UMBA: Rules
Baseball RulesMajor League Baseball rules web site for 2009 season.
UMBA's General Rules-Updated 4/16/01
Upper Merion Baseball Association
General Rules & Regulations
The association is aware that everyone wants to win, but the main objective of the Upper Merion Baseball Association is to TEACH. All managers and coaches should educate their players in the fundamentals and strategy of baseball/softball, as well as the values of fair play, the benefits of teamwork and team spirit, and in the proper conduct of the game. The Association also wants everyone to have FUN!
General Rules
1. All officers, directors, managers, coaches and umpires are required to be familiar with their official regulations and amendments listed in the UMBA rules and regulations.
2. Team managers should instill in their supporters a positive attitude and should insist on good sportsmanship by all participants and spectators.
3. In keeping with the objectives of UMBA, forfeitures should be avoided if possible. All managers, coaches, players and umpires should take every measure available to prevent games from being forfeited.
4. Three or more unexcused absences by a player shall be grounds for the removal of that player from his/her team. Team managers must forward a written recommendation for removal to the division coordinator, who will review the situation and take further action when necessary.
Conduct Rules
1. The use of profanity by managers, coaches or players is not permitted. The penalty, when deemed appropriate by the umpire, is ejection from the game.
2. The intentional throwing or kicking of equipment in anger or any such misconduct is not permitted. The penalty, when deemed appropriate by the umpire, is ejection from the game.
3. Climbing upon fences, backstops or dugouts are strictly prohibited. The penalty, when deemed appropriate by the umpire, is ejection from the game.
4. No team is permitted to be taken from the playing field prior to a decision being made by the league officers or umpires for any reason other than safety of the players. Teams who violate this rule will be subject to forfeiture of that game.
5. Individuals who are ejected from a game must leave the playing field and general are so as to no longer be visible from the field. Any manager or coach who is ejected may not converse with any member of his or her team in any way for the remainder of the game. Failure of violators to leave the field within three minutes will result in forfeiture of the game, when deemed appropriate by the umpire, by the team associated with the violator. Players ejected must remain at the field with their team unless their parents are available to take them home.
6. Players and or coaches who argue with the umpire will be ejected from the game when deemed appropriate by the umpire.
7. No tobacco products are to used in the playing area or dugouts. Managers or coaches are not permitted to leave the playing area or dugout while the game is underway to use tobacco products. The penalty, when deemed appropriate by the umpire, is ejection from the game.
8. No alcoholic beverages are to be used in the playing area or dugouts. No manager or coach may participate while under the influence of alcohol. The penalty, when deemed appropriate by the umpire, is ejection from the game.
9. Any player who is unruly, uncontrollable or uncooperative will be suspended when deemed appropriate by the team manager.
D. The length of suspension will be determined by the manager, but will not involve more than one full game suspension.
E. Players suspended during the game shall not cause the team to be liable for forfeiture unless there are fewer than six remaining players. The opposing manager and the umpire shall be informed of the reasons for the suspension before it is issued. The player will not be permitted the re-enter the game, but must remain at the field unless their parents are available to take them home.
F. All suspensions must be recorded in both managers' score books.
G. The team manager must report all suspensions to the Division Coordinator.
10. Any manager, coach or player, who is ejected, shall also be suspended from the next scheduled game, regular season or playoffs. Any appeal must be made immediately in writing to the division coordinator. Should a manager, coach or player receive a second ejection, a two game suspension will be issued. If a third game ejection is issued, the manager, coach or player will be suspended from the remainder of the season to include playoffs and tournament season. All appeals will be reviewed by the “Rules Committee” to consist of four board members and the appropriate Division Coordinator.
Procedure Rules
1. The home team will be listed second on the schedule and will occupy the third base dugout. The home team is responsible for placing all UMBA equipment in the equipment box and locking it. The home team will be responsible for dragging the field and raking the mound after a game in which no other game is scheduled to follow. The home team manager is responsible to fill out the “Game Summary Sheet” immediately after the game and turn it in to the TAC house. The home team manager must report the game score to the division coordinator within 24 hours.
2. In case of rain, it will be the responsibility of the Umpire Coordinator or his designee, herein referred to as the “Evaluator”, to evaluate the playable conditions of all fields at Walker prior to 5:00pm. If in the Evaluator’s opinion, any field is unplayable by game time, the Evaluator shall:
A. Notify the Division Coordinator of the decision. The Division Coordinator will then notify the home and visitor managers.
