Cenla Youth Baseball Association
Fall Ball League Rules
(posted June 24, 2007, 2007)
I. Teams
1.1 Each team will consist of up to a maximum of 18 players.
1.2 No individual player can participate in two different age groups during a season.
1.3 Each team must have one (1) designated manager.
1.4 Each team is required to purchase accident insurance through an CYBA approved insurance plan.
1.5 Each team is required to have available upon request the following items on each of it’s players:
a) A player contract for that season (Spring Only).
b) Proof of primary group health insurance coverage on that player (part of player contract).
c) Birth Certificate.
Each of these items must be received by the league office before the first scheduled league game of the season.
1.8 Players are allowed to participate with teams other than their contracted teams in tournament play. However, every player is
always obligated to his contracted team and their schedule of events and can only participate with other teams with the consent
of the contracted team. Teams using unauthorized players in tournaments will be subject to forfeiture of games in which the
illegal player has participated.
1.8 If a team has not taken the field ten minutes after the scheduled start time of a game it will be declared a forfeit. You can start
and play a game with eight (8) players with no penalty. You must have a minimum of eight *(8) players to start a game. Anything less
than eight, the game will be declared a forfeit. The game will not be rescheduled. You may play without umpires with less than 8 players.
NOTE: These rules are for Fall Ball Only!
Games will be played using Official Baseball Rules published by Major League Baseball as amended below
I. Coaches / Dugouts / Equipment
2.1 A team shall be limited to four (4) non-players ( 3 coaches and one bat boy).) inside the fence.
2.2 While on offense, only two coaches may be outside of the dugout fence.
2.3 While on offense, only the batter and the on deck batter shall be outside of the dugout fence. The on deck batter shall stay within the vicinity of his dugout gate. Players are not permitted to warm up in the opposing teams on deck circle.
2.4 While on defense, only one coach shall be outside of the dugout fence.
2.5 A bat boy/girl may leave the dugout fence to retrieve a bat after all playing action is completed. All bat boys/girls must have a
helmet with two ear flaps.
2.6 All batters must wear full service helmets with two ear flaps.
2.7 All equipment shall remain inside the dugout fence.
2.8 Catchers will be required to wear helmets that protect both ears and the back of the head. Skull caps are not permitted.
2.9 A player participating in the game shall not wear jewelry.
2.10 The umpire shall ask the player to remove the jewelry. Play shall not continue until the jewelry is removed or the player is replaced. This is not an ejection.
2.11 Medical alert bracelets or necklaces and religious medals are not considered jewelry. If worn, they must be taped to the body so as to
remain visible.
2.12 Shoes with metal cleats may not be worn by players who are playing as 12 year olds or younger.
2.13 The use of cell phones shall not be permitted inside of the fence by players, non players or umpires.
II. Courtesy Runner
3.1 At any time, the team at bat may use courtesy runners for both the pitcher and/or catcher of record.
3.2 The same runner may not be used for both positions in the same inning.
3.3 The courtesy runner(s) will be:
A) A player not in the batting order.
B) The last out (not necessarily the last batted out) if all players are batting.
3.4 A courtesy runner is mandatory for the catcher with two outs and optional with less.
3.5 None Noted
III. Intentional Base on Balls
4.1 An intentional base on balls may be given by the defensive team by having its catcher or coach request the umpire to award the batter first base.
4.2 This may be done before pitching to the batter or on any ball or strike.
4.3 The ball shall be declared dead before making the award.
IV. Time Limit
5.1 Time limit for ages eight and under one hour and ten minutes.
5.2 Time limit for ages nine thru twelve one hour and twenty minutes.
5.3 Time limit for ages thirteen and fourteen one hour and thirty minutes.
5.4 When time expires game will be over when the inning is finished a new inning will not be started within ten minutes of game time. ( this is to keep games from going way over and keeping youngsters late)
5.5 If the teams are ready and want to start early, the time will start on the catcher’s throw down. If the game is starting late, the clock will start on the umpire’s announcement of start at the completion of the pre-game conference.
5.6 If a game is tied after the regulation number of innings and time still
remains, the game will continue one extra inning to determine a winner. If the game is still tied after the one extra inning, the game ends in a tie, even if additional time remains.
5.7 An inning is deemed to begin at the moment the third out is made in the previous inning.
5.8 The umpires are the sole judge of time.
5.9 During the season ending tournament a winner will be determined.
5.10 An inning is finished after time expires when the visiting team finishes their at bat and the home team is winning, or the home team finishes their at bat if the score is tied or the visiting team is winning
.
