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(Updated 2/28/2023)
1.00 Eligibility
1.01 Age minimums: To be eligible to play in a Northeast Ohio Roy Hobbs Baseball (NEORH) game, a player must be:
a) Greater Akron AA: All players must be 18 years old or older to participate.
b) Open: All players must be 25 years old or older within the calendar year.
c) Veterans: Players must be 35 within the calendar year to be eligible to play. Each team may have up to 6 players under 35 but at least age 25.
d) Masters: Players must be 45 within the calendar year to be eligible to play.
e) Legends: Players must be 53 within the calendar year to be eligible to play.
f) Classics: Players must be 60 within the calendar year to be eligible to play
g) All players must have signed a contract and insurance waiver, provided age identification per league rules, and paid required fees prior to competing.
1.02 In good standing: Players must be in good standing with the league to be eligible to compete each year or to transfer between teams regardless of age division. In good standing includes but is not limited to;
1.02a Having served suspensions for ejections
1.02b Having paid all outstanding debts to former teams including equipment and/or uniforms belonging to the teams
1.02c Having paid all outstanding debts to the league itself with regard to new-player or late-roster add fees or other issues as directed by the Board of Governors
1.02d Having not been sanctioned by the league for behavior or facility damage infractions (See 2.07).
1.03 Professional Experience: A player may not have participated in a professional baseball game within the previous calendar year. Teams are limited to three (3) former professionals who have been out of paid, professional baseball for less than five (5) years. Professional baseball refers to Major League Baseball, its minor league affiliates and any league where players are paid to perform. (Also see Rule 4.02.)
1.04 Multiple League Play: NEORH welcomes any and all players who meet the age requirements as defined in Section 1.01. Players may participate in more than one NEORH age division.
1.05 Penalties: A player found in violation of NEORH eligibility regulations is subject to expulsion from NEORH for five (5) years. Any manager found to have used an ineligible player also is subject to expulsion from NEORH for five (5) years. All games in which the ineligible player participated will be forfeited. An expelled player or manager has the right of appeal to the Governing Board or may petition the league President for reinstatement after one (1) year.
1.06 League Playoff Eligibility: To participate in NEORH league playoffs, a player must:
a) Be on a roster (meeting all roster / league eligibility requirements) as of July 1; and
b) Have appeared in six (6) regular-season games.
c) A player, who fails to meet the 6-game requirement due to injury, may petition the Disciplinary / Protest Committee for a waiver. The appeal must be in writing and include date of injury and documentation of treatment, etc. The appeal must be submitted at least one week (7 days) before playoffs are to begin.
d) Teams qualifying for the playoffs are required to provide to the league a certified eligibility list one week (7 days) prior to the start of the playoffs. List must include players name, uniform number and the number of games played.
e) Use of ineligible players will lead to forfeiture of playoff games in which the ineligible player participated. Proof of participation must be noted in the players teams scorebook.
1.07 Governance: NEORH is governed by a the Board of Trustees, which establishes playing guidelines, fees and convenes appeals/protest hearings.
2.00 Sportsmanship
2.01 Good Sportsmanship and adult attitudes must prevail no matter what the level of competition. Umpires will eject players (or use bench restriction penalty 2.03 as appropriate) before, during or after games for any of the following behaviors, which the league considers to be unsportsmanlike behavior:
a) Consumption of alcoholic beverages during a game. (While the league cannot make judgments on sobriety, managers are requested to prohibit players who arrive at games and appear intoxicated or smell of alcohol from playing. Umpires will eject players who smell of alcohol.) (See Rule 2.05 regarding alcohol.)
b) Threats of physical intimidation of umpires, players or spectators, including any threatening physical contact. (In case of no ejection or where umpires are unaware of such an incident, managers need to report incident to a member of the Governing Board for further action.)
c) Verbal abuse of umpires, players or spectators, such as profanity, name-calling, belittlement or excessive harassment. (Ball & Strike calls and judgment decisions are not debatable.)
d) Excessive profanity, defined as profanity that, in the umpires judgment, is audible in the stands, dugouts and area surrounding the field of play. This is regardless of intent.
e) Throwing of equipment (bats, helmets, gloves, etc).
f) Fighting (see 2.04).
