cliftonparkbaseballleague.com

amended 5/2008

Playing Rules for Babe Ruth’s

Cal Ripken Divisions (Ages 5-12)

The Clifton Park Baseball League’s Cal Ripken Division plays baseball using the official Babe Ruth - Cal Ripken Division baseball rules, further modified by the rules detailed in this document.

General Rules Applicable to All Cal Ripken Age Divisions

Safety:

1. If lightning is sighted, all games are immediately stopped on all fields. As soon as possible, player's should leave the playing field area and seek safe cover. League policy requires a 30 minute delay after lightning is sighted before play is permitted to continue. 4/08

2. Medicine kits must be available for every game and stored in the garage storage area (Lower Quad) or equipment storage bin located in the dugout (Upper Quad). Ice or ice packs are available in the concession stands.

3. Chin straps must be worn any time a batting helmet is being used.

4. Batters and runners must wear helmets with straps secured. No player may swing a bat without a batting helmet on.

5. No on-deck batters; bats cannot be swung anywhere in the dugouts.

6. Catchers must wear a protective cup for all games and practices and use a catcher’s mitt (ages 8 & up).

7. Any person (players, coaches) catching a pitcher's warm up throws at home plate must wear a protective mask.

8. Darkness – the game ends with the completion of the current half-inning when

· Lower Quad–darkness-sensor lights (located on concession stand) come on

· Upper Quad–darkness-sensor light near Ice Arena/playground comes on.

No exceptions. Game score reverts to last inning completed.

9. Other than players in the game nobody is allowed on the field, including foul territory, while game is in progress, except for 1^st and 3^rd base coaches. This rule does not apply for age groups 7 and under.

10. The throwing of curveballs by any player is expressly prohibited. The head coach and the offending player shall be considered equally responsible for a violation by that player. 1/06

11. If used, scoreboards must be monitored by adults - not kids

Field Maintenance:

1. All equipment, including tractors, mules, rakes, etc., must be secured at the end of each day. The coaches of the last game finishing and the director are responsible for this.

2. Home team must line the field prior to the beginning of the game. On a weekend game, the home coach should get the visiting coaches OK not to line the fields if the markings are OK from the previous game.

3. Visitor team cleans and rakes the fields after each game.

Umpires:

1. Home team coach must sign umpire game form before game begins. Any comments may be submitted in the coach's carbon and turned into the concession stand. Youth umpires copies are not for comments.

2. The strike zone used by youth umpires in A and AA Divisions will be from the batter’s shoulders to knees, and from 1 ball width off home plate on the inside and to 1 ball width on the outside of home plate. For AAA and Majors, it is the same strike zone, except that it will start at the batter’s armpits at the top of the strike zone.

3. Asking a youth umpire about a call is expected, but arguing is not acceptable.

4. Intimidation, bench jockeying, riding or any unsportsmanlike behavior from coaches will not be tolerated. One verbal warning will be followed by an ejection.

5. Teams and coaches are expected to act in a sportsmanlike manner. Teach your players to respect each other. The Code of Conduct will be enforced.

6. Any clarification of calls made on the field should be requested by each team’s head coach only.

7. Umpires are always right. Any discussions of controversial calls should be made with the umpire crew chief, umpire supervisor, League Umpire-in-Chief, league director, or Cal Ripken official (if available) and preferably both coaches after the game is over. Please discuss with parents to be sportsmanlike (i.e. do not cheer or demean opposing team’s mistakes).

Game Rules:

1. Home team will supply two game balls and should get them back at the end of the game.

2. Only registered players and coaches are allowed in the dugouts/on the field. No more than 4 coaches for team are allowed in the dugouts/on the field at one time during the game, for the Intermediate, A and AA Divisions; 3 coaches are allowed for AAA and Majors amended 5/7/06

3. Weekend games will be final after no more than two hours and 15 minutes. An incomplete inning will revert back to the previous inning unless home team is leading.

4. All players will be listed in the batting order and will bat regardless of whether they are playing in the field.

5. There will be no 10 run, or mercy rule, in effect.

6. Playing Time - No player shall sit a 2^nd inning before all players have sat once.

7. Rotate player positions in order for players to experience all aspects of the game.

7.1 The rule is that each player will be placed in the infield for a minimum of 2 innings. In addition, each player is required to play at least 1 inning in an outfield position. At the Cal Ripken level (9 or older), coaches and players should begin discussing what are the appropriate fielding positions for that player (what they like and what they are good at). Each player should still get opportunities to play at each position. Safety concerns should always be considered. All players will be substituted equitably. It is a good idea for coaches to monitor themselves by tracking the positions from the score books in order to be fair. Reminder - Parents are always monitoring.

7.2 If players are not capable to pitch or catch during games make sure they get chances in practices and scrimmages.

8. Any player or coach ejected from a game must sit out the next game also.

9. Each team (Divsions A, AA, AAA & Majors) can score a maximum of 4 runs per inning. This rule applies to 8 year olds beginning June 1 (see Age Specific Rules, Intermediates / 8 Year Olds).

9.1 Teams will not be held to the 4 run limit in the sixth inning, but three outs will still apply. This rule may not be used in any other inning including games where time and/or daylight constraints may not allow the sixth inning to be played.

