Portage Park
Baseball Association
www.ppba.us
GENERAL BASEBALL RULES 8Ball Division
MANAGERS AND COACHES
Teams shall be managed by adult volunteers, usually a player’s parent from the team. Minimum age for a manager is 21; minimum age for the coaches is 18. There will be only one official manager and two official coaches per team. Managers and coaches and their children are automatically on the same team. Every manager and coach shall provide the necessary information for a background check before practices and
games start. A manager or coach must be at every practice and game. Practices and games can not occur without at least one of them in attendance. Managers and/or coaches cannot call off a game for any reason.
TEAMS
Teams shall be formed by means of a draft, determined by the board.
All players registered at that time shall be included in the draft. Late registrants will be added to teams as space allows.
FIELD REGULATIONS
1. No smoking and ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES will be allowed on the field or in the dugouts at anytime. This applies to all spectators as well as managers, coaches, umpires and parents.
Failure to comply with the alcohol regulation can result in forfeiture of the game, suspensions from the league, or at worst, arrest. (Alcohol is prohibited by the law on Park District Property.)
2. No one except rostered players, managers and coaches are allowed in the dugout during the game.
3. Players are required to be at the field 30 minutes before game time. This allows proper time for warm-up.
4. Team listed second on the schedule is considered the Home Team.
5. Home Team is responsible for setting up the bases and pitcher’s mound; Home team will occupy the third base dugout.
6. No one will be permitted to stand or sit behind the backstop during the game.
7. Each team’s spectators will be responsible for keeping their area cleaned of empty cans, food wrappers, etc., following the game.
8. REMEMBER: it is the responsibility of the runner to avoid the fielder whether the fielder is fielding a batted ball, receiving a thrown ball or tagging a runner. If the fielder impedes the runner, interference will be called on the fielder and the appropriate base or bases will be awarded to the runner, but under NO circumstances should the fielder be considered “fair game” to the runner.
9. An overthrow is a dead ball. An overthrow is defined as a ball thrown beyond the boundaries of the field. The runner is entitled to the base he is facing and advancing towards plus one, unless specified differently in Division specific rules
UNIFORMS
1. Uniforms are to be worn in regular season games only, not for practice.
(A) Uniform is hat/visor, shirt, socks & gray pants/shorts approved by the Association. Athletic shoes must be worn. No other head apparel will be allowed.
(B) Player without full uniform will not be allowed to play. EXCEPTION: In the event of a last minute substitution managers must agree if player can play without uniform.
2. Uniform shirts must be tucked in at all times. Failure to comply with this rule will be as follows:
Batter will be called out if shirt is not tucked in when batting. Fielder will be removed from the game for 1 inning if shirt is not tucked in.
3. All players are required to wear an athletic supporter and protective cup at all practices and games. No player will be allowed to play or practice without protective equipment.
4. All players are required to wear a helmet when at bat or on the bases, during the games and practices. Intentional removal of a helmet by a batter or base runner, while the play is in progress, will result in that player being called “OUT."
5. All batters must remove jacket, sweater, sweatshirt, etc. so that the uniform number is visible while batting. (In cold weather, a jacket or sweater may be worn over the uniform shirt on the bases and in the field.)
6. No metal spikes or opened toe shoes shall be allowed. .
8. Absolutely No jewelry is to be worn by any player during practice or games. Any player caught wearing jewelry during or after the game while on the playing field or in the dugout will be ejected from the game and will automatically be suspended from the next game. If caught after the game then that player will be suspended from the next game. This rule is for the safety of all players on the field and will be strictly enforced. Band-Aids or other forms of concealment will not be allowed. If a player is ejected for wearing jewelry the manager is also ejected and suspended
for the next game in that division.
9. Only non-reflective sunglasses may be worn during games.
ATTENDANCE
1. A player must notify his manager ahead of time if he/she will be unable to be at a practice or a game.
2. No player may be dropped from a team without prior notification in writing and a hearing before the Board of Directors.
3. If a player is late to the game that player will lose one inning of play.
4. If a player is late to the game, that player will be put in the last batting spot. A player must be present at the start of the game to be put in the lineup.
