GOVERNING RULES

1. Playing rules not specifically covered herein shall be governed by national Federation High School (NFHS) Official Baseball Rules.  If an conflict in rules between the Official Stealth Baseball League (SBL) Rules herein and NFHS rules of Baseball, these Official SBL Rules shall govern.

NAME AND OBJECTIVE

1. This organization shall be known as Stealth Baseball League, also known as SBL.

2. The objective of SBL Baseball shall be to organize and promote youth baseball development and provide opportunity for players to compete in league competition that enhances their love of the game while instilling character, discipline, and values that will carry through to their personal lives to encourage development into successful students and adults.

3. Any specific application of a rule or situation that is determined to deviate from the objective above during league play can and will be overridden by the on-site director in such a way to instill this objective.

4. Any coach, player, or parent being disruptive, displaying poor sportsmanship or character, degrading players or umpires, even their own kids, will be given one warning for the season and will be ejected from that game.  The second offense for the season will result in a permanent ban from the facility.

5. Foul language will be grounds for immediate ejection.

6. Any parent or player ejected from a game will also result in the head coach being ejected from the game. 

7. In short, we are here for the kids, period!  We’re here for there enjoyment of a game that will help them learn life lessons about how to work hard, how to succeed, how to fail, and how to be good people before the lessons become critical in adulthood.  Any acts of coaches or parents that contradict that will not be tolerated.

PARTICIPATION AND CLASSIFICATIONS OF PLAY

1. Ages and divisions of play (subject to change based on number of participating teams and players):

   1. 5U-6U

   2. 7U-8U Minors

   3. 7U-8U Majors

   4. 9U-10U Minors

   5. 9U-10U Majors

   6. 11U-12U Minors

   7. 11U-12U Majors

2. Teams bringing more than half of their own players for an age group shall be considered in the Majors division of that age group unless prior knowledge of the director dictates otherwise.

3. Teams drafting more than half of their players for an age group shall be considered in the Majors division of that age group unless prior knowledge of the director dictates otherwise.

4. If a team starts the season under good faith as a Minors team under false pretense and is determined to be too competitive for that division, the team will be removed from the league for that season and no money will be refunded.  The schedule will be reconfigured if possible or that team’s remaining games will be forfeited.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER AND TEAM ELIGIBILITY

1. Age based with grade exemptions divisions:

   1. 5U-6U Division – Players who turn 7 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are in Kindergarten.  Also, any player turning 8 prior to August 1 will not be eligible.  Players who are 6U are eligible for this division regardless of their grade.

   2. 7U-8U Division - Players who turn 9 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are in 2nd Grade.  Also, any player turning 10 prior to August 1 will not be eligible.  Players who are 8U are eligible for this division regardless of their grade.

   3. 9U-10U Division - Players who turn 11 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are in 4th Grade.  Also, any player turning 12 prior to August 1 will not be eligible.  Players who are 10U are eligible for this division regardless of their grade.

   4. 9U-10U Division - Players who turn 13 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are in 6th Grade.  Also, any player turning 14 prior to August 1 will not be eligible.  Players who are 12U are eligible for this division regardless of their grade.

2. All players participating in league play shall have digital copies of their original birth certificate uploaded to the team page on the website prior to starting any games.  Any player caught playing without having birth a certificate uploaded will be ejected from the game along with the coach and the game and any previous games the player played in will be forfeited.

3. All grade based players must also upload a digital copy of their birth certificate, current report card, or official government document stating grade.

4. Home schooled players are not eligible to use grade exemptions unless they have an official report card or state document stating their current grade.

5. No player shall play on multiple teams in the same age division or across multiple age divisions.

6. Guest players will not be allowed.  All players must be on the teams official on-line roster prior to the first game of the season.

TEAM ELIGIBILITY

1. Team rosters and player documentation is the responsibility of the team manager/coach.

2. Team managers must provide official background checks for themselves and any adult over 16 year of age on the field or in the dugout.  If an adult is caught on the field or in the dugout that has not passed a background check will result in immediate forfeit.

3. Team rosters shall be composed of not more that 12 players.

RULES OF PLAY

1. The playing infield shall be laid out per the following:

   1. 5U-6U:  55’ bases, pitching rubber at 30ft.

