York County

Independent Baseball League Rules 3/20/22

 

1         League Rules

 

1.1        Player Eligibility

 

1.1.1        Minimum Age

The minimum age for any player is 30 years old. The birth date MUST occur within the season year. Players must be 35 years old to pitch. If a player is listed on an active roster for the South Penn, Central or Susquehanna League, the minimum pitching age is 38 years old with the birth date being anytime during the season year regardless of how many games the player intends to compete in either league.

 

1.1.2        Defensive Positions

A player is not required to play a defensive position during the course of a game.

 

1.1.3        Playoff Eligibility

A player must have played 1/2 of the scheduled games (GP) during the regular season to be eligible to participate in playoff games. A game played is based on completing at least 1 At Bat (AB) during a game or inning in the field.

1.2        Equipment

1.2.1        Helmets

A player must wear a batting helmet while they are on-deck, and during their at-bat. Players should have their own batting helmet for sanitary reasons. Players are not to use the gear of any other player without permission.

 

1.2.2        Team Requirements

Each team is responsible for providing their own catchers’ equipment, batting helmets, and bats. The league (YCIBL) will not provide any playing equipment other than baseballs. Managers are encouraged to ensure each catcher has his own equipment.

 

1.2.3        Team Uniforms

The teams are required to secure uniforms. Players must wear baseball pants, no shorts. The uniform may be as simple as a T-Shirt and hat. The T-Shirt must have the player name and number on the back.  The player has 2 weeks to have a jersey and if not they are ineligible till he has a jersey.  The player number shall remain the same throughout the season and must be submitted with the batting order no more than 5 days prior to the first game.  Contact league for vendors for jerseys, hats, or pants.

 

1.2.4        Bats

There are no restrictions on bats.

  

1.3        Home and Away Teams

 

1.3.1        Umpire Fees

The Home team is responsible for the payment to umpires for the game. However, some seasons may require the managers to split this cost. This is decided prior to the start of the season.

 

1.3.2        Dugouts

The Home team will utilize the First Base dugout, and the Away team will utilize the Third Base dugout for each game. Managers may swap dugouts.

 

 

1.3.3        Field Management

Both Home and Away teams are expected to collect foul balls during the course of the game and clean up any trash at the end of the game.

 

The Home team is responsible to perform any field management tasks required for a specific field. This is not only for the last game of the day but may be required between games. This could include, but is not limited to:

 

·         Raking or tamping areas of the field as required (i.e., batter’s boxes, pitching mound, base areas).

·         Placing or removing bases before or after the game.

·         Applying lime for foul lines and/or the batter’s box.

 

1.3.4        Injured Players

 

The Manager is permitted to replace players who may suffer injuries and are expected to be out for several games. The Replacement players must be approved by the YCIBL Board and must meet all of the Eligibility requirements in Section 1.1.1 but do not need to meet the Minimum Games for Playoff Eligibility as in Section 1.1.3. The injured player and the Replacement player shall not play in the same games and is added to the bottom of the lineup.

2         Game Rules

 

2.1           Bunting

Bunting is not allowed

2.2           Stealing

Stealing bases is not allowed. This includes advancing on wild pitches, passed balls, and dropped third strikes.

 

2.3           Leads

Leads shall not exceed 10 feet from first and third bases and 15 feet from Second base. A secondary lead of a few steps is permitted once the pitcher has started his delivery.

 

2.4           Pick-offs

Pick offs are permitted although the pitcher may be called on a balk. Runners may also advance on a pickoff move if the throw is errant, runners initial move must be towards their current occupied base.  On a 3-2 count with 2 outs the runner may advance once the pitcher has started his motion.  The runner is not required to go back to the occupied base. However, if a pick off attempt is made that said runner must go back to the previous occupied base. 

 

2.5           Pitching

A player must be 35 years old to Pitch (or 38 years old to pitch according to Section 1.1.1). A Pitcher may only pitch 4 innings consecutively.  If a Pitcher is removed before 4 innings, he may not return. Moving a pitcher to another defensive position qualifies as removing the pitcher, in this scenario he may not re-enter to pitch for the remainder of the game.

 

2.6          Batting Order

The batting order must be Continuous with three exceptions:

 

Exception 1: In the event of an on-field injury, the player may be removed from the lineup. Once he has missed an at-bat, he cannot return to the lineup. If he has at least one at-bat prior to the injury, the game counts as one towards his playoff eligibility. Only in the case of an obvious injury will this clause apply.

Exception 2: Defensive-Only Players

 

A player may choose, at the beginning of the season and prior to any game play, to be declared a Defense-Only player.  The player will not be permitted to appear at the plate once declared Defensive-Only.  The player shall be listed in the Batting Order with an Asterisk * beside the name for league officials to monitor. (i.e) Any change to this declaration must be reviewed by YCIBL board.

 

Exception 3: For playoff games, the Continuous Batting order is suspended. Each Playoff game will begin with the Lead-off Batter.

 

2.7          Courtesy Runners

Courtesy Runners are permitted at any time for catchers or pitchers. The courtesy runner must be the preceding player in the lineup. If this player is not available to run, the next available shall be used. The courtesy runner must be inserted as soon as the play has ended.  With 2 outs at any time of the game a current pitcher or catcher may use a courtesy runner to keep the game moving.

