| MEN'S SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE
& MEN'S ADULT BASEBALL LEAGUE
REVISED
January 1, 2006
This league was created
to provide for men 28 years old and over, 38
years old, 48 years old and over and 18
years old and over an alternative to softball and
enable us to play the game we all grew up
playing. Adult attitudes must always prevail, no
matter how competitive any league is. The
responsibility that this ethic sustains will
remain at the responsibility of the individual
league President and his officers and anyone who
abuses the league’s code can be suspended or
expelled from the league. These rules were
established to serve as guidelines for all local
league affiliates.
INDEX
CENTRAL
MAINE MSBL LEAGUE SPECIFIC RULES
1. Uniforms,
Helmets, Baseballs and Other Equipment
2. Game Length, Run Rule
and Rain-Outs
3. Teams, Players and
Line-Ups
4. Player Behavior and
Team Responsibility
5. Courtesy Runners
6. Pitchers
7. Fielders
8. Ex-Pro Status and
Regulations
9. General League Rules
10. Code of Conduct
RULES
1. UNIFORMS,
HELMETS AND BASEBALLS
1.a
All teams must have full baseball uniforms
consisting of caps, numbered baseball
jerseys, baseball pants, belt, sanitary socks
and stirrups - each player’s uniform
must be of similar design to his teammates
uniforms. Teams having sponsorship will be
allowed the sponsors name on their uniforms
via patch or uniform shirt.
a.1. No player
out of uniform will be allowed to play
without the opposing manager’s
consent.
a.2. All teams
should have their uniforms by their first
game. A grace period should be extended
for newly activated players or for new
teams to complete their uniforms.
1.b
All batters and runners must wear helmets for
both at bats and on base. There is no option
to this rule. Full double-ear flap helmets
are encouraged for at bats and are encouraged
for the bases. Catchers must wear a helmet
underneath their mask. The same rule will
apply for all national tournament play.
1.c
All leagues are encouraged to use official
Rawlings MSBL baseballs: RMSBL. Each team
should bring a minimum of 3 balls to each
game. Only balls provided by the local league
will be permitted.
1.d
Wood and metal bats are allowed and both will
be permitted for all tournaments. The maximum
bat differential established by the National
organization is a minus 3 for any type
of metal or aluminum bat. If a player uses a
bat exceeding this differential and a protest
is made, the offending batter will be
declared an out.
1.e
Metal cleats are permitted.
2. GAME
LENGTH, RUN RULE AND RAIN-OUTS
2.a
All games are 9 innings -
Re: darkness
- 7 innings complete – umpires
discretion
Re: rain
- 5 innings complete.
All league
playoff games must be played to
completion either by league standards,
being a (7) inning or (9) inning game.
The umpire may suspend, cancel or call a
game if, in their opinion, the safety of
the players is compromised due to rain,
darkness or time limits.
2.b
If there is a 15-run discrepancy at the end
of 5 innings and the game has gone 2 hours
and 30 minutes, the game will be ruled final
at this point. This rule will not pertain in
national and regional tournaments.
2.c
Any games rained out will not be re-scheduled
by the league, but may be made up at any time
not conflicting with previously scheduled
games. All make-up games must be agreed to by
both managers and league notification must
take place. Rain out games must be made up in
order of cancellations. Tie games can be
played to completion at a later date, again
with the agreement of both teams and league
notification. Final league standings will be
determined by won/lost percentage. Ties will
be decided by head-to-head competition first,
followed by inter-division won-lost record.
2.d
In the event of rain, it is the
responsibility of the scheduled home team to
notify the umpires and opposing team of field
conditions and possible cancellation of game,
at least 1 hour before scheduled game time.
In the event such notification does not take
place, the home team solely will be
responsible for any travel fees imposed by
the umpiring organization.
3. TEAMS,
PLAYERS AND LINEUPS
3.a
A player is eligible to participate in an
official league sanctioned game on the dates
of either their 28th/38th/48th birthday or
18th birthday for MSBL and MABL
respectively. Individual local leagues
can use the cut-off date as the calendar
year.
3.b
New Players: The league shall control
the assignment to teams of all new players
who have contacted the league in response to
advertising or who have been referred to the
league by any means. A player who has not
played in any league game in either the
current or previous year shall be regarded as
a new player. A new player acquired by a team
through that team’s own recruiting
efforts shall be subject to the control of
the team and not the league.
3.c
Team rosters must be submitted to the local
league by opening day, including league and
player fees, proof of date of birth, player
waiver forms and team medical waiver form.
Rosters may not be changed after the first
league game unless:
- Players are lost to injuries.
- A player from their roster voluntarily
quits for the remainder of the season.