2.02 Ejection: An ejection will carry a 2-game suspension.
a) Field conduct: Ejected players are required to gather their belongings and vacate the dugout within a reasonable amount of time. Players may stay on the field site but may have no further contact whatsoever with umpires and game participants. Further contact by the ejected player will make that player subject to additional sanctions, including, but not limited to, removal from the field site.
b) Appeals: Suspensions may be appealed to the Board of Trustees. Verbal appeals must be presented within 24 hours of the ejection; written appeals must be received by a Trustee within 48 hours. Appeal forms are on the NEORH website. (If a player is ejected in the first game of a double-header, player or manager may contact a Trustee by phone to appeal suspension and be eligible to play second game. Make sure umpire is available to get approval from the Trustee.)
c) Carry over: Sanctions will carry over from season to season.
d) Two ejections: Any player ejected twice within 12 consecutive months will be suspended from NEORH for the season plus two calendar years.
e) Three ejections: Any player ejected 3 times within 5 years will be suspended from NEORH for the current season plus two calendar years.
f) Reporting: Umpires and managers are required to report ejections and file a game report to the League office by phone or email within 24 hours of the completion of the game.
2.03 Bench restriction: For specific sportsmanship violations, umpires may use a bench restriction penalty instead of an ejection for a player. The bench restriction penalty lasts 1 inning (as defined below) at which time the player may return to game action.
a) Behavior covered: The bench restriction may be instituted only for throwing of equipment (2.01e) and excessive profanity (2.01d).
b) Offensive penalty: Penalty for a player restricted to the bench during his teams turn at bat: Player is restricted to the bench through the remainder of his teams current at-bat and the opponents next at-bat. His team will receive only 2 outs in its next inning at-bat. Benched player may be subbed for defensively.
c) Defensive penalty: Penalty for a player restricted to the bench during his teams turn on defense: Player is restricted to the bench through the remainder of his teams current inning on defense and through his teams at bat. During the restriction defensively, his team will play with 8 players defensively. Should the benched player come to bat during the next inning, he may not bat, but the team may share the batting position with another player if a player is available. If not, the batting position becomes an out the first time the position appears at the plate that inning.
d) Additional Penalty: There are no subsequent penalties on the player for one bench restriction. However, umpires may eject the player if player refuses to abide by the Bench Restriction, at which time all ejection penalties and appeal processes are in effect.
e) Multiple ʻbenchings’: Bench penalties, if additional issued to the same team during the time that a bench penalty is being served, will be served consecutively, not concurrently.
f) Reporting: Umpires and managers are required to report Bench Restriction assessments to a Trustee by phone or email within 24 hours of the completion of the game. (Multiple bench restrictions for an individual will place the player in jeopardy of further sanctions through a Board of Trustees hearing.)
2.04 Fighting: Players involved in fights (regardless of who may have been the instigator) will be suspended for the remainder of the season and must petition the Governing Board for reinstatement the following season. Sanctioned players may appeal their suspension to the Governing Board, and, if denied, may petition for reinstatement before the following season.
2.05 Alcohol: Alcoholic beverages are prohibited at the playing sites – before, during and after all league activities. Playing sites are defined as the playing site itself plus the property owned by the same entity surrounding the playing site. This includes parking lots. Player(s)/teams found in violation of open-container ordinances at playing sites are subject to game forfeiture by the umpires and subject to discipline up to and including permanent league suspension as decided by NEORH Governing Board.
2.06 Tobacco: Smoking is prohibited on the field of play or in the dugouts and their immediate area, before, during or after games. Players who wish to smoke must go to the stands or the parking lot—however, players are subject to the field owners rules (for example, tobacco products are prohibited on the grounds at CVCA and Malone College, and most high schools prohibit use of tobacco products except in designated areas). Player(s) found in violation of tobacco regulations at playing sites will be ejected and subject to subsequent penalties.
2.07 Property responsibility: Player(s) responsible for damage or vandalism to facilities and/or property used by the league will be suspended from play, pending an automatic review of his actions by the Board of Trustees, and be assessed the cost of the damages. Players will not be allowed to return to play until damage assessments are paid and league sanctions met.
