1.1 The Minuteman Spring Baseball League (“MSBL”) shall be governed by a Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is to be comprised of a Commissioner of Baseball and two representatives from each of the member towns. Board members shall be appointed by their respective towns.

1.2 The Board of Directors shall be chaired by a Commissioner of Baseball. The Commissioner shall be elected by the Board of Directors for a term of one year.

1.3 The Board of Directors shall also elect a Secretary to take minutes of the meetings. The Secretary shall furnish copies of the minutes to all members of the board. The Secretary’s term shall be for one year.

1.4 Elections for the offices of Commissioner and Secretary shall be held the first full week of November. The nominating committee shall be comprised of the Town Coordinators.

1.5 The Commissioner shall conduct all board meetings. If the Commissioner is not present, then the Commissioner shall appoint one of the board members to conduct board meeting in his absence. A quorum is necessary to conduct a meeting. A quorum shall be defined as four board members.

1.6 The purpose of the board shall be to co-ordinate the scheduling and playing of the MSBL regular season and playoff baseball games.

1.7 The Board of Directors shall enforce the rules and regulations of Babe Ruth Baseball as so stated in the Babe Ruth rulebook.

1.8 The Board of Directors shall also write, adapt and enforce any special rules as deemed necessary by the Board in order to further the best interests of MSBL and of the players it represents.

2.0 Format of League

2.1 The league shall be formed of teams from Bedford, Belmont, and Winchester, comprising, teams that are an equal representation of their towns’ players. Each member town will strive to provide a roster spot for any eligible individual who wishes to play baseball. No member town will have a "try out" for this league, as its primary purpose is to encourage participation in the sport.

2.2 The league shall be comprised of an “A” division and a “B” division. “A” division teams will be comprised of players ages 15 and 14 years old. “B” division teams will be comprised of players ages 13 years old. Ages are as of April 30th of the current year.

2.3 Member teams may submit to the Commissioner and the duly appointed Board of Directors, exceptions to paragraph 2.2. Fourteen year old players will be allowed to play in the “B” division only if those 14 year old players cannot be placed on an “A” division roster.

2.4 Member towns, at their own discretion, may allow 13 year old players to play in the “A” division.

2.5 Players shall be listed on only one roster. Changes to the roster will not be allowed, once they are submitted to the league, without the consent of the Commissioner.

3.0 Playing Conditions

3.1 The home team is responsible for the condition of the field. The field should be manicured and properly marked.

3.2 The home team shall have choice of dugouts.

4.0 Umpires

4.1 The home team is responsible for providing two umpires for each game.

4.2 The umpires must be certified, uniformed and approved by the league Commissioner.

4.3 The cost of the umpires is to be borne by the home team during the regular season. They are shared by the teams playing each other during the playoffs.

5.0 Rosters & Uniforms

5.1 Each team must submit a team roster prior to the start of the season. No player will be allowed to participate who is not on the roster. Each player's name, address and date of birth must be listed on the roster.

5.2 Roster size will be a minimum of 13 unless approved by the Commissioner and the duly appointed Board of Directors. (ROSTERS THAT EXCEED 15 PLAYERS MUST BE SPECIFICALLY APPROVED BY BABE RUTH NATIONAL).

5.3 Additions to the roster after the start of the season will be permitted provided the player being added is not already on another MSBL team roster.

5.4 Each "A" division team will be allowed to bring up any "B" division player or players only to avoid forfeits. Town Coordinators will select the “B” division player and the Town Coordinator will ensure that the “B” division team being drawn from is not at risk of forfeiting.

5.5 Prior to the start of the game, the “A” division manager using the “B” division player must notify the opposing “A” division manager that he is using a “B” division player. The “B” division player will be included in the line-up submitted to the opposing manager.

5.6 “B” division player is not allowed to pitch in an “A” division game.

5.7 “B” division player selected by the Town Coordinator is subject to the minimum playing requirements in the “A” division game.

5.8 All teams must be properly uniformed and all uniforms must be numbered. Uniforms will include pants, jerseys and caps as issued by the respective town.

5.8.1 All uniforms shall be worn in the condition received from the respective town and must not be altered in any way.

5.8.2 All players must be in full uniform in order to participate. Any player not in compliance with rule 5.8 will be ineligible to participate.

