FP Rec. Baseball Rules
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aa.
Pitcher’s mound distance to home base
Base Path distance
Innings (in the event of a tie, extra innings shall be played, but shall not violate the constraints of sect. 3.2)
Minimum number of players required to start a game. (If they are not present 15 minutes after the
scheduled start time the team forfeits. A forfeit counts as a loss.) (If neither team meets the minimum
number of players, a non-league game may be rescheduled and a League game will be re-scheduled.) The
game may be continued with 8 players if there is an injured or ill player.
Maximum number of players
Thrown Bat Warning – the first infraction receives a warning, the second infraction is an automatic out
Consecutive batting order
Leading – after the ball crosses home plate. (Minors cannot leave base until the ball crosses home plate.)
Stealing – after the ball has crossed home plate. (Minors only 2 nd or 3rd base, if the catcher does not catch
the ball from the pitcher or if the catcher attempts to throw out a runner who is off base. Base runners can
only steal 1 base for each pitch thrown and cannot advance more than 1 base even if the catcher over
throws the base defender in an attempt to throw out the runner.)
Dropped ball on the third strike
Stealing home on a pitched ball
Infield Fly Rule
Consecutive walk rule – (After 2 walks, then strike-out or hit.) (The exception is if the batter is hit by a
pitch, they take the base, and the next batter is a strike-out or hit.) It resets after the strike-out or hit
Bunting
Any ball hit off the plate is a live ball.
Limit of runs per inning – even if that team has less than 3 outs. Regardless of the actual runs scored the
team books only 5 runs. Unlimited runs are allowed in the 6 th inning.
Coaches pitching – (In minors, if both coaches agree prior to the start of the game, coaches may pitch for
no more than 3 innings. Players must pitch the remaining innings.)
Maximum number of innings a player can pitch in a game
Maximum number of innings a player can pitch in a week (Monday through Saturday)
Minimum number of pitches to equal an inning pitched
Two Inning Rule: All pitchers that pitch three innings in a game must have two full calendar days of rest.
(Two calendar days equals two full days, not 48 hours of rest. If a player pitches 3 innings on Saturday he
is not eligible to pitch again until Tuesday.)
Number of warm-up pitches for a new pitcher
Number of warm-up pitches for a returning pitcher
Number of pitches allowed for an injured pitcher to determine his continuation
Winning team is responsible for reporting League game results to community League Commissioners
Winning and losing teams should report Non-League game results to community League Commissioners
Termination of Game – Number of innings that must be completed prior to termination due to weather or
darkness for the game to be an official contest. (If needed, the first scheduled non-league contest between
the two teams thereafter will become the make-up league game. If no non-league game is scheduled, then a
make-up game must be scheduled and completed prior to playoffs.) (Non-league games do not require a
make-up game.)
Minors
46’
60’
6
8
Majors
46’
60’
6
8
10
Yes
Yes
No
No
9
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
5
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
3
6
1
Yes
3
6
1
Yes
7
5
3
Yes
Yes
4 (3.5 if
home
team is
winning)
7
5
3
Yes
Yes
4 (3.5 if
home
team is
winning)
SECTION 3: GAME TIMES AND DURATIONS
3.1. Game Times
3.1.1. All weeknight games begin at 6:00 p.m.
3.1.2. All Saturday games begin at the time designed on the schedule.
3.2. Time Lengths
3.2.1. No inning shall begin 1 hour and 50 minutes after a game’s scheduled start time (not actual start time).
3.2.2. If games are tied at the time limit point, the game will end in a tie. (This will not be the case during playoff games.)
3.2.3. Playoff Games – Minors will be round robin
3.2.3.1. Playoff games can extend up to 2 hrs and 30 minutes from scheduled start. (Plate umpire judges safe lighting
for play.) The game will only be extended beyond the 2 hour limit if it is in a tie situation.
3.2.3.2. If the game is not decided w/in 2 ½ hour time period, the game will be continued on another day and pick up
at the last completed inning. (This must be done before the next scheduled playoff game.)
3.4. Weather Cancellation:
3.4.1. Game cancellations will be coordinated with the appropriate League Commissioner.
3.4.1.1. Coaches are required to contact their league commissioner and describe the weather/field conditions that
warrant cancellation of the game. Winning team should report League game results to League commissioners.