2.08 Right of Appeal: A player may appeal an ejection suspension to the Board of Trustees but must do so within 24 hours verbally (to a Trustee) and within 48 hours in writing (on NEORH forms). Players may also appeal any suspension to the Board but must do so in writing within 5 working days from the time of notification of the suspension.
2.09 Appeal Process: Appeals will be heard by the Board of Trustees, which will review the incident to determine whether the 2-game suspension should be upheld, modified, or waived (the Board does have the option of increasing sanctions). Player may participate pending appeal. Any automatic suspension, not the result of direct Governing Board action may be appealed to the Governing Board once within 14 days of the onset of the suspension; however, players suspended for actions other than an ejection are not eligible to compete pending their appeal. In the case of suspension appeals, The Board will have the following options:
a) Rescind the suspension
b) Increase the suspension
c) Decrease the suspension
Note I: In the case of a 2nd or 3rd ejection suspension appeal, player has 14 days in which to file an appeal, however, player may not participate pending a hearing.
Note II: In all cases an umpires report will be solicited from the Umpires Association whose members handled a game out of which a protest, ejection or appeal arises. However, an umpires report will not be necessary for the implementation of the 2-game suspension for an ejection (2.02).
3.00 Registration / Fees / Waivers
3.01 Registration: Before competing in an NEORH event, a player must:
a) Complete the online player registration form and digitally sign it by checking the box that you agree to the terms and conditions.
b) Submit a photocopy or picture of his driver’s license or birth certificate to the league. (Players checking in person only have to show their photo I.D. for verification. NO FAX COPIES)
3.02 Fees: Registration fees are set each February; however, they are subject to change until but no later than April 1 if operations costs increase.
a) Every team is required to pay a $500 team deposit. The fee is due approximately 6 weeks prior to the start of the season, the specific date to be set by the Trustees and will reserve a place in the league for the team.
b) Every team is required to pay a $200 forfeit fee, which will be returned (or rolled over to the following year at the team’s option) provided that the team does not forfeit any games during the season or playoffs.
3.03 Fee Payment: Managers are responsible for their teams fees and how they are collected.
3.03b). The Trustees will set the deadlines for the payment of fees, league registration, and insurance. Teams will not be scheduled to play if fees are not paid.
3.04 New Players: Players entering NEORH for the first time or after a 3-year absence will pay a new member fee to the league. The fee is due in the first half of the season. The new player assessment is capped at $100 per team per year.
3.05 Late Additions: Any player joining a NEORH team after the season begins will pay the annual player fee and a new player fee if he is a new player to the league, and complete the online registration before competing, regardless of the time of season he joins the NEORH team.
3.06 Violations: Players in violation will be suspended until compliance is satisfied; all games in which the player appeared will be declared forfeited.
3.07 Insurance: NEORH carries a $2,000,000 liability policy / $5,000 secondary medical policy through Roy Hobbs Baseball.
4.00 Rosters
4.01 Size: Minimum: 14-20 players; Maximum: 25 players (with a $10 fee for each player over 20).
4.02 Ex-Professionals: No more than 50% of any team roster (must meet eligibility requirements, see Rule 1.02).
5.00 Player Transfers
5.01 Any player who wants to transfer from one existing team to another must submit a written request on a NEORH Player Release Form for that transfer before deadline date posted in the annual NEORH Calendar (available on website or from a Trustee.)
5.02 The request must include documentation of notification by vacated team manager. Managers can block release requests at any time, but they must be able to provide the board with documented proof of the reason for the block.
5.03 A player may challenge a block, by appealing to the Board of Trustees. After contacting both the manager and the player, the Board will decide if a hearing is warranted, and act accordingly.
5.04 Appeal must be submitted to a Trustee in a timely manner. Appeals after 2 weeks prior to the opening of the season will only be accepted under specific circumstances.
5.05 Generally, the Board of Trustees may block a player’s release under these circumstances:
a) Tampering: Proof a player was recruited or induced financially, etc., to change teams.
b) The transfer runs counter to NEORH long-time philosophy that better teams should not “load-up” at the expense of lesser teams.
c) The transferring player has not met equipment or uniform obligations to the team he is leaving. Teams are required to notify the Governing Board in writing prior to January 1 if there are any such issues involving any players.
d) Note: The collection of annual player fees is the sole responsibility of the team. Should the team/manager not collect playing fees from a player before the end of the season, NEORH considers that player paid in full inasmuch as the team has allowed the player to remain on the roster and/or play without paying. Such action on the part of the team/manager cannot be used to prevent a player from transferring in subsequent seasons.
