Rules & Regulations - Olathe Youth Baseball

Regulations - Tournament Team Division

ROSTER

There will be no roster limits, however no player may be listed on more than one Olathe Youth Baseball Roster. All players on a team in the OYBI Tournament Team Division must be on an approved OYBI roster on file at the OYBI office. A USSSA roster or any other sanctioning organization’s roster will not be an acceptable substitution.

AGE RESTRICTIONS

No player rostered may turn a year older than the age division they play in prior to May 1 of that year.

RESIDENCY

Olathe teams will have priority with regard to acceptance into the league. An Olathe team is defined as a team with no more than 3 players that are not considered Olathe residents. To be considered an Olathe resident you must meet at least one of the following criteria: Olathe mailing address, parent or guardian with Olathe mailing address, or attend an Olathe District School. Outside teams will be accepted when possible.

AGE DIVISIONS

The tournament division will be broken down into the following leagues: 16 and under, 14 and under, 12 and under. If enough teams allow, there will also be 15 and under, 13 and under, and 11 and under.

SCHEDULE

Teams will play a 14 game schedule with no weekend games scheduled (Friday - Sunday) for 13-16 yr olds, and a few weekend games for ages 11-12.

FEES

Fee charged for Tournament Teams will be determined annually and will be shown on the Team Roster Form. Any tournament team showing up for a scheduled game will receive a $50.00 no-game fee when the opponent (with the usual and proper notice) fails to appear. A Tournament team not showing up for game(s) will be charged $50.00 plus umpire costs for failure to show.

INSURANCE

Insurance is required and can be purchased under the blanket of Olathe Youth Baseball for $120 per team, or a team may show proof of other insurance that meets the league standard.

UNIFORMS AND EQUIPMENT

Uniforms and equipment will not be provided for by the league.

A. All players must be uniformed similarly, and each uniform must be exclusively numbered.
B. Similar caps must be worn by all players and coaches while on the field of play.
C. Metal spikes are allowed for ages 13 and older.
D. A full use batting helmet which covers the top, back, and sides of the head, to include both ears will be worn at all times by offensive players, non-adult coaches, and bat boy/girls while on the field of play.
E. A catcher must wear all protective gear: mask with added throat guard or mask with the extended throat guard, chest protector, shin guards, protective cup, catcher’s helmet. For age divisions 12 and under, the catchers helmet must cover both ears. Any non-adult who is warming up a pitcher in a squatted position shall wear at least a face mask.
F. Each team will provide at least one new baseball per game. Refer to Regulation XI (Rule 1.09) The Ball. The official or approved ball for the league will be that ball provided by OYBI. Tournament teams will be provided baseballs by OYBI. Therefore, Tournament Teams may purchase additional baseballs from OYBI at cost. Game officials may request additional baseballs as needed. NOTE: Teams found to be using baseballs of lesser quality may be directed by league officials to provide baseballs of a quality referred to in first sentence.

Special Playing Rules - Tournament Team Division

MANDATORY PLAYING TIME

There will be no mandatory minimum playing time per game for any player.

PITCHING LIMITATIONS

A pitcher, once removed from the mound, cannot re-enter as a pitcher. Pitchers will not be limited in innings pitched during league games. A pitcher must be removed from the mound on a manager or coaches 2nd trip to the mound in any inning.

LINEUP

Each manager has a choice of any of the following three (3) options for a lineup prior to the start of a game. Both managers need not use the same option but must use that option for the duration of that game. Option 1 - The standard 9 player lineup: Option 2 - A 10 player lineup using an extra hitter; or, Option 3 - Every player of the offensive team shall be in the batting order. Designated hitters will not be allowed. Deviations from the option selected will not be allowed once the game begins. If options 1 and 2 are used, failure to maintain the same number of players in the lineup throughout the game will result in an out each time that position in the lineup comes up. Exception: Play may begin with 8 available players without penalty. Once a 9th player arrives, the team must maintain a 9 player lineup (may not build to 10), and maintain that for the duration of the game, or be subjected to the automatic out rule. A team may not compete with less that 8 players and a forfeit will be declared. If option 3 is used, if, for any reason, a player must be removed from the game while in the field or at bat and his batting position becomes vacant, the next batter in the order, and all behind him, advance one position. If a player is at bat and is injured, and has to be removed from the game, the next player in the batting order will assume the “count” of the “removed” player. Player(s) arriving after a team’s first batter has been to bat are added to the bottom of the order. NOTE: When for scheduling purposes Tournament level teams are playing teams from the regular league (non-tournament teams), both teams will use option 3.

SUBSTITUTIONS

If Option 1 or Option 2 is used as stated in Rule 3. LINEUP, then free substitution is not allowed. Starters may re-enter once, and must re-enter to their original place in the batting order. Non-starters may not re-enter once they are removed. If a team used the extra hitter option (Option 2), that position is considered a defensive position, allowing the extra hitter to replace a position player without making a lineup change. If Option 3 is used, then free substitution is allowed on defense.

NOTE: When there are two outs, and the catcher is a base runner, a courtesy runner may be used so that the catcher can return to the dug-out and begin to put on his catcher’s equipment. The catcher/runner is the catcher from the previous half inning unless the new catcher was announced prior to his coming to bat. The courtesy runner may be any player, other than the player at bat, on deck or in the hole. A courtesy runner will not be allowed for the pitcher.

OFFICIAL BALL GAME

An official game is considered 7 innings or one hour, 50 minutes for age division 13 and over: and 6 innings or one hour, 50 minutes for age division 12 and under. Games will be terminated when one team is ahead of the other by 15 runs after 3 innings, 12 runs after 4 innings, or 8 runs after 5 innings. If a game is called due to rain, weather, light failure (in the case of a night game) or to other acts of God, it is a regulation game if: four (4) innings have been completed or if the home team has scored more runs in 3½ innings than the visiting team has scored in four innings for age divisions 13 and over, or three (3) innings have been completed or if the home team has scored more runs in 2½ innings than the visiting team has scored in three innings for 12 and under age divisions. Games that cannot be declared a regulation game by the Rules shall be a suspended game. Refer to the Major League Rules regarding suspended games. All such games, regardless of inning, shall be resumed from the point of suspension and played to completion of six innings, or the remainder of the original time limit for that age division. In the event of a tie game after the time limit, no new inning will be started, however, an inning in progress can be completed. The only exception is that if a game is tied at the end of the time limit and there is no game scheduled on the field after the game, then the game may be played out until completion or until the city enforced curfew of 11:00pm. In case of a tie game, the results are entered into league records as a tie game and will be indicated as such in the standings.

SLIDE RULE

There will be no mandatory slide rule, however runners are obligated to avoid contact on close plays at bases. If a collision is unavoidable, based on a fielder completely blocking a base, it will be the umpire's discretion as to whether the collision will result in no call, the runner being declared automatically out, or ejection. Generally, if the runner has an avenue to a base they must avoid contact. In addition, any act of bulldogging, i.e., throwing a forearm or lowering a shoulder to block a fielder on a play should result in ejection.

SPORTSMANSHIP

All participants will adhere to rules of good sportsmanship. In addition, players while on the field (to include the dugout) shall not:

a. Fake a tag
b. Carelessly or in a state of anger, throw equipment
c. Wear jewelry
d. Initiate malicious contact
e. Taunt opposing team members