Warren Athletic Club

Local Rules and Regulations Governing all Warren Athletic Club

Cal Ripken Division Levels of Play

Game Preliminaries

1. For any and all rules not addressed in the Warren Athletic Club local rules and regulations, the Official Babe Ruth League Baseball Rules and Regulations will regulate play.

2. Teams must begin a game with a minimum of 9 players and may finish with a minimum of 8.

3. Failure to field 9 players to begin a game or finish with 8 will result in that team forfeiting. This is the only way a game can be forfeited. There will be a 10-minute grace period to begin a game if no other game is scheduled on the same field immediately after that game. If another game is scheduled on the same field immediately following any game, there is no grace period. Such games must start at their scheduled start time. PENALTY: Forfeit if unable to field the minimum players or failure to take the field within these time limits.

4. The visiting team will be allowed to take the field for a 10-minute warm-up period beginning 30 minutes before the scheduled start time. The home team will take the field for a 10-minute warm up immediately following the visitors. This will leave 10 minutes prior to game time for pre-game preliminaries and meeting at home plate.

5. The home team's coaching staff is responsible for lining the field for games played at Burbank Park. They should arrive at the park early enough to accomplish this in time for pregame warm-ups and other game preliminaries.

6. No spectators will be allowed to sit or stand behind the backstop area or behind player's benches. It is the team manager's duty to enforce this rule. The umpire may halt play until these areas are cleared. League officials, in their official capacities, may observe games from these areas.

7. Home teams at any of Warren's parks will use the 3^rd base dugout.

8. Only the league official may cancel a game DUE TO WEATHER.

9. If lightning is detected, all players shall be removed from the field to a sheltered area and a 15-minute waiting period must be observed before a game can be resumed. This 15-minute period will be observed after every instance lightning is detected, i.e. the clock resets with every lightning sighting.

10. Rescheduling of Games. If any game is suspended or postponed for any reason (weather, light failure, etc.), opposing Managers will have 1 week to reschedule their game, after which the League Official will reschedule the game for them, which will be binding to both teams. When rescheduling, Managers must check on field availability and any other possible scheduling conflicts. Once a game is rescheduled, it is the Home Team's responsibility to inform the appropriate personnel to ensure Umpires are available.

 

General Rules of Conduct for all Divisions

1. The use of profanity in and around the playing field is cause for immediate ejection.

2. Intoxicating beverages and/or illicit drugs. The use of intoxicating beverages or illicit drugs on or around the playing fields by anyone is prohibited. A report of such incident shall be made immediately to a league official, which may contact local authorities. PENALTY: Ejection from the playing fields and park.

No manager or coach is permitted the use of alcohol or illicit drugs on or around the playing fields or in the park. Also, if it is evident to the umpire in chief that any manager or coach used such substances prior to arriving to the park and renders them unfit to manage or coach, that manager or coach will leave the fields and the park. A signed written umpire's report of any of the above infractions must be made to the WAC President, within 24 hours. PENALTY: Ejection from the playing fields and park, and a minimum 2 game and up to a one year suspension. Any subsequent 2nd violation will result in a minimum and automatic full 1 year suspension from the date of the 2nd violation.

3. Tobacco use. The use of tobacco in any form is prohibited within any fenced area of a playing field and/or dugout/bullpen area. PENALTY: Ejection from the game.

4.Unsportsmanlike conduct by teams. Babe Ruth Rule 4.06 will be enforced.

5.Removing team from the field. No manager shall refuse to have his team take the field or remove his team from the field for any reason if the umpire has called the ball in play.PENALTY: 1 game suspension of the manager.

6.Refusal to leave the field or park. Any player, manager, or coach who refuses an umpire's or league official's order to immediately leave the field or park shall receive a minimum and automatic 2 game suspension.

7.Ejection from a game for any reason is cause for an immediate and automatic 1 game suspension.

8.The umpire in chief immediately following the game must make a signed written report of an ejection to the league.

9.Badgering or verbal harassment by anyone associated with a team towards any umpire, league official, or any team personnel will not be tolerated. The umpire may warn the offending person once, and if the behavior continues will be ejected from the game. Any direct or indirect verbal or physical actions by any person that cause harm to the physical, mental, or moral well-being of any person will not be tolerated, whether such actions occur at a game, practice, or other league or team function. Based on the seriousness of such violations, the WAC board, at its sole discretion, may take any action, and impose any penalties, up to and including banishment from the league, that they see fit.

