2009 Lanier Baseball League Rules

 

TEAM REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

  1. The head coach or team manager should contact the league administrator by email to lbl.board@lanierbaseball.com expressing interest in participating in the league.
  2. Teams must secure 2 home game times from their home park coordinator. Teams may request to have fewer home game times under extenuating circumstances.
  3. Home game start times must be 6:00 PM or later for weekday games.
  4. The head coach or team manager must submit a COMPLETED coach & team info sheet and $330 registration fee by mail to the league on or before the registration deadline. NOTE: The only additional fee to each team will be a gate fee for the Championship Tournament.
  5. Block out dates for tournaments, holidays, spring break, religious functions, school trips, graduations, etc must be listed as block out dates on the coach’s application in order to create the game schedules.
  6. The head coach or team manager must have an active email account and submit to the league for communication purposes.
  7. The head coach, team manager or a representative MUST attend the Roster Verification & Schedule meeting in January.
  8. A completed team roster must be submitted to the league at the January meeting. Birth certificates must be verified at that time. This will be done by exchanging your roster and birth certificates with another coach and verifying all birth certificates match the roster and that the player is of legal age. The league will keep the original copy of the roster and provide a copy back to each team. The league does not retain copies of the birth certificates, except in the case of roster additions.
  9. The head coach must be certified through a program, such as NYSCA, Simply the Best, etc. before games begin in March. The assistant coaches are not required, but are encouraged to be certified for insurance purposes.

 

INDEPENDENT TEAM REQUIREMENTS

A.   Independent Teams are defined as having no home field in which to play home games and wish to play all away games.

B.   Teams who wish to play as “Independent” must submit their request to the league in writing as early as possible each season.

C.   The league will approve any returning Independent Teams before accepting new teams each season.

D.   The league will approve up to, but not limited to, two teams in each age and division on a first come first serve basis.

E.   All Independent Teams are required to pay one half of the umpire fee of each official league game played.

         

PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

  1. In ages 9U-14U, a players age before May 1 of the current year is the age group in which they are eligible to play. Players may play up an age group, but are not allowed to play in a younger age. For feeder teams see the feeder division rules
  2. The team’s coach is responsible for the eligibility of the players on his team and verifying that they meet the league guidelines, including player additions. Director’s approval of a team roster does not release the manager of above responsibility.
  3. A player that is released from a qualified team’s roster cannot return to that team during the current season.
  4. If a player is found to be an illegal player due to an age or roster violation or dual participation (being on two (2) LBL rosters in the same season) this will result in the offending team losing a legally protested game and/or being ejected from the league, being placed last in the standings and/or forfeiting all awards.

 

TEAM ROSTERS

  1. The maximum number of players for the league roster is fifteen (15).
  2. Rosters MUST be turned in at the January meeting. A team who does not have an official roster on file with the league will forfeit all games played until the roster is submitted and approved. 
  3. Coaches are required to carry a copy of their official league roster at all times. The following information must be provided:
    1. Jersey number
    2. Player’s Name, address, phone number
    3. Player’s Age & Date of Birth
    4. Parents/guardian signed names
  1. Coaches are required to carry a copy of proof of Team Insurance at all times.
  2. New players may be added up to April 15th. A “Request for Roster Addition” form must be submitted to and approved by the League Director.
  3. A team that drops below 10 players due to extenuating circumstances, after April 15th, may request to add a player in order to allow the rest of the team to complete the season & participate in the Championship Tournament. 
  4. A player’s age cannot exceed the age of their division prior to May 1, 2008.  For example a 9U league player would be ineligible if he turned 10 on May 1st, 2008 or later. 
  5. No player who starts on or joins a Lanier Baseball League team is eligible to play on another Lanier Baseball League team during an official league game or tournament in the same season. Any violation of this rule will result in forfeiture of any or all games in which a player participates. In extreme cases, exceptions may be allowed, in which a “Player Transfer Request” form must be submitted to and approved by the League Director.
  6. The coach is responsible for acquiring the written consent of the player's participation from the parents/guardian on the team roster in order to be official.

 

 

COACH’S RESPONSIBILITY

All coaches/team managers are expected to:

  1. KNOW THE LEAGUE RULES. Ignorance of the rules does not excuse actions taken by coaches or players.
  2. Confirm the game with the opposing coach 48 hrs prior to game time.
  3. Clean up their dugouts.
  4. Provide a competent official scorekeeper.
  5. Provide umpires for each home game, preferably High School Certified. In the 9 and up ages two umpires are required. In the 8 year old division only 1 umpire is required.

