the beginning of each game, both coaches and the umpires present must agree on the actual time just before first pitch, as well as the timepiece that will be used to decide the time of the game (usually the home plate umpire’s watch).  If a new inning begins within the time limit, the entire inning (both halves if the home team is losing) must be completed regardless of time.  If darkness becomes a problem for game play, continuing the game will be left to the discretion of the umpires present.

 

3. The visiting team must be given at least 5 full minutes on the field for warm-ups prior to the start time.  This time should be given from 10 minutes before start time to 5 minutes before start time.

 

4. Each team must present a lineup card to the home plate umpire prior to the start of the game.  The lineup card must have the team’s name, the manager’s name, the date of the game, and the batting lineup all written in ink.  If the pitcher is not batting, his name must be listed somewhere on the lineup card in ink as well.  All batting changes made during the game must be given to the home plate umpire who should then make those changes in ink on the lineup cards he was given.  The team managers must also exchange lineup cards with each other, also in ink.  Teams should strongly consider using lineup cards that are printed in triplicate.  Each team’s lineup must be written in their scorebook in ink.  Names may not be crossed out or erased prior to the start of the game.  Once a player’s name is in the book in ink, he is considered a starter in the lineup.  If that player’s name is crossed out or erased, he is considered removed from the game offensively and may not re-enter later.  He may continue to play defense due to the free defensive substitutions rule.

Article 13 PLAYERS:

 

1. All players must be at least 18 years of age at the time they begin to play in the league.  A player may not sign a league contract until his or her 18th birthday. 

2. Any player with professional baseball experience must be at least 2 years removed from pro ball to be eligible to play in the PFBL. 

 

3. Each team must carry at least 9 players and no more than 30 players on their team roster.  Each team will be required to have at least 9 playoff eligible players to enter the playoffs. 

 

4. At midnight on a date to be determined each season by the League Officers, the league rosters will become set.  No changes to any team’s roster will be allowed.  

 

5. Adding players to the roster MUST be done prior to those players playing in games.  Until the signing deadline, teams may sign new players (up to the 30 player maximum) by contacting the league President and informing him of the additions.  Once a player is subtracted from the roster, he is no longer covered by the league insurance.  If a player is to be added prior to a game on a gameday (before game 1 or between two games of a doubleheader), the coach must contact the League President and leave a message with the new player’s full name.  The coach must also inform the opposing coach that he has added the new player.

 

6. It is the responsibility of any team signing a released player to contact the League President to ensure that the player has been properly released from his former team.

 

7. In order to be eligible for the playoffs, a player must appear in the scorebook for at least 50% of their team’s games played during the regular season.  A player must either have a full plate appearance (an At Bat, a Walk, or a Hit By Pitch), a pinch running appearance recording a statistic, or a pitching appearance (at least facing 1 batter), in order to qualify for 1 game appearance.  If a player has been released from another Philadelphia Fall Baseball League (PFBL) team during the season, he must gain eligibility by appearing in at least 50% of games for his new team, regardless of how many he played in for his prior team.

 

8. Teams may not trade players.  Players may only be signed and released.  If a team releases a player he is free to sign with any other team in the league as long as the signing deadline has not passed.  Released players will be listed on their original team’s roster as RELEASED on the league website.  Injured players may be listed as INACTIVE so that they remain part of their original team, but do not count as one of the active maximum 30 players.

 

9. Each playoff team must submit a complete playoff roster of eligible by no later than the Tuesday after the final game of the regular season.  The League President is required to give each playoff team a copy of the playoff rosters for all other playoff teams.  Questions regarding the eligibility of any players listed on playoff rosters must be addressed by the Thursday before the playoffs.  No questions regarding player eligibility will be permitted after the deadline unless they pertain to a player not listed on the playoff roster or a player who is falsely playing in place of a player on the playoff roster. 

