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CYB Rules – Mustang, Bronco, Pony & Colt Divisions

Scope:                    These rules apply to the Mustang, Bronco, Pony & Colt divisions of Chandler Youth Baseball (CYB) – ages 9 thru 18.  Rules for the Shetland & Pinto divisions are published separately.

Rule Book:           The official rules are found in the Official Baseball Rules book (published by Sporting News) – unless overridden by these CYB rules.

Game Location:    All games will be played at the park and field shown on the schedule unless changed by a league official.

Warm-up:             Players are not allowed to warm up on the infield before the game.  Live batting practice with real baseballs is also not permitted.

Game Start:          The starting time for each game is as shown on the schedule or as designated by a league official.  If the game is delayed (e.g. due to a previous game running late, umpires arriving late, light failure), the umpires shall designate the start time.  A game may be started early only with agreement of both coaches.

6-run rule:            A half-inning shall be declared over when:
1) The defensive team has recorded three outs;
2) The batting team was ahead at the start of the half-inning and has scored six runs in that inning; or
3) The batting team was not ahead at the start of the half-inning and is now six runs ahead of the other team.
Exception:  If an over-the-fence home run is hit, all the runs shall count.

Game Finish:        A game is over when either the maximum number of innings for that division have been played or when the inning has ended which was in progress when the time limit for that division has elapsed (see chart below).
Exceptions
:
1) A game must last at least the minimum number of innings for that division (see chart below);
2) A game may be extended into an extra inning if the score is tied and the time has not been exceeded;
3) A tournament game must be extended if tied;
4) Championship tournament games have no time limit.
A suspended game (e.g. due to light failure, curfew, bad weather) will be completed unless one team concedes defeat.  See instructions below.
Note: Umpires may extend a game at their discretion if they feel that a team is stalling.

Suspended Games:  Suspended games will be resumed at the time and location designated by a league official, and at whatever inning, batter and pitch count are determined by the umpire in consultation with the official scorer.  The umpire is also responsible for determining the time remaining in the game.  Players who were in the original lineup but not present at the completion are skipped over with no penalty.  Players who were not in the original lineup and are present at the completion are added to the bottom of the lineup.

Pitching:               See chart below for the maximum pitching innings per day, per game, per week, the number of innings requiring a 40-hour wait before pitching again and whether or not one balk warning per pitcher per game is given.
Pitching innings include any suspended games and exhibition games.
One pitch thrown in an inning constitues a full inning for that pitcher.
If a player is removed from the pitching position during a game, he may not pitch again during that game.

Catcher:                Catchers are required to wear proper protective equipment, including a mask with throat guard, chest protector, shin guards, catcher’s glove, protective cup and headgear with protection to the top of the head when catching behind the plate.  A skull cap is not acceptable as head covering.  Any player warming up a pitcher must wear a mask.

Home Team:         The home team is the second team listed on the schedule.  For tournament games the home team is the higher seeded team - except for the championship games for which a coin flip between the coaches will determine the team which has the choice of home team for the first or second game.  The home team will use the third base dugout and provide an official scorekeeper and two new game balls.

Coaches:               Each team must have at least one registered coach wearing a matching team shirt at each game.  No more than four coaches per team are allowed.  Only players, coaches and bat boys are allowed in the dugout or on the playing field.  Coaches may sit directly outside the dugout.  Base coaches older than 18 are not required to wear a helmet.

Scorekeeper:       The scorekeeper will keep score during the game using the official CYB scorebook.  The scorekeeper must sit outside the dugout - behind home plate or in the bleachers near home plate - to allow the umpire and opposing team to monitor the scorekeeping.  The scorekeeper may not be one of the coaches for that game.  The following information should be recorded:  team names, each player’s name (first & last) and number, which base each player gets to, which player makes which out each inning, the number of runs scored by each team each inning and which players sit out each inning.

Line-up:                 Coaches must provide an official line-up to the scorekeeper five minutes prior to the scheduled game time.
Each team must have at least eight players in proper uniform at game time and throughout the game.  (A team playing with eight players does not have an automatic out.)  If one team does not have eight players at game time, the game will be considered a forfeit.  If neither team has eight players at game time, the team with the most players will be considered the winner; if they have the same number of players, the game will be considered a tie.
All players present (and only players who are present) shall be in the line-up.
Any player who arrives late will be added to the bottom of the batting order and the opposing team and scorekeeper are notified.
If a player gets injured or must leave the game prior to completion (including ejected players), the opposing team and scorekeeper are notified and he is removed from the lineup with no penalty.
No player may sit out a 2nd inning on defense until all players present have sat one inning, and no player may sit out a 3rd inning until all players present have sat two innings.  Exception:  a starting pitcher can remain in the game as long as he is pitching.
Any exceptions to these rules (e.g. players not playing due to illness or disciplinary actions) must be agreed to by the opposing coach.

Uniforms:              Each player must wear a matching team shirt, pants and a cap (when in the field).  Players may not wear jewelry during a game.  Medical assistance devices are allowed if approved by a CYB board member.

Equipment:            All players batting, on-deck, on base or in the coaching boxes are required to wear a helmet.  Bats may not be more than 2¾ in diameter.

Base Running:     Mustang recreational division only:  A runner on 3rd base is not allowed to advance to home unless a play is made on a base runner or on any play in which the batter becomes a runner (e.g. a fair ball is hit, a walk, 3rd strike not caught).

Pinch Runners:   If a team’s catcher for the next inning is on base with two outs, the last batter to make an out may pinch run to speed up the game.  If a player is injured or sick, a pinch runner may be used.  No other pinch runners are allowed.

Sliding:                 Players are not required to slide.  However, a base runner who causes a collision (intentional or not) during a play at any base and does not slide shall be called out.  Sliding head first is allowed.

Protests:               Protests may not be based on a play which involves the umpire’s judgment.
Protests involving an umpire’s rule interpretation must be lodged with the head umpire before the next play. The umpire should notify the opposing manager and the scorekeeper.  The protest must be submitted in writing to the league within 24 hours.
Protests involving violations of the pitching or defensive playing time rules can be made at any time up to 24 hours after a game has been completed.  If a violation of the pitching or defensive playing time rules is suspected during a game, the game should be suspended until it can be determined if the violation occurred.  If so, the head coach is automatically ejected from the game – and, for pitching rule violations, the pitcher is also ejected.  If the violation is discovered after the game is over, the head coach is suspended for the team’s next game.  In addition, for any violations of the pitching or defensive playing time rules, the game will be reviewed by the board and, if it is determined that the team committing the violation got an unfair advantage due to the violation which allowed them to win the game, they can reverse the result.

Last Revised:        8/29/2009

 

 

Field Dimensions

 

Innings

Per Game

Maximum Pitching Innings

 

 

 

Division

Base

Distance

Mound

Distance

Mound

Height

Time

Limit

 

Min

 

Max

Per

Game

Per

Day

Per

Week
*

40 hr wait

inn**

Balk
Warning?

Metal

Cleats

Allowed?

Mustang

60’

44’

4”

1:30

3

6

3

5

6

3

Yes

No

Bronco

70’

48’

6”

1:45

4

7

4

6

8

4

Yes

No***

Pony

80’

54’

8”

2:00

4

7

5

7

10

4

No

Yes

Colt

90’

60.5’

10”

2:15

4

7

7

7

None

None

No

Yes

* - Week is Mon-Sun.  Pitchers are allowed one additional inning per week for every game over two that their team plays that week

** - Pitchers who pitch this many innings in a game must wait 40 hours before pitching again - calculated from the scheduled start time of the game.

*** - Metal cleats are allowed for Bronco competitive division.

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