LOU TOMPKINS
ALL STAR BASEBALL LEAGUE, INC.
www.ltabaseball.com
2007 SPECIAL
RULES AND REGULATIONS
ALL STAR BASEBALL LEAGUE, INC.
www.ltabaseball.com
RULES AND REGULATIONS
The
LOU TOMPKINS ALL STAR BASEBALL LEAGUE, INC.
2007
President
Belmont, MA 02178 (C) 508-958-3223
(F) 617-727-7248
(E) Christopher_F_Connolly@yahoo.com
Vice
President
(E) j.o'shaughnessy@neu.edu
Secretary
(E)
Treasurer
Acton, MA 01720 (C)
781-789-3299
(E)
gerry.ouellette@verizon.net
Commissioner
Senior Division 258
Parker Street (W)
781-789-3299
Acton, MA 01720 (C) 781-789-3299
(E) gerry.ouellette@verizon.net
Commissioner Mike Chambers (H) 978-897-6363
Senior Division
Maynard, MA 01754 (C)
978-430-6905
(E) michael.chambers@gdc4s.co
Commissioner
A Division 59 Flett Road (w) 617-373-2094
(E) j.o'shaughnessy@neu.edu
Commissioner
A Division 37 Oliver Road (w) 617-727-7060
Belmont,
MA 02178 (C) 508-958-3223
(F)
617-727-7248
(E) Christopher_F_Connolly@yahoo.com
Commissioner Rico Bailey (H) 617-983-5035
A Division
(E) registrar@verizon.net
Commissioner
A Division 19 Bowen Avenue (w) 781-775-9478
Medford, MA 02155 (C) 781-775-9478
(E) tedcoffman@verizon.net
Commissioner
B Division
Framingham, MA 01701 (C)
508-740-4139
(E) rrushing666@yahoo.com
Commissioner
B Division
Maynard,
MA 01754 (C) 978-729-7485
(E)
pvmoyni@verizon.net
Commissioner Scott McGavick (H) 978-440-8728
B Division
Sudbury,
MA 01778 (C) 978-808-9994
(E) s.mcgavik@comcast.net
(E) smcgavik@entravision.com
Commissioner
C Division 26
Framingham, MA 01701 (C) 508-820-6034
E)
Commissioner Steve Kelly (H) 781-646-5926
C Division 21 Purcell Road
Arlington, MA 02174 (C) 617-592-1405
(E)
Commissioner
C Division 42
Westford, MA 01886 (C)
978-808-0048
(E) bbbre@comcast.net
Umpire in Chief
Scheduler David Edell (H) 781-862-9451
(E) edells@innersea.com
Past
President
(E) Dawg724@msn.com
Advisor Rick
DeAngelis (H)
781-862-7853
Lexington, MA 02173 (C)
617-512-0319
(E) rdeangelis@bostonproperties.com
1.0 FORMAT, COMPLETION OF ROUNDS AND
SEASON
1.1 The league will
consist of four (4) divisions. Senior
Division is designed for 16-18 year olds.
(A player cannot be 19 on April 30, 2007).
Division A
is designed for 15-16 year olds. (A
player cannot be 17 on April 30, 2007.)
In addition, A Division age players may play for the City/Town's Senior
Division Team but only provided the A Division players are listed on the Senior
Division Team's Roster. However, in no
event can 17 year old players play for the A Division Team.
Division B
is designed for 13-14 year olds. (A player cannot be 15 on April 30, 2007.) In addition, (i) B Division 13-14 year old
players may play for the City/Town's A Division Team but only provided the B
Division 13-14 year old players are listed on the A Division Team's Roster and
(ii) 14 year old B Division age players may play for the City/Town's Senior
Division Team but only provided the 14 year old B Division players are listed
on the Senior Division Team's Roster.
However, (iii) in no event can 15-16 year old players play for the B
Division Team and (iv) in no event may a 13 year old be listed on a Senior
Division Team.
Division C
is designed solely for 13 year old players (a player cannot be 14 on April 30, 2007). In addition, Division C players can play for
the City/Town’s B Division Team and/or A Division Team but only provided the C
Division players are listed on the B Division Roster and/or the A Division
Roster, as applicable. However, (i) in
no event can players other than 13 year old players play for the C Division
Team and (ii) ) in no event may a 13
year old be listed on a Senior Division Team.