V. Game Length
6.1 Game lengths shall be as follows:
A) Up to and including 8 year olds 4 innings
B) 9 year old up to and including 13 year olds 5 innings
6.2 If a game is called due to weather or other hazardous conditions, It is an
official game, it 3 and one half or 4 innings have been completed.
6.3 Suspended games
A) All games stopped by an umpire for weather or other reasons
before the game is declared official shall be a suspended game. The league director shall determine if the game is to be complete or suspended.
NOTE: The league director will schedule the completion of suspended games at his discretion. Normally when the teams involved are both scheduled to be on site at the same time.
VI. Run Rules
7.1 All games played at Cenla Youth Baseball Association shall be played with a run rule in effect.
7.2 A game will be over if the visiting team is losing by ten runs after three and one half innings, or the home team is losing by ten runs after four innings of play.
7.3 A game will be over if the visiting team is losing by eight runs after four and one half innings, or the home team is losing by eight
runs after five innings of play.
7.4 In league play 8, 9 and 10 year old divisions, teams will be limited to 5 runs per time at bat.
VIII Substitutions
8.1 A team may bat nine, with or without a designated hitter, or the entire roster.
8.2 If a team is batting the entire roster, there is free substitution on defense, except for the pitcher.
8.3 Once a pitcher is removed from the mound he may not re enter for that game.
IX Designated Hitter ( Does not apply to 14 and under)
9.1 A hitter may be (not mandatory) designated for any one starting player and all subsequent substitutes for that player.
9.2 A starting defensive player cannot be listed as the designated hitter in the starting lineup.
9.3 Failure to declare a designated hitter prior to the game precludes the use of the designated hitter during the game.
9.4 The role of designated hitter is terminated for the remainder of the game when:
A) The defensive player or any previous defensive player for whom the designated hitter subsequently bats, pinch-hits or pinch-
runs for the designated hitter.
B) The designated hitter or any previous designated hitter assumes a defensive position.
X Roster Batting
10.1 If a team is batting the entire roster, and a member is unable to continue due to injury or illness, the team will not be penalized when it is the missing player’s turn to bat.
10.2 A team may start the game with less than 9 players (a minimum of 8)
10.3 There will be no penalty for not having 9 players in the batting order to start
10.4 When the ninth player arrives at the game, he will be added to the end of the batting order. The team starting with eight players shall immediately notify the umpire and the other team as soon as the ninth player arrives.
10.5 A team that starts with less than nine will not be allowed to roster bat.
10.6 If a team is roster batting and a new player arrives before the entire lineup has batted, he may be added to the end of the batting order.
10.7 If a player arrives after the entire order has batted one time, he will be added to the end of the order.
10.8 If roster batting, any time the batting order is reduced by an ejection, an automatic out shall be declared in that batting order position.
XI Batters Box
11.1 The batter must keep at least one foot in the batter’s box throughout the time at bat. ( this is to help with time and help complete games)
11.2 Exceptions:
A) The batter swings at the pitch
B) The batter is forced out of the box by the pitch
C) The batter attempts a drag bunt
D) The pitcher or catcher fakes or attempts a play at any base.
E) The pitcher leaves the dirt area of the pitching mound
F) The umpire calls time
G) The catcher does not catch a pitched ball
11.3 If the batter leaves the box and one of the above exceptions does not apply, the umpire may call an automatic strike if he determines leaving the box delayed the game.
11.4 Reminder: The box is defined in the rule book, even if it is not marked on the field and batters box restrictions apply.
XII Steal of Home
12.1 If the runner from third is running toward home in attempting to steal or participating in a squeeze play, the following apply
A) The batter must take the pitch or attempt to bunt.
B) Failure to do so will result in the following:
a) The batter being called out
b) All runners retuning to the base occupied prior to pitch.
c) The third base coach shall be ejected
12.2 With the bases loaded 2 outs and 3 balls and 2 strikes on the batter,
the runner from third base shall not run hard to the plate.
XIII Slide Rule
13.1 A legal slide can be either feet first or head first. If a runner slides feet first, at least one leg and buttock shall be on the ground.
If a runner slides he must slide within reach of the base with either a hand or a foot without going past the base.
13.2 On a force play if the runner slides, it must be on the ground in a direct line between the two bases, stopping at the base The
runner may slide or run in a direction away from the fielder to avoid making contact or altering the play of the fielder.
13.3 No player shall initiate malicious contact. The question of what is
malicious is umpire judgment.
13.4 On a force play an illegal slide causes both the runner and the batter-runner to be called out and all other runners to return to the base occupied at the time of the pitch.
