Tournament Rules
RULES
Major League Baseball (National League) rules apply. This includes the rule that ONLY WOOD BATS are permitted. OBR 1.10
(a) The bat shall be a smooth, round stick not more than 23/4 inches in diameter at the thickest part and not more than 42 inches in length. The bat shall be one piece of solid wood. NOTE: No laminated or experimental bats shall be used in a professional game (either championship season or exhibition games) until the manufacturer has secured approval from the Rules Committee of his design and methods of manufacture.
(b) Cupped Bats. An indentation in the end of the bat up to one inch in depth is permitted and may be no wider than two inches and no less than one inch in diameter. The indentation must be curved with no foreign substance added.
(c) The bat handle, for not more than 18 inches from its end, may be covered or treated with any material or substance to improve the grip. Any such material or substance, which extends past the 18 inch limitation, shall cause the bat to be removed from the game.
NOTE: If the umpire discovers that the bat does not conform to (c) above until a time during or after which the bat has been used in play, it shall not be grounds for declaring the batter out, or ejected from the game.
MLB Umpire Manual.2.5 BAT RESTRICTIONS AND MANUFACTURERS
See the annual bulletin regarding bat restrictions, trademark size, markings, colors, and list of approved manufacturers. All bats used in a Major League game must comply with these regulations as well as with Official Baseball Rule 1.10.
If a player uses or attempts to use (see Section 2.7) a bat which does not conform with the specifications of Rule 1.10 or with the restrictions set forth in the annual bulletin regarding approved bats, such infraction shall cause the bat to be removed from the game. The player would not normally be declared out or ejected for using such a bat unless, in the umpire's judgment, such bat has been altered or tampered as described in Official Baseball Rule 6.06(d) (i.e., the distance or reaction factor has been affected).
RE-ENTRY: Once per game a starting player removed from the game may re-enter in his same position in the batting order. His substitute will be removed from the game and may not return.
EXTRA HITTER: A team has the option of a 10 man batting order. A team must decide this before the game and it applies for the duration of the game. The EH may be placed into a defensive position.
VISITS TO THE MOUND: Pitchers removed because of the second visit in an inning may remain in the game at another position. They cannot return to the mound later in the game.
COURTESY RUNNERS: They are not permitted. The pitcher and catcher must run for themselves.
INJURY RULE: A team must have 9 legal players to begin a game. Howeve, if a player cannot finish the game, the team may continue with 8. There is a penalty however. The missing player?s time at bat becomes an automatic out. However: If a team begins the game with a 10 man line-up and must continue with 9, they may do so WITHOUT PENALTY. They simply skip that position in the line-up. If a player gets injured and the team has non-legal substitutes only, they MAY bring one of those players back into the game. If the opposing coach would like to choose which player is to return, he may do so. The player who has left the game because of injury may NOT return to the game; he is disqualified for the remainder of the game. A team may not continue with fewer than 8 players.
VIOLENT CONTACT: We do not have a must slide rule nor do we have a must avoid contact rule during a tag play at a base. However, if the fielder has possession of the baseball, violent contact in an attempt to dislodge the ball is prohibited. The runner will be called out and may be ejected from the game (umpire discretion).
SPECIFIC RULES FOR CUB BASEBALL
9 AND UNDER DIVISION: No player can have a date of birth prior to May 1, 1998.
10 AND UNDER DIVISION: No player can have a date of birth prior to May 1, 1997.
NO METAL CLEATS.
OFFICIAL GAME: The games are 6 innings in length. The game becomes official after the losing team has batted 4 times or 2 hours have elapsed.
TIME LIMIT: No inning may start after 2 hours have elapsed. Games will end in a tie. If the game is tied after 6 innings, and the time limit has not been reached, the game may continue until the time limit IS reached.
MERCY RULE: If a team that has batted 4 times is down by 10 or more runs, the game is over. However, if the visiting team opens up a 10 run lead in their half of the inning (5th inning or later) the home team must get their time at bat.
SPECIFIC RULES FOR BANTAM BASEBALL
11 AND UNDER DIVISION: No player can have a date of birth prior to May 1, 1996.
12 AND UNDER DIVISION: No player can have a date of birth prior to May 1, 1995.
NO METAL CLEATS.
OFFICIAL GAME: The games are 7 innings in length. The game becomes official after the losing team has batted 4 times or 2 hours have elapsed.
TIME LIMIT: No inning may start after 2 hours have elapsed. Games will end in a tie. If the game is tied after 7 innings, and the time limit has not been reached, the game may continue until the time limit IS reached.
MERCY RULE: If a team that has batted 5 times is down by 10 or more runs, the game is over. However, if the visiting team opens up a 10 run lead in their half of the inning (6th inning or later) the home team must get their time at bat.
SPECIFIC RULES FOR GRASSHOPPER BASEBALL
13 AND UNDER DIVISION: No player can have a date of birth prior to May 1, 1994. 14 AND UNDER DIVISION: No player can have a date of birth prior to May 1, 1993.
METAL CLEATS ARE PERMITTED.
MOUND 60'6" BASES 90'
OFFICIAL GAME: The games are 7 innings in length. The game becomes official after the losing team has batted 4 times or 2 hours have elapsed.
TIME LIMIT: No inning may start after 2 hours have elapsed. Games will end in a tie. If the game is tied after 7 innings, and the time limit has not been reached, the game may continue until the time limit IS reached.
MERCY RULE: If a team that has batted 5 times is down by 10 or more runs, the game is over. However, if the visiting team opens up a 10 run lead in their half of the inning (6th inning or later) the home team must get their time at bat.
ADVANCING TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP
POINT SYSTEM: A team will be awarded 2 points for a win. If a game ends in a tie (and pool play games can end in a tie) each team will be awarded 1 point.
There are no playoffs. The point system and tie-breakers will be used to determine first and second place.
TIE-BREAKERS
I Head-to head competition.
This applies when only 2 teams are tied and they played each other.
II Run Differential (12 run maximum for the purpose of this rule, no game can be decided by more than 12 runs)
When 3 or more teams are tied we will use run differential to position the teams in the standings.
A team that forfeits a game is NOT eligible for the championship. If all tied teams played the game against a team that forfeited, the run differential from those games will be included in the calculation. If all tied teams did not play their game against a team that forfeited, the forfeit score of 7-0 will be used in the calculation.
III Runs Allowed Over-all
IV Runs Allowed vs Common opponents
V Runs scored Over-all.
VI Runs Scored vs Common opponents
VII Coin Flip