MANAGERS AND COACHES FIELD DECORUM
1. Managers are responsible for the behavior of all their players, coaches, and fans.
2. Managers and coaches should wear team shirt and hat at all games.
3. No verbal abuse of any kind should be allowed by one team toward the other. (Opposing team should not say “swing” when opponents are at bat.) Derogatory remarks about a specific batter to the pitcher should be strongly discouraged. (He can’t hit! or “Easy Out!” for example)
IN THE INTEREST OF SPORTSMANSHIP, ONLY POSTIVE ENCOURAGEMENT TO ONE’S OWN TEAMMATES SHOULD BE ALLOWED.
4. The offensive coach will be responsible for operating the pitching machine.
5. The defensive team will be allowed to have two assistant coaches in the field.
6. At the conclusion of the game, teams should line up behind their managers and, in a sportsmanlike manner, shake hands at the center of the field.
7. Managers will instruct their players not to spit in their hands before shaking hands with the opposing team. Any players found guilty of spitting in his hand may be subject to suspension of one or more games. (Per board approval)
8. No cell phones allowed on while on the playing field.
IHSA Sportsmanship - Negative comments between opponents
Chants, intentional distractions and loud noises directed at the opponent's pitcher prior to his pitching, the batter getting ready to hit, or a fielder getting ready to make a play do not represent good sportsmanship.
Forfeit Time
Forfeit time for all games shall be fifteen (15) minutes after the official scheduled starting time.
Practice Time Prior to Games
The Home team has the field 15 minutes prior to game time for warm-ups
INJURIES
SUBSTITUTIONS
Games can be played with a minimum of seven (7) players, the catchers position must be represented regardless of number of players.
1. When less than nine members of a baseball team are present for a game, the manager may substitute from a lower (younger) division, of Portage Park rostered players and only if that player does not have a scheduled game at the same time, to make nine players. A team is only allowed to call up 2 players from a lower division.
A forfeiture of a game occurs when a team has six or less players.
On the 3rd occurrence of this situation, for any one team, after a report from the Vice-President, the Board of Directors may review for possible action to remedy the situation.
2. Substitutes will abide by rules of division in which they are substituting.
3. Substitutes can play on any team that calls for a specific game.
4. If a substitute is called up for a game and for any reason there are now nine or more rostered players of the team that called the substitute up, the substitute can not play for the team that called him/her up, unless an injury occurs and there are now less than nine players.
The substitute would be eligible to play on another team that was short on players, if the situation occurred.
5. Managers are expected to work together to field full teams for all games. For example, under no circumstances should a team with ten players (Nine rostered players and one call-up) win by forfeit over a team that has only seven or eight rostered players. The other team should transfer the call-up to the other team and the game played to completion.
Weather
Unless notified by their manager or the league, all players must report to the playing field as scheduled.
In the event the field is determined playable by the board, the forfeiture rule goes into effect automatically.
Some games may be permitted on the grass for 8-ball: subject to board approval.
The decision to cancel a game will be delayed as long as possible, right up to game time, if necessary.
All cancelled games will be re-scheduled at the next available open date.
Once the game has begun, stopping, or cancelled it becomes the responsibility of the board.
Length of games
All 8Ball games have a 90 minute time limit from their scheduled time.
Scores will be kept but tie games can occur.
Regardless of inning, at the end of 90 minutes the game will be considered final.
Slaughter Rule:
There is no slaughter rule for 8Ball. Maximum number of runs per inning will be 5 runs.
Batting
All rostered players present will be in the line-up regardless of offensive position.
Roster will run through 9 batters or 3 outs, whichever comes first.
Bunting is not allowed in 8Ball.
Bat Rules
Barrel Bats 2 5/8 are only acceptable if USA stamped. Any 2 1/4 barrel bats are acceptable. No softball bats allowed.
Defensive positions
Bases will be set at 60 feet
All 9 positions are to be represented by the rostered players. All players present must play a position and cannot sit out for two consecutive innings.
It is the responsibility of the coach to rotate the players’ positions, to allow players to experience different positions.
Pitching:
Pitchers mound will be set at 48 feet
Pitching will be provided by a pitching machine. The Offensive coach is responsible for operating the pitching machine and will pitch to his players.
