17.3 Minor League playoffs, the Official Baseball Rules balk rule will apply.

18.0 Code of Conduct

18.1 Managers and coaches are responsible for the conduct of their players, parents and themselves. 

        Anyone to leave the field and/or possibly the park when told by the umpire and/or on site BBSA representative will cause the offending side to be held responsible

        and possible forfeiture of the game.

18.2 Any player, manager or coach ejected from a game shall face disciplinary action by the League Director and/or the BBSA Executive Board with the minimum penalty for the first ejection being suspension from the next game in addition to the ejection from the subject game. If a player, coach or manager is ejected twice in a season, the minimum penalty shall be suspension for the remainder of the season, including playoffs.

18.3 Any manager or coach who repeatedly harasses umpires shall be subject to disciplinary action.

18.4 Any team whose spectators are abusive to the umpires or opposing team shall face disciplinary action, removal from the field by the offending Managers spectators,

        ref Code of Conduct, Attachment A.

18.5 No player shall be allowed to harass/taunt opposing players, managers or coaches. Such action shall be cause for ejection by the umpire.

18.6 See Attachment A, Managers and Coaches Code of Conduct which MUST be signed League Managers, Coaches and support persons.

19.0 Collision Rule

19.1 A runner shall be called out when he does not slide or attempt to get around a fielder, at any base, when the fielder has the ball and is waiting to make the tag, or the throw is on the way (umpire's judgment) and the fielder is about to catch the ball for the purpose of making the tag on all force plays at any base. In any case contact must be made for this rule to apply (umpires judgment).

20.0 Mercy Rule

20.1 An automatic mercy rule will be in effect for the regular season and playoffs.

        If a team is winning by 10 runs or more once a game is official (4 1/2 innings if the home team is winning,  or 5 innings if the home team is losing), the umpires shall stop the game.

21.0 Playoff Seeding

2 1.1    All teams shall be eligible for a post season double elimination playoff. Teams will be seeded according to the following point system based on regular season records.

Win	2 Points
Tie	1 Point
Loss	0 Points
Forfeit	-1 Point

 

21.2  In the event of a tie that should occur in the seeding of teams for the playoffs, tie breakers shall be applied in the following order:

          1. Head to head competition.   2. Fewest runs allowed in head to head competition   3. Coin flip

22.0 Playoff Rules

22.1  All Spring League Rules apply unless specifically superseded by any provision of these rules.

22.2  This is a double elimination playoff format.  A team is eliminated upon its second loss in the playoffs.

22.3 Since the following day's game assignments hinge on each game's results, the results must be called in to the League Director as soon as the winning manager returns home immediately after the game, maximum 2 hours. 

22.4  The home team for any game will be the team with the higher seeding on the basis of regular season results.

         Exception: in the game between the winners' bracket winner and the losers' bracket winner, the winners' bracket winner shall be the home team.

         Exception: if there is an "if" game, the home team will be the team with the higher seeding.

22.6 The League will provide baseballs via the umpires or League Director.

22.7 A pitcher may pitch in no more than seven innings in two successive games, regardless of the length of those games and regardless of what his pitching status may have been at the conclusion of the regular season. One pitch in an inning constitutes an inning pitched. There will be no balk warnings in play-off games, ref. Minor League.

 Game 1 eligible to pitch 7 innings, pitches 3 innings

 Game 2 eligible to pitch 4, pitches 2

 Game 3 eligible to pitch 5, pitches 0

 Game 4 eligible to pitch 7, etc.

22.8   There will be no time limits or ties in play-off games. All games will be played to completion unless called by the umpire because of weather or darkness. For purposes of this rule, a game which ends because of a twelve‑run mercy rule is considered a complete game (rule 20.0). A game which is called before it becomes an official game must be resumed and completed on that day or on the following day. A game which is called after it becomes an official game and/or a tie, it must be resumed and completed on that day or on the following day from the point of the called game.  Resumption of any game is from the point at which it was called, taking into account all aspects of the game situation, including the count on the batter, if any.  The home team score book is the book of record.