- The local league decides to extend dates
for final rosters.
3.d
All players, prior to participating in a
game, must have signed waiver forms on file
with the league.
3.e
A team manager may bat as many players as he
desires, with a minimum of 10 (subject to the
number of players available, if less than
10). Batters cannot be deleted or skipped
over, regardless of their batting position or
when they were added during the game. If a
team has only 9 (nine) players and therefore
bats only 9, the opposing team will have the
option of batting 9 as well.
3.f
A manager may add batters to the bottom of
the lineup at any time but if a batter is
pinch hit or run for (except under courtesy
runners as outlined in section 5), the player
may not re-enter the game as a hitter but may
remain in the game as a fielder or pitcher.
Added players to the bottom of the lineup may
be added as individual hitters or as A/B.
Each team has a hitting and a defensive
lineup that are independent of each other.
Players may play in either lineup or both.
3.g
A team MAY declare at the time that lineups
are exchanged prior to the start of play that
any batting order position can be
occupied by two (2) players in each such
batting position. That is, 3A/3B, 10,
11A/11B, 12, etc. The first time that
position 9 gets an at bat, 9A would hit and
the next time this slot hits, 9B would be up.
Then 9A hits the third time this spot in the
order comes up, and so on, alternating
between these two players throughout the
game. Once a team declares the use of this
A/B system, it must continue using it for the
remainder of the game. Hitters in the A/B
position may be pinch hit for, just as any
other player.
3.h
All teams must announce offensive additions,
substitutions, and/or changes to the home
plate umpire AND opposing team manager and/or
scorekeeper. Only after this has been done
will the added player be deemed a legal
substitution.
If a team fails to announce an offensive
addition/change, the player will be called
out as soon as he occupies the batter’s
box and the lineup will revert back to the
lineup in effect prior to the player entering
the game. The unannounced player will not
have officially entered the offensive lineup
and is therefore still available offensively
even though an out has been assessed.
Example: Team A is batting 12 players and
wishes to add a player to the bottom of the
lineup (Player 13). Player 13 walks to the
plate and is not announced to either the
opposing team or home plate umpire. Once this
player occupies his position in the
batter’s box, the umpire will
immediately call him out for an illegal
substitution and it will then go back to the
number 1 position in the lineup. Player 13 is
still available to be added to the lineup
legally.
3.i
If a player is forced to leave a game due to
injury or ejection, a reserve player, not
previously entered into the game as a hitter,
must hit in the replaced hitter’s place.
If there are no reserves who can replace the
individual, the spot is skipped and all
hitters below that position move up. The
first time this vacated spot comes up in the
batting order, an out will be assessed, after
that one time, no out will be recorded for
skipping the spot vacated by the displaced
player.
3.j A
team must have 8 players for an official game
and may borrow a player from an opposing team
with the opposing manager’s consent or
may borrow a player from another team, also
with the opposing manager’s consent. If
the team’s 9th player arrives after the
start of the game, the borrowed player
reverts back to his team.
3.k
All players may be substituted for
defensively, at any time, without affecting
the players offensive status in the line-up.
If the pitcher is removed, he may re-enter to
pitch only one time during the course of the
game, but not in the same inning. The removed
pitcher may play any other position after
being removed or no position at all.
3.l
No player may switch teams without the
consent of both managers and the league
president. If this does not meet with
approval, the player must sit out one
calendar year from competition, from the last
date of his playing, or re-enter the
league’s next draft, making himself
available to any team for selection. In the
event a team disbands during the season or at
season’s conclusion, all players with 3
years seniority in the league will become
automatic free agents and will be permitted
to play for any desired team. Players not
having 3 years in the league will re-enter
the draft. If a player is not invited back by
his manager, he must be given his release so
that he may go to the team of his choosing or
re-enter the draft. If a player is invited
back to play and he desires not to play for
his former team and cannot be successfully
traded, he must sit out one entire year or
re-enter the draft, making himself available
to all teams.
3.m
In the event a player wishes to leave his
existing team and form a new team, he may do
so. No other player can be taken from the
existing team without the consent of the
existing team’s manager. No other
players may be taken from any other team
without the respective team manager’s
approval.
3.n
Final team rosters must have no less than 12
players.
3.o
Last names must be used in the scorebook to
allow for player identification for follow up
inquiries that relate to playoff and national
tournament participation requiring minimum
playing requirements.
4. PLAYERS
BEHAVIOR AND TEAM RESPONSIBILITY
4.a
There will be no beer or alcoholic beverages
permitted at the field before, during or
after the game. The field refers to the
general playing area and ancillary areas.