NOTES:

1.   If 1 umpire is available teams must play the game.

2.   If the umpire(s) are late or fail to show coaches have 3 options and must both agree to the decision before the game is played:

    • Wait for the umpire(s) if there are no conflicts with a following game.
    • Appoint a spectator from each team to umpire and play it as an official game.
    • Play a scrimmage game and reschedule the official game.
  1. Notify the opposing coach, by phone & as soon as possible, in the event that a game must be cancelled due to weather.  (at least by 2pm on weekdays).
  2. All coaches are responsible for working to reschedule weather related cancellations as soon as possible. All rescheduling must be done via email with the League Director being copied. Except within the last 14 days of the season, ANY GAME NOT RESCHEDULED WITHIN 14 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THE GAME WILL RESULT IN A LOSS FOR BOTH TEAMS. Any game not played within the last 14 days of the season will result in a tie.  
  3. Verify that a map, correct address or directions to his home park is available on the LBL webpage.
  4. Provide the funds to pay for umpires if you are playing as the home team at an "away" park.
  5. All coaches are required to update game scores on the LBL website within 24 hours of game completion. Login ID’s & passwords will be provided in January.  

SCHEDULES

a.    Divisions with 12+ teams may be split geographically. The division splits will be decided by the league and announced at the January registration meeting.

b.    In 2009 teams in the 11 year old and older age groups will have the option of playing their regular season in the AA or AAA divisions. This will be finalized in December.

c.    All regular season games must be completed by the season ending date set by the league, unless weather or time does not permit. 

d.   Any regular season games that are NOT played will result in a tie for both teams. Teams who work to reschedule and are unable to make up games due to weather or scheduling conflicts will not be penalized.

 

RESCHEDULING – Applies to non weather related or field availability cancellations

a.  Games should only be rescheduled as a result of fields being closed due to

     weather or availability. However coaches are allowed to request rescheduling

of games with the opposing coach via email with the age director copied.

b.    The coach being asked to reschedule is not required by the league to do so. The league encourages coaches to work together, but the team being asked to reschedule has the option to say no and be awarded a forfeit. 

c.  Schedule changes due to any reason other than weather or field availability will be an automatic forfeit unless the team being asked to reschedule agrees. The reschedule date must be decided before the date the original game was to be played. All game rescheduling MUST be done via email with your age group director copied. Violation of this rule could result in a loss being imposed to both teams. 

e.    If any team is having difficulty re-scheduling a game with another team, they are to notify the league age group director immediately.

f.     Once both coaches agree to reschedule a game, no forfeits will be awarded if the rescheduled date is rained out or there are no dates available for either team to play.

g.   Any team, deemed by the league, not cooperating to reschedule or is not making an attempt to reschedule a game will forfeit that game. Teams who are determined, by the league, to be avoiding a make up game will forfeit that game.

 

REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS

1.   Overall winning percentage will be used to figure standings for the regular season.

2.   First and second place team and individual player awards will be provided in each age group (not division) for the regular season.

3.   The final regular season standings will be used as the seeding for the Championship Tournament.

4.   TIED RECORDS: In cases of ties in the overall winning percentage during the regular season, the following will determine the final standings/seeding & the tournament division (if split) in which teams will be placed:          

I. Head to Head or record against teams tied with (if more than two)

                   II. Points allowed against teams tied with

                   III. Points scored against teams tied with

                   IV. Coin toss

 

FEEDER TEAM DIVISIONS

  1. These rules apply ONLY if a feeder division is created. If a feeder division is not created, a team may request approval from the league to allow older players and only in cases where the feeder team was created before January of the current year.
  2. No older players will be approved for any team after the January meeting.
  3. Player Eligibility: All players must be in the same grade. Players are NOT required to be from the same school, but must be districted for the same high school.

D.   Age Requirements:

o   A 6th grade student must not turn 14 before May 1st to be eligible for a 6th grade team. A 7th grade student must not turn 15 before May 1st to be eligible for a 7th grade team.  An 8th grade student must not turn 16 before May 1st to be eligible for an 8th grade team.

o   The 6th grade division will follow the 12 year old division playing rules. The 7th grade division will follow the 13 year old division playing rules. The 8th grade division will follow the 14 year old division playing rules.

PLAYING RULES

Playing rules not specifically covered below shall follow the National Federation of High School Rules. No local park or league rules will supersede Lanier Baseball rules. All umpires must be informed of league rules prior to the start of all games.