 

Courtesy runners are available for any other player in the event of an on-field injury.  This clause is reserved for players with obvious injuries or health issues and should not be abused.

 

2.8           Substitute Players

A Team may use any eligible player 35 years and older, from another team, as a temporary substitute. Substitute players are not permitted to pitch and are only permitted to fill in for Left Field, Right Field, 1st Base, 2nd Base or Catcher. The temporary player shall be declared as filling in for a particular roster player and will occupy that hitting position in the lineup.

 

The opposing team is under no obligation to provide temporary players. If either team cannot field 9 players with a combination of active team members and Substitute players 35 years of age, they must forfeit the game.

 

2.9           Game Length

All games are to be 7 innings in length. No inning may begin after the period of 2hrs 15min has elapsed. Managers are encouraged to announce the start time of each game to the umpire to avoid any misunderstandings.

 

Exceptions to the time limit are:

 

·         The Tie Breaker inning has no time limit.

·         Playoff or Championship games do not have a time limit. 

 

2.10      Tie Breaking

If the game is tied with the time limit expired, regardless of the innings played, 1 additional inning will be played with the following modified rules:

 

·         The batter who made the last out from the previous inning will be placed on second base. Unless this runner has been substituted in all previous base appearances, and barring an obvious injury during the game, he must run in this situation.

·         A maximum of 3 runs may be scored before the side must change.

·         If the game remains tied at the completion of the tie breaker inning the game will be recorded as a tie. No further innings will be played.

 

Exception: The tie breaker rule may be suspended for playoff and championship games as long as the facility and umpires are willing to remain open for the additional time required, and as long as both managers agree to continue. Once a team is ahead in the score after the bottom of the 8th inning (or additional innings) has elapsed, the game will be considered complete. 

 

2.11 Sliding

Runners from Third base are required to slide for close plays at home plate to avoid injury to catchers. Failing to do so may result in being called out. This will be at the discretion of the umpire. The play must be close.

 

2.12  Blocking the Plate

Catcher’s may not block the plate, or the base path in any way, and must sweep tag the runners who may, or may not be, sliding. Blocking either may result in the umpire granting the run to the runner. Contact is not permitted. However, non-intentional or accidental contact will be up to the discretion of the umpire.

 

2.13  Hit by Pitch

The Batter must make an attempt to avoid being hit by a wild pitch. Intentionally offering a part of the body such as a knee, elbow, or otherwise leaning into a pitch will force the batter to remain at the plate. He will also receive a warning from the Umpire.

 

A second infraction during the same game will result in an out.

 

2.14 Mercy Rule

 

A maximum differential of 15 runs at the end of the 4th inning will trigger an automatic end to the game.

 

2.15     Rainout and Completed Games

            In the event of inclement weather where the game must be stopped mid-inning, the game will be considered complete as long as 4 complete innings have been played. The score reverts back to the last complete inning. 

3         Manager Responsibilities

3.1  Team

Develop the team through recruiting or leads from the league website for free agent players.

Ensures each player is registered via the league website. Submits the team fees directly to the Financial Chairman. This provision is in the event online payment is not available or utilized. The payment from the team must be submitted no later than 1 week prior to the start of play.

The Manager must submit the team batting order to the league prior to the first game. Once submitted, the batting order remains unchanged for the season (with the exception of player injuries, etc.). The manager must declare the Defensive-Only player if applicable (See Section 2.6 Batting Order).

Any Replacement players that are added to replace Injured players shall be placed at the end of the Batting Order. See Section 1.3.4

 

3.2  League Assets

The manager is responsible for any League-provided assets during the season. This includes, but is not limited to, baseballs or monies for umpire payments.

The manager is encouraged to select a responsible player to assist in safekeeping of baseballs or umpire fees if needed. However, the manager remains responsible for these items.

3.3  Conduct

The Manager is responsible for the behavior of the team and for the fans who support the team.

 3.4  Field Management

It is the Manager’s responsibility to ensure the field is raked and the trash collected when he is the home team.

 

4         Player Responsibilities

4.1   Conduct           

Conduct yourselves appropriately on the field and in the dugout area. Excessive use of profanity, or profanity within the earshot of fans or children will not be tolerated. A player will be warned once. For a second occurrence, the player will sit out the following game if the leadership deems the offense warrants this type of discipline.

 

A player who may curse under his breath after a strikeout, etc. may not require a warning unless it is in the presence of children or objectionable to others.

         ·         Players are to respect and abide by the rules for the benefit of the league.

·         Arguing with umpires will not be tolerated and could result in ejection from the current game and/or suspension from one or more future games. 

·         Players should be mindful of, and abide by, the specific field requirements such as when “No Smoking” signs are posted, particularly at public schools.  

·         Fighting is strictly prohibited and may result in the player being suspended or possibly barred from the league for the remainder of the season. The Board reserves the right to take additional action as appropriate.

·         Excessive banter of an unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated and may also result in game suspensions.

4.2   Field Management

 

Players are expected to assist their manager in the preparation and cleanup of the field before and after games as required. And to assist in the retrieval of foul balls.