3.4.1.2. Calls must be made by 5:00 p.m.
3.4.1.3. If cancellation is approved, then calls will be made to the opposing coaches.
3.4.2. Lightning will cause an automatic 30-minute delay in the game.
SECTION 4: PLAYING RULES
4.1. Batting Order: Teams must have a consecutive batting order (every player bats before the top of the order bats again).
4.1.1. Late players will be added to the end of the lineup.
4.1.4. Teams are required to have at least 9 players in the batting order. For teams playing with less than 9 batters, the vacant
batting position(s) will be counted as automatic outs.
4.2. Substitutions
4.2.1. Free substitution rules apply with the exception of pitching.
4.2.2. Once a pitcher has been removed from the position of pitcher, he may not return to the position of pitcher for the rest of
the game. Minor league pitchers may return at any time.
4.3. Playing Time
4.3.1. Each player must play an equal number of innings in the field; if equal innings are impossible, coaches must play
players as equally as possible.
4.3.2. Unless safety issues dictate, each player should play at least 1 inning in the infield in every game.
4.3.3. No single player will sit more than 2 innings in any game.
4.6. Equipment
4.6.1. Pitchers must wear a helmet during warm-ups. Catchers must wear a mask during warm-ups. Pitchers may warm-up in
the outfield (down the 1st or 3rd base lines) as long as they are throwing in the direction of the outfield and have a
helmeted spotter between them and the batter.
4.6.2. All male players must wear a cup.
4.6.3. No player shall wear jewelry, except religious medals, medical notifications, or newly pierced earring jewelry (all of
which must be covered with tape).
4.6.4. Bats shall be no larger than 2 ¼ inches in diameter.
4.6.5. No metal spikes may be worn.
4.6.6. Wearing shorts is prohibited.
4.6.7. All games should be played with hard baseballs.
4.6.8. Each player must wear a protective helmet while batting, in the batting circle, or base-running.
4.8. “Backing-up” the catcher or infielders is not allowed. Only players shall be on the field. Catchers and fielders should not have
additional players, coaches, nor fans “backing-them-up.”
4.9. On Deck Batters
4.9.1. On deck batters must be in the team’s on-deck area until the preceding batter is either out or safe on base.
4.9.2. The inning’s lead off batter may swing a bat on the field prior the beginning of the inning if the pitcher is warming-up
and the batter remains on his side of the field. (Home team batters must be on the 1 st base side and visiting team batters
must be on the 3rd base side.)
4.10. Base Coaches
4.10.1. Base running coaches are encouraged at 1st and 3rd base.
4.10.2. Coaches or Players may serve as base coaches.
4.11. Dugouts
4.11.1. No one shall bring anything into the dugout other than the baseball equipment, water, drinks, and food.
4.11.2. Only coaches, assistant coaches (3 maximum), players, one score keeper, and one batboy may be in a dugout during a
game. Umpires shall issue a warning to any team violating this rule. A second violation during a game shall result in
the umpires declaring forfeiture against the violating team.
4.11.3. All players and coaches should be in the dugout during the game. The only exceptions to this are the 1 st and 3rd base
coaches.
4.11.4. During time outs, only the manager should enter the field.
SECTION 5: PITCHING RULES
5.5. Regulation Games and Pitching: If a game is called before it has become a regulation game, pitching eligibility is the same as
it was prior to the beginning of the game.
5.6. Pitching Rule Violations: A team violating these pitching rules shall forfeit all games pitched in by any ineligible player.
Coaches intent is irrelevant to the enforcement of this rule.
SECTION 8: Field Maintenance
8.1. Coaches and assistant coaches are responsible for fields used by their teams for practices and games.
8.2 At the conclusion of every practice and game, coaches and assistant coaches must rake the field and clean the dugouts.
8.3 When weather and field conditions dictate, coaches should conduct practices in a way to minimize damage to fields.
CONDUCT
Coaches are not to hold discussion with the Umpire from the bench. Coaches and Umpires are responsible for the conduct of
spectators and players from their area. If a player, coach, or spectator is ejected from the game, this person must leave the playing area. If
the person still causes trouble, he/she will be asked to leave the park. Failure to comply with the above is cause for game suspension.
Reminder: No drinking of alcoholic beverages is allowed in the FP Rec. league.