10. Forfeits have been removed as a penalty in the WAC Cal Ripken League, with the exception of Rule 3 in the Game Preliminaries. Any WAC Local Rule violation that any manager wishes to protest must be protested before the end of the half inning that the violation occurred. It is the intent of this rule that any such protest be settled on the spot, and the game continue on uninterrupted, or from the point of the rule violation. In any instance, the game will continue on, and any protest upheld will result in the game being replayed from the point of the rule violation.

 

Definitions:

Ejection: A person ejected from a game must vacate to an area where they can no longer be seen or heard from the playing field. If ejected from the park, the person ejected must leave the entire park grounds and not return while the game they were ejected from is in progress and all game participants, including game officials, have vacated the playing field and surrounding areas.

NOTE: Ejection of a player while on base or at bat does not constitute an out. The ejected player is simply substituted for, and if at bat, the substitute assumes the same count as the ejected batter. Substitution rules per Babe Ruth Rules always apply.

Suspension: A person suspended may not take part in any league or team activities, or have any contact with the team, for the duration of their suspension. Violation of suspension rules will trigger an automatic additional 2 game suspension.

Local Playing Rules for Cal Ripken Divisions

1. No Inning Shall start after 8:30 pm on a school night at 7-8 or 9-10.

2. Any game suspended for any reason after becoming a regulation game (3 & 1/2 innings with the home team ahead or 4 innings with the visitors ahead) will revert back to the last completed inning and be considered a regulation game regardless of the innings played. If, after reverting back to the last completed inning, a game is tied, or a game is suspended before becoming a regulation game, it will be resumed from the exact point of suspension at a later date and time agreed upon by both teams and approved by the league. The league may, at its discretion, schedule make up dates and times which will be bound to by both teams.

3. Junior Age Pitching Rule. A pitcher of junior age (9 yr. old in Minor League and 11 yr. old in Major League) must pitch a minimum of one inning or 5 batters in every regular season game. For this rule only, an inning pitched will be considered as a minimum 5 consecutive batters. In 11-12 yr. old Major League only, the junior age pitcher must enter by the fifth (5^th) inning.

4. Ten (10) Run Rule. Any game will be terminated once becoming a regulation game if one team is ahead by 10 or more runs and have had equal times at bat, or the home team is leading. A game becomes a regulation game after 3 112 innings with the home team ahead, or 4 innings with the visitors ahead.

5. Free substitution in the field. In games utilizing a continuous batting order (CBO), players may be freely substituted in and out of positions in the field.

6. In games utilizing CBO, any player showing up late will be inserted in the bottom of the batting order. If a late player shows up after the top of the 3rd inning, that player is not subject to the mandatory playing time in the field rule.

7. Mandatory playing time. All players must play a minimum of 6 consecutive outs (two innings) in the field. Defensive substitutes must enter by the top of the 3rd inning for 7/8 yr. old Rookie and 9/10 yr. old Minor leagues, and the top of the 4,1, inning for 11/ 12 yr. old Major League. Game officials, umpires, opposing managers, and/or coaches are urged to prevent any unintentional violation of this rule. If a violation is discovered after any substitute should have entered defensively, any substitute not yet entered should be immediately entered into the game to receive their playing time, and if their minimum playing time is met, the league may, at their sole discretion, consider this as complying with this rule.

PENALTY: If it is discovered that any player did not receive their minimum playing time, the offending manager will receive an automatic 1 game suspension, and the game may be played under protest. Once the field has been cleared and the umpire(s) have left the fenced in area of the playing field, no protest of this rule may be filed or will be considered. Any upheld protest of this rule will result in the game being replayed from the point of the infraction. If you see it, say something. Don't wait for an infraction to occur thinking you're going to win on forfeit (see Rule 3 in Game Preliminaries & Rule 10 in General Rules of Conduct.)

8. Approved Bats for Cal Ripken Baseball Divisions. The bat may not exceed 33" in length, and the bat barrel may not exceed 2 Y..'' in diameter. Only 2 Y..'' barrel non-wood bats marked BPF 1.15 will be allowed. Wood 2 Y." barrel bats are allowed. The Warren Athletic Club allows the use of composite barrel bats for WAC League play. This is optional at 9-10 & 11-12.

