2025 Motor City Classic Baseball Tournament (339 teams played in the 2024 tournament)

2024 Motor City Classic

July 17-21, 2024 Rules

All scores must be sent via a group text to all four of Matt Sandles (248-752-8185), Donna Banks (734-772-4704), Norm Sandles (586-246-2588), and Leslie Capell (248-330-6559). We cannot stress this enough. Your team can have anyone send the scores in. It can be a player, a parent, or a coach. It does not matter. All teams are also responsible for all information sent out via Tourney Machine and posted on the Twitter account. All teams are responsible for subscribing to Tourney Machine and Twitter notifications. Reminder: Teams must provide their own baseballs. Teams are responsible for providing two new baseballs per game. For games at Novi High School, teams must provide at least four new baseballs.

Coaches, parents, and players, please text all video of your athletes' in-game success to 304-996-4412. This is so that the Motor City Classic may retweet it. Please include the player's name, player's Twitter handle, their high school, graduation year, position, travel team Twitter handle, and their statistics that you want tweeted in any text to that phone number.

Teams are responsible for seeing all updates posted on the Twitter account @MotorCityTourn (you do not need a Twitter account to see these). We will also send out messages on Tourney Machine so please subscribe to those notifications. The Twitter can be viewed at twitter.com/MotorCityTourn at any time.

For this specific tournament, in 14U-18U pool play games, no new inning will start after two hours (we can have ties in pool play; no ties in the playoffs). To be clear, you can play extra innings if there is still time remaining in the two hour time limit. 12U and 13U will be an hour and 45 minutes. The same goes for 12U and 13U. If any umpire says otherwise, please show them these rules immediately.

In the playoffs, after two hours (for 14U-18U) or 1:45 (for 12U-13U) in any non-Championship Game, new innings will start with a Sandles Shootout. A Sandles Shootout means that each team starts half innings with the bases loaded and their last three hitters on base. Every hitter starts with a 3-2 count and there are two outs. Championship Games will have no time limit and can be played to completion.

Please make sure to print out a copy of the rules to have with you at all times. There are over 330 teams in the tournament so the fastest way to make sure everyone sees the scores is to post them on Tourney Machine. Some fields (Warrior Park, Marsh Field, Orchard Lake St. Mary's, Meijer Sports Complex and Liggett) may have gate fees but a large majority will not. The gate fees do not go to the Tournament Director. The gate fees go to the fields themselves.

If anyone has any issues, please text all four phone numbers that scores are reported to. Scores and playoff seeding will be updated on Tourney Machine as quickly as possible. Pool play games can result in a tie. Metal cleats are not allowed on any turf field except for Novi High School and Warrior Park. Gum and sunflower seeds are also not allowed at any turf field period (including Novi High School and Warrior Park). Spring Arbor rules: Reminder to all coaches that there are no metal spikes (turfs or rubber molded only), no gum, no sunflower seeds. Any infraction will result in a $500 fine to the team. 

Meijer Sports Complex only is charging $10/car for parking.

Mercy Rules: Fifteen runs (15) after three innings, ten runs (10) after four innings, and eight runs (8) after five innings.

Players may only play for one team in each age group each weekend. If any player is caught playing for a second team in the same age group in the same tournament, that team immediately forfeits. However, the good news is that a player may play in two separate age groups in the tournament. For example, a player may play in both the 12U and 13U baseball age groups each weekend if they choose to do so (as long as they are 12U-eligible). What would not be allowed is a player playing for two 12U teams in the same tournament (which would lead to an immediate forfeit). 

When texting a score, you must include the age group, scheduled time of the game, the field the game was played at, the two teams playing, and the score. Example: July 22nd, 3:45 P.M. 15U game at Kyte Monroe Field #1, Team A 5, Team B 0

As of July 14, 2024:

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RULES

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Please print out a copy of these rules and have them with you at all times so that you can reference them if needed.

During the tournament, please send all e-mails to Novisandles@aol.com since that is my main e-mail address. My cell phone number is 248-752-8185. Text Norm Sandles at 586-246-2588 if I cannot be reached for any reason.

