ChesMont Rules/Guidelines
Subscribe to our NewsletterCHES-MONT (PA) MEN’S INDEPENDENT BASEBALL LEAGUE
Official Rules and Regulations
Adopted January 2017
Amended March 2018
1. UNIFORMS, HELMETS, AND BASEBALLS
1.a. All teams must have full baseball uniforms consisting of caps (fitted only), numbered
baseball jersey with team logo (no iron on or silk screened), baseball pants, belts,
solid one color sox and /or stirrups. Each player’s uniform must be of similar design to his
teammates uniforms.
a.1. No player out of uniform will be allowed to play without the opposing
manager’s consent.
a.2. All teams should have their uniforms by their first game. A grace period
should be extended for newly activated players or for new teams to complete
their uniforms.
1.b. All batters and runners must wear helmets for both at bats and on the base-there is
no option for this rule. Full double ear flap helmets are encouraged for at bats and
are encouraged for the bases. Catchers must wear a helmet underneath their mask.
The same rule will apply for all national tournaments.
1.c. Only balls provided by the local league will be permitted. It is the responsibility of
the home team to provide the balls (4-6). It case of a doubleheader, each team will
supply balls for one game.
1.d. Only WOOD & composite bats permitted.
Hybrid bats are NOT permitted ( half-wood & half-metal.)
1.e. Metal cleats are permitted.
2. GAME LENGTH, RUN RULE AND RAIN-OUTS, UMPIRE PAYMENTS
2.a. Most games are 9 innings. DH’s are 7 innings.
A new inning may not begin after three (3) hours of play (from start of the 1st
inning). A new inning starts at the time of the last putout of the previous inning.
Re: rain/official game - 4 ½ innings (7 inning games) – 5 ½ (9 inning games)
All league playoff games must be played to completion.
The umpire may cancel or call a game if, in their opinion, the safety of the
players is compromised due to rain, darkness or time limits.
2.b. If there is a 10 run discrepancy at the end of 7 innings, the game will be ruled final
at this point. If the game is a 7 inning game, the 10 run rule takes effect after 5 full innings of play. This rule WILL pertain in league playoffs as well.
2.c. Any games rained out must be made up as soon as possible All make-up games will be scheduled by league officials. Note: If the HOME teams field is unplayable, please check with the Visiting team to see if their field is playable. If so, the object is to play the game.
2.d. In the event of rain, it is the responsibility of the scheduled home team to notify the
league president and the opposing team of field conditions and possible cancellations
of the Game at least 1.5 hours before the scheduled start time.
2.e. Tie games are considered complete and will not be continued or made-up. Final
league standings will be determined by points (win = 2 points, tie = 1 point,
loss = 0 points)
2.f. All 9 inning games are $80 per Umpire, DH’s are $150 per Umpire. 7 inning games are $70
per Umpire.
3. TEAMS, PLAYERS AND LINE-UPS
3.a. A player is eligible to participate in an official league sanctioned game on the
date of their 18th Birthday. All players MUST be registered on the website.
3.b. Team rosters (minimum of 12 players) must be submitted to the league by the date
designated by the league President and the governing board of the Bux-Mont league
including league and player fees, proof of date of birth, player wavier forms and league
registration forms. Players may be added and removed from rosters up to and
including the last day in June of the current season. No player may be added to a
roster after the July 4th weekend. Rosters will be frozen at that point in time.
3.c. All players, prior to participating in a game, MUST have signed wavier form,
registration form and proof of date of birth on file with the league.
3.d. A team manager may bat 9 players with NO maximum. Line-Up cards MUST be
exchanged with opposing coach and umpire at ground rules. Re-Entry for starters
ONLY. A player can Re-Enter 1 time in the same slot in the order.
3.e. If a player is forced to leave a game due to injury or commitment or if a player is
ejected from a game, a reserve player, not previously entered into the game as a
hitter, must hit in the batter’s place. If no reserve is present, an OUT will be declared the 1st
time the slot comes up. Every time after the slot comes up, the spot is skipped
and all batters move up accordingly, with no penalty to the affected team down to the 9th
place in the order. Anything under 9 in the batting order, the game will be declared a forfeit.
3.h. A team must have 9 players for an official game to start. There is a 15 minutes wait
period granted from the regularly scheduled start time before a game is forfeited
(If the team has less than 8 players). After the 15 minute grace period,
the game is deemed a forfeit. If a team starts a game with 9 players and that team’s player is ejected at any point during the game, the game is a forfeit.