Note it is the barrel that is regulated, therefore composite hand l.e bats with a metal alloy barrel are permitted.

9. All batters and base-runners in the T-Ball, Cal Ripken Boys 6-8 Rookie League, and 9/10 Minor League are required to wear an approved helmet with attached face-guard. Any player refusing to wear an approved helmet with an attached face-guard shall be removed from the game until such time they comply with this rule.

Warren Athletic Club 11& 12-Year-Old Major League Rules

The Warren Athletic Club 11 and 12-year-old 70' Majors will play by the Official Babe Ruth League Cal Ripken 70' Majors Baseball Rules and Regulations and the Warren Athletic Club Local Rules and Regulations with the following additions/exceptions:

1. Teams will field 9 players defensively per Official Baseball Rules.

2. Continuous batting order (CBO). If both teams have the same number of players, the entire roster of both teams will be entered into the batting order. EXCEPTION: "Match Rule" - If one team has more players than the other, that team may elect to match only the number of players in the batting order as the other team. However, a manager, at his sole discretion, may still opt to bat his entire roster. These options must be decided and announced before the first pitch, and may not be reversed at any time during the game.

A) In case of no CBO per the "Match Rule", any starter withdrawn may re-enter the game provided he occupies the same batting position as he occupied when starting the game, i.e., a starting player and his substitute cannot be in the game at the same time. A pitcher withdrawn as a batter or base runner may return to the game immediately as a pitcher. If a pitcher is removed from the game while on the mound, he may return to the game in any position with the exception of pitcher. substitute may replace a substitute and the starter may still re-enter for the substitute, i.e., starting player Jones is replaced by substitute Smith; substitute Smith is replaced by substitute Clark. Starter Jones is eligible to replace Clark. However, the league's minimum playing time rules will still apply to all players and, in addition, all players must also receive at least one at bat.

B) When any team utilizes CBO and a player is unable to take his at-bat due to injury or illness during a game, that player's spot in the batting order will be skipped without penalty. However, once a player misses an at-bat, he is removed from that game in its entirety, and he may not re-enter for any reason. There are NO "automatic outs" in WAC league play. Abuses by managers of this rule will not be tolerated.

Pitching Limitations for 11 & 12-year-old boys

1. NO pitcher may pitch in more than 3 innings in any game or 6 innings per week. One pitch in any inning shall be considered an inning pitched. Managers are to log innings pitched by each pitcher in their score books after each game, and have the opposing Manager sign off on the score book. At the beginning of each game, Managers are to report each pitcher's inning eligibility to the opposing Manager when line-ups are exchanged, and be prepared to verify eligibility with their signed score books.

PENALTY: Intentional and willful fraudulent inning eligibility reporting will lead to offending Manager being disciplined by the league, up to and including suspension and/or expulsion from the league.

2. However, a pitcher, once replaced as a pitcher only, may not return as a pitcher.

3.Per the Cal Ripken Rule Book, page 10, Rule 0.06 Pitching Limitations: A Cal Ripken Baseball pitcher 1; regardless of age may pitch six (6) innings per calendar week. This rule applies to all games regardless when played. This includes rescheduled and make-u p games. The calendar week is Monday through, and including, Sunday.

4. Days’ Rest: Any pitcher must have 2 calendar days’ rest between pitching assignments if he pitches more than 3 innings in any one game.

5. Junior Age Pitching Rule. An eleven (11) year old pitcher must pitch a minimum of one inning in every regular season game. For this rule only, an inning pitched will be considered as a minimum of 5 consecutive batters, regardless of outs recorded. Ten-year old’s playing up will be considered a junior age pitcher for the purpose of this rule. The junior age pitcher must take the mound by the fifth inning.

6. Opposing coaches, umpires, and league officials are urged to prevent infractions of these pitching rules. If you see it, say something. Don't wait for an infraction to occur thinking you're going to win on forfeit (see Rule 3 in Game Preliminaries & Rule 10 in General Rules of Conduct.)