All scores must be texted to us as soon as your games are over. Texts are required. Please do it this way.

Here are the primary rules and policies surrounding the tournament.

• Pool play baseball games may not start a new inning after two hours in 14U-18U. 1:45 for 8U-13U. There can be ties.

• If any specific directions or rules are listed on a schedule, they override anything you see here.

• Anything not covered on this page reverts to NFHS rules, and if not covered by those rules then the particular situation would be subject to the discretion of the Tournament Director Matt Sandles.

• All umpire decisions are final and will be handled at the field. There are no protests.

• Pool play games can end in a tie. Playoff games must be played to completion (subject to a Sandles Shootout if it is not the Championship Game).

• If a fan, coach, or player causes such a scene that the game must be delayed, the fan has five minutes to leave the field or the team that he or she is affiliated with will forfeit the game. The umpire has discretion as to which team the offending person (or people) (is/are) affiliated with.

• Teams may use one Designated Hitter (DH) and as many Extra Hitters (EH) as they like. We want to encourage participation by as many players as possible.

• Teams must designate who each player is and for what player the DH will be hitting for in the field of play.

• Should teams enter the DH in to the field of play, the DH position will be eliminated for the rest of the current game.

• The EH(s) may also enter the field of play but MUST remain in their current batting position.

• The player for which the EH(s) (has/have) replaced in the field will now become the EH but will remain in the same batting position.

• Starters can re-enter once. Subs are done for the game once they are removed from the game for the first time.

• Pool Play: Coaches will be subject to a coin flip prior to the start of each game to determine who is Home/Visitor.

• In the 12U and 13U playoffs, seed will determine the home team and visiting team (higher seed is home team). In the 14U playoffs specifically, if a Pool #1 seed is playing a Pool #1 seed, there is a coin flip. If a Pool #2 seed is playing a Pool #2 seed, there is a coin flip. If a Pool #1 seed is playing a Pool #2 seed, the Pool #1 seed is the home team. In all of the 15U-18U playoffs, if two #1 Pool seeds are playing each other, there is a coin flip. If a #1 Pool seed is playing a Wildcard, the #1 seed is the home team. If two wildcards are playing each other, the higher seed is the home team.

• Turf fields do not allow consumption of sunflower seeds/any other food. All trash must be picked up and the dugout must be left spotless. No garbage and water bottles should be left in the bat racks.

• All baseball age groups except 18U will use age rules that are as follows.: May 1st age cutoff date unless a player is in the same grade as that age group. For example, 13U players cannot turn 14 until after May 1st or must be in the 7th grade that year. 18U is using the American Legion age rules (which allows more players to play; this is very similar to the Ultimate Strike Zone). Legion rules use January 1st instead of May 1st. If you have any questions about this please contact Matt Sandles.

• Courtesy runners are allowed at all times for the pitcher and catcher only.

• Games can be delayed and/or canceled due to excessive rain, smoke, heat, or other inclement weather.

• Verbal and physical abuse of umpires will not be tolerated. 

• Umpires and field staff reserve the right to eject fans.

• Weather delays and cancellations are at the discretion of umpires and on-site staff.

• I will do everything I can to keep Tourney Machine, the Twitter feed and the website as updated as possible throughout the tournament. Tourney Machine will be priority #1 though.

• No pre-game batting practice or infield may be taken on the field between games but ground balls may be hit in foul territory. Rain delays do not stop time limits. No new inning may start after the regular time limit to keep games running on schedule. However, if not enough innings are played for it to be considered an official game, it will be considered a 0-0 tie unless a team is leading by at least eight runs when the game is called no matter which team is hitting at the time. In this case, the current score will be the final score. Example: Team A is beating Team B 7-0 in the bottom of the third inning when the game is called. Because they were only leading by seven runs, this will be deemed a 0-0 tie. Games with rain delays will not have extra innings unless there is time remaining. Games that have rain delays and cannot be completed within the allotted time slot will not be rescheduled at a later date or time.

