2009 Majors Special Rules

2009 Freetown/Berkley/Dighton Major Leagues                REVISED 4/4/09

SPECIAL RULES – REVISED by Coaches Meeting on 4/5/09

1)      Home team makes the call for rain/weather postponements.  Home coach must call visitor ASAP.

2)      Pitching Week Begins on FRIDAY MORNING during the regular season. Games are to begin at 5:45 pm on Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. on Saturday (Berkley) and 1 p.m. for Sunday make-up games.

3)      Regular Season Pitching Rules:

• 6 innings per player, per week (week begins on Friday Morning)
• 12 innings maximum for all 12 year olds per team, per week
• If a player pitches 4 innings in one game he can not pitch for 84 hours from the start time of that game.
• One legal pitch equals one inning for all pitchers.

4)      Playoff Pitching Rules:

• 6 innings per player during the first 3 games of the playoffs
• 2 additional innings per player, per game for all subsequent games
• If a pitcher throws MORE THAN THREE innings, he may not pitch in his team’s next game
• Innings are cumulative – they may be banked – during the playoffs

5)      Substitution:

• Each player must play a minimum of 6 defensive outs and get 1 at-bat during each game he attends
• Little League-style substitution rules will be used

o        A ‘starter’ may re-enter the game in any position – and must be in the same batting position – once the person who substituted for him has been in the game for at least 6 defensive outs and had 1 at-bat.  Substitute and starter may not be in the game at the same time.

6)      Extra Hitter: EH

• An Extra Hitter may be used by any team and must be designated on the roster as the EH prior to the start of a game.
• The Extra hitter does not need to play in the field during the game
• The Extra Hitter is treated as a ‘fielding position’ and may sub-in to play a defensive position without affecting/changing his team’s batting order and provided the player he subs-in for has played six consecutive defensive outs.
• The Extra Hitter may not be substituted for unless he has played 6 consecutive outs in the field and had one at-bat.

7)      Mercy Rule:

• A 10-run mercy rule applies at each half-inning interval when the trailing team is behind by 10 or more runs and has completed 12 or more outs (4 innings) at the plate.

8)      Protested Contests

• Initiate a protest by contacting Mike Botelho at 508-723-4091 to serve notice of your protest.  A voice mail message is an acceptable means of filing your protest.
• Botelho will notify all coaches in the league and schedule a Protest Review Meeting ASAP
• Protest Review Meeting Quorum = 2 non-affected coaches from each league
• Each non-affected coach has one vote – coaches must be present to vote
• Coaches from the two affected teams may not vote
• A majority vote is required to uphold the protest.  A tie vote equals a rejection.  No re-votes.

9)      Make-Up Games

• Every effort must be made to play and complete each game in its scheduled week
• Monday games are scheduled for TUESDAY make-ups at the same time
• Wednesday games are scheduled for THURSDAY make-ups at the same time.

10)   8 Player Rule

• a minimum of 8 players is required to start a game and complete an official game
• there will not be an out taken on the ninth batting spot to start a game(if empty due to injury would be an out
• game start-times are not flexible - they must start on time however, a 15 minute grace period is allowed if one team has only 7 players.  If the 15 minutes transpire and the 8th player has not arrived, a forfeit is called and coaches are encouraged to have a scrimmage.  The 9^th player takes the last spot in the batting order.

11)   Housekeeping Items

• Home team is responsible for pre-game field preparations which must be completed at least 30 minutes prior to game time
• Infield/Warm-up begins 25 minutes prior to the game time.  Home team goes first for 10 minutes (5:20 – 5:30).  Visitor second for 10 minutes (5:30 – 5:40).  Umpire meeting: 5 minutes.  If a team begins warm-ups late, they may not extend warm-ups to make-up for lost time.  Use it or lose it.
• Trash pick-Up: each team is responsible for leaving their bench area litter free
• Coaches will discourage players from digging holes in the field or otherwise damaging the fields
• No slash bunts
• Head first sliding is acceptable only returning to a base.
• No batting practice or soft toss on the playing field prior to any game