 

10. All players appearing in a game must be properly in uniform.  Baseball pants, baseball shirt or jersey, and baseball hat (brim facing forward) must be worn to match all other players on the team.  A player not in uniform may be forced to adorn proper attire under threat of ejection by the umpires present.  Weather condition gear within reason is allowable for all players (pitchers may wear long sleeves, but not colors that are considered distracting - like white).  

 

11. If a player strikes or verbally threatens an umpire, another player, a manager or coach, or any spectator during or immediately after a game, he shall be reported to the League President within 24 hours.  If the player was ejected from the game for such behavior, there will be a mandatory 1 game suspension that must be served immediately.  The League President will then hear reports from the umpires, coaches, and the players involved before making a decision on whether further suspension or complete expulsion from the league is needed.  Any player may appeal, in writing, the initial decision of the League President on such issues.  The appeal will cost $25 (non-refundable) and will be heard by the entire League Board.  The League Board will then vote on the appeal and decide whether to uphold the punishment or release the player from it. 

 

12. Any player, coach, or manager being removed from a game by an umpire shall be fined $15, but will not be suspended.  The fine must be paid before the player will be allowed to play in another game.  Anyone who is removed from a game by an umpire must leave the vicinity of the playing field and benches.  The umpire is the sole judge of how far the vicinity extends.  The League President must be notified immediately of any ejections.  Any failure to notify the League President of an ejection will result in a $15 fine on the team.

 

13. Any players, manager, or coach questioning the balls and strikes called by an umpire is subject to ejection.  

 

14. Any player, manager, or coach, who makes inappropriate inflammatory remarks towards an umpire, before, during or after a game, shall be fined $25 and reported to the League President for suspension.  It is the duty of the umpires present to report such behavior to the League President.

 

Article 14 GAME PLAY:

 

1. The PFBL uses a free defensive substitution system of play.  Any player on the roster may be used at any position on the field interchangeably without notifying the opponent or the umpires.  A pitching substitution requires that the new pitcher complete pitching to at least one batter before another change can be made. 

 

2. A team must bat at least 9 players in their lineup (unless they only have 8 present – if a 9th shows he must be added to the lineup), but they may bat as many players as they choose.  You may always add more batters at the bottom of the lineup, but you must finish the game with the highest number of batters that you have hit (if you hit 15 batters at any point in the game, you must finish with 15 batters, you may not cut batters out of or off the lineup - doing so results in an out for each spot).  There is no re-entry rule for batting. If a player spot in the batting order comes up and they cannot bat due to injury, ejection, or other reason, and no new player can hit in their spot, that spot in the lineup will result in an out the first time through the lineup, and will then be skipped over without an out for any additional times thereafter.     

 

3. With 2 outs in any inning, the pitcher or the catcher may be given a speed-up runner if either or both are on base.  Only the current pitcher and current catcher may be given speed-up runners.  The speed-up runner used must be the last batted out in the lineup. If the last batted out has a Courtesy Runner, or is the pitcher or catcher, then the runner used will default to the player who made the batted out prior to that. The same speed-up runner may be used for both the pitcher and the catcher, even during the same inning, as long as both are not required to be on base at the same time.  The baserunning/scoring statistics count ONLY for the actual player who is in the lineup, meaning that the runners who are doing the running, since they are never in the scorebook, do not get credit for stolen bases, caught stealing, runs scored, etc… and they do not receive credit towards eligibility.  If a runner is needed in the 1st inning and an out has yet to be recorded, then the last batter in the lineup should be used as the runner. 