• All teams must provide two new baseballs to the home plate umpire prior to the start of each game. This number is changed to four baseballs at Novi High School. The baseballs should be of high school quality. Each team must also provide used baseballs as needed during the course of the game. Coaches, please see that each team retrieves foul balls on their respective sides.  The Buckeye Elite Showcase and Triple Crown Sports have similar policies.

• 14U-18U baseball teams must use -3 BBCOR or wood bats. All other age groups of baseball and softball will abide by the same bat policies that the United States Sports Specialty Association (USSSA) uses.

• Teams must be prepared and ready to play 15 minutes before their scheduled game is set to begin.

• Games completed early will result in an early start for the following games, weather permitting.

• The tournament director has the right to shorten or forfeit a game should teams not be ready to start their scheduled game on time.

• Teams are locked in to whatever players they submit on their original lineup card. You cannot add a player to your lineup just because he showed up late unless he was on your original lineup card.

• I will not ask teams to submit rosters. However, I am trusting teams to not cheat.

• If any team is caught cheating using players who are too old, they will immediately forfeit all games they played up until that point and if they are caught during a game, it also includes that game. The other teams will be credited with 7-0 victories.

• Players must be able to show some form of ID if their age is questioned by another team.

• Any threats made towards players, fans, umpires, or the tournament directors will not be tolerated.

• A team may start a game with eight players. A team must be able to field at least eight players throughout the game. If at any time this drops to seven players, they forfeit.

• If a game is forfeited by a team no-showing, the game will not be made up. There are also no refunds due to an opposing team forfeiting.

• Teams are responsible for anything that is posted on the Twitter account, including rule changes. They are also responsible for any messages sent out via Tourney Machine.

• Any ejected player or coach may return for the following game, but may be removed from the tournament altogether at the tournament director's discretion (and if their actions warrant it). Or they may return for the following game if the tournament director feels that is correct.

• A team may not compete in the playoffs if they forfeit a game during pool play for any reason.

• As stated on the website, there are no refunds once the schedule is released.

• Baserunners must slide or attempt to avoid contact. If they do not, they risk ejection.

• I reserve the right to add and change rules as I see fit. Sometimes you have to adapt.

• Any player caught using an illegal bat is ejected. There's a difference between arguing a play or arguing balls and strikes and cheating.

• Any player that throws a punch is banned from the tournament permanently. This also includes other acts of violence.

• Anyone who threatens the Tournament Director is banned from the tournament permanently.

• If a game ends at any lit field due to the lights being shut off, the score will revert back to the score at the end of the previous inning unless the home team is hitting and is winning or the score is tied. In that case the home team would win. If this occurs between half innings, the score will be treated as if it is the bottom of the inning (once the third out in the top of the inning is recorded, it will be viewed as now the bottom of the inning immediately).

• The Tournament Director may make any changes that he sees necessary at any time.

• Profanity (towards umpires and opposing players) and physical contact will not be tolerated. Any player or coach that swears or pushes anyone is immediately ejected.

• By signing up for this tournament, you acknowledge that rained out games will not be made up.

• 11U Baseball and 12U Baseball will play with a 50' mound and 70' bases.

• 13U Baseball will play with a 54' mound and 80' bases.

• 14U Baseball will play with a 60'6" mound and 90' bases.

• 15U Baseball, 16U Baseball, and 17U/18U Baseball will play with a 60'6" mound and 90' bases.

• 14U Baseball teams may use only wood bats or -3 BBCOR bats.

• 11U, 12U, and 13U bat legality will be in accordance with what you see at the bottom of this page.

• 8U-12U baseball games will play six innings (prior to extra innings).

• 13U-18U baseball games will play seven innings (prior to extra innings).

• Baserunners must slide feet first or give themselves up if the catcher has the ball. Baserunners will be out if they attempt to hurdle the catcher and the catcher has the ball at the time.

• USSSA rules may be referred to and applied by Matt Sandles at any time and at his discretion.

• There are no refunds due to forfeits.

• There are no refunds due to forgetting a rule or not noticing something on the website.