5.06 Players are free to transfer from existing teams to new teams as long as the release form is filled out completely and turned into NEORH and the terms of section 1.02 and section 5 have been met to the satisfaction of the NEORH Governing Board. New teams are required to provide a list of those players no later than March 15 or a date set by the Governing Board.
5.07 Players transferring are responsible for the completion of the Release form and turning it in to the NEORH office.
6.00 Pre-Game & Starting Rules
6.01 Where possible, home team has the field until 15 minutes before the game. Visiting team has the field 15 minutes prior to the game. Be gentlemanly and help each other out.
6.02 When multiple games are scheduled at the same site on the same day, there will be a minimum of 15 minutes between games (unless games are running behind and both managers agree to start early). There will be a 15- minute break between games of a double-header involving the same teams.
6.03 A team must have at least 8 (eight) of its players to start an official game. The deficient team has a 10-minute grace period to get enough players before the game is declared a forfeit. A team may start a game with 8 players; however, the ninth slot in the mandatory 9-man batting order will be declared an out until such time as it is filled. e
6.04 If a game is declared a forfeit, the deficient team may pick up players from the opposing team or other teams at the site; umpires are NOT committed to calling a game under these conditions.
6.05 Team at bat is responsible for retrieving foul balls.
6.06 Managers are required to submit the official line-up, including last name, first initial, and jersey number of all players expected to participate in the game, to the home plate umpire and opposing manager. Players arriving after the start of the game then may be inserted into the game, but that player must be listed on the lineup card to be eligible to play. (Penalty: Follow existing baseball rules for batting out of turn.)
6.07 Both teams are required to keep scorebooks and to communicate changes in the offensive line-up, pitching and catching to the opponents scorekeeper. Penalty for 6.07
a) First occurrence Warning and appearance before the Board of Trustees.
b) Second occurrence: Forfeiture of the game.
7.00 Games: Complete & Length
7.01 Length: Games are nine (9) innings, unless otherwise determined within a division; Greater Akron AA division plays seven (7) innings. Exceptions to the 9-inning format:
a) In a circumstance where a team is playing a double-header (back-to-back games), both games will be seven (7) innings, unless otherwise noted.
b) Games starting 5:30 p.m. or later on fields where there are no lights will be seven (7) innings.
c) Weeknight (Sunday through Thursday) games scheduled to start at 8 p.m. or later will be seven (7) innings.
7.02 Time Limit / 9-inning scheduled: No new inning may start after 2:45 of playing time, subject to local curfew. If the time limit is reached during an inning, that inning will be completed and the game will end.
a) EXCEPTION: If the game has not reached its scheduled length (9 or 7 innings) and score differential is 3 runs or fewer at the end of the inning where time limit is reached, 1 more inning will be played before the time limit is enforced.
b) On games where the score is tied but the game has not reached its scheduled length, 1 more inning will be played. If still tied, see 7.07 Tie Score resolution below.
c) DEFINITION: A new inning begins at the time the third out of the previous inning is recorded; therefore, time limit must be reached before the final out of an inning is recorded.
7.03 Time Limits / 7-inning scheduled: No new inning may start after 2:15 of playing time, subject to local curfew. If the time limit is reached during an inning, that inning will be completed and the game will end.
a) EXCEPTION: If the game has not reached its scheduled length (9 or 7 innings) and score differential is 3 runs or fewer at the end of the inning where time limit is reached, 1 more inning will be played before the time limit is enforced.
b) On games where the score is tied but the game has not reached its scheduled length, 1 more inning will be played. If still tied after than 1 inning, see 7.07 Tie Score resolution below.
c) DEFINITION: A new inning begins at the time the third out of the previous inning is recorded; therefore, time limit must be reached before the final out of an inning is recorded or simultaneously.
7.04 Rainouts: Can occur only prior to the start of a game. Prior to the start of a game – field owner, commissioner or home team manager (in that order) determines status of field. Once game is under way, rain decision is in the hands of the umpire.