B. Notify the umpires that they are not needed.
C. Notify the Director of Schedules. The Director will re-schedule the game with the Division Coordinator.
1. All rainouts will be re-scheduled as soon as possible.
2. Any manager who is uncooperative in re-scheduling a game could be subject to forfeiture of that game.
3. If in the opinion of the Evaluator, that games are to played after fields are given some attention, it is responsibility of both home and visitor team managers to ensure that every attempt is made to give the fields the attention. If any manager refuses to do minor field maintenance, his or her team could be subject to forfeiture of that game.
4. Schedule Changes- it is the responsibility of the manager to be aware of upcoming events that may cause a forfeiture of a game due to lack of players. The coordinator must be notified in writing seven (7) days in advance in order to facilitate re-schedule of the game. Included in the request must be a list of players not able to attend and why. If you give the coordinator less than seven days notice and the changes cannot be accommodated, you will forfeit the game. Managers are encouraged to enlist assistant coaches to take control of the team in the event the manager cannot make a game. Games will not be re-scheduled if there is not a player attendance problem.
5. A team must have at least eight players to be eligible to begin play. If it does not, a forfeit by that team will be declared.
A. School and/or religious functions that cause absences will not make a team liable for forfeiture, however, the opposing manager must be notified of those conflicts prior to their occurrence.
B. If a team is able to field eight players, it must play the game or else forfeit by that team will be declared.
C. If a team becomes unable to field eight players during the course of a game due to injuries or ejections, no forfeit will be declared unless there are fewer than six remaining players or the team does not continue to play.
6. The Division Coordinator will reschedule all postponed games after conferring with the Director of Schedules and the managers.
A. The home team manager will notify the Division Coordinator within 24 hours when games are postponed or end in a tie. Failure to comply may result in forfeiture of that game by the home team.
B. Postponed games should be played in the same week that they were originally scheduled when practical and conditions permit, unless other directives are established by the UMBA.
C. The cut-off time for playing postponed games will be two days prior to the division championship game, unless other directives are established by the UMBA.
3. All protests must be made in writing to the division coordinator within 48 hours of their occurrence to be considered. Furthermore, those protests must be filed according to the procedure outlined in the official baseball rules.
4. There shall be at least one umpire for every legal game. If no official umpire reports for a game, the division coordinator will reschedule it unless both managers agree to use a volunteer umpire, at which no protesting of those games is permitted.
5. When more than one umpire officiates a game, the home plate umpire shall have the final authority on all decisions.
6. Both teams will exchange rosters with the names and numbers of the starting players, plus the names and numbers of all substitute players that are present.
7. Each manager will supply the home plate umpire with a new game ball prior to the start of the game. If these balls become unusable, the home team manager will supply additional balls, if available.
8. Only players, managers, two assistant coaches and one scorekeeper are permitted in the dugout.
9. Managers have the option of using either team players, other adults or themselves as baseline coaches.
10. The team at bat is permitted two coaches on the field. All others coaches/ managers must stay in the dugout. If the defensive team manager or coach leave the dugout and enter the playing area, a trip to the mound will be charged.
11. The wearing of protective headgear is mandatory for all batters, on deck batters, base runners and player/coaches, and shall remain on during all live ball situations. Batters and base runners must wear headgear with face shield, if available. Adult coaches do not need to wear headgear.
12. All male players are asked to wear a protective cup.
13. No player is permitted to catch without a protective cup and a protective facemask with throat protector. An adult catcher will be expected to wear a protective facemask when warming up a pitcher, especially on the playing field.
14. During the course of the game each manager will notify the opposing manager of all substitutions.
15. Only managers are permitted to discuss decisions made by an umpire.
16. The home team manager will report all pitching records for games played to the division coordinator.
17. Any base runner who does not slide or attempt to get around a fielder who has the ball and/or is waiting to immediately receive the ball will automatically be declared out by the umpire. The intent to avoid unnecessary and possibly dangerous contact.
18. The defensive player may not attempt to make a fake tag, nor impede the offensive player’s progress by standing in the base path without the ball unless waiting to immediately receive the ball. Any defensive infraction will allow the umpire to award runners the number of bases the runner would have reached without the infraction.
19. Only personnel directly involved in the game are permitted in live ball areas. All other personnel, and all equipment not currently in use, must remain outside the live ball areas during all live ball situations.
20. A regulation game is six innings. In the case of inclement weather or darkness, a legal game shall be three at-bats by the losing team.
21. Batting by the players shall be in a fixed line-up, in rotation, throughout the entire team for the duration of the game.
22. The first nine batters are not required to be the starting defense.
23. If a player arrives after the game has started, that player will be added to the end of the original batting order, however, if the first batter in the lineup has batted a second time, then no player arriving late may participate in the game. Exceptions will be permitted for school or religious functions that conflict with the start of the game. Opposing manager is to be notified prior to the start of the game.
