City of Cleveland
Department of Parks, Recreation & Properties
The Cleveland Baseball Federation
TO: THE GREATER CLEVELAND UMPIRES & TEAM MANAGERS—
Please review these special rules at your pre-game conference!
TIME LIMIT: No inning may start after 70 minutes. Curfew: No inning may start after 11 p.m.
GRACE PERIOD: There is a 10-minute Grace Period only for 10:00 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. games; however, grace time used is part of the 70-minute time limit—No inning may begin after 11:10 a.m. or 7:25 p.m. unless the game is tied. If a team needs the grace period, that Team will be the visiting team and will forfeit its turn to bat in the first inning. The game begins with the home team at bat. After the side is retired, the visiting team’s leadoff batter starts the second inning.
PLAYERS: Teams must have 9 players to start, continue, and finish a game (the tenth spot is an out). Teams may play short-handed because of injuries or emergencies. Teams may not play short-handed because of ejections. Vacant spots in the batting order are outs.
EQUIPMENT: 1.Metal spikes are not allowed.
2. Before each game, the scorekeeper will issue game balls; after the game, each team keeps a used ball. Men’s and Coed leagues use a 12” ball; the Women’s league uses an 11” ball.
3. BATS—the information sheet concerning legal and illegal bats is on the back side.
4. Metal Rods or Donuts are ILLEGAL; only A.S.A. approved warm-up equipment may be used.
JEWELRY: 1. ALL eye rings must be removed—players may not tape over them.
2. Large chains that hang outside the uniform are not permitted.
3. Players must remove any jewelry the umpires deem unsafe or detrimental to the game.
WILD CARD RUNNER: may be used once per inning. EXCEPT: If the same batter reaches base more than once an inning, the WCR may run for that player each time.
HOME RUN LIMIT: Three over the fence homeruns per team. Batters and base runners DO NOT run the bases; all runners go immediately to their dugout. Excess homeruns are OUTS.
RUN SPREAD: 15 RUNS AFTER 3 INNINGS and/or 10 RUNS AFTER 5 INNINGS.
UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCTwill not be tolerated!! For our league to be successful, managers, players, scorers, and umpires must respect each other.
Alcoholic Beverages are prohibited in the parks and parking lots before, during, and after games.
NOTE: The Official A.S.A. Rulebook will be used except where noted in the League Rules. Our League Rule will supersede the A.S.A. Rule in a case of conflict.
PLEASE READ THE BACK SIDE OF THIS DOCUMENT
City of Cleveland
Department of Parks, Recreation & Properties
The Cleveland Baseball Federation
STEALING
Stealing (in Men’s Slow Pitch Only) is legal so long as the runners do not leave their bases until the pitched ball reaches the front edge of home plate.
Runners may also advance if (a) the pitcher catches a return throw anywhere other than near the pitching plate or the pitcher fails to catch the return throw, (b) the pitch hits the umpire, (c) the return throw hits the batter or umpire, or (d) a play is made on any runner.
Runners may not advance if (a) the pitch hits the ground before the front edge of home plate, hits the batter, hits home plate, or (b) the runner stops or is clearly not advancing when the catcher throws the ball back to the pitcher near the pitcher’s plate and the pitcher catches the ball. (NO DELAYED STEALS)
Runners may steal on legal or illegal pitches.
BROOKSIDE PARK GROUND RULE:
The areas down the foul lines at Rose and Elder fields are not completely fenced in. If a batted ball hits in fair territory and then rolls past the 300’ arc in foul territory, the umpire will rule it a GROUND RULE DOUBLE. Any ball a defensive player throws, kicks, or fumbles past the 300’ arc, will cause the umpires to award each base runner two bases from the point the infraction occurred.
APPROVED SOFTBALL BATS:
ALL BATS APPROVED BY THE ASA ARE LEGAL. ILLEGAL BATS (ASA NON APPROVED) ARE PRINTED ON A SEPARATE SHEET. THE LIST, WITH OR WITHOUT PICTURES, CAN BE PRINTED FROM THE ASA WEBSITE:
www.asasoftball.com
THE LIST OF NON-APPROVED BATS (WITH PICTURES) IS POSTED ON THE BULLETIN BOARD AT BROOKSIDE AND GORDON PARKS.
ADDITIONALLY, ALL SCOREKEEPERS HAVE A COPY OF THE NON-APPROVED BAT LIST (WITH PICTURES).
PENALTY FOR USING AN ILLEGAL BAT:
FIRST OFFENSE: EJECTION & ONE GAME SUSPENSION
SECOND OFFENSE: EJECTION & TWO GAME SUSPENSION
THIRD OFFENSE: EJECTION & SUSPENDED FOR 2009
PLEASE READ THE FRONT SIDE OF THIS DOCUMENT
QUESTIONS?: Call the league administrator at (216) 664—2326.