7.05 Complete games: Five (5) innings (41⁄2 if the home team is ahead) – for both 9- and 7-inning games.
7.06 Suspended games: If a game has played more than 2 full innings but is not a legally complete game when stopped by weather, darkness or power failure, it will be a suspended game. It will be resumed at the point it stopped at a date set by the Commissioner. A game of fewer than 2 complete innings will be started over and be subject to rainout rescheduling guidelines.
7.07 Tie score resolution at end of scheduled innings: If the score is tied when the time-limit rule is enforced in a game that has reached its scheduled length (9 or 7 innings), the game will be completed in the Roy Hobbs Shootout format. (Shootout Rules do not apply to Greater Akron AA Division.)
a) Play 1 inning at a time, with the last batted out from the previous inning starting the new inning as a runner at second base.
b) Each hitter starts with a 2-2 count. If the pitch is a strike (called or swung and missed) the batter is out; if the ball is hit foul, there will be another pitch; if 2 pitches are balls, the batter walks. Or the batter hits the ball fair and advances at his risk.
c) Each team gets 3 outs. If the score remains tied after each team has batted, repeat the process with full innings until one team has scored more runs to win.
d) For games having reached time limit but not scheduled length of play, see 7.02b and 703b.
7.08 Time between innings: Teams should expect that the first pitch of each inning will come within 2 minutes of the final out of the previous half inning. Umpires are instructed that at 1:45 after the third out of the previous inning to end infield and warmup pitches, calling for the throw to second and a batter to the plate. (Umpires will be authorized to call strikes if no batter is ready or balls if the pitcher is not ready, similar to current NCAA rules. Notification of penalties will come from league headquarters to manager as well as umpires.)
7.09 Mercy rule: 10 runs after 7 innings in a 9-inning game; 10 runs after 5 innings in a 7-inning game.
8.00 Forfeits
8.01 Teams will forfeit under the following conditions:
a) Fewer than 8 players are available at the start of game after 10-minute grace period.
b) Fewer than 8 players are available after the start of (or during) the game because players being lost due to ejection or injury. This is the case regardless of the inning the game is in.
c) Use of an ineligible player.
d) Failure of an ejected player to leave the park.
e) Lack of uniforms (all players on the field must be in uniform – this includes base coaches and managers). (See 10.02.)
f) Failure to follow scorebook rules (6.07).
8.02 If a game has been declared a forfeit and both managers agree to share players, the teams may still play a game; however, umpires are not obligated to work the game.
8.03 Every team is required to pay a $200 forfeit fee, which will be returned provided that the team does not forfeit any games during the season or playoffs.
a) Teams forfeiting a game at the field, regardless of reason, loses its forfeit fee and must post a new forfeit deposit within 2 weeks, or will forfeit another game.
b) Teams forfeiting two games, for any reason, must apply to the Board of Trustees for reinstatement with 48 hours of second forfeiture. Reinstatement will include additional forfeit fees to NEORH and sanctions from the Governing Board. Teams not filing for reinstatement are finished for the season, with no player refunds available.
c) Forfeited forfeit fees will be used to pay field, lights and umpire bills arising from forfeited game.
d) Teams receiving a forfeit will be given a $75 credit toward the following season’s fees.
9.00 Protests / Suspension appeals
9.01 Protests: Allowed only on rules interpretations or violations. Protests on a judgment call by an umpire will not be accepted. Retroactive protests will not be accepted.
9.02 Process: Protests must be made at the point at which a rule has been broken or miss-applied. To protest a game, a manager must:
a) Stop the game before the next pitch is thrown.
b) Notify the umpire and the opposing manager that the game is being played under protest and why.
c) Write in the HOME team’s scorebook the situation and on what grounds the game is being protested. The manager must sign it.
d) The umpire must sign the HOME team’s scorebook, noting the situation of the game (including the count on the hitter) when the protest was lodged.
e) Write a check for $50 to NEO Roy Hobbs Baseball and give it to the home plate umpire. (If the protest is upheld, the $50 will be returned to the manager; if not, the $50 goes to a league charity.)
f) File a Protest Form within 24 hours of the game. (Postmark date is acceptable proof of timeliness.)