Each batter will be pitched six (6) balls. If the sixth is fouled off, the batter will be provided another pitch until the ball is put into play or a swing and miss.
If the ball is not put into play at the end of the sixth pitch, a strikeout will be recorded.
Both Managers will use their discretion in regards to a poorly pitched ball (malfunction) of the machine, and provide an additional pitch.
Lead offs and stealing
There are no lead offs or stealing in 8Ball
The following are rules every umpire, manager, and coach should know
1) A foul is a batted ball:
a) that first lands in foul territory beyond first or third base.
b) that bounds past first or third base on or over foul territory.
c) that settles on foul territory between home and first base or between home and third base.
d) that, while on or over foul territory, touches the person of an umpire or a player or any object foreign to the natural ground.
2) A ball cannot be called foul until a player, coach, or fan touches it before it reaches first or third base in foul territory.
3) A ball is fair when:
a) it hits the base on a fly or bounce.
b) it hits the pitchers mound or defensive player in fair territory and then rolls to foul territory.
c) it lands on the chalk line on a fly beyond first or third base.
Note: the position of the ball dictates fair or foul not the fielder.
4) The infield fly rule is not in effect in 8ball.
5) A ball becomes dead immediately when:
a) a batted ball touches a runner.
b) a foul ball:
I) touches an object other than the ground or any person other than the fielder
II) or goes directly from the bat to the catcher’s protector, mask, or person without first touching the catcher’s glove or hand.
III) or becomes an uncaught foul.
c) The ball is illegally batted or is intentionally struck a second time with the bat.
NOTE: in which case runners may not advance and the batter is called out.
d) the batter enters the batters box with an illegal bat.
e) there is interference by a runner, batter/runner, or retired runner, the batter, or any person.
6) Batting out of order:
An improper batter is considered to be at bat as soon as he/she is in the batter’s box and the ball is live. When the improper batter’s infraction is first discovered by either team, time may be requested and the improper batter replaced by the proper batter with the improper batter’s ball and strike count still in effect, provided the infraction is detected before the improper batter is put out or becomes a base runner. A batter shall be called out, on appeal, when he fails to bat in his proper turn and another batter completes a time at bat in his place.
NOTE: only the defensive team may appeal batting out of order at this point after the illegal batter has completed their turn at bat.
The defensive team must appeal batting out of order before the next batter receives a pitch. If they fail to do so, no infraction has occurred.
If however the defensive team does appeal before the first pitch to the next batter after the improper batter, then the umpire shall call the proper batter out and return all runners to the base occupied at the time of the pitch.
NOTE: an out made for batting out of order supersedes an out by the improper batter on a play.
7) If a batter/runner safely touches first base and then overruns it, except on a base on balls, he/she may immediately return to first base without liability of being tagged out, provided they did not attempt to run or feint to second. This means they may return to first turning towards foul or fair as long as they do not attempt to run to second they may turn either way without the worry of being tagged out. Any fake or intentional move towards second and the runner can be tagged out. To many times the coaches yell out “tag them” as soon as the runner turns to the left to return.
Umpires
8Ball does not have umpires, the defensive coach will be responsible for calling the outs.
Protests
There are no protests.
Ejections
Any manager, coach or player that gets ejected from the game will automatically be suspended for the next game. There are no exceptions.
Any person ejected will have to leave the playing area. Playing area is dependent on the boards judgment.
IF A MANAGER OR COACH GETS EJECTED FROM A GAME THEY CANNOT MANAGE OR COACH ANY TEAM IN ANY DIVISION UNTIL THEY HAVE SERVED THEIR SUSPENSION FOR THAT DIVISION THEY WERE EJECTED FROM. THIS INCLUDES IF THE MANAGER OR COACH IS A SPECTATOR AT ANOTHER GAME IN ANOTHER DIVISION.
Zero Tolerance Policy
Any conduct detrimental to the league will be grounds for immediate dismissal from Portage Park Baseball Association.
It is the responsibility of the parents, players and the coaches to read and understand all the rules. There will be no exceptions made for parents, player or coaches who are not familiar with the rules. "Ignorance of the law is no defense."