Warren Athletic Club 9 & 10 Year Old Minor League Rules

The Warren Athletic Club 9 and 10-year-old 60' Minors will play by the Official Babe Ruth League Cal Ripken 60' Majors Baseball Rules and Regulations and the Warren Athletic Club Local Rules and Regulations; with the following additions:

1. Continuous batting order (CBO). The entire roster will be entered into the batting order, regardless of the number of players on each team.

2. If a player is unable to take his at-bat due to injury or illness during a game, that player's spot in the batting order will be skipped without penalty. However, once a player misses an at-bat, he is removed from that game in its entirety, and he may not re-renter for any reason. There are NO "automatic outs" in WAC league play. Abuses by managers of this rule will not be tolerated.

3. Each team will field 10 players defensively which will include 4 outfielders set at equal depth.

4. It is optional for the use of heart guards on pitchers.

5. Double first base bag. The white portion of the bag is for use of the 1st baseman and the orange part for the batter/runner. The batter/runner must use the orange part unless rounding the bag with no play at 1^st base. The 1st baseman must use the white portion, and if he touches the orange portion i n his attempt to force the batter/runner out, the batter/runner shall be declared safe.

6. Stealing of home. A base runner may not advance from third to home on a passed ball pitched to a batter from the pitcher. The base runner at third may not attempt to steal home during the throw from the catcher back to the pitcher. However, if the catcher's throw back is errant and/or the pitcher fails to secure the catch, the base runner may attempt to score at his own peril. If, in the course of play, the catcher, or any other defensive player attempts a play on the runner at third, or any other base runner, he may attempt to advance home at his own peril.

Pitching Limitations for 9 /10-year-old boys

1. No pitcher may pitch in more than 2 innings in any game. One pitch in any inning shall be considered an inning pitched. Because of these 2 innings per pitcher rule, no day’s rest or pitcher's log will be required.

2. A pitcher, once replaced as a pitcher only, may not return as a pitcher.

3. Junior Age Pitching Rule. A nine (9) year old pitcher must pitch a minimum of one inning in every regular season game. For this rule only, an inning pitched will be considered as a minimum of 5 consecutive batters, regardless of outs recorded. Eight-year old’s playing up will be considered a junior age pitcher for the purpose of this rule. The junior age pitcher must take the mound by the fifth inning.

4. Opposing coaches, umpires, and league officials are urged to prevent infractions of these pitching rules. If you see it, say something. Don't wait for an infraction to occur thinking you're going to win on forfeit (see Rule 3 in Game Preliminaries & Rule 10 in General Rules of Conduct.)

5. Run Rule- There will be a 7-run limit per each team while they are batting. The run rule is in place for innings 1-5, with the 6^th inning and any inning following becoming unlimited runs.

Warren Athletic Club 7 & 8-Year-Old Rookie League Rules

The Warren Athletic Club 7 and 8-year-old Rookie League will follow the 9 and 10-year-old 60' Minor rules

with the following exceptions and additions:

1. The "Suggested Cal-Ripken Baseball-Rookie League Rules and Regulations" in the Babe Ruth Rule Book will be ignored.

2. Continuous batting order (CBO). The entire roster will be entered into the batting order, regardless of the number of players on each team.

3. If a player is unable to take his at-bat due to injury or illness during a game, that player's spot in the batting order will be skipped without penalty. If an injured or ill player is able to resume play later in the game, he may re-enter the game provided he occupies the same batting position as he occupied when starting the game. There are NO "automatic outs" in WAC league play. Abuses by managers of this rule will not be tolerated.

4. Each team will field 11 players defensively which will include 5 outfielders set at equal depth and a minimum 10 feet from the edge of the outfield grass.

5. No infielder may take a defensive position past the pitcher towards home plate, or past the half way lines between first base and home or third base and home, whichever closer.

6. In addition to the league's 10 run rule, no team can score more than 5 runs per inning, except the last inning, when unlimited runs may be scored by either team.

7. The pitcher is required to wear an approved helmet with face mask attached and a heart guard. He must begin each play stationed with both feet inside the pitcher's box.

8. A 5'by 15' pitcher's box will be marked with its front edge 45' from the back tip of home plate. Only an infielder can stop a play by having both feet inside the pitcher's box while in control of the ball. The umpire will call time and the play is dead. NOTE: ANY infielder may stop play by controlling the ball in the box.