9.03 Disciplinary / Protest Committee: The Committee will rule on all game protests that occur during the course of the NEO Roy Hobbs Baseball season including playoffs. Additionally, the Committee will rule on all matters that arise from player ejections and other disciplinary matters as directed by the league office. Members of the Committee include but are not limited to members of NEORHBB and any other person(s) deemed appropriate by the Board of Trustees, i.e., umpires required for rules interpretation, etc. The presence of a minimum of six (6) members shall be required for a Disciplinary / Protest meeting and any ruling to be valid.
9.04 To NEORH: The protest is submitted to the Board of Trustees.
9.05 Protest / Suspension hearing: The Board of Trustees will hear all protests and appeals. The procedures for both are identical,
9.06 Proceedings: Each manager, per his request, will have 3 minutes to explain his position on the protest. If the protest is in regard to an umpires decision, the umpire or his representative will be given 3 minutes to explain his decision if the umpires presence is needed (in all protests, a written report will be requested from the umpires on the situation). In the case of an appeal of suspension due to an ejection, a written report from the umpire(s) will be requested and his/her presence is not needed. The Board of Trustees will meet in closed session to render a decision on whether to uphold or deny the protest.
9.07 Rulings: The decision of the Board of Trustees is effective immediately.
10.00 Equipment
10.01 Uniform Quality: All teams must have uniforms of a baseball quality not unlike those worn by professional teams and be in accordance with the rules of baseball.
a) No cotton or blend T-shirts allowed (2- or 3-button jerseys must be a Henley style, a polyester blend or a pro mesh); polyester, etc., V-neck jerseys meet specifications. Wicking T-Shirts are approved.
b) All players on team must be dressed alike, at least with jerseys and hats. Teams are encouraged to wear same style/color pants and accessories, such as belts and socks.
c) Uniform jerseys must be logo-ed on the front and have at least a 6-inch number on the back.
d) Team logos, if not adapted from Major League or Minor League teams, must be in good taste and must be approved by league officials.
e) Non-uniformed players will not be allowed to play or appear on the field as coaches.
f) All teams must have their uniforms by their first game. If a team doesn’t have uniforms, the game will be played, but the non-uniformed team will forfeit. (Teams whose uniforms have not arrived but can prove purchase may apply to the Board of Trustees for a waiver of this rule before any game is played.)
10.03 Equipment: All teams are required to have the following equipment: Six helmets with at least one ear-flap and full catching gear, all in good condition.
10.04 Helmets: All batters (earflap toward pitcher) and runners must wear helmets. Cracked or broken helmets must be replaced.
10.05 Bats: Wood bats only in all divisions (Includes: wood, composite or laminated). If a bat is challenged, refer to the Roy Hobbs official bat policy.
10.06 Cleats: Metal cleats are allowed.
10.07 Baseballs: NEORH supplies baseballs to each team. The home team and the visiting team will each supply 3 baseballs – 2 new and 1 good used – for each game.
10.08 Catchers Equipment: Catchers required to wear a skull-cap, a protective cup & throat guard (can be part of mask).
11.00 Playoff Tiebreakers
11.01 For post-season playoff seeding, the following tiebreakers will be used:
a) Head-to-Head (all teams tied must have the same number of head-to-head games and must have played each other)
b) Fewest runs allowed, head-to-head
c) Fewest runs allowed in games won
d) Fewest runs allowed in all games
e) 3-inning game in the Roy Hobbs Shootout format.
NEORH Special Playing Rules
The Official Rules of Baseball, with American League designated-hitter specifications, serves as the official guide for governing play for any Northeast Ohio Roy Hobbs game. The exceptions are included in these rules alterations for Northeast Ohio Roy Hobbs Baseball (25+, 35+, 45+, 53+, 60+ and 65+ divisions).
12.00 Safety Rules
12.01 To prevent injuries, all runners should avoid collisions with fielders.
12.02 MALICIOUS CONTACT: Any player – offensive or defensive – who initiates intentional and/or malicious contact with an opponent shall be called out, if applicable, and is subject to ejection from the game.