 

4. Prior to each game, each team may dedicate two players on their team who will get Courtesy Runners if they reach base.  These two players may be in the starting lineup or on the bench.  Players who will have a courtesy runner that are in the starting lineup must have the letters CR, NR, or a Star placed next to their names in ink on the lineup card and in the scorebook.  Players who will have courtesy runners who are not in the starting lineup must be listed in the reserves section of the lineup card with the letters CR, NR, or a Star placed next to their names so that when they are entered into the game, they are granted a Courtesy Runner.  Once a player who has a Courtesy Runner dedicated reaches base, time may be called so that a runner can replace that player on base.  The runner used must be the last batted out in the lineup.  A player dedicated with a Courtesy Runner does not need to use that option every time he reaches base.  This option remains with that player throughout the game regardless and may be used at any point where the player is on base.  The baserunning/scoring statistics count ONLY for the actual player who is in the lineup, meaning that the runners who are doing the running, since they are already in the scorebook in a different slot, do not get credit for stolen bases, caught stealing, runs scored, etc… for stats achieved as courtesy runners.

 

5. If an umpire believes that either team is stalling, for any reason, he may require that team to quicken their pace or threaten punishment.  If the umpire feels that the team has ignored his warnings and has continued to stall, he may choose to call the game a forfeit against the stalling team.

 

6. The manager or coach of a team may make 1 visit to the pitcher’s mound per inning.  A second visit to the mound requires the pitcher to be changed.  The counting of mound visits starts fresh each time a new pitcher enters the game.  This rule is eliminated during the playoffs, with visits only being restricted by the umpires in order to progress the game in a timely manner.  

 

7. The PFBL plays by “slide or veer” base-running rules.  No malicious contact is allowed by the base-runner against any defensive player.  The umpire’s judgment will be used to determine “malice” or intent.  The general penalty for violation of this rule is that the runner is out and all other runners must halt at the base they occupy at the time of the illegal contact.  However, if the umpire feels that the illegal contact is worthy of ejection, he may do so.  If a team has a specific instance where an umpire did not cite malice against a base-runner, but would like the specific instance brought to the attention of the league, that team may put a statement of the situation into writing to the League President for further investigation.

 

8. There is a 10 run mercy rule after 5 completed innings (or 4 ½ if the home team is winning).

 

9. If a pitcher hits 3 batters with pitches during the course of 1 inning, that pitcher must be removed and can no longer pitch in that game.  If a pitcher hits 5 batters over the course of any game, he must be removed and can no longer pitch in that game.

Article 15 FINES AND PROTESTS:

 

1. A team failing to appear for a regularly scheduled game shall forfeit the game (taking a loss and giving a win to the opponent) and also be fined $15 in addition to the total umpire fees for that game.  The forfeiting team must pay the $15 fine, as well as the total umpire fees, directly to the manager of the opposing team within 10 days of the game.  If both teams fail to appear for a regularly scheduled game, both teams will receive a loss for the game and both teams will be fined $15 and will split the umpire fees for that game, payable to the League President. 

 

2. Any team causing a forfeit by walking off the playing field in protest, during a game, will be fined $25 in addition to the usual $15 fine.  Both the $25 and $15 fine must be paid directly to the League Treasurer within 10 days.

 

3. Any team using an ineligible player shall be given a loss for all games in which that player played.  A protest must be filed by an opposing manager for such action to be taken.

 

4. Any player suspended by the League President will be informed of the number of games his suspension will last.  Rained out games that occur during the suspension will not count towards the total number of games missed.

 

5. All protests must be made during the game in question, at the time the issue arises.  It must be noted in the scorebooks of both teams and signed by both umpires.  Game play may continue after the point of protest, but the protest must then be brought to the League President’s attention within 48 hours (written protest sent by e-mail).  Judgment calls by umpires may not be protested!  The decision made by the League President on all protests will be final with no right of appeal.

 

6. It is the responsibility and duty of the League Treasurer to collect and the League President to enforce all fines and suspensions.  It is the responsibility of the League Treasurer to note and log all fines and suspensions.

