Section I.  Player Eligibility

 

            A.  All youth between the ages of 8 and 18 are eligible to play

 

B. All players’ age as of May 1st of each calendar year will determine the age division they are eligible to play in.

 

C.    A player may play up one age division from their age division.

 

D.  A players age must be verified by a state or government birth certificate by the

      DBA Board prior to playing in any DBA sanctioned game or tournament.

 

E.  All players must have written permission of their parent(s) or legal guardian(s)

      playing in any DBA sanctioned game or tournament.

 

F.     Al players must play in at least 50% of DBA sanctioned games to be eligible

to play in any post season tournament.

 

G.    Only those players who are on the official team roster submitted by the team

manager on file with the league secretary and who has paid their registration fees and fundraising fees as verified by the league secretary will be eligible to play in any DBA season or post season game.

 

H.    No player may play on more than one DBA team.

 

  I.  Once a player has played in a league game they may not change teams.

 

  J.  No player will be added to any team roster after June 15th unless, it is approved

      by the DBA Board.      

 

K.    All players on a DBA roster who have met the eligibility requirements must be

invited to play in a post-season tournament for which their team qualifies.

 

 

Section II.  Player Placement

 

A.    Players will be placed on teams either by draft, recruitment, or remaining on a

team from the previous season.

 

B.    A recruited player will be defined as any player who was not on a team roster in the previous playing season or put on a team through the draft process. 

 

C.    The DBA Board will be responsible for conducting any draft and related

tryouts and team placements.

 

D.    In the open division, any player recruited to a team without regard to the draft,

such recruitment must be made one day prior to the draft, and the roster will be provided to and approved by the DBA Board.

 

E.     All players who are not recruited to a team one day prior to the DBA draft, will

be included on the list of players in the draft for their respective age.

 

F.     Any player appearing on the draft list for their age group will not be assigned to

any team except through the draft process.

 

G.    A drawing at the start of the draft will be held to determine the order of

selection by the respective teams.

 

H.    At any draft for which a tryout was held in any age division, those players on the draft list who were in attendance and participated in the skills assessment, must be selected prior to any player who was on the draft list but was not in attendance and did not take part in the skills assessment.  These players not in attendance will not be selected by team managers, but will be drawn by lot in order to complete the draft process.  

 

Section III. Basic Rules For All Age Divisions

 

A.    Interpretation of the rules will be determined from the official baseball playing 

Rules.

 

B.    All games will start at their designated times.  All teams must have a minimum

of (8) players and at least one coach to begin any game.  If a team is not able to start play within in 10 minutes of the start time, that team will forfeit the game.

 

C.    If a team starts the game with (8) players, a ninth entry (vacant) must be made in

the batting order prior to the beginning of the game.

 

D.    The vacant position in the batting order is an automatic out when that turn is

due to bat.  The vacant position can be anywhere in the batting order.

 

E.     When the ninth player arrives, they will enter the vacant position in the batting

order.

 

F.     If any team is not able to field (8) defensive players at anytime, for any reason

they must forfeit the game.

 

G.    All teams will have no less then (12) players and not more than (15) players on

their roster.  Any abuse of this rule will cause all games that have already been played to be forfeited. Any future games will also be a forfeit until the minimum (12) player requirement is met.  Example: rostering a “ghost” player in order to meet the minimum (12) player requirement will be considered abuse of this rule.

 

F.     All decisions as to playing conditions due to inclement weather or unsafe

conditions will be the responsibility of the Derby Recreation Commission.

 

G.    Once a game has started, the Head Umpire on the field may also stop or suspend play due to unsafe conditions or inclement weather.  If due to inclement weather teams are pulled from the filed, the game will be considered SUSPENDED unless the requirements for a complete game have been met according to DBA run rule or Basic Rules section (J).  All teams unable to resume play at the appointed time with the same players will be a forfeit. 

 

H.    All games which are suspended due to inclement weather or unsafe playing

conditions or other reasons and which would result in either a tied or incomplete game, will be completed at a later date as scheduled by the DBA.  When the game is resumed at a later date it will start at the exact point where play was suspended in the original game.

 

I.       In a continued or suspended game because of inclement weather, a

player that was not there at the regular game but shows up at the continuance game will be eligible to play according to the regular line up rules.  If a player was there for the original game but is not there for the continuance game, there spot in the batting order will not be called an out when their turn arrives in the batting order.

 

J.      In the event that a game was stopped for inclement weather or unsafe playing

conditions the game will be considered a complete game if more than (1/2) of the scheduled innings have been completed.  Example: (7) inning games are completed after (4 ½) or (5) innings. (6) inning games are complete after (3 ½ ) innings or four innings. (5) inning games are complete after (2 ½ ) innings or 3 innings.

 

K.    If a game is rained out or postponed for any reason the pitching rule will NOT be waived.

 

L.  Protest Procedures

Protests must involve a matter of rule interpretation not an umpires judgment call

 

1.     It is the responsibility of the team manager that these procedures are followed.

2.     Protests must be made to the umpire before play is resumed.  If there is more than one protest during a game, a protest must be made each time and each protest will be handled separately.

3.     The opposing coach will be notified that the game being played is under protest before the game is resumed and the officials score book will be marked at that time and will be signed by the umpire.

4.     A written protest must be filed with the DBA Board within in 24 hours of the game.  A deposit of $50.00 must be with the protest.