9. Only an infielder may run back the lead runner to their base and call time out to stop a play. Time will be called and the play is dead. Only the umpire may declare time out.

10. Halfway lines will be marked between 1^st and 2^nd base, 2^nd and 3rd base, and 3^rd base and home plate. Any runner with at least one foot past these halfway lines when a play is stopped and time called shall be permitted to advance to the next base without peril of being put out. If not, he must return to the base from which he last touched. This is strictly an umpire's judgment call.

11. An outfielder may not make a play in the infield, whether it is tagging a base, tagging a runner, controlling the ball in the pitcher's box, or running a runner back to a base. Outfielders must throw the ball in to an infielder or hand the ball to an infielder.

12. A coach will pitch to each batter from a line struck 30' from the back point of home plate. Each batter will receive 6 pitches in which to hit the ball in fair territory, and failing to do so will be declared out. If the batter fouls off the last pitch, he continues to bat until he either strikes out or hits the ball in fair territory.

13. The pitching coach is considered foul territory. If the ball strikes the coach, it is called a foul ball and the pitch counts.

14. The pitching coach must have BOTH feet behind the pitching line when the pitch is released. Each pitching coach will receive one warning with subsequent violations resulting in an immediate dead ball called and the pitch will count as a strike against the batter.

15. An arc will be marked 10' from the back point of home plate and any ball not hit past this arc will be called foul.

16. Once a fair ball is hit, the pitching coach must leave fair territory towards their dugout.

17. No bunting is permitted.

18. No player shall sit out more than 2 consecutive innings.

19. A team is allowed 1 time out per inning. Only the manager can call time out. Each team may make one defensive substitution per inning, and it will constitute their team timeout.

20. The umpire must allow a time out and is the only one authorized to stop play, unless a player is injured. Checking on or assisting an injured player does not count as a team time out.

21. Any overthrow out of play will result in the runners being awarded one base from the last base touched, not from where they are relative to the halfway lines.

22. A batter throwing the bat will be warned, and it will constitute a team warning. Any subsequent batters for that team throwing the bat will be called out, at the discretion and judgment of the umpire.

23. Double first base bag. The white portion of the bag is for use of the 1^st baseman and the orange portion is for the batter/runner. The batter/ runner must use the orange part unless rounding the bag with no play at 1^st base. The 1^st baseman must use the white portion, and if he touches the orange portion in his attempt to force the batter/runner out, the batter/runner shall be declared safe.

24. Batting out of order. If a player batting out of order is discovered in the middle of an at bat, the proper batter shall take his place and assume the existing count. If batting out of order is discovered after an improper at bat, Official Baseball Rules will apply.

25. Runners will have one arm's length to avoid a tag.

 

WAC T-Ball Rules

Please remember that the goal of the WAC T-Ball program is to teach players to enjoy the game in a fun, learning, low pressure environment. T-Ball is our opportunity to introduce both boys and girls to the game, and to teach them the basic fundamentals and rules of the game. It is also vitally important that our players be as fully prepared as possible for their transition into our Coach-Pitch Divisions. To that end, the following rules and guidelines have been agreed to by all member leagues:

1. Outs can be called, just as in regular baseball/softball.

a. Players can be tagged out when not touching a base.

b. Players can be forced out.

c. Players can be called out on a caught fly ball.

d. THERE ARE NO STRIKE-OUTS.

e. The 1" and 3•d base coaches will call plays at their respective bases, the defensive coaches in outfield will call plays at 2""base, and the pitching coach will call plays at the plate. Conferences are recommended and encouraged to CALMLY rectify close or missed calls. Remember -it's T-Ball.

2. Each team on offense will have one pitching coach, a 1'' and 3''base coach, and "catcher coach" to retrieve missed balls and aid the player at bat.

3.Each team on defense will have no more than 3 defensive coaches positioned in the outfield grass.

4. Score will be kept by counting the number of outs a team on defense records against the other team.

A. If 3 outs are recorded, the inning still continues and on ts still recorded until all batters on offense have batted once.