13.5 Malicious contact shall be grounds for ejection.
13.6 Runners are never required to slide, But they must attempt to avoid contact if a runner elects to slide the slide must be legal.
13.7 To prevent contact, if the fielder has the ball or his receiving of the ball is immanent the runner has the following choices:
A) Slide
B) Go back
C) Go around
D) Give up
13.8 If contact results due to the runner failing to do one of the above, the runner shall be declared out.
13.9 If a defensive player is obstructing the runner (judgment call by the umpire), contact by the runner is not illegal unless malicious.
XIV Pitching Limits
14.1 For all ages 9 through 12 a pitcher may not pitch more than 9 outs in any given week.
XV Coach Pitch
15.1 Each batter will be allowed six pitches, unless he hits a foul ball on the sixth pitch. He will be allowed to continue batting until
he does not hit a foul ball.
15.2 League plays allows 10 defensive players for teams under 8 years old.
15.3 A fair ball hitting a coach pitcher will be declared a foul ball.
15.4 Ball is dead when returned to the infield and in the umpires judgment
play has stopped.
15.5 The umpire shall determine the position or the runners when ball
becomes dead.
15.6 A team will be restricted to scoring 5 runs per time at bat.
15.7 The player pitcher shall be stationed within 10 feet of the rubber at
the time of the pitch.
15.8 The catcher shall be located in the catcher’s box, no more than 8 feet
behind home plate.
15.9 All 8 year old and younger games will require roster batting.
15.10 There will be no:
A) Base on balls
B) Base awards for batter hit by a pitch
C) Infield fly
D) Stealing of bases
E) Courtesy runner for the pitcher
15.11 Runners may not leave the base until the pitched ball reaches home
plate. A runner who leaves early will be declared out. The pitch will be
called a no pitch.
15.12 A team will be permitted to issue an intentional walk by notifying the
umpire of the desire (see rule III). A team will be limited to maximum of three (3) intentional walks per game and only one to any individual batter.
XVI Appeals
The defensive team may appeal during a live ball immediately after the play and before a pitch, granting an intentional base on balls, or before the next play or attempted play. If the offense initiates a play before the next pitch, the defense does not lose the opportunity to appeal. A live ball appeal may be made by a defensive player with the ball in his possession by touching the runner or the base the runner missed or left early, an telling an umpire what runner and which base is being appealed. A dead ball appeal may be made by a coach or defensive player with or without the ball by telling an umpire which runner and base he felt was missed or left base early. Appeals must be made (1) before the next pitch; (2) at the end of an inning, before the pitcher and all infielders have left fair territory; (3) before an intentional base on balls is granted; or (4) on the last play of the game, until the umpires leave the fenced area. Multiple appeals are allowed providing they do not, in the umpire’s judgment, make a travesty of the game
XVII Trips
Between innings a coach may talk to a pitcher who is warming up. If in the judgment of the umpire the coach delays the resumption of play he will be charged with a trip. A coach may also talk to a replacement pitcher during warm ups. A delay will result in a trip.
XVII Season Ending Double Elimination Tournament
There will be a Season Ending Double Elimination Tournament. Information TBA.
XVIII Parent, Coach, & Player Behavior
Cenla Youth Baseball Association ask that
1. Be supportive of athletes – positive cheering only
2. No Smoking, alcohol, tobacco, or drugs during or around events
3. Please pick up your litter, especially dugouts
Code of Conduct for Members
Players live clean and play hard. Players play for the love of the game. Winning without boasting, losing without excuse, but never quitting. Players respect officials and accept their decisions, and never forget that when people judge a player's action they judge not only the player, but also the team, the league, the community the player represents.
Managers and Coaches inspire in the players a love for the game and a desire to win, teaching that it is better to lose fairly than to win unfairly. Managers and coaches teach players and spectators to respect officials by setting a good example. Managers and coaches are the type of people they want the players to be. Managers and Coaches should refrain from smoking at all practices and games.
Officials know the rules, are fair and firm in all decisions and call them as they see them. Officials treat players, managers and coaches courteously and demand the same treatment for themselves. Officials know the game is for the players and let them have the spotlight.
Spectators never boo officials or players or managers or coaches.
A "No Tolerance" rule will be STRICTLY enforced. Officials should not allow any behavior contrary to the defined Code of Conduct for Members.
Spectators appreciate a good play, no matter who makes it. Spectators know that their community get the blame, or the praise, for their conduct, and recognize the need for more sportsmen and few "sports".