4.b
The league has the right to suspend or expel
any team member who abuses league rules or
who does not exhibit a sense of sportsmanship
or who plays without regard to the safety of
the umpires or other players.
4.c
An umpire has sole discretion to expel any
player or manager from the game.
4.d
Fighting among players or aggressive physical
contact with an umpire will not be tolerated
and players expelled from the game for either
violation will be subject to suspension or
expulsion from the league.
4.e
Players shall not intentionally collide with
any other players. In the case of a runner
intentionally colliding with a fielder, the
runner will be called out and may, at the
umpire’s discretion, be expelled from
the game. All base runners must either slide
or give up their right to a base (avoid a
collision by stopping or leaving a base path)
if the defensive player (e.g. catcher) has
possession of the ball, is in the act of
receiving the ball, or is about to
immediately receive the ball and will be able
to make an apparent play on the base runner.
If a defensive player is not in possession of
the ball, is not in the act of receiving the
ball, or is not about to immediately receive
the ball so that he is able to record an out
(apparent play. at any base), he cannot block
the base (e.g. home plate) or be in the base
path so as to impede (obstruct) the base
runner’s right to that base. Under such
circumstances, the defensive player shall be
responsible to avoid collision. If a
collision does occur under these
circumstances, the runner will always be
considered safe and the obstruction rule
shall be enforced. The defensive player
may be ejected from the game (if the action
is intentional, he must be ejected), and will
be suspended from league play if the
obstruction is judged to be flagrant.
4.f
Each league must set its own standards of
player/team sportsmanship, but must encourage
suspensions for infractions unbefitting to
the image and policies of the league.
4.g
Failure to abide by age regulations - the
managers must all recognize their
responsibility to the league and the
perpetuity of it as to not cross the line
where winning is more important than playing.
An opposing manager may at anytime have the
right to question a player’s age. If a
manager wants to lodge a protest, proof of
age and residence must be mailed to the
manager who lodged his protest by Friday of
the following week. If an under age player is
detected, penalties whether to the individual
or team will be decided by the league
president and board of directors. As a
national precedent, the penalties will be
forfeiture of all games in which the
under-age player participated in and a
minimum two-year suspension. If the manager
had prior knowledge, he is subject to similar
suspension.
5. COURTESY
RUNNERS
5.a Players that will
need courtesy runners, must have their manager
notify the opposing manager prior to the start of
the game. If not so notified, the opposing
manager may deny the request. Each team will be
allowed a maximum of 2 playersper game who
can be run for each time that they reach
base. The individual who runs for these
player(s) needing a courtesy runner is not
determined ahead of time. It is always the
last batted out who must run for the
person needing the courtesy runner. Once the game
begins and the full complement of 2 courtesy
runners has not been used, if a player
sustains an injury, an additional courtesy
runner may be used. In the event a player becomes
injured during the game and the maximum number of
courtesy runners (2) have already been
designated, a pinch runner must be used and no
courtesy runner will be allowed. If a batter
(designated as needing a courtesy runner) opts to
run, or forgets to get a courtesy runner and
subsequently runs, he will lose his courtesy
runner for the remaining portion of the game. The
offensive team that is replacing the courtesy
runner has 30 seconds to make the runner change.
If the runner is not replaced within this time
period, the original runner must run and the
right to use the courtesy runner for this
particular batter will be forfeited for the
balance of the game. The 30 second time limit
will begin at the time the umpire calls for time
to allow replacement for the runner.
6. PITCHERS
6.a
No player while pitching may wear white or
gray sleeves, nor may a pitcher wear a
batting glove or wristband while pitching.
6.b
One intentional walk per game will be
allowed.
6.c
If a pitcher hits 4 batters in any one game,
the pitcher must be removed on the fourth hit
batsman.
6.d
There is no regulation as to how many innings
a pitcher may pitch in a game or a week.
7. FIELDERS
Infielders are not
allowed to decoy a throw or catch. If a decoy
throw or catch is detected, all runners shall be
allowed to advance one base beyond the base held
after all play stops. If the same fielder decoys
twice in the same game, the fielder shall be
expelled from the game. Decoying is referred to
as a false catch or throw done in an attempt to
get the player to slide unnecessarily, where no
strategic value is gained.
8. EX-PRO
STATUS AND REGULATIONS
8.a A
player must be out of pro-ball for 3 complete
MSBL seasons before becoming eligible to
participate in a MSBL league. This is a general
rule meant to stand as an example for other local
MSBL leagues to examine. Local MSBL leagues may
establish their own criteria for ex-pros as its
individual board and managers see fit. Pro-ball
refers to major and minor leagues. Independent
leagues are to be considered separately. For the
World Series and Fall Classic, the following
rules will pertain without exception:
In
order to guarantee fairness to all, the ex-pro
rules will be as follows:
National division
- No team may have
more than 5-ex-pros on their roster and
no more than 25% of any team roster can
be comprised of ex-professionals, no
matter the time spent out of pro-ball.