NOTE THAT A PLAYER CANNOT BE LISTED ON TWO (2) OR
MORE ROSTERS IN THE SAME DIVISION.
1.2 The schedule for all four (4) divisions
shall consist of sixteen (16) regular season games played in two rounds. Round I will consist of six (6) games
followed by a Round I playoff. Round II
will consist of ten (10) games followed by a Round II playoff. Thereafter, the Tournament of Champions grand
playoff will be held. In the playoffs at
the end of each of Round I and Round II, the highest seed will be the home
team.
1.3 Round I divisions will be based primarily on
geographical proximity of towns, while Round II will be based on strength of
teams as determined after Round I.
1.4 THE LEAGUE REQUIRES
(I) THAT ALL GAMES IN ROUND I BE COMPLETED BY THE LAST THURSDAY (JULY 5, 2007)
AND (II) THAT ALL GAMES IN ROUND II BE COMPLETED BY THE LAST THURSDAY (AUGUST 2,
2007). The only
exception will be if the game being played (per published schedule or
Commissioner approved make-up) on the last Thursday is rained out. In that
case, the last Thursday game will be played on the next day, Friday, at
2.0 PLAYING CONDITIONS
2.1 The home team is responsible for the
condition of the field. The field should
be manicured and properly marked.
2.2 The home team
shall have the choice of dugouts. The
only exception to this is when the home team plays the game at the visitor’s
field. Although the home team remains as
the home team, the home team will use the visitor’s dugout at the visitor’s
field.
3.0 UMPIRES
3.1 The home team
is responsible for providing two umpires for each game.
3.2 The
umpires must be certified, uniformed and approved by the Board of Directors of
the League. Teams not complying with
this rule will not be invited back.
3.4 The cost
of the umpires is borne by the home team, except for playoffs, wherein the
League will pay.
4.0 ROSTERS AND UNIFORMS
4.1 Each
team (whether a Senior Team, an A Team, a B Team, or a C Team) must submit a
separate team roster via the league website at www.ltabaseball.com by June 17, 2007. The complete rosters will only be available
to the Commissioners to protect the privacy of the players. No player will be allowed to participate who
is not on a roster. Each player's name, address
and date of birth must be listed on the official roster.
4.2 Failure to
submit a timely roster will result in forfeits for games in which a roster is
not submitted.
4.3 Rosters are
limited to a maximum of twenty (20) players. It is highly recommended and stressed that
all 20 roster slots should be completed to ensure that a team has enough
players to draw upon to avoid forfeits.
Open or unlimited rosters are not permitted.
4.4 ROSTER ADJUSTMENTS ARE PERMITTED ONLY
BETWEEN THE CONCLUSION OF THE ROUND I PLAYOFFS AND PRIOR TO THE START OF ROUND
II. NO OTHER ROSTER ADJUSTMENTS OR
CHANGES ARE PERMITTED.
4.5 A player cannot
be listed on two (2) or more rosters in the same Division. SEE 1.1 FOR ROSTERING A PLAYER IN MULTIPLE
DIVISIONS.
4.6 In addition, a
player must live in the city, town or attend the public school in the city,
town for whose team he plays. Attendance
at a private school will only be considered if the player played in the regular
season program of the location of the private school.
4.7 IN ORDER TO BE
ELIGIBLE FOR THE SENIOR DIVISION ROUND 1 PLAYOFFS, 18 year old players must
have played in not less than two (2) games of the round 1 games played by his
team. In addition, IN ORDER TO BE
ELIGIBLE FOR THE DIVISION SENIOR ROUND 2 PLAYOFFS, 18 year old players must
have played in not less four (4) games of the round 2 games played by his
team. Further, IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE
FOR THE SENIOR DIVISION TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS, 18 year old players must have
played in not less than six (6) games of the combined round 1 and round 2 games
played by his team.
4.8 IN ORDER TO BE
ELIGIBLE FOR THE A DIVISION ROUND 1 PLAYOFFS, 16 year old players must have
played in not less than fifty percent (50%) of the round 1 games played by his
team. In addition, IN ORDER TO BE
ELIGIBLE FOR THE A DIVISION ROUND 2 PLAYOFFS, 16 year old players must have
played in not less than fifty percent (50%) of the round 2 games played by his
team. Further, IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE
FOR THE A DIVISION TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS, 16 year old players must have
played in not less than fifty percent (50%) of the combined round 1 and round 2
games played by his team.