12.03 ILLEGAL SLIDES: Will result in the sliding player being called out and being subject to being ejected from the game.
a) A legal slide is directly to the base (defined as player being within an arm’s length of the bag) on a straight line from the previous base. A slide may go past the base as long as it is NOT in the direction of (or makes contact with) the defensive player handling the baseball; any runner who deliberately slides into a defensive player away from a base will be ejected. In general, the players should slide at all bases where there is an apparent play.
b) An illegal slide is described as:
I. barrel-rolling
II. body blocking
III. sliding with such momentum that it takes the sliding player into a fielder beyond the base.
IV. sliding out of the baseline.
V. sliding with spikes above the fielder’s knee
c) Offensive players may not hurdle a defensive player attempting to make a play or to avoid a tag.
12.04 BLOCKING ACCESS TO BASES:
a) A defensive player may NOT deny an offensive player access to a base (or plate) without possession of the ball. Obstruction is the ruling: The runner is safe and a delayed dead ball shall be called.
Note: With regard to plays at the plate, this rule is in accordance with 2014 ORB rule addendum 7.13.
I. Catchers may NOT block home plate without possession of the ball. (Straddling home plate is considered ‘blocking’ the plate in NEORH.)
II. If an umpire rules obstruction for blocking a base WITHOUT the ball, the defensive player will be warned; a second warning will result in ejection. All obstruction guidelines apply.
III. If, in the case of a defensive player denying access to a base without the ball, and the runner collides maliciously, the runner shall be declared safe on the obstruction, but will be ejected from the game. The ball is dead.
b) When there is a collision between a runner and a fielder who clearly has POSSESSION of the ball, the umpire shall judge:
I. Whether the collision by the runner was avoidable (could the runner have reached the base without colliding) or unavoidable (the runner’s path to the base was blocked) or
II. Whether the runner actually was attempting to reach the base or attempting to dislodge the ball from the fielder.
III. PENALTY: If the runner, a) could have avoided the collision and reach the base, or b) attempted to dislodge the ball, the runner shall be declared out even if the fielder loses possession of the ball. The ball is dead and all other base runners shall return to the last base touched at the time of the interference.
IV. If a collision initiated by a runner is determined to be malicious in the judgment of the umpire, the runner shall be declared out and also ejected from the game. The ball shall be declared dead.
V. NEORH Note: 2014 ORB addendum 7.13 is clear on three items: First, catchers must have possession of the baseball before blocking the plate; Second, runners may not alter their path to the plate to create a collision in an attempt to knock the ball loose; and 3 sliding collisions at the plate require the runner’s buttocks (feet-first slide) or chest (head-first slide) to make contact with the ground before contact is made with the catcher. ALL 3 Items are part of NEORH rules.
12.05 Any fielder who forces a runner to slide by faking a tag is subject to ejection. The runner advances one base.
12.06 Same ejection, suspension and expulsion rules (and appeals) apply as described in Section 2.00 of NEORH Regulations.
13.00 Batters Box Rule
13.01 Batters must keep one foot in the box at all times while at bat. The following exceptions:
a) When batter is driven out by a pitch or has swung at a pitch.
b) Defense calls time out or pitcher is off the mound.
c) Defense attempts a play or a wild pitch / passed ball occurs.
d) Catcher leaves his position
e) Offense (or batter) calls time out.
f) Batter fakes a bunt or assumes possible ball 4 (this does not mean go all the way to first base).
13.02 When the batter is out of the box, he may not leave the dirt area around home plate except in the case of a substitution, a conference or an equipment problem.
13.03 This rule is to keep the game flowing. When a player is in violation, the umpire will ask the offending batter to return to the batter’s box – one warning per offending player. If the offending player does not return to the batter’s box (or if the violation is repeated), a strike will be called without a pitch being thrown.
14.00 Line-Ups
Philosophy: NEORH encourages participation of all players. One method to ensure participation would be to include all players in the batting order at the start of the game. Another method would be to place a player in the starting defensive line-up if he is not in the initial batting order. Offensive and defensive teams are considered separate – a defensive player not in the offensive line-up may be added to the batting order or inserted in a shared batting position at any time. Each player at each game should have an opportunity to play some defense as well as bat at least once.