- No ex-pro may play,
if he has been out of professional
baseball for less than 3 complete MSBL
seasons without the written permission
from MSBL-National Rules Committee.
A player is not an
ex-pro if:
A) the player is over 38
years old and he has been out of pro-ball for
at least 3 complete seasons.
B) the player has been out of
pro-ball for more than 8 years.
American division
No more than 3 ex-pros,
as defined above, will be allowed on the roster
without written permission from the National
Tournament Rules Committee.
Continental
division - Limit 1 ex-pro as defined
above.
Federal/Mountain
divisions – Limit 1 ex-pro as
defined above. For 38+ & 48+, no
ex-pros allowed as defined above.
Central division
- No ex-pros allowed under any circumstances.
For National
Tournament Play
28 and over - player
becomes eligible on the date of his 28th birthday
38 and over - player
becomes eligible if turns 38 during the calendar
year
18 and over - player
becomes eligible on the date of his 18th birthday
45/48 and over - player
becomes eligible if turns 45/48 during the
calendar year
55/58 and over - player
becomes eligible if turns 55/58 during the
calendar year
65 and over - player
becomes eligible if turns 65 during the
calendar year
Father/Son - minimum age
for son is 16 years old
9. GENERAL
LEAGUE RULES
9.a
Two forfeits by any team could mean immediate
expulsion from the league with no money
refunded to the team. Individual leagues
should evaluate circumstances before
rendering a decision.
9.b
All protests should be lodged to the league
protest committee/board within 24 hours after
the game for which the protest is made. All
protests shall be decided by the league board
of directors and/or protest committee.
9.c
Only MSBL and MABL leagues are eligible for
all MSBL and MABL sanctioned regional and
national tournaments, unless waived by
national tournament committee.
9.d
Determination of eligibility to participate
in MSBL regional and national tournament
competition will be based solely on the
decision of MSBL National Tournament Rules
Committee. In general, no player will be
allowed to participate in a regional or
national tournament unless the player has
participated in at least 50% of his regular
season MSBL/MABL games.
9.e
In order for a player to qualify and
participate in his team’s local league
playoffs, tournaments and post-season events,
he must participate in at least 50% of
his team’s regular season games. In
order for a player to qualify as a pitcher he
must make two plate appearances in one half
of his team’s regular season games
played or pitch in 25% of this team’s
regular season total innings or pitch in 75%
of his team’s games. If such a player
fails to meet the requirements due to injury,
a letter should be submitted to the league
president explaining non-compliance. Local
leagues retain the right to their own
qualifications for local tournament only.
9.f
In the case of a player whose team plays a
regular season local league schedule that had
15 or fewer games, the player must play in a
significant way in the greater of eight (8)
games or 75% of the number of regular season
games on the schedule. A player shall be
deemed to have played in a game in a
significant way if; (a) he has at least three
(3) at bats in the game; or (b) plays at
least four (4) innings in the field; or (c)
plays at least three (3) innings in the field
and has at least one at bat; or (d) plays at
least three (3) innings in the field, has no
at bats, but pitches the game. The National
Rules Committee, and its conclusions, shall
be binding.
9.g
Each year, all players on the league’s
waiting list will be invited to a draft. The
annual draft will be conducted in a manner to
allow parity in leagues by having the prior
year’s teams with the lowest finishing
records drafting first.
9.h
In regard to the Men’s Adult Baseball
League, players upon reaching the age of 28
do not automatically have to enter the senior
division. When desired, MABL players, unless
entering as a full team, when reaching age 28
will enter the senior division draft. MABL
players already entered into the league cannot
be solicited to join senior division teams
and when entering into the senior division
must go through the draft, unless entering as
a full team.
10. CODE
OF CONDUCT
Prohibitions
Managers and players
shall conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike
manner at all times. No manager or player shall
commit the following:
- Lay a hand upon,
shove or strike, or threaten an official.
Players and managers guilty of such
conduct shall be immediately suspended
from further participation in the game
and shall remain suspended until his
conduct is reviewed by the board of
directors. Players and managers guilty of
such conduct shall be subject to
suspension for the remainder of the
season or expulsion from the league for
life.
- Refuse to
abide by an official’s decision.
Players guilty of such conduct shall be
immediately suspended from further
participation in the game and shall
remain suspended until his conduct is
reviewed by the board of directors.