The
determination of the number of games played by a 16 year old will also include
any games played for a
4.9 All teams must
be properly uniformed and all uniform jerseys must be numbered.
5.0 RULES
5.1 The Babe
Ruth League Rule Book, as supplemented by these rules, shall be the sole method
of play.
6.0 INSURANCE
6.1 All teams must
be insured with the League prior to the first game.
7.0 BASEBALLS
7.1 Official Babe Ruth baseballs or better must
be used.
7.2 The home
team is responsible for providing at least six (6) new baseballs for each home
game.
7.3 Baseballs
for all Round Playoffs, the Tournament of Champions and the All Star Game will
be provided by the League.
8.0 BASEBALL BAT STANDARDS
8.1 The new metal baseball
bat standard adopted in 2001 calls for a narrower, heavier, and more wood-like
bat. The maximum bat diameter is 2 5/8
inches, and the unit differential, namely the difference between bat length
measured in inches and bat weight measured in ounces, will be three (3) units.
8.2 The presence of
a mark denoting compliance with the NCAA bat rule will be one assurance that a
bat is compliant with the size and weight components of this rule.
8.3 The penalty for
using or attempting to use a bat greater than 2 5/8 in diameter and/or a unit
differential (inches to ounces) greater than three (3) units will be as
follows:
A. Batter is out.
B. No advancement on the bases will be
allowed.
C. Any out or outs made during a play shall
stand.
9.0 POSTPONEMENTS, RESCHEDULING, OFFICIAL GAME,
CALLED GAME
9.1 The home team manager is responsible for
notifying the visiting team and umpires in the event inclement weather does not
permit a game to be started. The home
team should make every effort to notify the visiting team in sufficient time to
keep them from traveling unnecessarily.
(By
9.2 Once the game has started, the umpires have
control of the game and shall decide when a game should be stopped and/or
terminated.
9.3 Rescheduling
games shall be the responsibility of the two teams involved in the game subject
to the approval of the Division Commissioner and availability of umpires. It shall be the responsibility of the home
team manager to notify the Division Commissioner of any postponements and
subsequent rescheduling.
Upon such approval, the
Division Commissioner will notify the umpire assignor (if the umpire is with
the Vroom group). If the umpire assignor
is outside of the Vroom group the Division Commissioner will instruct the
manager to notify his umpire assignor.
9.4 However notwithstanding the above, if a team
cannot play a game due to a scheduling conflict, the team with the conflict
shall forfeit if agreement cannot be reached with the opposing manager. Teams must resolve these matters through
their Commissioner. This Rule 9.4 is
subject to Rule 9.5.
9.5 DURING
ROUND I AND ROUND II THERE SHALL BE NO RESCHEDULING OR OTHER PLAYING OF GAMES
AFTER THE THURSDAY IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE TROPHY WEEKEND FOR THE APPLICABLE
ROUND AND THE STANDINGS FOR THE APPLICABLE ROUND SHALL BE AS THEY WERE WITHOUT
THE UNPLAYED GAMES.
The only
exception will be if the game being played (per published schedule or
Commissioner approved make-up) on the last Thursday is rained out. In that
case, the last Thursday game will be played on the next day, Friday, at
9.6 Games which are shortened by either rain or
darkness shall have the score revert back to the last complete inning and
declared official if at least 4 1/2 innings have been played with the home team
ahead or 5 innings if the visiting team is ahead. The only exception to the rule will be in the
event the home team either ties or takes the lead in the bottom half of an
inning which is not completed. In this
case (where each team has had an equal number of times at bat) the score shall
not revert to the last complete inning, but instead shall stand as played.
9.7 If a game begins and thereafter is called
before becoming an official game, it shall be resumed and completed from the
point of discontinuance.
10.0 TIME OF GAMES
10.1 Weekdays –
10.2 The starting time for Saturday and Sunday
games will be as set forth on the Schedule.
11.0 PROTESTS
11.1 The
umpire’s decision is final on the field.
After lodging notice of protest on the field, follow Babe Ruth
procedures by marking play in the scorebook and then contacting the Division
Commissioner stating the reason for the protest action.
11.2 A
protest committee shall decide said protest.
The protest committee shall consist of the President, Vice President and
a Director not directly involved in the protest. The protest committee shall take all relevant
matters into consideration.