6.0 Rules

6.1 The Babe Ruth League Rule Book, as supplemented by these rules, shall be the sole method of play.

6.2 Bat size shall be per MIAA rules; no larger than 2 5/8” diameter and no more than a -3 differential.

7.0 Insurance

7.1 All teams must be properly insured, as required by Babe Ruth Baseball. Evidence of such insurance shall be provided by each member team to the Commissioner prior to the start of the first game.

8.0 Baseballs

8.1 Official Babe Ruth baseballs or better must be used.

8.2 The home team is responsible for providing at least 6 new baseballs for each game.

9.0 Postponements, Rescheduling, Official Game and Called Game.

9.1 The home Town Coordinator is responsible for notifying the visiting team and umpires in the event inclement weather does not permit the start of a game. Notification should be made no later than 90 minutes before game time.

9.2 Once the game has started, the umpires have control of the game and shall decide when a game should be stopped and/or terminated. No inning however, shall be allowed to start after 2 hours have elapsed from the officially scheduled start time of the game or the point when the field is deemed playable.

9.3 Games shortened by rain or darkness shall have the score revert back to the last complete inning and declared official if at least 4 1/2 innings have been played with the home team ahead or 5 innings if the visiting team is ahead. The only exception to this rule will be in the event the home team either ties or takes the lead in the bottom half of an inning which is not completed, (where each team has had an equal number of times at bat) the score shall not revert to the last complete inning, but shall stand as played.

9.4 If a game is called before becoming official, it shall be resumed and completed from the point of discontinuance.

9.5 Make-up games will be played at predetermined times as established by the Board of Directors and posted on the rain-out schedule. If a team is unable to play the make-up game at the re-scheduled time, it will result in a forfeit with the penalty as stated in rule 21.1. Please understand that the Board cannot stress enough that the purpose of the Minute Man Spring Baseball League is to play the games not to gather points by forfeits. All managers are urged to make every attempt to have a team together to play the rescheduled games.

10.0 Time of Games

10.1 In both divisions, prior to the completion of the respective member towns’ scholastic regular season, all games are to be played on Saturdays and Sundays. The only exception to this is if it is determined by the Board of Directors that there will be no conflict with the scholastic regular season. After the scholastic regular season, weeknight games may be scheduled at 5:45 PM.

11.0 Protests

11.1 In accordance with Official Baseball Rule 4.19, it is emphasized that “no protest shall ever be permitted on judgment decisions by the umpire.”

11.2 Notice that the game is being played under protest must be filed with the home plate umpire by the manager immediately at the time of the disputed decision and before the next pitched ball or the next play.

11.3 Written report setting forth all the facts of the protest must be filed with the Commissioner within twenty-four (24) hours of the date of the protest.

11.4 Commissioner shall appoint three members of the league not connected with the teams to serve on the Protest Committee.

11.5 Final decision of protest shall be decided by the Commissioner and his appointed committee.

12.0 Winning Team Manager's Responsibilities

12.1 The winning team manager must enter the score, pitchers’ names, and innings pitched by both team’s pitchers on the MMSBL web site.

12.2 The information stated in 12.1 shall be entered onto the web site immediately after the game.

13.0 Playing Requirements

13.1 Each player in attendance at the game must be included in the batting order for his team (i.e. all players for each participating team are included in the batting order).

If a player must leave the game for whatever reason, his/her batting position becomes vacant for the remainder of the game.

If a player arrives after the lineups have been given to the opposing team, the player will be put into the last batting position after notifying the opposing manager of the late arrival (e.g., if there were originally eleven players in the lineup, the late player will bat twelfth).

13.2 All properly rostered and uniformed players must play a minimum of 3 innings in the field. In the event of a shortened game (less than 7 innings), in accordance with this rule, each player must have played enough so that it would be possible to meet this requirement if the game had been completed.

13.3 There shall be free substitution of all players in defensive positions, except for pitchers who are governed by rule 15.0. Nevertheless, this rule does not supersede any part of Rule 13.2 which must still be complied with.

The penalty for infraction of rule 13.1 and 13.2 will be forfeiture of the game played in which the violation occurred, unless:

· the player is removed for injury or illness or of his own volition and the manager has properly notified the opposing manager;

· the player arrives after the lineups have been given to the opposing team and it is beyond the control of the manager to comply with 13.1 and 13.2.