3.j. Free defensive substitutions are permitted at any time during a game.
3.l. Final team rosters must have no less than 12 players, & no more than 25 players.
3.m. Last names must be used in the scorebook to allow for player identification for
follow-up inquires that relate to playoff and national tournament participation
requiring minimum playing requirements.
3.n. EACH team is responsible for the BOXSCORE each week regardless which team
won or lost the game. This must be done electronically through the official league site.
The league website will serve as the official playoff eligibility list. BOXSCORE MUST be provided
via league website no later than 12noon the following Saturday before the next game.
4. PLAYERS BEHAVIOR AND TEAM RESPONSIBILITY
4.a. There will be NO beer or alcoholic beverages permitted at the field before, during or
after the game. The field refers to the general playing area and ancillary areas.
4.b. The league has the right to suspend or expel any team member who abuses league
rules or who does not exhibit a sense of sportsmanship or who plays without regard
to the safety of the umpires or other players.
4.c. An umpire has the sole discretion to eject any player or manager from the game.
4.d. Fighting among players or aggressive physical contact with an umpire will not be
tolerated and players expelled from the game for either violation will be subject to
suspension or expulsion from the league.
4.e. Players shall not intentionally collide with any other players. In the case of a runner
intentionally colliding with a fielder, the runner will be called out and may, at the
umpire’s discretion, be expelled from the game. All base runners must either slide
or give up the right to a base (avoid a collision by stopping or leaving a base path)
if the defensive player (e.g. catcher) has possession of the ball, is in the act of
receiving the ball, or is about to immediately receive the ball and will be able to
make an apparent play on the base runner.
If a defensive player is not in possession of the ball, is not in the act of receiving the
ball, or is not about to immediately receive the ball so that he is able to record an out
(apparent play…at any base), he cannot block the base (e.g. home plate) or be in the
base path so as to impede (obstruct) the base runner’s right to that base. Under such
circumstances, the defensive player shall be responsible to avoid any collision. If an
collision does occur under these circumstances, the runner will always be considered
safe and the obstruction rule shall be enforced. The defensive player may be ejected
from the game (if the action is intentional, he must be ejected), and will be
suspended from league play if the obstruction is judged to be flagrant.
4.f. Failure to abide by age regulations-the managers must all recognize their
responsibility to the league and the perpetuity of it as to not cross the line where
winning is more important than playing.
5. COURTESY RUNNERS
Runners can be used for the pitcher & catcher with 2 outs. Runner is last batted out.
6. PITCHERS
6.a No pitcher while pitching may wear white or gray sleeves nor may a pitcher wear a
batting glove or wrist band while pitching.
6.b Intentional walks: New MLB Rule a runner can be sent down with no pitches thrown.
6.c If a pitcher hits 4 batters in any one game, the pitcher must be removed on the
fourth hit batsman. If a pitcher hits 3 batters in one inning, the pitcher MUST
also be removed from the game as well.
6.d There is no regulation as to how many innings a pitcher may pitch in a game or
week. Pitcher may Re-Enter the game 1 time per game.
7. FIELDERS
Infielders are NOT allowed to decoy a throw or catch. If a decoy throw or catch is
detected, all runners shall be allowed to advance one base beyond the base held after
all play stops. If the same fielder decoys twice in the same game, the fielder shall be
ejected from the game. Decoying is referred to as a false catch or throw done in an
attempt to get the player to slide unnecessarily, where no strategic value is gained.
7.a Two (2) forfeits by any team in a season will result in immediate expulsion from the league
with no money returned back to the team.
7.b All protests should be lodged to the league president within 24 hours
after the game for which the protest is made. All protests shall be decided by the
league president and the governing board of the Ches-Mont league. $50 fee.
7.c In order for a player to qualify and participate in his team’s/ league playoffs, each player
MUST participate in 50% of their games which is 8 games.
7.d Any pitcher who intentionally throws at a batter in the professional opinion of the
plate umpire, taking into the account the tone of the game and situation, will be
suspended from the league for the remainder of the season including the playoffs.
Note: the recommended grievance procedure including for this ruling includes both
GMs, the umpire and league president.
7.e Ejections: Any time a player is ejected from a game, the player will receive an
additional one (1) game suspension (Automatically). NO APPEAL can be made.