22.9  Protests will be determined in the same manner as the regular season, ref 11.0, except that the written report (ref 11.2) is extended to a verbal report or phone call to the League Director for action, see 22.10.

22. 10 Except the potential final ("championship") games. Championship games will each have a three‑member protest committee, headed by the League Director and /or his/her delicate and comprised of one additional person from each participating team. All properly lodged protests will be resolved by the Protest Committee before the game proceeds, ref 11.2.

Attachment A

2001 MANAGERS-COACHES CODE OF CONDUCT

All managers and coaches, softball and baseball, will abide by code of conduct which includes the following provisions. If any of these rules are broken, the BBSA Executive Board, the violators League Rep, and appropriate Commissioner shall have the authority to impose a penalty ranging from probation to suspension, to expulsion from the BBSA.  The penalties imposed shall be progressive in nature and will carry over from season to season.

Managers and coaches shall:

1.   Not smoke and /or use smokeless tobacco products at any practice, game or any other BBSA event of which children under the age of eighteen are present.

2.   Not criticize players in front of spectators and/or teammates, but reserve the right to constructive criticism for later, in private, or in the presence of the other members,

      if others might benefit.

3.   Accept decisions of game officials in games as being fair and called to the best ability of said official.

4.   Not criticize an opposing team, its players, coaches, fans, or parents by word of mouth or by gesture.

5.   Emphasize that good athletes strive to be good students and that both are physically and mentally alert.

6.   Strive to make every softball/baseball activity serve as a training ground for life, and a basis for good mental and physical health.

7.   Emphasize that winning is a result of good teamwork.

8.   Together with team officials, be jointly responsible for the conduct of team fans, players and parents.

9.   Not engage in excessive sideline coaching and shall not leave the bench/dugout area to shout instructions from the foul lines.

10. Not use abusive language or profane language at any time.  Managers and coaches will absolutely refrain from swear and or cuss words in front of all BBSA players.

11. Not receive any payment, in cash or kind, for services as a manager or coach in the BBSA.

12. Not permit an ineligible player to participate in any BBSA Games.

13. Not deliberately incite unsportsmanlike conduct from his/her players and/or team parents.

14. Abstain from the possession and drinking of alcoholic beverages before and during, and the possession or use of any illegal substances before and during on both game

          and practice fields and/or facilities.

15. Remove from a game or practice any participant when even slightly in doubt about his/her health, whether or not as a result of injury, until competent medical advice is available.

16. Uphold all the rules and regulations, National, State, and Local regarding Babe Ruth, Cal Ripken and Softball.

17. Not physically touch any player with force or to endanger their well being.

18. Turn in BBSA equipment within 48 hours of their final game, play-off or otherwise.

19. Complete and turn in all necessary paperwork for Babe Ruth, Cal Ripken, and Softball in a timely manner.

20. Complete and turn in player evaluations immediately upon the completion of the season.

Attachment B

Exceptions to Major League Baseball for Minor and Major League Babe Ruth Baseball Games and Burlington Baseball Association (BBSA) rules.

The following are exception to major league baseball that are adopted for BB/SA Babe Ruth  baseball.

These are the rules that will be followed when Burlington will be playing out of town baseball teams (Wilmington). 

Base rules are adopted from Wilmington rules and agreed to by BBSA.

References terminology:

Wilmington Senior = Burlington Major League

Wilmington Junior = Burlington Minor League

underlined = changed from Wilmington rules

1.    Minor (Junior) and Major (Senior) games will be 7 innings.

2.   No new inning will begin more than two (2) hours from the start of the game.

3.    The Home Team Manager shall determine playability of the game/field before its scheduled start  and inform the opposing team and Umpires of intent to cancel no later than one (1) hour and 30 minutes before game time.  After the game begins the Umpire will determine field playability.

