Minors Game Schedule

GOSPEL PROJECTS MINOR LEAGUE RULES AND REGULATIONS

1. The baseline shall be 60 feet (60').

2. The Pitches “mound” shall be a circle with a radius of 5', the center of which shall be forty-five feet (45') from the point of home plate. This circle shall follow the normal contour of the infield. Pitching machine settings will be as follows: March-April: 38 mph, 55%; May: 40 mph, 60%.

3. The on-deck batter must be behind the batter which is batting, and wearing a batting helmet.

4. Bunting is not permitted.

5. The bat shall be a standard youth bat. The bat shall be one piece of solid round hardwood, one piece of hollow metal (aluminum or magnesium), molded plastic on a metal base (inner), or nylon and wood combination. The bat shall be not less than twenty-six inches (26") nor more than thirty-two inches (32") in length. The weight of the bat shall not exceed the number indicated for the length of the bat. Bat diameter must not exceed 21/4".

6. Helmets must be won by batters, base runners, on deck runners, and bat-boys at all times.

7. Starting line-ups consist of nine or ten (9 or 10) defensive players and entire team for offensive line-up. If nine (9) players cannot be fielded within fifteen (15) minutes of official start time, a forfeit will result; however, an unofficial game will be played.

**Example: If team “A” has 14 players and team “B” has 12 players, then team “A” has the option to only bat 12 players. This does not however effect the required number of innings each player must play.

8. Each player must play on defense at least three (3) complete innings and bat at least once. If a player is benched for discipline reasons, this must be reported to the umpire, opposing team manager, and the scorekeeper and a note made on the score sheet.

9. Substitutions must be made at the beginning of each half-inning. (Injuries are an exception).

10. The infield fly rule is not in effect.

11. Starting May 1^st base stealing is permitted between 2^nd and 3^rd bases, and 3^rd and home plate only on a dropped ball by the catcher. A base runner must be in contact with the base at the time the ball crosses the plate. No runner may lead off any base. If the catcher makes a clean catch of the pitched ball, base runners must hold their bases. If the catcher misses the ball, runners at second and third may advance at their own risk. Should the catcher throw the missed ball to the pitcher or other player covering home plate and the ball is missed by that player, all base runners may advance at their own risk as long as the ball remains on the playing field in fair territory. Play is once again stopped by returning the ball to the pitcher coach.

12. Time shall be called by the umpire whenever an infielder has possession of the ball and runners have stopped their forward progress to the next base or have turned to return to the previous base. Time shall not be called if the lead runner is still advancing and has not stopped his forward motion or attempted to return to the base he last crossed. If however the lead runner stops and an infielder has possession of the ball time shall be called by the umpire and the runner shall return to the last base that was crossed. This rule should help stop delay of game tactics by runners dancing off the base and “stand offs” between runners and fielders.

March/April

Stoppage of play shall also occur when the ball is thrown by an infielder and it crosses the plane of the pitchers circle. It will be the umpire judgment as to whether runners should advance to the next base if the ball was thrown into the circle when runners have stopped their forward motion or attempted to return to their base. If a runner has not crossed the base by the time the ball reaches the pitcher’s circle, he must return to the base he last occupied after the ball is dead. If he continues and is put out, the out shall stand. If he continues and is safe, he still must return to the last base he officially occupied. This rule is suspended on May 1^st.

13. In effect in March and April: A. A batter is out after three strikes or five (5) pitches unless the last pitch is fouled. The batter will receive another pitch. There is no limit on third strike fouls. No batter can advance to first on a walk. Balls pitched which in the umpires judgment are not in the strike zone shall not count as pitches if the batter does not attempt to hit the ball. B. In effect beginning May 1^st: The coach places the ball in the pitching machine when the batter has declared himself ready. The umpire calls strikes only. A player gets three (3) strikes. No balls are called, although balls thrown outside the strike zone by the machine are not counted as strikes. The coach placing the ball in the machine may not instruct base runners or batters from the mound. No glove should be used by the pitching coach. The player pitcher may move outside the designated circle as soon as the ball leaves the machine.

14. A runner can tag and advance on a fly ball whether in fair or foul territory if caught.

15. The offensive team coach in the pitching circle must make an effort to get out of the line of play.

16. The batter shall be called out for slinging the bat after one warning and runners returned to their bases.

17. A team on defense shall be allowed no more than three time-outs per inning.

Exception: Injury to a player or other emergency.

18. The team of offense shall be allowed 6 runs or 3 outs whichever come first.

Exception: All runs scoring after the 6^th run on the same play will count. The most possible runs in one inning is nine (9).

19. There is no time limit. The park officials do reserve the right to limit games as prescribed in Rule 27.

20. Players, managers, coaches, or any other participant may be removed from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct after the team has been warned one (1) time.

21. Manager or coaches are not allowed to smoke, dip, chew tobacco or use profanity during a game. Penalty: One Warning; next offense expulsion from game and park!

22. A regulation game consists of 6 innings. A game shall be called after 4 innings if a team is ahead by more than nineteen (19) runs. Ten (10) run rule after five completed innings.

23. A protest which involves an umpire’s judgment shall not be accepted. Only the team manager or the acting manager shall be entitled to file a protest. The only legal protest shall be one which involves a violation of playing rules or the use of an ineligible player. This protest must be filed with the commissioner or league president within 24 hours of the games completion.

24. Any improper action on the part of the pitcher-coach during the time that the ball is in play will result in the ball being declared dead immediately and the batters returning to the base they occupied prior to the pitch (The pitch shall stand as a strike.) The pitcher-coach may not coach, assist, or give signals to any base runner. The pitcher-coach may verbally assist a player at bat, but shall not delay the game to do so.

25. If the scorekeeper or the umpire recognizes that a batter is batting out of order, it will be their responsibility to stop play and have the right batter come to bat. If there is a count on the batter, the correct batter will assume that count. If the officials fail to catch the error in the batting order and the opposing manager catches it an informs the umpire before the first pitch to the next batter, then the illegal batter shall be called out and the runners (if any) shall return to the base they occupied when the illegal batter came to bat. The scorekeeper shall then call the proper batter to the plate. If no one recognizes the presence of an illegal batter until after the first pitch to the next batter has been thrown, the play shall stand and the batting order straightened out at that point.

26. Any changes to the position, speed, or accuracy of the pitching machine shall be left to the discretion of the umpire.

27. On weekday evening games, no new inning will begin after 6:25 p.m. in the first game and 8:00 p.m. in the second game. If the second game starts late due to the previous game, the umpire may add time to the 8:00 p.m. hour.

Revised: 2/20/09