14.01 Defensive: There are unlimited defensive substitutions for players who are physically capable and willing to play.
14.02 Offensive: All players who are capable and willing to bat must bat at least once every game.
14.03 The starting offensive line-up must have at least 9 batters (all can be DH’s if it’s the manager’s choice). The maximum number of batters is limited only by a team’s roster.
a) The batting order may be expanded at any time.
b) The batting order may not be decreased. (See 15.05 for penalties and exceptions.)
c) If a game begins with 8 players, however, the ninth slot in the mandatory 9-man batting order will be declared an out until such time as it is filled. Exception to the out: A team’s final at-bat may not end on an automatic out via the missing hitter.
14.04 Managers are required to submit the official line-up, including last name, first initial, and jersey number of all players expected to participate in the game, to the home plate umpire and opposing manager. Players arriving after the start of the game then may be inserted into the game, but that player must be listed on the lineup card to be eligible to play. (Penalty: Follow existing baseball rules for batting out of turn.)
15.00 Substitution
15.01 Defense: Free substitution at all times. (Exception: See 15.02.)
15.02 Pitchers: Pitchers may re-enter as pitchers as long as they remain in the game defensively. A re-entered pitcher is limited to 4 warm-up pitches.
15.03 Offense: Those players not in the initial offensive line-up can be inserted in the batting order by adding them to the end of the line-up or by placing them in a shared lineup position. Anytime a player is added or inserted to share a battling slot, the manager must notify the umpires and the opposing manager.
15.04 Offensive sharing: Two or more players may share a position in the offensive lineup; the sharing may be initiated by the manager at any time.
a) Neither player may appear anywhere else in the offensive lineup.
b) If one of the players is incapacitated (cannot play) for any reason, the remaining player(s) in the shared position continue as before.
15.05 If a player in the offensive line-up has to leave the game due to injury, other commitment or ejection, he must be replaced in the line-up by another player.
a) If there is no reserve player available, the position is declared vacant and it will be an automatic out whenever the position comes to bat for the remainder of the game (including a resumed suspended game if there still is no replacement – the original player may not re-enter if he had been ejected). If an ejected player is at bat when ejected, his replacement will assume the ball-strike count. If there is no replacement, it is an automatic out.
b) Exception 1: Injured player leaving the game completely, no out recorded. If player continues defensively and no substitute is available offensively, an out will be declared
c) Exception 2: If a team bats everyone available, the batting position of players forced to leave for injury or other commitment will be bypassed (players leaving the batting order due to injury may not continue to play defense); an automatic out will only be enforced in case of an ejection.
d) Automatic out exception: From 6.03 -- A team’s final at-bat may not end on an automatic out via the missing hitter.
16.00 Courtesy runners
16.01 Courtesy runners may be used for the catcher with 2 outs, but it is not mandatory. Courtesy runner must be the player who was the last batted out.
17.00 Pitchers
17.01 While pitching, a pitcher may not wear white or gray undershirt sleeves or wear batting gloves on either hand or wristbands on his pitching arm. Pitcher’s glove must conform to baseball standards and cannot be in color combinations that include grays or white.
17.02 If a pitcher hits 4 batters in a game, he must be removed.
17.03 Intentional walks: Pitcher or team manager may notify umpire that they want to walk the hitter intentionally and umpire will award first base to the hitter, with no pitches being thrown.
17.04 In accordance with ORB 8.05b, faking a pickoff throw to third base from the rubber is a balk.
18.00 65+ Vintage Division exceptions
18.01 Vintage Division - the following exceptions will apply:
a) Bunting is allowed except suicide squeeze; safety squeeze permitted. Penalty on suicide squeeze: Strike on Batter, ball is dead.
b) There is no stealing of home; all other stealing is permitted. Penalty for illegal steal attempt of home: It is a delayed Dead Ball at the time of the attempted steal; all runners would return to their last legally obtained base if the ball is not put in play. A pitch not put in play will be a strike. (Note: On a delayed dead ball where the ball is put in play via a batted ball, the defense may choose to return the runners or take the result of the play.)
c) Advance on passed balls/wild pitches: Base runners may advance at their own risk, including scoring, on a passed ball/wild pitch. Runners are limited to a one base advance, including if they were stealing on the pitch. However, if the defense makes a play at any base the ball is live and all baseball rules apply. Penalty for attempting to take another base: First time, ball is dead, runner returns to last legal obtained base, warning issued; subsequent infractions, runner is out. (Note: A bluff throw from the catcher or pitcher is NOT considered initiating a play.)
