Round Rock Baseball League

2020 End of Season Tournament Rules

Updated 07/23/20

GENERAL PROVISIONS:

• All RRBL Spring Season rules are in effect unless modified by these tournament rules.

• All Spring Season time limit rules (RRBL Rule 3.03) and run limit/mercy rules (RRBL Rule 3.04) apply with this exception:

• The 12U Division will have an 8-run limit per inning.

• Home team is responsible for keeping the official score book.

• BOTH teams are responsible for the pitch counts of BOTH teams (10U-14U Divisions).

TOURNAMENT PROVISIONS:

• The RRBL End of Season Tournament (EOST) is a single-elimination format for all divisions.

• The 10U-D1 and 10U-D2 Divisions were combined and will follow the 10U-D2 rules (RRBL Rule 7.04).

• The minimum number of players rule (RRBL Rule 2.03) has been modified for the EOST.  Details are explained below.

• Team seeding was determined by a random drawing for each division before the beginning of the spring season.

• Home team will be determined by a coin flip at the managers plate meeting before each game.

• Score Cards are to be signed by the manager of both teams at the conclusion of each game.

• Score Cards are FINAL once signed, or once teams leave the field of play.

• All games must have a winner.  If the score is tied after the maximum time or innings have been reached, the Texas Tie Breaker Rule will be used to determine the winner.

TEXAS TIE BREAKER RULE (RRBL Rule 3.02)

The Texas Tie Breaker rule, when required, will be used to determine a game winner.  Each new inning begins with the bases loaded and one out.  The last 3 official batters from the previous inning will occupy the bases:  last batter at first base, next to last batter at second base, third to last batter at third base.  Each team has an opportunity to bat.  The game ends when one team is ahead at the end of an inning.  No courtesy runners are allowed.

MINIMUM NUMBER OF PLAYERS RULE (RRBL Rule 2.03 – Modified for EOST)

The following rules regarding minimum players have been modified for the EOST and will apply to all games in the tournament.

With prior approval of the division commissioner, registered players from another team within the same division may fill-in for a single game in order to prevent a forfeit.  These “borrowed” players shall not play any infield position and must bat at the bottom of the lineup.  Teams utilizing “borrowed” players must have the following number of original members at game time:

1. 6U-8U Divisions must have a minimum of 7 original members at game time.  A maximum of 2 players may be “borrowed” from another team.  If utilizing players from another team, the roster shall not exceed 9 total players.  If a team has 8 original members at game time, a maximum of 1 player may be “borrowed” from another team.

2. 10U-18U Divisions must have a minimum of 6 original members at game time.  A maximum of 2 players may be “borrowed” from another team.  If utilizing players from another team, the roster shall not exceed 8 total players.  If a team has 7 original members at game time, a maximum of 1 player may be “borrowed” from another team.

• There will be no automatic outs as long as a team starts a game with the minimum number of original players for their division.

• If a player leaves the game due to injury, a team may continue a game with the minimum allowable number of players and an out will not be declared for his batting position in the lineup.

• PENALTY – If the players are not used as stated above then the game will be a forfeit.

Borrowed player quick reference table:

PITCHING RULES / LIMITATIONS (RRBL Rule 5.01)

Pitchers in the 10U-16U divisions shall adhere to the following pitching rules, limitations and rest periods.  A day of rest is defined as a full calendar day with zero pitches thrown.  For example, if a player throws 36-50 pitches on Monday needing 2 days of rest, he cannot pitch on Tuesday or Wednesday, but would be eligible to pitch again on Thursday.

Refer this table for specific daily pitching limits and required rest periods:

• Pitchers removed from the mound during a game may not reenter the game as a pitcher.

• If a pitcher throws 20 or fewer pitches in a game, he CAN pitch again that day or the next day.

• If a pitcher starts a new batter with a pitch count of 20 or higher, he is NOT available to pitch in another game for the remainder of the day or the next day.