   2. 7U-8U:  65’ bases, pitching rubber at 30ft.

   3. 9U-10U:  65’ bases, pitching rubber at 46ft.

   4. 11U-12U:  70’ bases, pitching rubber at 50ft.

2. All bats must be permanently stamped with the official USSSA 1.15 BPF mark or BBCOR.50 certified mark.  No wood bats will be allowed.  If a bat is deemed illegal, it will be removed from the field of play and the hitter will be ruled out by strikeout the first time.  If the bat returns or another bat is deemed illegal in the same game, the team will forfeit that game and the head coach will be suspended for the following game. 

3. All shirts shall be tucked in and players shall wear baseball caps while on defense.

4. No metal cleats shall be worn.

5. The catcher shall wear all appropriate protective gear, including a catcher’s helmet with facemask and either a built-in extended throat guard or separately attached throat guard, chest protector, shin/leg guards, and a protective cup.  Catchers helmet shall fully cover both ears.

6. All offensive players and/or bat boys or girls must wear a double ear-flap batting helmet whenever at bat, on deck, on base, or any other time outside the dugout whether ball is live or not.

7. Baseballs for play will be provided by the league.

8. Electronic signaling devices are not allowed.

9. Any team forfeit for a rule violation will be scored 6-0 for the purpose of determining standings or seeding for the end of season tournament.

10. Home and away teams in season play will be pre-determined in the schedule and will be determined by the higher seed having choice in the end of season tournament.

11. All players present for the game must hit in the lineup.  No player shall sit out more than one inning defensively.

12. Time limits for 5U to 8U in season games will be 60 minutes.  Game start time will be that scheduled.  When time expires, the inning shall finish.  The next inning will be played if there are innings left and if the last out of the previous inning is made before the 60 minutes runs out.

13. Time limits for 9U-12U in season games will be 75 minutes. Game start time will be that scheduled.  When time expires, the inning shall finish.  The next inning will be played if there are innings left and if the last out of the previous inning is made before the 75 minutes runs out.

14. There will be no time limits in end of season tournament play.

15. A regulation game for 5U-8U 6 innings or until the time limit expires.

16. A regulation game for 9U-12U shall be 6 innings or until the time limit expires.

17. Ties will be allowed in season play.  No ties will be allowed in end of season play.  Texas Tie Breaker rule will be used for any extra innings for tournament play.

18. Mercy rule shall end a game if a team is winning by 15 runs after 3 innings, 10 runs after 4 innings, 8 runs after 5 innings.

19. Teams will be allowed a maximum of 5 runs per inning in the first 5 innings with unlimited runs allowed in the last inning.

20. In the event of a game called due to inclement weather, the game shall be considered complete if 2.5 innings were completed with the home team winning or 3 innings were completed with the visiting team winning.

21. No intentional walks are allowed.

22. Courtesy runners will be allowed for the catchers only if there are 2 outs in the inning.  The courtesy runner shall be the last batted out or the last hitter in the lineup if no outs have been made.

23. Whenever a tag play is evident, a runner must slide or seek to avoid contact with the fielder and/or catcher.  Malicious contact shall supersede all obstruction penalties.  Malicious contact judgement on the play is solely up to the discretion of the umpire.  In the even malicious contact is ruled to have occurred, the offending base runner shall be called out and the play shall be ruled dead.  The umpire may also choose to eject the player from the game depending on the severity.

24. A runner who attempts to jump over a player shall be called out whether or not contact was made.

25. A dead ball appeal can be appealed directly to the umpire prior to the next pitch without the pitcher having to throw to the appealed base.

26. Feinting or faking a bunt and swinging is not allowed.

27. A pitcher may not return to a game to pitch again once removed.

28. A player may not catch and pitch in the same game.

29. Pitchers may not throw more than 65 pitches in a game, but he will be allowed to finish the batter in which the limit is reached.  Any pitcher that throws more than 30 and less than 46 pitches can’t pitch again until the 3rd day.  For instance, if the pitcher pitches on Monday, the pitcher will be eligible to pitch again on Thursday.  A pitcher throwing 46 pitches or more won’t be allowed to pitch again until the 4th day.  If the pitcher pitches on Friday, he will be eligible to pitch again on Tuesday.  It is the responsibility of the opposing team to challenge the eligibility of opposing pitchers.  If there is a difference between the counts of both teams, the number of pitches shall be the average of what each team shows.