 

7. There will be two separate punishments for forfeited games.  Any teams forfeiting games must pay the umpire fees for both teams for both scheduled games.  If the forfeiting team is unable to pay the umpires that day, the league will not allow that team to play any further games unless the money is paid to the league President by no later than Thursday of that week.  Any team that does not pay back the umpire fees will be forfeited out of the league and their remaining scheduled games will be considered wins for their opponents.  4 forfeited games (2 doubleheaders) in the course of a season will lead to expulsion from the PFBL for at least 1 season (meaning if you forfeit 5 games in 2022, your team won’t be allowed back into the league in 2023).    

 

8. The team forfeiting gets no games towards eligibility for any of their players, whereas the winning team gets one game of eligibility for each player on their active roster at the time of the game.  When entering game results for forfeited games, the game must be listed as forfeited by the home team or forfeited by the visiting team, but no score is entered (leave it at 0-0).  A win is registered to the non-forfeiting team.  Be sure to double-check who is listed as home and away before entering the forfeit.  The non-forfeiting team may check off a game played for everyone on their roster when entering the forfeit as well.  

Article 16 REPORTING SCORES:

 

1. After each game played, both teams must text/email the League President the final score of that day’s games or immediately post the scores on the league’s website.  

 

2. Just like the lineup cards, the lineups placed into team scorebooks must be written in ink.  All changes in the lineup must also be made in ink.  No scratch outs or lines may be put through any names in the lineup.  Each page of the team scorebook must have the date of the game and the opponent listed in ink.  The actual scoring may be kept in ink or in pencil.

 

3. After each week of played games, all teams must completely and accurately fill out their own team’s statistics on the league website, www.LeagueLineup.com/PFBL, for every game.  Each team has one week to complete the accurate entry of statistics onto the website from the date of each game.  Any game statistics that are not entered onto the league website by the time of the Wednesday after the end of the regular season will result in elimination of those games from consideration for player eligibility for the playoffs and elimination of those games from consideration for league awards.  

Article 17 STANDINGS AND PLAYOFFS:

 

1. All team and player fines must be paid no later than the Tuesday before playoffs.  Any teams or players that have not paid their fines in full will not be allowed to participate in the league playoffs.  All player fines that are issued from an event taking place in a playoff game, must be paid before the next scheduled playoff game.  If the fine is not paid, that player will not be eligible to play.  The fined player will not be eligible for any games until the fine is paid in full to the treasurer.  It is also the responsibility of the treasurer to inform the opposing team that the fined player has paid in full, and is now eligible to play.  A player who has not paid his fines is considered ineligible, and therefore use of that ineligible player is cause for a team forfeit.

 

2. Standings will be based on the winning percentage of the teams in the league.  At the end of the season, each team’s winning percentage will be calculated using the total number of wins divided by the total number of wins plus losses.  Ties and rainouts will not be included in the calculation of winning percentage.  

 

3. The top 4 teams in the league will make the playoffs.  The league may vote to increase the number of teams entered into the playoffs prior to the start of any season.  

 

4. The first tiebreaker is head to head games.  Second tiebreaker is divisional winning percentage.   Third tiebreaker is the average, per game played (not including forfeit wins or losses), runs allowed for the season (lower average wins the tiebreaker).  Fourth tiebreaker is the average, per game played (not including forfeit wins or losses), runs scored for the season (higher average wins the tiebreaker).  Fifth and final tiebreaker is a coin toss.  The League President informs each of the teams of their coin side (heads or tails) and, in the presence of at least 3 witnesses approved by the two teams in question, the President flips the coin one time.   If one of the teams involved in the tiebreaker is that of the league President, an alternate league representative (coach of a non-interested team or non-playoff team) must do the coin flip.

 

5. The League Playoffs shall begin on the first Sunday after the end of the regular season schedule.  

 

6. The top 4 teams in the league will make the playoffs.  The first round of playoff games will be a single 9 inning elimination game. (4th seed at 1st seed, 3rd seed at 2nd seed).  The winners of each playoff series will then compete in the Championship round which will be a best of 3 series (highest seed gets home field advantage).  If there are a large number of teams in the league, the league may vote to increase the number of playoff teams and the format in which the playoffs will be played. All playoff games will be scheduled for Sunday’s, but if forecasted weather is predicting a full rainout, the two teams may agree to play on Saturday, ONLY if both teams agree, at least 48 hours in advance. Otherwise the game(s) will move to the next weekend. 

