Wayne County Junior Babe Ruth League (2021)
Local Rules Summary:  UPDATED 5-8-21
(NOTE:  In all other situations, the Wayne County Jr. Babe Ruth League follows MLB Rulebook.)

Baseballs:  Must be the Official Babe Ruth League Baseballs.  Rawlings.  #RBR01.

Bats:  Non-Wood bat requirements:

(A)   Must be stamped with either "USABat" or "BBCOR .50".

(B)   Barrel may not be larger than 2 5/8^th inches.

(C)   Recommended that it be a Drop -3 (since this is required for MS and HS baseball), but may also be a
Drop -4 or a Drop -5.  NOTE:  "Drop" refers to the difference between the length of the bat (inches) and the weight of the bat (ounces).  The higher the drop, the lighter the bat.

Bats:  Wood bats allowed.

Bunts:  Slash-bunt NOT allowed.  This is an automatic "out".  (Where the hitter sets to bunt but then changes positioning and takes a swing at the ball.) 

Courtesy Runner:  There are NO Courtesy Runners.

Designated Hitter (DH):  There is NO DH. 

Extra Hitter (EH):  We are allowed to have an EH and bat-10 in the lineup.  (9 in the field, defensively.)  If you start without an EH:  you cannot then add one later in the game.  If you start with an EH:  if he is injured or removed from the game and you do not have a SUB to fill his spot, it is an automatic “out” each time his spot comes up in the batting order.

Jewelry:  Players shall NOT wear jewelry.  (Any earrings or piercings; wrist-bands; necklaces; etc.)  NOTE:  Medical and Religious Medals are not considered jewelry, but they must be taped to the body and not showing outside the uniform.

Line-Ups, Rosters & Roster Changes:

(A)  No more than FIVE 15-year olds in the lineup at any time.

(B)  New players may be added to a WCJBRL team’s roster at any time from the beginning of the season up to July 1.

(C)  To be eligible to participate in our WCJBRL Play-offs (at the end of the Regular Season), a rostered player must have been present for 60% of games played by his team.

(D)  Adding a player to a team’s roster must be done by contacting our League president, who will then input the new player onto that team’s roster.  All player information must be provided.  Text and/or Email are the acceptable methods of adding a New Player.  (“Player information”:  that which was required on the Original Excel Roster).

(E)   Players must be listed on the WCJBRL website prior to game time.

Mound Visits (Manager): 

(A)   1 per inning, per pitcher.  A 2nd visit in an inning requires Manager to remove player as pitcher (but he may remain in the game at other positions).

(B)   Any player who occupies the mound must pitch to at least 1 batter (whether he is gotten out or gets on base) before he may be removed.

Official Game & the Mercy Rule:  We play 7 inning games.  A game called before completing 7 innings is still a regulation game if 4.5/5 innings are completed.  The Mercy Rule (a 10-Run Differential) is also after 4.5/5 innings.

Pick-Off Move:  Pitchers are NOT allowed to fake a pick-off to 3rd, spin, & then throw to 1st.

Residency:  13 -15 year olds who wish to play baseball in the WCJBRL have two options:

(A)  If there IS an established team (or teams) in the town where they reside, they have to play on that team - or on one of those teams.

(B)  If there are NO established teams in the town where they reside, they may seek to play for any one of the teams in the League.

Sliding:

(A)   Slides NOT required during a play at any base or at home plate.

(B)   However, no malicious contact; no 'crashing' the defensive player.

(C)   The League expects runners to try to avoid contact.

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Pitching Rules:  The Wayne County Jr. Babe Ruth League notes that protecting youth pitchers’ arms is extremely important.  Therefore, we are mandating the following pitcher restrictions and pitcher rest requirements for both the regular season and play-offs.

1.      Games Suspended by Darkness:  In any game suspended by darkness, weather or other cause and resumed the following calendar day, the pitcher-of-record at the time the game was halted may continue to pitch to the extent of his eligibility, as per the chart above.

2.      Ineligible Pitcher: 

(A)  No pitcher shall appear in a game as a pitcher for three consecutive days, regardless of pitch counts.

(B)  The withdrawal of an ineligible pitcher after that pitcher is announced, or after a warm-up pitch is delivered, but before that player has pitched a ball to a batter, shall not be considered a violation.  Coaches are urged to take precautions to prevent protests.

3.      Intentional Walk Rule:  An Intentional Base-On-Balls may be given by the defensive team by having its catcher or coach request the umpire to award the batter First Base.  This may be done before pitching to the batter or on any ball-and-strike count.  The ball shall be declared “dead” before making the award.  Pitch count applies ONLY to pitches actually thrown by the pitcher.

4.      Official Pitch Count Record: 

(A)  The Home Team scorekeeper is the official of record.  The pitch-count statistician shall record all pitches, including strikes, balls, and foul-tips.  (A “No pitch” by the umpire does NOT get added.)

(B)  The pitch-count statistician must provide the current pitch-count for any pitcher when requested by either manager or any umpire.  However, the manager has the ultimate responsibility for knowing when his pitcher must be removed to meet the mandated pitch and rest requirements.

(C)  The official pitch-count statistician should inform the opposing coach when a pitcher has delivered his maximum limit of pitches for the game, as noted above.  A pitcher must be removed after he has met his maximum daily and/or weekly limit.

5.      Pitcher Removed:  A pitcher remaining in the game, but moving to a different position, can return as a pitcher anytime in the remainder of the game, but only once per game.  (NOTE:  This is to the extent of his eligibility, as per the chart above.)