10. Pitchers do not wear a helmet to pitch. Age 7 and under must wear helmet for pitcher position.

11. No re-entry rule for pitchers. This rule is different for post-season tournament play.

12. No pitcher to pitch more than six innings a week (Monday through Sunday).

13. Once a pitcher has pitched two innings they are required two days rest (48 hours). An inning is considered pitched if even one ball is thrown. A pitcher is limited to a maximum of 2 innings pitched per game (excludes travel, all-star, and tournament games). (5/08)

14. A pitcher is limited to a maximum of 70 pitches per game. (5/08)

15. You must have and maintain a schedule that logs all your pitcher's innings. This schedule should be available, upon request, to the opponent's head coach, the Division Director, and the Vice President for Cal Ripken Division.

16. Both teams must use the score book to record each game’s players, pitchers, runs, hits, outs, walks, strikeouts, etc.

17. The home team must notify the Division Director of the game results (as outlined by the age specific Division Director) the same evening of the game. The notification shall include the score and the names of the pitchers used by each team and the number of innings pitched.

18. A post-season playoff tournament, arranged by the Division Director , will be conducted (for Majors, AAA, AA, A) which will include all regular season teams.

Miscellaneous:

1. Clifton Park Baseball League Policy is that no child can be left alone for any period of time during practice or the game. Someone must be left in charge of each child at all times and that does not mean the coach. Please be sure and clear that all parents understand this policy.

DIVISION SPECIFIC RULES

MAJORS DIVISION / 11-12 YEAR OLDS

Batting

1) All rules regarding batting in this Division shall be in accordance with the official Babe Ruth Cal Ripken Baseball rule book.

2) Only certified youth baseball bats with a diameter of 2 1/4 inches may be used for league play (e.g., Little League, Cal Ripken, etc.). No Big Barrel Bats.

3) No batter may advance to 1^st base on a third strike.

4) Suicide squeeze bunts are not permitted. Faking a bunt, to draw the infield in, and then taking a full swing is dangerous to the fielders and is not allowed.

Fielding

1) Defense consists of 9 players in the field. A minimum of 8 players must play in the field in order to start the game.

2) Infield fly rule is in effect.

3) Decoys are not permitted.

Pitching

1) All rules regarding pitching in this Division shall be in accordance with Official Babe Ruth rules (which includes pitching from the stretch and balks), except rules with regard to innings pitched, which will be limited to the rules outlined in the Cal Ripken Rule Book, General Rules (#10 through #16) reflected on pages 3 and 4, and rule 3.2 and 3.3 shown below.

1) Each pitcher will be allowed 1 warnings per inning with regard to Balks. After June 1^st, there will be no warnings; all balks will carry the appropriate penalty.

2) Both 11 year olds and 12 year olds are required to pitch one-third of the scheduled innings for the week. The remaining one-third innings can be pitched as determined by the Head Coach.

3) Innings pitched by a player in the league sanctioned 11/12 year olds travel program during the same week (Monday through Sunday) will be reduced from the six available innings the player is eligible to pitch in the league’s Cal Ripken program.

4) Make sure pitchers do not throw more than 70 pitches in a game including on-field warm-up pitches

Base Running

1) All rules regarding base running, base runners, leading and stealing shall be in accordance with Official Babe Ruth rules (which includes leading and stealing from a lead), with the exception of rule 4.2.

2) Straight steal attempts of home plate are not permitted.(i.e., on a Pitcher’s pitch from the rubber to the batter). All other steal attempts of home are permitted (e.g., delayed steal on catcher, pitcher’s attempt to play on another runner, any time when pitcher is not in contact with rubber, etc.)

3) Reminder: the runner must avoid the fielding player as long as that fielder is attempting to play the ball; otherwise, the fielder must not interfere with the runner

1) Any extra inning played will revert to the 4 run limit and be limited to the time constraints listed above. Also, only one extra inning is permitted before game is final (7 inning game maximum).

1.1 If both coaches do not feel they can complete a full inning within the time available then do not start the inning. If game is still tied after completion of extra inning, game ends as a tie.

2) An official game per Cal Ripken rules and regulations must reach the minimum limit of 3 1/2 (home team leading) or 4 innings played (visitor leading).

1) The field dimensions in effect for this Division will be base distances of 70 feet and a pitching distance of 50 feet 6 inches from the pitching rubber to home plate.

“AAA” DIVISION / 11-12 YEAR OLDS

Batting

1) All rules regarding batting in this Division shall be in accordance with the official Cal Ripken Baseball rule book.

2) Only certified youth baseball bats with a diameter of 2 1/4 inches may be used for league play (e.g., Little League, Cal Ripken, etc.). No Big Barrel Bats.

3) No batter may advance to 1^st base on a third strike.

4) Suicide squeeze bunts are not permitted. Faking a bunt, to draw the infield in, and then taking a full swing is dangerous to the fielders and is not allowed.

Fielding

1) Defense consists of 9 players in the field. A minimum of 8 players must play in the field in order to start the game.

2) Infield fly rule is in effect.

3) Decoys are not permitted.

Pitching

2) Each pitcher will be allowed 2 warnings per inning with regard to Balks. After June 1^st, there will be no warnings; all balks will carry the appropriate penalty.

1) Innings pitched by a player in the league sanctioned 12 year olds travel program during the same week (Monday through Sunday) will be reduced from the six available innings the player is eligible to pitch in the league’s Cal Ripken Rec program.

4) Make sure pitchers do not throw more than 70 pitches in a game including on-field warm-up pitches

Base Running

2) Straight steal attempts of home plate are not permitted (i.e. on a pitcher’s pitch from the rubber to the batter). All other steal attempts of home are permitted (e.g., delayed steal on catcher, pitcher’s attempt to play on another runner, any time when pitcher is not in contact with rubber, etc.).