 

7. For playoff and championship games, the home team shall be responsible for providing baseballs.  If the first round series gets to a 3rd and deciding game, the two teams shall split the providing of baseballs evenly.  If the championship series gets to a 3rd game, the two teams shall split the providing of baseballs evenly.  

 

8. During all playoff and championship games, as well as any pre-playoff games needed, the league rule regarding the number of visits to the pitcher’s mound during an inning is deemed inactive.

 

9. During all playoff and championship games, as well as any pre-playoff games needed, there will be no protests allowed.  Any protested issues will require a complete stoppage of play while the umpires present, the two team managers, and the official representative of the League Officers discuss and resolve the issue at hand.  The representative of the League Officers shall have final judgment on any protested issue.

Article 18 BASEBALLS AND BATS:

 

1. Only the following baseballs are acceptable for use in Philadelphia Fall Baseball League regular season, pre-playoff, playoff, and championship games:

1. Official Major League Baseball

2. Wilson A10-10 Baseball 

3. Wilson A10-10 ‘Blem’ Baseball

4. Rawlings R200 Baseball

5. Rawlings R200 ‘Blem’ Baseball

6. Rawlings FSR1NCAA

7. Diamond D1-AAA LS

8. Diamond D1-OL

9. Any baseballs approved by the League Board prior to the start of a season.

 

2. The home team for all games must provide 3 new baseballs and 1 serviceable baseball to the home plate umpire prior to the start of the game.

 

3. The home plate umpire shall be furnished with new or serviceable baseballs upon his request throughout the course of the game.  All baseballs in the umpire’s possession must be returned to the home team at the conclusion of the game.

 

4. Only wooden or wood composite bats will be allowed in any regular season, pre-playoff, playoff, or championship games.  No metal, ceramic, or metal/wood mixed bats are allowed.  

 

5. No corked bats will be allowed.  Any player caught using a corked bat will be ejected from the game and will have the bat confiscated by the lead umpire.  The player will then be presented to the League President, along with the corked bat and a report by the umpires, for suspension proceedings.

 

6. No pine tar or tape or any other foreign substance shall be allowed on the bat higher than 18 inches above the bottom of the bat.  Any player caught using a bat with pine tar, tape, or any other foreign substance beyond the bottom of the bat label shall have their bat removed from the game and shall have their current plate appearance considered an out.  The plate appearance is not considered official until at least one pitch has been thrown.  The player can be called out by the umpire at any time, until the first pitch is thrown to the following batter.

Article 19 UMPIRES:

 

1. Each team must pay $165 per doubleheader (each umpire gets $165 per doubleheader). If only one umpire shows up to do a doubleheader, he gets paid $200 ($100 from each team) for that doubleheader.  Single games are $70 per umpire.  If the umpires show up for a game that gets canceled due to forfeit, they get paid full price for the game (or both if it is a doubleheader). A 9 inning single game (first round of playoffs only) will be $100 per umpire. The forfeiting team is responsible for paying this ENTIRE amount. If a game gets called after 1 hour of play (due to weather, etc...), the umpires get full pay. Under an hour or not started at all, the umpires get half pay (called show money). Umpires must be called at least 1 hour prior to start time if a game is going to be moved or canceled!  Call Lou Acello at 610-476-7238.

 

Article 20 INSURANCE:

 

1. The PFBL will have insurance coverage, but all injuries, damages, etc… that are not covered or are not completely covered by the league insurance will be the responsibility of the individual player causing the injury/damages/etc…   The league insurance certificates will be available to all coaches and players.