 

 

5.     The following information below must be included with the protest

(a)   Identification of both teams involved

(b)   Names of the umpires of the game

(c)   A detailed description of the dispute

(d)   A $50.00 cash deposit.  If the protest is upheld the deposit will be returned.

 

6.     Within (7) days of receiving the protest by the DBA Board it will be

either upheld or rejected.

 

7.     The protest will be handled by a (5) person protest committee of the

members of the DBA Board

 

8.     Umpires and coaches involved in the game can be present if needed

 

9.     If the protest is upheld, the game will be resumed from the point of the

disputed play.  All players will be assigned to the same batting order and playing positions by the coaches involved according to the line up rules established in section (I) of the Basic Rules section

 

10.  All rulings made by the DBA protest Committee will be final.

There will be no appeals to the ruling. 

 

Section IV.  Uniforms and Equipment.

 

A.    All players will be in full uniform including baseball hats.  Shirts must be

tucked in.  

 

B.    A double-flap protective helmet must be worn while at bat and running bases.

 

C.    Any runner who deliberately removes his helmet while there is game action, shall be called out (it shall be considered a timing play if it is the third out).

 

D.    For all Age Divisions, catchers must wear a double-flap protective helmet, with throat guard.

 

E.     For all age divisions bat size will be no larger that 2-5/8

 

Section V.  Basic Rules Part II

 

A.    Home team shall use the third base line dugout.

 

B.    Home team shall be the official scorer and Visiting Team will operate the scoreboard.  Scoreboards are to be operated under adult supervision at all times.  All changes in the lineup must be reported to both scorekeepers.  Final score must be turned in by the winning team.

 

C.    All players and equipment must remain in the dugouts while not taking part or being used in the normal course of the game.  The on-deck batter must remain in their team’s designated practice circle.  Base coaches must be in the must be in the properly designated areas.

 

D.    Only two trips to the mound will be allowed any team during one inning per pitcher.  On the second trip to the mound in the same inning for the same pitcher, the pitcher must be removed from that position.  Crossing the foul line at any given time constitutes a trip to the mound, except for injury to a player, or a discussion with an umpire.

 

E.     Game Time Limits

1.     10 & under   1 ½ hours

2.     12 & under   1 ¾ hours

3.     14 & under   2 hours

 

No new inning will be started after the game time has expired.  Innings in progress will be completed.  Last out of previous inning constitutes the start of a new inning.

 

F.     In case of a tie in league play, there are three (3) factors in determining seeding for post-season play & trophies.

 

1.     Head to head

2.     Runs against each other

3.     Average runs per game against first place team

 

Section VI.  Pitching Rules for All Divisions

 

A.   

           
            B. 

Section VII.  10-Under Division Only

 

A.  This group shall consist of 9 and 10 year old teams divided into competitive divisions.

 

B.    Unlimited substitution is allowed for all positions, except the pitcher.  Once a starting pitcher has bee removed from that position, he may re-enter that position one time in the same game.

 

C.    Base distances are 65-feet.  Pitching distance is 46 feet.

 

D.    Games shall be five (5) innings in length.  Additional innings will be played in the case of a tie score, until a winner is determined after a complete inning.

 

E.     All players present and eligible to play will bat in rotation.

 

F.     If after completion of a team’s turn at bat in the third inning, they are behind ten (10) runs or more the game shall be terminated and considered a complete game. Only if all players have batted.

 

G.   A team scoring five (5) runs in any one inning before three (3) outs are made will be declared out and sides will change.  If the sixth run scores due to an over the fence home run, all runs scored by the home run will count.

 

H.    In the 10 and Under Division, the balk rule will be enforced as follows: One warning per pitcher and then the balk rule will be enforced.

 

I.      Infield fly rule and the dropped third strike rules shall be enforced.

 

Section IX. 12 and Under Division

A.    Base Distance – 70 feet

B.    Pitching Distance – 50 feet

C.    Games shall be six (6) innings in length.  Additional innings will be played in the case of a tie score, until a winner is determined after a complete inning.

 

D.    A team scoring five (5) runs in any one inning before three (3) outs are made will be declared out and sides will change.  If the sixth run scores due to an over the fence home run, all runs scored by the home run will count.

 

E.     If after completion of a team’s turn at bat in the fourth inning, they are behind ten (10) runs or more the game shall be terminated and considered a complete game. Only if all players have batted.

 

F.     Re-Entry Rule – See NBC rule book

G.   The use of a designated hitter is not permitted

H.    Extra Hitter (EH) – This rule is optional.  A team must declare its intent to use this rule before the game starts.  A team may bat ten (10) players, but may not revert to a nine (9) player lineup except for injury or illness, and only then if no substitutes are available.  A manager may play any nine (9) of the ten (10) players listed in the official lineup, on the field.

 

 

 

Section X.  14 and Under Division.

 

A.    Base Distance – 90 feet

 

B.    Pitching Distance – 60 feet, 6 inches

 

C.    Games shall be seven (7) innings in length.  Additional innings will be played in the case of a tie score, until a winner is determined after a complete inning. 

 

D.    Re-Entry Rule – See NBC rule book

 

E.     The use of a designated hitter is not permitted.

 

F.     Extra Hitter (EH) – This rule is optional.  A team must declare its intent to use this rule before the game starts.  A team may bat ten (10) players, but may not revert to a nine (9) player lineup except for injury or illness, and only then if no substitutes are available.  A manager may play any nine (9) of the ten (10) players listed in the official lineup, on the field.