• By registering for the Motor City Classic, you are agreeing for the likeness of all affiliated coaches, players, and fans to be used in future Motor City Classic promotional and marketing materials.

• In the unfortunate event a game only has one umpire (which we hope never happens), the game will proceed and still count.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

- Matt Sandles

Cell Phone: (248)752-8185

E-Mail: Novisandles@aol.com

Twitter: @MotorCityTourn

Rules specific for Bloomfield Hills High School's turf field:

Bloomfield Hills Baseball and Softball Turf Field Rules

 Molded Cleats or other athletic shoes ONLY

 No sharp objects – including tent stakes, corner flags,

or other objects that can penetrate the surface of the

field.

 No food items – including gum and sunflower seeds

 No tobacco products of any kind

 No sports drinks or liquids other than water

 No pets

 No bicycles or other unapproved vehicles

 Approved athletic equipment only

Taking Infield: No infield will be allowed during the tournament. Coaches can hit fungos in foul territory or in the outfield.

Trips to the mound: The members of the coaching staff (including the manager) can make one mound visit per pitcher per inning without needing to remove the pitcher from the game. If the same pitcher is visited twice in one inning, the pitcher must be removed from the contest.

Judgment calls are not eligible for protest. Umpire's rulings are final on judgment calls. The only thing that really may be protested is a player's age eligibility. If that is protested, I need documented reasoning for suspicion, not just hearsay. A specific player must be protested, not an entire team.

Stop in Play: If a game is stopped, the game must start within one hour of the stop in play (subject to the 1:45/2:00 time limit; rain delay time counts towards game time). If games are not resumed, they will be called official. Games called by umpires that cannot be resumed within one hour will be considered an official game, if five innings have been completed, or 4 1/2 innings if the home team is ahead. After five complete innings, a tie score will be recorded a tie in pool play. The tournament director can extend the one hour if there are extenuating circumstances, i.e. lightning detected, working on fields, etc. A suspended game will resume where the game was halted. In the event play is stopped for any reason before or during the Championship round, first place, second place, third place, etc. will be awarded based on the listed Seeding and Tie Breaker Rules.

Scoring: We recommend that all teams (home and visitor) keep a scorebook. All subs should be reported to the umpires and to the opposing team. To eliminate scoring disputes scorekeepers should check with the opposing scorer during and after the game.

• •  Lineup cards must be fully filled out with player's last name, position, and accurate jersey numbers. All substitutes should be listed with accurate jersey numbers. Failure to produce a complete lineup card can result in games not starting on time. Lineup cards are to be exchanged at the home plate meeting. Teams cannot use duplicate numbers unless it is brought up at the pregame meeting.

Bat rules:

11U and 12U: Bats will follow USSSA rules. If a bat does not follow USSSA rules, then it must have a branding, label, or stamp proving BPF 1.15 (allowed by Perfect Game). USABat, BBCOR, and Wood bats are also allowed. Any bat this legal in USSSA and/or Perfect Game is legal here.

13U: Bats will follow USSSA rules. If a bat does not follow USSSA rules, then it must have a branding, label, or stamp proving BPF 1.15 and length/weight ratio vary by division (allowed by Perfect Game). USABat, BBCOR, and Wood bats are also allowed. Bats need to be no more than -8. Any bat this legal in USSSA and/or Perfect Game is legal here.

14U: Metal/Composite or Wood bat. Wood bats must be composed of a single piece of wood. Metal bats must be -3 BBCOR.

15U-18U: Metal/Composite bat or wood bat. Length/weight ratio must be -3 and stamped BBCOR. Wood bats must be composed of a single piece of wood.