30. A pitcher must pitch to a minimum of three batters once he enters the game.

31. A coach may visit a pitcher once and must remove the pitcher on the 2nd visit.  If the pitcher has not thrown to the minimum number of batters, the coach won’t be granted time.

32. If a pitcher is injured, he shall be removed from the game immediately.  He shall not be allowed to return to the field, hit, or run bases.

33. Teams will be allowed to start the game with 8 or more players.  If the team only has 8 players, an out will be counted after the 8th player in the lineup bats for the 9th spot in the order.

34. There will not be a pitcher clock rule.  However, the intent is for the game to move at a reasonable pace.  The umpire has the discretion to penalize a team for slow play (coaches taking to long to get signs in or intentionally delaying play for the purpose of running out the game time or arguing a call excessively).  Offensive penalties for this will be an automatic out added, but the current batter will still hit and continue with the current count.  Defensive penalties will be the batter hitting gets to advance to first base (walk) regardless of count.  If runners are forced ahead of the batter, they advance accordingly.

COACH PITCH SPECIFIC RULES (5U-8U)

1. A fair ball arc shall be drawn with a 20 ft radius from the back corner of home plate between first and third base line.  A batted ball must go past this line to be a fair ball.

2. The pitchers rubber shall be set at 30ft.  The coach/pitcher can pitch from anywhere between the rubber and second base.  For 5U-6U league, the coach may throw underhand front toss to the batters from as close as 5ft in front of the rubber.

3. A 10ft circle shall be drawn starting at the pitcher rubber.  The defensive pitcher must have one foot on or be inside this circle when the ball is hit.  He may leave the circle after the ball is hit.

4. Pitching coach shall only instruct or coach the batter while he is in the box or a base runner coming from 3B to home.

5. Any coach interfering unintentionally with a play or ball shall be ruled obstruction and the play and count shall reset.  If the umpire deems the interference intentional, the batter or lead base runner shall be ruled out.  It is the coach’s responsibility to position himself not to be an obstruction to the play or players after the pitch is thrown.

6. The pitching coach shall be an adult at least 18 years of age or older.

7. The catcher shall receive the ball in the catchers box in a normal manner, with full gear described previously.

8. Defense shall play 10 players with 4 outfielders (feet must be positioned on the grass at the beginning of the play).

9. Defensive coaches may coach from foul territory outside of the outfield grass cut.

10. There will be no infield fly rule.

11. Bunting shall not be allowed.

12. Teams may use free substitution on defense, but the batting order will remain the same.

13. The batter shall receive a maximum of 5 pitches and 3 swinging strikes.  The bat is extended if the last pitch is hit foul.

14. There will be no intentional walks.

15. Players shall not lead off or leave the base until the ball is hit.  Runners shall not steal bases.

16. A play is dead when the lead base runner has stopped advancing to the next base, whether on the base or not.  An umpire does not have to call time.  When a play is dead and a runner is off a base, he shall return to that base to begin the next pitch/play.

DRAFT RULES

1. Evaluations will be scheduled and the draft will be immediately after evaluations.

2. Teams may keep a maximum of 3 “hold” players.

3. Teams with less than 3 hold players will be allowed drafts prior to teams with more hold players until all teams get to 3 players.  Order of draft will be determined by drawing numbers.

4. Teams will redraw numbers once all teams have 3 players and draft in that order until all players are selected.

5. No trades will be allowed once the draft is complete unless the director approves the trade due to extenuating circumstances.

SAFETY RULES

1. Play will stop immediately for an injured player.

2. Player hit in the face or neck area outside of a helmet shall be removed from the game immediately for evaluation by the coach and parents.  It is the responsibility of the parents to determine if further treatment if necessary and to seek that treatment.

3. Any player suspected of having a concussion must be cleared by a doctor with written directions provided to the director before he will be allowed to play or practice again.

4. Anyone caught climbing on a fence or net will be warned once and removed from the facility on the second offense.

5. Players and parents will not be allowed to use the facilities without the head coach being present and the use scheduled.