14.0 Forfeits

14.1 If a team cannot field nine official roster players within 15 minutes of the designated starting time for the game, a forfeit shall be declared.

14.2 Forfeiting team shall be responsible for the cost of the umpires.

14.3 Managers are cautioned that forfeits are discouraged in the strongest terms. Proper communication with players (and parents) is necessary to ensure that games are played at the scheduled times.

15.0 Pitching

15.1 Official Babe Ruth Rules apply. Babe Ruth rule 0.06 governs pitching limitations during the regular season. In the playoffs, pitchers are instead limited to seven innings in any two successive playoff games. The penalty for forfeit shall be as stated in rule 21.1

15.2 Each Town Coordinator is advised to work with their respective school coaches, Varsity, JV, or Middle School in regards to the number of innings school pitchers are available to pitch. The health and well being of the players is paramount and the overuse of school pitchers is not advised in the strongest of terms.

15.3 “B” division players are not allowed to pitch in “A” division games.

15.4 The starting pitcher, and only the starting pitcher, may be removed and brought back into the game, as pitcher, providing he has the necessary available innings as stated in rule 15.1.

15.5 The penalty for using an ineligible pitcher is forfeiture of the game(s) that the subject pitcher pitched in, regular or tournament play.

16.0 Trips to the Mound

16.1 The second trip to the mound to the same pitcher in the same inning automatically results in the removal of the pitcher from the game as a pitcher only.

16.2 In all other cases Official Baseball Rule 8.6 applies.

17.0 Balks

17.1 In the “A” division Official Baseball Rules apply.

17.2 In the B division, one warning will be allowed per pitcher per specific balk violation. (Example: The pitcher strides towards the plate but then throws to first base attempting to pick off a base runner. That is one specific violation. Later in the game the same pitcher starts his motion towards the plate but then stops without delivering the pitch or attempting to pick off a base runner; this will be considered a separate singular violation since the pitcher did not make the same balk violation as in the first case. No penalty shall be assessed for this latter violation. Should the same pitcher commit a similar violation to either of the two previously stated violations the appropriate balk penalty will be assessed.) This rule will apply in the regular season only, since we are attempting to familiarize the pitchers with the balk rule.

17.3 In the “B” division 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.

18.2 Any player, manager, coach, parent, or spectator ejected from a game shall face disciplinary action by the Commissioner 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, coach, parent, parent or spectator 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.

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

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. In any case contact must be made for this rule to apply.

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 12 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

21.1 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.

	Outcome	Points
	Win	2
	Tie	1
	Loss	0
	Forfeit	-1

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.

21.3 Should the number of games be uneven due to the number of regularly scheduled games the seeding shall be based upon won/loss percentages, not point total.

22.0 Playoff Rules

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

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

22.3 Since the following day’s game assignments hinge on each game’s results, the results must be entered onto the web site immediately after the game as well as called in to the Town Coordinator.

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.

22.5 The home and visiting teams will share equally the cost of umpires for each game.

22.6 The home team will provide the baseballs and immediately at the conclusion of the game be reimbursed by the visiting team for half of the baseballs actually used in the game (if an odd number is used, the cost of the extra ball is borne by the home team).

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 tournament play.

The starting pitcher, and only the starting pitcher, may be removed and brought back into the game as pitcher providing he has the necessary available innings as stated in rule 22.7.

Game 1 eligible to pitch 7 innings, pitches 3 innings

Game 3 eligible to pitch 5, pitches 0

Game 4, eligible to pitch 7, etc...

22.8 If field availability requires a home team to travel to another community, it retains all its other rights and obligations as home team (i.e., choice of dugout, supply of baseballs as described above, etc.).

22.9 There will be no time limits or ties in tournament 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 is governed by Rule 9.4, but if it is a tie, it must be resumed and completed on that day or on the following day. Exception: any game which may possibly produce an immediate champion must be resumed and played to completion. 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.

22.10 There will be no protests in tournament games except the potential final (“championship”) games. Championship games will each have a three-member Protest Committee headed by a representative of the Commissioner from a neutral Town and comprised of one additional member from each participating team. All properly lodged protests will be resolved by the Protest Committee before the game proceeds.