• ALTERED BATS:
• DEFINITION OF AN ALTERTED BAT
• “A bat which has been subjected to change in its physical makeup outside the original manufacturers product”
• At any point, an umpire may request to inspect a bat that is being used in a tournament game. If the owner/user refuses to allow the requesting body to inspect the bat the owner/user is ejected at the umpire's discretion. Alternatively, the owner/user can allow the bat to be inspected so a conclusion can be formed as to whether the bat was altered.
• The owner/user of the bat have the responsibility of having knowledge whether a bat is altered.
• DAMAGED, WORN, OR ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE ON BATS:
• Bats that are damaged in any way, including but not limited to cracked, warped, missing a knob/cap, having a rattle, etc. are not legal for this tournament.
• Bats may not have any certifying markings or graphics worn off the bat. Bats that have certifying or identifying markings worn off the bat shall be removed from play.
• No substance shall be added to the bat barrel. The barrel of the bat and all identifying marks or graphics shall be free of any foreign obstruction. If a foreign substance is discovered as being used or identifying marks on the bat are not visible the bat shall be removed from play. The owner may potentially be ejected at the umpire's discretion.

Pitching: The MLB balk rule will be enforced. The MLB balk rule will be enforced and will be LIVE, not a dead ball. When a balk is called it is NOT a dead ball for 14U-18U. The 3B to 1B pickoff move is illegal. Also, in the windup position, a pitcher is permitted to have his "free" foot on the rubber, in front of the rubber, behind the rubber, or off to the side of the rubber.

Courtesy Runners: Courtesy runners can be used for the Pitcher and Catcher at any time but must be a VALID SUBSTITUTE.  If a team is batting their entire lineup, then they will be able to use the last recorded out.  In addition, the same substitute CANNOT run for more than one position (Pitcher or Catcher) in the same game.

Matt Sandles reserves the right to amend these rules at any time for specific tournament play. NFHS rules will be enforced with the exceptions listed on this page. All teams and coaches need to review their event rules prior to the start of the tournament.

Pool play game home teams are determined by a coin flip. The home team will be the official book and will record game start time when announced by the umpire. All teams need to be prepared to start 15 minutes prior to their official start time.

• For all age groups, time will begin with the First Pitch.
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• If rain or weather suspends a game in a six inning contest for 11U or 12U, four innings (3 1/2 innings if home team is winning) could be considered a complete game.
• If rain or weather suspends a game in a seven inning contest, five innings (4 1/2 innings if home team is winning) could be considered a complete game. The host facility, umpires, and tournament director will make the final decision on all complete games.
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Lightning delays will be at least 30 minutes long. A lightning delay will not extend a time limit.

Substitutes must be listed on the lineup card at the beginning of the game.

• Specific to 13U and under, if a team is hitting a continuous lineup or has no legal substitutions available and a player gets injured and can not continue to play, their spot in the batting order will be skipped with no penalty. Once a player’s spot in the batting order is skipped, the player is out for the remainder of the game and can not come back into play. However, at 14U and older it would be an automatic out.
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• It is required that all teams, coaches, and fans comply with all tournament and facility rules. Team managers/head coaches MUST have full control of their players and parents at all times. This means “on” and “off” the field.
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  • *If a team is hitting a continuous lineup or has no available substitutes, the ejected player’s spot in the lineup will remain and his team is forced to take an out.
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• 11U and 12U Bats
  • BPF 1.15 Max
  • Must be stamped by either USSSA or USA
• 13u Bats
  • BPF 1.15 or BBCOR. Max Difference of Drop 8. Or wood.
• 14u - 18U Bats
  • BBCOR or wood bat only.
• Baum Bats are legal.
• It is the responsibility of each team's head coach to monitor bats that are in play. If a player uses an illegal bat, the umpire must be notified prior to the first pitch of the next batter or before all defensive players leave fair territory.
•  If the bat is found illegal, the batter will be ruled out and runners will not be allowed to advance. 
• Using an illegal bat is defined as stepping into the box with said illegal bat
• If a team has three illegal bat rules infractions the Head Coach will be ejected from that game.
• Catchers may wear two piece helmets.
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• Skunk in the outfield play: 
• Play where the runner on 1st creates his own path in the baseline by backing up in the outfield WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. Runner must take a lead with a direct line from 1st base toward 2nd base.
• First Offense, Umpire will call time and issue an official team warning putting all players back to their starting base.
• Second Offense, Runner will be declared out and any pitch or action by other runners will be nullified.

All references in the rules to rain also apply to smoke and air quality.