24. Base runners who are removed from the game because of injuries or ejection will be replaced by the closest previous batter who is not on base.
25. Defensively, no player is permitted to play less frequently than every other inning. Failure to comply shall result in forfeiture of that game by the offending team.
26. Batters. In the on deck area, the batter shall be ready to bat (have helmet on, bat in hand, batting glove on, if necessary) but will not be allowed to swing the bat until the batter enters the field of play.
27. Batters will be instructed not to throw bats at the end of a swing. If a batter inadvertently throws his or her bat during an at-bat, they will be warned once by the umpire. A second occurrence by the warned player during the same game will result in an out.
28. If a pitcher chooses to wear a long sleeve shirt or sweatshirt, the sleeves may not be white or light in color.
29. No pitcher may wear a batting glove under his or her catching glove.
30. If a pitcher hits three batters in one game or two batters in the same inning, the manager is required to replace him or her with another pitcher.
31. No new inning will start after 1 hour and 45 minutes. The umpire in chief will announce the starting time to managers on all games. Games called because of the time limit will be considered a regulation game regardless of the number of innings played. This rule does not apply to Boy Senior Division.
32. Lighted Fields-
a. No inning shall be permitted to begin after the time stated:
i. 9:45pm Sunday through Thursday during the school year
ii. 10:30pm Friday & Saturday, or any other non-school night.
b. The umpire in chief shall order the playing field lights turned on whenever in his/her opinion darkness makes further play hazardous.
c. In event of light failure, the game shall be deemed a suspended game.
Ground Rules
1. When a base becomes dislodged from its proper position during any play, the original position shall be used by the umpire for determining any calls at that base.
2. During the course of the game, no one will be permitted to occupy that area which is behind the backstop nor shall anyone other than team members and coaching staff be permitted in the dugout areas. When this occurs, the umpire shall suspend all further play until the offenders vacate the area.
3. Balls, which become lodged in any fencing, shall be declared out of bounds.
4. The “playing area” shall be defined as the area, fair or foul territory, in bounds or out of bounds within the fenced area, not including the dugouts.
5. All other ground rules, including out of bounds area, shall be discussed by both managers and the umpire prior to the start of the game.
6. The forfeiture time for all games (to be declared by umpire) is 15 minutes after the scheduled start time.
7. The starting time for all weekday evening games is 6:00pm.
Insurance Regulations for the Batting Cage
1. One batter in the cage at a time (not including adult pitcher)
2. Helmets must be worn at all times.
3. Batters must be at least 8 years old.
4. Height requirement is a minimum of 4 ft 6 inches.
5. Batter must not be able to alter speed settings while in cage.
6. Rules for the cage must be posted.
7. Maximum speed for the machine is 80 mph.
8. Maximum speed for ages 12 and under is 65 mph.
9. No metal cleats or spikes are to be worn, even for senior boys.
10. Protective cups are to worn by all boys ages 10 & over.
Girls Softball Minor and Major Division
Girls Softball Minor and Major Division
2009 RULES AND REGULATIONS-Updated 5/17/09
1. All rules for play in the girl’s minor softball division shall be judged by the Upper Merion Baseball Association General Rules and Babe Ruth Softball Division Rules and Regulations, except for the specific rules listed herein.
2. The pitcher’s rubber distance from home plate:
Girls Minor - 35 feet
Girls Major - 40 feet
3. The pitcher must start with both feet in contact with the rubber.
4. The pitcher must release the ball during the first step she takes towards the batter.
5. If the pitcher is replaced, she may re-enter as a pitcher as long as she stays in the game.
6. Pitcher Inning limitations
Girls Minor - 3 innings per game
Girls Major - 9 innings per 2 games
7. Bunting is permitted, however, if a batter shows bunt, and pulls the bat back, the player may not swing at the ball.
8. Batters cannot advance to first on a dropped third strike.
9. Infield fly rule
Girls Minor - Not in effect
Girls Major - Is in effect
10. Short fielders and outfielders must start each play in the grass.
11. Maximum of five (5) runs per inning per team. The game will be called when it is mathematically impossible to win.
12. There is an imaginary 8 foot circle around the pitching rubber. When the pitcher is within the circle with the ball in her hand, the play is dead, if there are no base runners between bases. If a base runner is between bases, an effort must be made by the defense to make an out or force the runner back to the base she came from.
13. Stealing -
Girls Minor- Not permitted.
Girls Major – Permitted on release. Stealing home is permitted
14. Courtesy runners are allowed for the catcher, with 2 outs in the interest of speeding up the game. The pinch runner is the player who recorded the last out.