2012 Summer Wood Bat League Rules
Officials/Umpire Requirements -
- Two Umpires are required for each game/
- Umpires must be certified to umpire high school level or higher level games.
- Umpires are expected to project a professional appearance and demeanor at all times.
- Home Team is responsible for scheduling Umpires meeting the above minimum competence level and are responsible for any associated assigning fees.
- Umpires are to be paid by both the Home and Visiting teams, each team will pay one of the umpires.
- Umpires are to be treated with the high level of respect the position demands from Coaches, Players and Spectators.
- In the event of game postponement or cancelation a minimum of 1 ¼ hour notice is required for umpires, earlier is preferred.
Roster -
- Minimum roster size is 12 Players and a Maximum roster size is 18 Players
- All players must be insured under the team’s individual insurance policy, which a copy should be submitted to the GSBA
- Minimum Coaching staff is 1 Coach in the dugout with a Maximum Coaching staff is 4 Coaches in the dugout.
- Bat Boys are permitted but are the responsibility of the coaching staff
Uniform & Equipment -
- Players - Uniforms and equipment shall be pursuant to the rules published by NFHS, exception that only wood bats will be used in Granite State Baseball Association Wood Bat Leagues. Wood Composite and bamboo bats are both allowed.
- Coaches – Coaches can wear full uniform but are not required if coaches are not in full uniform, they must be in appropriate matching athletic attire consistent with the team uniform. (i.e. collared shirts, coaches’ dress shorts, golf shorts, khakis, chinos, etc., baseball caps, and athletic shoes. Open-toed shoes are not acceptable.) Only baseball caps may be worn on the field and must be worn with the brim in front. No hats other than baseball caps may be worn.
- Catcher’s can wear Hockey Style Head set or traditional mask and helmet.
- Metal or Rubber Spikes are allowed.
Pitching Regulation –
- Coaches are expected to always act in the best interest of the players, the coaches are responsible for knowing their pitchers limitations and remember that they are playing in the GSBA Wood Bat League to continue their playing career with aspirations of playing at higher levels in the future. If abuse is suspected Board review will occur.
On Field Rules –
- Conduct – Baseball is a sport with a tremendous history and legacy, Coaches and Players alike should respect the game. Inappropriate behavior reported to the GSBA Board will be dealt with individually.
- Slide or Avoid – Contact is to be avoided and can be grounds for ejection, ejection is at the umpire’s digression. Head first slides are allowed as long as the slide does not result in intentional contact.
- Ejections – A single ejection will not result in additional penalty unless the nature of the ejection is significant enough to require a board meeting to review. A coach/player who is ejected from multiple games will have to sit out 1 game, a coach/player ejected from 3 or more games will be reviewed by the GSBA Board with possibility of removal from the rest of the season.
- Official Game – 7 Inning Game 5 Innings or 4 ½ if the home team is ahead. 9 Inning Game 6 Innings or 5 ½ if home team is head.
- 10 Run Rule – The 10 run rule is effective in a 7 inning game after 5 innings or 4 ½ if home team is head and 9 Inning Game 6 Innings or 5 ½ if home team is head.
- Batting Order:
- Teams may choose to bat 9, 10 (with a EH) or Continuous Order, this must be decided prior to first pitch and once the game starts cannot be changed, both teams do not need to use the same batting order method. Example: Home team bats continuous and Visiting team bats 10 with an EH.
- 9 – Standard Baseball Batting Order all 9 positions in the field hit in the order. Starter reentry is allowed once, when a substitute is removed they cannot reenter the game.
- 10 – The EH becomes a tenth position, a team batting 10 must always bat 10 batters throughout game. Starter reentry is allowed once, when a substitute is removed they cannot reenter the game.
- Continuous – All members of your team bat in the same order, this allows a team to freely substitute throughout the game.
- Designated Hitter – Is not allowed, GSBA believes that at this age all players should still be hitting.
- Extra Hitter (EH)
- At the beginning of a game, an EH may be elected.
- The Extra Hitter is listed in the batting order and may assume any of the nine defensive positions (including pitcher) without being counted as a substitution.
- Under all of the following options, there are never more than the standard nine defensive positions.
- Time Limits – No Time Limits
- Speed Up Rules: The At any time, the team at bat may use courtesy runners for the pitcher and/or the catcher. The same individual runner may not be used for both positions (pitcher and catcher). Neither the pitcher nor the catcher will be considered to have left the game when a courtesy runner is used. A player may not run as a courtesy runner and then be used as a substitute for another player in that half inning unless an injury, illness, or ejection occurs and no other runners are available. A player who violates the courtesy runner rule is considered to be an illegal substitute. Should an injury, illness or ejection occur to the courtesy runner, another courtesy runner may run.
- Re-Entry Rule: Any of the starting players may be withdrawn and re-entered once, including a player who is the Extra Hitter (EH), provided such player occupies the same batting position whenever he is in the lineup. A substitute who is withdrawn may not re-enter.
In the event a rule or topic is not listed above NFHS should be applied all high school level umpires are well versed in the NFHS Baseball rules.