4.  A grace period of  15 minutes will be allowed before a forfeit is called.

5.   In order to minimize forfeits, the following roster adjustments will be allowed at either the direction of the Commissioner (Player Agent) or the mutual agreement of the opposing managers, play the games.

a)      The uniform requirement rule may be waived, e.g.… on a called up player.

b)      With the prior consent and approval of the Commissioner (Player Agent) a Minor (Junior) League player(s) may be asked to supplement the Major (Senior) League roster

          and 14 year olds of the Major (Senior) League may be asked to supplement the Minor (Junior) roster

c)      Minor (Junior) League players can not pitch in Major (Senior) games.

d)      Major (Senior) League player can not pitch in Minor (Junior) games.

e)      Any player(s) used to supplement a roster must be a currently active player and registered.

6.       At each home game, the home team chooses bench, and provides baseballs as needed.

7.       Each team is allowed no more than one(1) manager and two (2) coaches.

     a) Only team players are allowed on the bench.

 

8.       Score books must be kept up-to-date.  Starting line-ups must be exchanged and each umpire must (legibly) sign each book before the start of the game.

     a)  The home team is the score book of record.

 

9.    Managers are responsible for playing requirements.

a)      Each player MUST play a minimum of 3 innings in the  field in a seven inning game.

b)      All players will bat in a rotating/perpetual batting order for each game.

c)      Anyone arriving after the start of the game will be placed at the bottom of the batting order.

d)      Any player who becomes unable to play after the start of the game shall be removed and all successive players move up one spot in the batting order,

          and no out charged for the removed player.

NOTE – The penalty for violation may be suspension as will be determined by the Board of Directors of offending town.

 

10.   Pitching eligibility:

a)      Minor (Junior) player may pitch not more than seven (7) innings in a calendar week.

b)      Minor (Junior) player may not pitch more than five (5) in a “day”.

c)      Major (Senior) players may pitch not more than nine (9) innings in a calendar week.

d)      Monday through Sunday constitutes a calendar week.

 

11.   All balks will be called for Major (Senior) leagues.

a)  Balks will be called for the Minor (Junior) League unless this is an attempt to deceive, then a balk shall result.  

NOTE: Umpires working Minor (Junior) games are required to instruct pitches of their violation between innings or in a manner which does not delay the game.

 

12.    All batters, base runners and player(s) base coaches must wear helmets.

    A) Managers and adult coaches are excluded at their own risk.

13.   Hidden balls are not allowed.

14.   No game is to be played without at least nine (9) players per team.

          A) Supplemental player(s) may be added per item 5).

 

15.   A base runner must slide to avoid a collision/contact with the fielder.  If a base runner intentionally collides with the fielder, that player is OUT and the ball is dead.

        The offending player may be ejected from the game, umpires judgment.

16.   If a runner is injured, a courtesy runner may be used.  The “runner” is chosen by the opposing manager and may not be the batter, on-deck or double-deck batter.

17.   Base runners may take any lead and at their own risk.

18.   The Winning Manager must call the Commissioner (Player Agent)/League Director within twenty-four (24) hours with the game results and name(s) of the umpires.  The Commissioner (Player Agent) will compare the umpire names with those assigned on the game schedule.  If different, the Commissioner (Player Agent) must notify the Treasurer within twenty-four (24) hours.

Each towns League by laws in the case of Wilmington’s Policy and Conduct, Burlington Objectives and 2001 Managers-Coaches Code of Conduct) are enforced by their respective Boards.  Any Manager has the right to report to their board situations in which they feel an opposing Manager and/or Coach that he/she feels is not in the best interest of baseball.  Town League Presidents have the final decision and remedy in these matters. 

The above mentioned rules are to be used as a quick reference by Managers and Officials.  Please refer to the current Little League Official Regulations, Major League or Babe Ruth rules books for information not covered in these guidelines.