• If a pitcher throws 41 or more pitches in a DAY, he can NOT move to the catcher position for the remainder of the DAY.

• A player can start at catcher, and then enter the game as a pitcher and may throw the allowable number of pitches.

• If a player is catcher for 4 or more innings in a DAY, he can NOT move to pitcher for the remainder of that DAY.

*Note – receiving 1 or more pitches in an inning as catcher is considered playing catcher for that inning.

A pitcher can finish pitching to a batter upon meeting the maximum number of pitches for any rest period slot.  But the manager MUST declare to the umpire and scorekeepers that the pitcher will finish that batter BEFORE the pitcher reaches the pitch limit.

• Example 1 – A pitcher reaches 49 pitches when throwing against a batter.  IF the manager declares the pitcher will finish this batter only, he may finish pitching to that same batter and will be scored at 50 pitches.  Once removed from the mound, he will be held to 2 days rest for the 36-50 slot.  If the manager does NOT make the declaration before the 50th pitch, or if the pitcher remains on the mound and begins pitching to a new batter, he would then be held to 3 days rest for the 51-65 slot.

• Example 2 – A pitcher is about to start pitching to a new batter with a pitch count of 19.  IF the manager declares this will be the pitcher’s last batter BEFORE the 20th pitch is thrown, he may finish pitching to that batter and will be scored at 20 pitches.  If he is removed from the mound at that time, he would be available to pitch in a game later that day or the next day.  But if the manager does NOT make the declaration before the 20th pitch, or if the pitcher remains on the mound and pitches to a new batter, he would be held to 1 day of rest for the 21-35 slot.

PITCHING VIOLATIONS – Violating any pitching limit or required rest period will result in a forfeit.

Disciplinary actions for exceeding daily pitch counts or insufficient rest periods will be as follows:

• First offence will result in a forfeit and suspension of the Manager for the game in which the violation occurs, and suspension for the next game on the schedule.

• Second offence will result in a forfeit of that game and a suspension of the Manager for the duration of the season.  The RRBL Board of Directors will determine if the Manager will be allowed to manage with RRBL again.

SPORTSMANSHIP & EJECTIONS (RRBL Rule 6.00)

All players, coaches, managers and spectators are expected to conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner at all times.

NO TOLERANCE – The no tolerance policy is in effect for all RRBL events.  League officials will not tolerate abusive language or unsportsmanlike behavior.  The use of profanity, loss of temper, abusive behavior or throwing of equipment will NOT be tolerated under any circumstances (before, during or after a game) and will be grounds for immediate ejection by an umpire or league official and possible suspension from the league.

EJECTIONS – Any player, coach, manager, or spectator ejected from a game must immediately leave the park facility (including the parking lots) and will serve a minimum 1 game suspension.  During the suspension the ejected person may not be at the ballpark facilities.

In addition, if a coach or manager is ejected from a game for any reason, that person will not be allowed back in the dugout or on the field for the remainder of the tournament.  If the ejection occurs in an elimination game (and the affected team is eliminated), then the ejected person will serve an additional 1 game suspension for the next scheduled regular season game and will not be allowed in the ballpark for that game. 

This additional suspension may be appealed to the RRBL Umpire In Charge (UIC) and President to be overturned allowing the coach back in the tournament.  Any appeal must be filed by the Division Commissioner or Vice President of Players, NOT BY THE COACH OR MANAGER.

PROTESTS (RRBL Rule 3.07) 

Umpires will work to settle all situations on the field.  Protests are only allowed for pitching violations and rule interpretations.  Protesting judgment calls will not be allowed.

Protests must be declared to the League UIC or Assistant UIC, before the next pitch following the dispute.  If a call to be protested is the last recorded out of a game, or on a game-ending play, the protest MUST be filed prior to the umpires and the protesting team leaving the field of play.  No protest will be allowed following the game.  The UIC will rule on all protests and his decision shall be final.

The Protest Fee is $100.00 cash.  The fee shall only be returned if the protest is upheld.