B. Final scores will NOT be posted on the league website, nor will league standings be kept or recorded. Coaches and parents should be mindful not to emphasize or "brag" about "final scores" or any imaginary league standings, especially in front of the children. The sole purpose of this rule is to put an emphasis on defensive skill building and teach our young players how to record an out, and the difference between a force out, an unforced out or tag play, and a fly out. It will also emphasize base-running skills and knowledge for the same reasons.

5. Continuous Batting Order (CBO).

a. Each inning consists of each player batting once, regardless of the number of outs recorded.

b. The batting order reverses in each subsequent inning, i.e., 1-12 then 12-1.

c. Change your batting order every game.

6. A batter hitting a ball to the outfield grass, whether in the air or on the ground, may attempt to advance to 2^nd base, and 2^nd base only, at their own peril of being put out. After reaching base, any runner must advance only one base at a time, except on the last batter. Of course, with a runner on 1^st and a batter hits a ball to the grass, the runner on 1^st may attempt to advance to third if and only when the batter attempts to reach 2^nd. If the batter does not attempt to reach 2^nd or retreats back to 1^st any and all base-runners may only advance one base and sent back to their rightful base if they advanced further. If after a batter attempts second, and any runner is put out, all other runners, including the batter, are entitled to any base they reached safely within these rules (examples: batter is put out trying to reach 2^nd -the runner on 1^st is entitled to 3^rd base, or with runners on 1^st &2^nd  and batter is put out trying to reach 2^nd runner on 2^nd  is entitled to home and the runner on 1^st is entitled to third, or if a runner ahead of the batter is put out -the batter is still entitled to 2nd.You get it.).Regardless of where the batter hits the ball, a runner on 2^nd with 1^st base unoccupied may only advance as far as 3^rd, except on the last batter. The last batter in the inning and all base runners ahead of the may advance as far as possible until an out at any base is recorded. The purpose of these base running rules is to emphasize rounding a base to safely reach the next base, and advancing to the next base when the runner behind that player is attempting to reach the base occupied by that player. It will also teach watching and listening to the instructions of a base coach.

7. A 5' by 15' pitcher's box will be marked with its back edge 45' from the back tip of home plate. The Pitchers or any infielder can stop a play by having both feet inside the pitcher's box while in control of the ball. Time will be called and the play is dead. NOTE: ANY infielder may stop play by controlling the ball in the box.

8. The team on defense will field ONLY 1 player at each infield position - one player at 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd base, and one shortstop; plus, two pitchers who must begin each play inside the 51 by 151 box. The two pitchers must take positions on opposite ends of the box from one another on either side of the pitching coach with both feet inside the box. ALL remaining players will take positions equally separated with both feet in the outfield grass. Players in the outfield may not make a play in the infield, whether it is tagging a base, tagging a runner, controlling the ball in the pitcher's box, or ruling a ruler back to a base. Outfielders must throw the ball in to an infielder or hand the ball to an infielder. No players will sit out defensively unless of injury, illness, or other reasonable condition.

9. A batted ball hitting the pitching coach will be declared foul or "no-pitch" and the pitch will not count.

10. Players playing pitcher MUST wear a helmet with facemask and a heart guard.

11. All batters and base-runners in T-Ball are required to wear an approved helmet with attached face-guard. Any player refusing to wear an approved helmet with an attached faceguard shall be removed from the game until such time they comply with this rule.

12. Three (3) Inning Games not to exceed 11/2-hour time limit.

13. Players may choose to have their Coach pitch to them three (3) times, from ANY distance, overhand or underhand, after which the Tee will be used. At a coach’s discretion, and as not to embarrass a struggling player, a coach may choose to use the tee immediately -however, it remains and should be the goal of all coaches and parents to have players hitting a pitched ball during their T-Ball season.

14. An arc will be marked 15'from the back point of home plate and any ball not hit past this arc will be called foul.

15. ALL players MUST be play an infield defensive position at least one complete inning in EVERY game.

16. No coach will refuse to have their team take the field for any reason.

17. Only the League President, Vice President, or Commissioner can cancel a game.

 

 

Safety

1. NO catcher is permitted.

2. Identify an extra parent/coach for player crowd control while your team is at bat.

3. Only one player permitted to warm-up with a bat at a time. WATCH AND GUARD YOUR BATS!

 

4. ALL players MUST wear approved helmets with a face guard while batting, base running, and playing in the pitcher's box.