Players guilty of such conduct shall be
subject to probation or suspension for
the remainder of the season.
- Be guilty of
objectionable demonstrations of dissent
at an official’s decision.
Players and managers guilty of such
conduct shall be subject to suspension
from further participation in the game.
- Discuss with an
official or officials the decision
reached by such official or officials,
except for the manager or his designee
who are authorized to participate in such
discussions. Players guilty of such
conduct shall be subject to suspension
from further participation in the game.
- Use
unnecessarily rough tactics in the play
of the game against the body
or person of an opposing player. Players
guilty of such conduct shall be
immediately suspended from further
participation in the game and shall be
subject to probation or suspension for
the remainder of the season.
- Be guilty of
physical attack as an aggressor upon any
player, manager, official, or spectator,
before, during, or after a game.
Players guilty of such conduct shall be
immediately suspended from further
participation in the game and shall
remain suspended until their conduct is
reviewed by the board of directors.
Players guilty of such conduct shall be
subject to suspension for the remainder
of the season or expulsion from the
league for life.
- Be guilty of
verbal abusive attack upon any player,
manager, official, or spectator,
before, during, or after a game.
Players guilty of such conduct shall be
immediately suspended from further
participation in the game and shall
remain suspended until their conduct is
reviewed by the board of directors.
Players guilty of such conduct shall be
subject to suspension for the remainder
of the season.
- Consume
alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs
during the game or be upon the field of
play at any time in an intoxicated
condition. Players guilty of such
conduct shall be immediately suspended
from further participation in the game
and shall be subject to probation or
suspension for the remainder of the
season.
- Smoke on the
field of play or in the dugout.
Players guilty of such conduct shall be
immediately suspended from further
participation in the game.
Penalties
- The board of
directors may, by vote of the majority of
the directors, suspend any player or
manager for such a period and upon such
terms as it may propose, for the conduct
with in its opinion is prejudicial to the
welfare, interest, reputation, or charter
of the league.
- Except as otherwise
provided, the commissioners shall
determine the appropriate action required
for violations of the codes of conduct,
and shall report their decision to the
player, manager and the board of
directors.
- A player found in
violation of any provision delineated in
the codes of conduct, after being placed
on probation for the remainder of the
season shall be suspended for the
remainder of the season.
- Any player found in
violation of any provisions delineated in
the codes of conduct, after being
suspended from further participation in a
game shall be suspended for the remainder
of the season.
Grievances,
protests, and appeals
- Grievances may be
filed by an individual player or by the
manager of a team provided that a
grievance is formally submitted to the
commissioner or appropriate board. The
commissioner shall adjudicate all such
grievances and shall report any action
taken to the board of directors.
- An appeal of any
action or ruling may be filed with the
board of directors by an individual
player or by the manager of a team
provided that the appeal is formally
submitted. However, all decisions by the
board of directors are final and not
subject to appeal.
CENTRAL MAINE
MSBL LEAGUE SPECIFIC RULES
1. AGE
REQUIREMENT A
player is eligible to participate in an
official league sanctioned game on the date
of his 25th birthday.
2. AGE
REQUIREMENT LIMITATION Each
team will be allowed a maximum of 4 players
under the age of 30
3. PITCHING
AGE A player is eligible
to pitch in an official league sanctioned
game on the date of his 28th birthday.
4.
STANDINGS Season
standings (with-in each division) will be
based on total number of wins.Tiebreakers
will be: A).Head to head record. B).Least
total runs allowed in head to head games. C).
Coin toss.
5. PLAY-OFFS
Play-offs will be single elimination. The
number 4 and number 5 seeded teams in each
division will play a pre-lim game for the
number 4 slot in the 4 team bracket. Higher
seeded team will be the home team and home
field for division play-offs games. Division
winners will play for the league championship
on a neutral field.
6. HOME
FIELD RESPONSIBILITIES The
home team will be responsible for preparing
the field, including raking and lining the
infield. The home team will be responsible
for rain-out decisions and notifying umpires.
7. GAME
SCORES Game
scores must be reported with-in 24 HOURS by
e-mail or telephone (207-380-6544)to receive
credit for your win. It will be the
responsibility of the winning team to report
the game score with-in 24 HOURS so that we
may post the standings. Failure to report
score will result in a forfeit recorded for
both teams. Please e-mail to RAGSDALE@GWI.NET or
click on the baseball on the website.
8 GAME
REPORTS Game
reports, comments, etc. are welcome from all
players and coaches, and will be passed along
to league members by e-mail. Please
e-mail your reports and comments to connors@localnet.com or RAGSDALE@GWI.NET
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