 

Recommended Field Dimensions:

Division               Bases         Pitching      

8&under                60                  40                     

9&under                65                  46                       

10&under              65                  46                       

11&under              70                  50                     

12&under              70                  50                     

13&under              80                  54                       

14&under              90                  60                       

15/16                   90                  60                     

 

Playing fields should be maintained so as to be safe for players and spectators. Any complaints concerning field or facilities should be directed to the League Coordinator.

 

Equipment:

  1. Home team furnishes all game balls. Baseballs must match the age level. For example: Wilson 1075B SST, Rawlings RPLB, Diamond DOL-1 or better are suitable for 12 & under divisions. Wilson 1010, Diamond DOL-A’s are to be used in the 13 & up divisions. No Baden balls or cork and rubber balls are allowed.
  2. All players must be fully uniformed, which includes the following: Pants, sox, cap, and team shirts with numbers that are non-duplicating at least three inches in height.
  3. While in the field, as a defensive player, caps must be worn.
  4. Protests on uniforms will not be allowed. Violation of the uniform rule will result in the violator being allowed to conform or be removed from the game.
  5. Metal spikes are prohibited in age divisions 12 and below
  6. All bat boys/girls must wear a double-ear batting helmet when outside the dugout.
  7. The catcher must wear all appropriate protective gear: mask, chest protector, shin guards, protective cup, catcher’s helmet and throat guard.
    • Age divisions 12 and below: The catcher must wear a protective helmet that fully covers both ears.
  8. In ages 12 & under there are no bat restrictions. In age 13, -11 or less must be used. In ages 14 & up bats with -5 drop or less must be used. Softball bats are not allowed in any age group. 

 

8U Coach Pitch:

            A. Fair Ball Arc – There will be a twenty foot (20’) arc drawn from 1st baseline to 3rd baseline in front of home plate. A batted ball must go past this line to be fair. The arc is to be   treated as a foul line.

            C. Pitching Circle – There will be a ten foot (10’) in diameter circle with the front edge at forty-two feet (42’) from the back point of home plate.

            D. A base runner is out for leaving the base before the ball is hit or reaches home plate. Stealing is not allowed.

            E. Nine (9) or ten (10) defensive players may play in the field. If ten (10) there must be four (4) outfielders. The fourth (4th) outfielder may not be allowed to assume an infield position. No

            short-fielders. All outfielders must stay behind the baselines.  

            H. A maximum of seven (7) runs may be scored per inning or three (3) outs. This includes the last inning.      

            8.05.J No bunting.

            8.05.K Defensive coaches are not allowed on the field of play and must coach from the dugout.

            8.05.M Any single player can only be intentionally walked once per game.

            8.05.N The Infield Fly Rule is not in effect.

            8.05.O A batter shall receive a maximum of six (6) pitches or three (3) swinging strikes. No foul outs.

            8.05.P The defensive player listed as pitcher cannot leave the pitching circle until the ball is hit.

            Penalty: The play continues. After the play has ended, the offensive team has the option of taking the result of the play or no-pitch and play over. 

            Additional Penalty: First (1st) offense – warning, second (2nd) offense – removal of player from the pitching position.

            8.05.Q A courtesy runner for catcher of record the previous inning only may be used. The courtesy runner must be the player that made the last out. If no outs have been recorded the courtesy runner will

           be the previous batter not on base.

            8.05.R When a batted ball hits the Pitching Coach, the following rules shall apply:

            8.05.R.1 If in the umpire’s judgment, the coach did not make a legitimate attempt to avoid contact, the batter is declared out and no runners shall advance.

            8.05.R.2 If in the umpire’s judgment, the coach did make a legitimate attempt to avoid      contact, the ball becomes dead and a no pitch is declared.

            8.05.S Pitcher’s Line – A line drawn from the pitcher’s circle to the fair ball arc.

            8.05.S.1 The pitching coach must keep one foot on or straddle the pitcher’s line.

            8.05.S.2 The pitching coach cannot coach while in the pitching position, either verbally or physically and once the ball has been hit, must position himself/herself as not to be an obstruction to the

           defensive team on any possible play.

                        Penalty: If a coach violates this rule after the ball is pitched, then obstruction will be called.

                        Additional Penalty: If a coach violates this rule before the ball is pitched, first (1st) offense – warning, second (2nd) offense – replacement of the coach as pitcher.