A second ejection during the season of the same player will constitute a
two (3) game suspension and a third ejection during the season of the same player will
constitute suspension from the league for the remainder of the league including
playoffs. Any player ejected from a game must leave the field of play and the bench/
dugout area before the game will continue. Failure to do so will automatically result
in a one (1) game suspension. Fighting with another player will result in an automatic
suspension for the remainder of the season including playoffs.All ejections will be reviewed
upon by the Umpire-In-Chief and if any further actions need to be taken, the UIC will
make that determination. Suspensions will carry over into playoffs and/or the following
season.
7.g Playoffs: The playoff format is voted upon every year by the leagues GM’s and
Ratified.
*Top 4 teams make playoffs. Round #1 Best of Three Semi-Final Series: 1 vs 4 & 2 vs 3.
Round #2 Best of Three Championship Series Two Remaining Seeds.
8. CODE OF CONDUCT
PROHIBITIONS
Managers and players shall conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner at all times. No manager or player shall commit the following:
1. Lay a hand upon, shove or strike, or threaten an official.
Players and managers guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended
from further participation in the game and shall remain suspended until his
conduct is reviewed by the league president and vice president. Players and managers guilty of such conduct shall be subject to suspension for the remainder of the season or expulsion for life.
2. Refuse to abide by an official’s decision.
Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game and shall remain suspended until his conduct is reviewed by the league president and vice president. Players guilty of such conduct shall be subject to probation or suspension for the remainder of the season (see rule 9.h)
3. Be guilty of objectionable demonstration of dissent at an official’s decision.
Players and managers guilty of such conduct shall be subject to suspension from further participation in the game.
4. Discuss with an official or officials the decision reached by such official or
officials, except for the manager or his designee who are authorized to participate in such decisions.
Players guilty of such conduct shall be subject to suspension from further participation in the game.
5. Use unnecessarily rough tactics in the play of the game against the body or
person of an opposing player.
Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game and shall be subject to probation or suspension for the remainder of the season.
6. Be guilty of physical attack as an aggressor upon any player, manager,
official, or spectator, before, during or after a game.
Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game and shall remain suspended until their conduct is reviewed by the league president and vice president. Players guilty of such conduct shall be subject to suspension for the remainder of the season or expulsion from the league for life.
7. Be guilty of verbal abusive attack on any player, manager, official or
spectator, before, during or after the game.
Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game and shall remain suspended until their conduct is reviewed by the league president and vice president. Players guilty of such conduct shall be subject to suspension for the remainder of the year.
8. Consume alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs during the game or be upon
the field of play at any time in an intoxicated condition.
Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game and shall be subject to probation or suspension for the remainder of the season.
9. Smoking on the field of play or in the dugout.
Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game.
PENALTIES
1. The league president, vice president and umpire in chief will render penalties and or
suspend any player or manager for such a period and upon such terms as it may propose, for the conduct which in its opinion is prejudicial to the welfare, interest, reputation, or charter of the league.
2. Except as otherwise provided, the league president, vice president and umpire in chief, shall determine the appropriate action required for violations of the codes of conduct, and shall report their decision to the player and manager.
3. Any player found in violation of any provision delineated in the codes of
conduct, after being placed on probation for the remainder of the season shall be suspended for the remainder of the season.
4. Any player found in violation of any provision delineated in the codes of
conduct, after being suspended from further participation in a game shall be suspended for the remainder of the season.
GRIEVANCES, PROTESTS AND APPEALS
1. Grievances may be filed by General Manager or the Manager of the said ballclub
provided that a grievance is formally submitted to the league president via email.
The Umpire-In-Chief shall adjudicate all such grievances and shall report any action to the general managers.
2. An appeal of any action or ruling may be filed with the league by the manager of a team provided that the appeal is formally submitted. However, all decisions made by the
Umpire-In-Chief will be final and not subject to appeal.
10. PLAYER ELIGIBILITY
1a. All position players MUST get an official PLATE APPEARANCE per ballgame to be credited with one (1) game played. Players who only make a defensive appearance or any player that does NOT get into the game at all, WILL not be credited with a game unless that said player makes an official PLATE APPEARANCE.
2.b All pitchers (pitcher only) MUST throw 1/3 of an inning to be credited with one (1) game played. However, all position players MUST gets an official PLATE APPEARANCE in 50% of their games.