11.3 For each playoff game a representative of the
President shall be on hand and shall form a protest committee for each
game. Each committee shall include the
President’s representative and a representative from each of the two teams
playing the game. The
President’s
representative shall choose each team representative from those suggested by
each team manager.
12.0 WINNING COACH RESPONSIBILITIES, TIE GAME, AND
NOTIFICATIONS FOR FINAL GAMES ROUND 1 AND 2
12.1 The
coach of the winning team must notify the Division Commissioner via the league
website at www.ltabaseball.com within 24 hours in order to get credit
for the win. The winning coach must have
the score, all pitchers names for both teams, and the innings pitched for all
pitchers. Losses will be recorded by the
Division Commissioner unless he is properly notified, within 24 hours,
and has all the required information.
12.2 In
the event of a tie game, the home team coach must notify the Division
Commissioner via the league website at www.ltabaseball.com
within 24 hours in order to get credit for the tie. The home team coach must have the score, all pitcher’s
names for both teams, and the innings pitched for all pitchers. No ties shall be recorded by the Division
Commissioner unless he is properly notified within 24 hours and has all
the required information.
12.3 FINAL GAME OF ROUND 1 AND ROUND 2 –
notification to the District Commissioner must be made the evening of that game
via the league website at www.ltabaseball.com
AND directly if instructed by Division Commissioner for the last games of round
1 and round 2. This is essential so that
there can be timely determination of those teams participating in the Trophy
Weekend. Keep in mind that the Division Commissioners also have a life outside
of baseball.
12.4 Commissioners must be notified directly
(within 24 hours) of any ejected player, manager, coach or spectator. This notification, consisting of the name and
number (if player), should be made by both managers - home and visiting teams.
13.0 TENTH PLAYER
13.1 A tenth player
may be added by a team as an extra hitter.
This player may substitute for any player in the field, but he must
remain in the same position in the batting order.
13.2 The use of a
tenth player is optional for each team on a game by game basis. If a team starts with ten players in its
order, it must finish with ten. The only
exception to this is if a player is injured or must depart early (either by
choice or by ejection) and the team does not have ten eligible players available,
it may play with nine.
13.3 If a team
selects to use only nine (9) players in a given game, then a tenth player spot
cannot be added during that game.
13.4 If a team
wishes to use a tenth player for a given game, the manager so employing the
tenth player must include the tenth player in his lineup as exchanged with the
opposing manager prior to the start of the game.
14.0 FORFEITS
14.1 If a team
cannot field nine (9) official roster players within fifteen (15) minutes of
the designated starting time for the game, a forfeit shall be declared
14.2 If a team
forfeits a game they will lose their $100 deposit and will be required to pay
an additional $300 deposit immediately.
A team failing to submit the additional $300 deposit will be ineligible
for a trophy round until the deposit is received.
14.3 If a team
forfeits a second game they will lose their $300 deposit.
14.4 If a team
forfeits a third game they will be ineligible for trophy rounds and the
tournament of champions.
14.5 A team paying
a $300 deposit that does not incur a second forfeit will have $200 returned at
the end of the season with $100 being retained as a deposit for the subsequent
year.
14.6 An automatic forfeit will be declared if a
team goes below 9 players. The only exception to this is when an injury occurs
and all substitutes have been used. An
already used player will be allowed to re-enter. Selection of this substitute must be made by
the opposing manager. This type of
re-entry can only take place when an injury prevents a player from continuing
in the game. The injured player, once
removed from the game, cannot re‑enter.
14.7 The score of forfeited games will be
recorded as 7 – 0.
15.0 PITCHING
15.1 Pitchers may
pitch a maximum of ten (10) innings each week.
Further, a pitcher may only pitch a maximum of seven (7) innings in any
one (1) calendar day. The pitching week
goes from Monday through Sunday.
15.2 If a pitcher
pitches four (4) or more innings, he must have two (2) calendar days rest. If a pitcher pitches three (3) innings or
less in a game, no days of rest are required.
However, coaches are encouraged not to overuse any pitcher.
15.3 Throwing one
pitch in an inning constitutes pitching the entire inning.
15.4 A starting
pitcher removed from pitching may pitch again in the game as long as he has not
been removed from the game. If he is
removed from the game or if the manager and/or coach makes two trips to the
mound in the same inning as to the same pitcher, then the pitcher cannot pitch
again in that game. Any other pitcher in
the game cannot return to the mound in the same game once he is removed from
the mound irrespective of whether that pitcher assumes a field position or is
removed from the game.
