RULES
The rules of general baseball, which are not specified below, follow the rules of Major League Baseball.
I. League Operation
1.1. League manager must report to each team the details and status of membership fees before, during and after the start of the league.
1.2. All bases and cones (for home runs) are provided by the league, and the home team oversees preparation.
1.3. The competition ball shall be the USSA ROLB1 LEATHER baseball from Rawlings and shall be prepared by the league.
1.4. When it rains, sand is provided by the league. But the purchase is made by the home team on the day of the competition and will be reimbursed later.
II. League
1.1. The regular season game starts every Saturday from 10 a.m. and is based on seven innings.
1.2. The team standings are determined by the score system. The points are calculated by winning three, drawing one, and losing zero, and there is no extra innings.
1.3. The competition may start if more than eight players, including a rental player, are present on the ground based on the start time of the game. Teams with fewer than seven players will be forfeited, and if both teams have less than seven players, both teams will be defeated.
1.4. After three hours from the start of the prescribed game, the record holder informs both teams that they cannot start the new inning, and the previous inning shall be finalized to decide the match or draw.
1.5. Games which have been postponed in the middle of the game or before the start of the game shall be subject to the following:
1.5.1. If the game is suspended before the end of the 4th inning, the game will be treated as a no-game and then double-header.
1.5.2. If the end of the 4th inning is ended, the beginning of the 4th inning is ended in the event that the home team is ahead of the competition, or two hours has passed since the start of the game, a regular competition shall be recognized.
1.6. In a doubleheader game, four innings/four innings are held, and pitchers are limited to two innings per person. No other innings are allowed after two hours.
1.7. If a game cannot be started at a fixed time, such as the movement of a stadium, rain, etc., both teams and the judges will determine whether the game is still running, when proceeding with a new start time and the end time. *Whether a game is held or not will be decided by the referee and the recorder.
2. Postseason
2.1. Championship: The two teams with the most points in the regular season will play three games in a two-game series.
2.2. The eligibility of postseason players is limited to those who play two or more regular season games or have a batting record of six or more total at-bats. The same applies to players who have moved their teams during the season.
2.3. If the team is tied in the regular season, the team will play ranking match.
3. Game Process
3.1. Practice Fungo starts at 9:40 – 50 a.m. from the Away Team and runs at 9:50 from the Home Team at 9:50 to 10 a.m.
3.2. Player should not be on the pitcher mound.
3.3. The two teams will be working together to clean up the field after it rains.
3.4. For the speed of the game’s progress, a pitcher must be replaced if the manager requests two times in one inning for a meeting with a player, not for the purpose of appeal.
3.5. The shift will be within three minutes of the last out of the previous inning.
3.6. During game, nobody can stand behind the net.
III. Specific Rules
0. SMOKING is allowed ONLY within the smoking area. If a person is caught smoking outside the smoking area, he is banned from the next game. Smoking areas are designated by the management according to the stadium.
1. Uniform
1.1. Uniform Top: You have to wear a baseball jersey and put it in the bottom so that it doesn’t flutter. Recommend wearing the same uniform.
1.2. Uniform Bottom: Baseball uniforms should be worn, and regular sportswear is not allowed. It is recommended to wear belts; teams do not necessarily have to have the same color/design.
1.3. Players from each team recommend using the same hat for each team.
1.4. Baseball shoes must be used with plastic spikes.
2. Hitter
2.1. Softball bats are prohibited. The minimum weight of the bat shall be -5 drop.
2.2. Hitter and Runner must wear helmets when they are in play.
2.3. Homerun is recognized as a home run if he falls over the line of homerun, but also if he falls over the glove of a defender. Also, when a defender catches the ball, if the position of the defender’s feet is over the line of home runs, it is a home run.
2.4. If the ball hits tree and the foul/peer is unclear, determine if the ball is foul or in-place based on the drop point of the ball. However, if the ball came in from a tree located outside the foul line, it will be admitted as a foul. In-place batters can only run up to third base at the risk of getting out. *The final decision shall be decided by the Judges and the recorder.
2.5. There is no Ground rule double and inside-the-park home run. A batter can run up to third base at the risk of being thrown out, including when a batter hits the field and goes outside the home run line or foul line, and when a ball is made into an untenable area (e.g., in the grass). Instead, the batter can play home only when an error occurred in the fielder’s third base pass to catch the batter running toward third base, which is recorded as a third base hit, not a home run. If a runner overruns because he is not aware of the rules, he or she can be in-place, back in, and out.
2.6. Allow home-steel and encourage judges to refrain from excessive home sliding or blocking for injury concerns.
2.7. The defender’s errors, passed balls, not-out and wild pitches can be added without limit at the risk of being out. However, in situations in which a ball thrown to catch a batter gets out of the fence or under the bench and is difficult to deliver (non-probable area) in an instant, the runner may only have one additional base depending on the judgment of the referee. If it is in a non-defensive situation, a maximum of 1 base rule can be applied to an overrun runner to issue a regression order, and a defender cannot tag out a runner.
3. Pitcher and Field Player
3.1. A pitcher can pitch up to four innings, and if he is on the ground without exceeding the maximum inning, he can be re-listed on the mound only one time.
3.2. The pitcher plate will be the same width as the original pitcher’s plate, and the pitcher will not be able to pitch outside this width.
3.3. If the ball is out of the fence due to a fence break or under a fence behind the catcher during wild pitch, follow the one base rule for the stealer.
3.4. Hit by pitched ball
When a pitcher’s pitch hits the batter’s body, the batter is allowed to go to first base. However, if a batter in the batter’s box shows no intention of avoiding the pitcher’s ball, he may declare a strike or ball depending on the position of the ball, rather than judging by the hit by pitch at the discretion of the umpire. Even when a pitch on the ground hits a batter, it is recognized as a hit by a pitch.
4. Umpire’s Decision
4.1. A batter’s home run, foul is declared entirely by the umpire.
4.2. Players can appeal only through the head of the team.
4.3. Judges can re-decide their judgment through confirmation with the record holder for appeal through the general manager.
4.4. The infield fly is determined by the call of the umpire.
4.5. In case of disrespect to the referee during a competition, the referee may also order him to exit. A player who has been sent off will be suspended from business until the next game.
5. Pinch Runner
5.1. If a runner on the base cannot run due to health issue, the runner can be replaced by another player (i.e. Pinch Runner). In this case, the Pinch Runner is not allowed to steal the advanced base in any case (including passed balls and wild pitches).
IV. Game Entry and Player Registration
1. Player Registration
1.1. Any person can be registered in the Massachusetts International Baseball League (MIBL).
1.2. To play game on that week, you should register player by Friday 9 p.m.
1.3. All players mush sign the waiver and pay the monthly fee.
2. Rental Player
2.1. Each team can make a request for rental players (up to two) to the management by 9 p.m. on Thursday before the match. And once the requested player is confirmed, it cannot be cancelled.
2.2. The management team can request a rental player to the team except for the other team.
2.3. Rental player will be selected mainly for players who have less chance of playing in each team.
2.4. A player who has been chosen as a rental player must guarantee seven innings of travel and defense to the game.
2.5. Rental player can play right and left outfielder, and batters are placed in the last batter’s order.
2.6. There is no other limitation for Rental player.
3. ETC
3.1. A player who has completed two games and six at-bats in a year can automatically qualify for the FA and move the team without restriction next season.