If a player
re-enters illegally as a pitcher, there is no penalty except he must be removed
from the mound as a pitcher immediately when discovered.
15.5 All innings
pitched count in the application of these pitching rules regardless of whether
the game results in an official game.
15.6 No warnings given on balks.
15.7 Winning
managers, or the home team managers in the event of a tie, must call in all
innings pitched for all pitchers for both teams.
15.8 Any violation
of the pitching rules 15.1 and 15.2 results in an automatic forfeit of the game
in which the rule(s) violation occurred.
15.9 The score of forfeited games will be
recorded as 7 – 0.
16.0 TRIPS TO THE MOUND
16.1 The second
trip to the mound to the same pitcher in the same inning shall automatically
result in the removal of that pitcher from the game as a pitcher.
16.2 The manager
and/or coach is prohibited from making a second visit to the mound while the
same batter is at bat, but if a pinch hitter is substituted for this batter the
manager and/or coach may make a second visit to the mound, but must remove the
pitcher.
16.3 In the case
where a manager and/or coach has made his first trip to the mound and then
returns a second time to the mound in the same inning with the same pitcher in
the game and the same batter at bat, after being warned by the umpire that he
cannot return to the mound, the manager and/or coach shall be removed from the
game and the pitcher shall be required to pitch to the batter until the batter
is retired or gets on base. After the
batter is retired, or becomes a base runner, then this pitcher must be removed
from the game as a pitcher only.
16.4 A
"trip" is defined as: any time
an umpire calls time out so that any of the manager or coaches may confer with
the pitcher either at the mound or along the foul line, and any time an umpire
calls time out so that any of the manager or coaches may confer with any player
who subsequently confers with the pitcher before the pitcher delivers another
pitch.
16.5 A manager or
coach is considered to have concluded the visit to the mound when he leaves the
eighteen (18) foot circle surrounding the pitcher's rubber.
16.6 If a manager
or coach goes to the mound and removes a pitcher and then the manager or a
coach goes to the mound to talk to the new pitcher, that will constitute one
trip to the mound to that new pitcher in that inning.
16.7 There is no
limitation on the number of trips a manager and/or coach may make in a game to
any one pitcher except for the limitations set forth above.
17.0 RE-ENTRY
17.1 Any of the
original starting players (including the tenth player if utilized as provided
in Rule 13) may withdraw and re-enter once provided such player occupies the
same batting position whenever he is in the lineup. A substitute who is withdrawn may not
re-enter.
17.2 A substitute
may replace a substitute and the starting player may still re-enter for the
substitute.
17.3 A starting
player withdrawn from the game more than once cannot re-enter.
17.4 Withdrawal and
re-entry takes place only when a player has been removed from the game.
17.5 If a player
re-enters illegally as a pitcher, fielder, or runner, there is no penalty
except that he must b removed from the game immediately when discovered. If he re-enters illegally as a batter, such
illegal re-entry is penalized according to official Baseball Rule 6.07, Batting
Out of Order.
17.6 Already used
players will be allowed to re-enter if all substitutes have been used and an
injury occurs. The selection of this
substitute must be made by the opposing manager. This type of re-entry can only take place
when an injury prevents a player from continuing in the game. The injured player once removed from the
game, cannot re-enter.
18.0 CODE OF CONDUCT
18.1 Coaches are
responsible for the conduct of their players, parents and themselves.
18.2 Any player,
manager and/or coach ejected from the game shall face disciplinary action by
the Board of Directors with the minimum penalty for the first ejection being
suspension from the next game in addition to the ejection from the subject
game.
In
addition, (i) if a player, manager or coach is ejected twice in a season, the
minimum penalty is a one (1) week suspension in addition to the ejection from
the subject game and (ii) if a player, manager or coach is ejected three (3)
times in a season, the minimum penalty is suspension for the remainder of the
season (including all Rounds playoff games, the Tournament of Champions and the
All Star Game).
In the
event there is physical contact the Board may apply additional penalties.
18.3 When a
manager, coach or player is ejected from a game, they shall leave the field
immediately and take no further part in the game. They my not sit in the stands and may not be
recalled. The intent of this rule is
that the ejection causes the ejected person to be out of sight and hearing of
all participants.