Recreational Adult League Baseball 

All league games will be played using the rules and guidelines set forth in the "Official Rules of Major League Baseball" unless otherwise specified below. Rule exceptions for Columbia Parks and Recreation Adult Baseball are 

enumerated below and supersede any other published or implied rules. 

1.00 OFFENSIVE / DEFENSIVE SUBSTITUTIONS, HITTING AND STEALING 

1.01 Offensive and Defensive Players as Separate and Independent Offensive and defensive teams are separate and operate independently of each other. Teams may make unlimited defensive substitutions. Players may be substituted defensively, at any time, without affecting the player's offensive status in the line-up. Defensive changes for positions need not be reported to the umpire or 

the opposing team. Offensive players who are removed from the hitting line up via pinch hitter or pinch runner are allowed to continue participating in the defensive line up. Players who are removed from the offensive line up via an injury runner cannot re-enter the game in any capacity. 

1.02 Number of Hitting Slots 

Teams may use up to Eleven hitting slots in their line-up. A team must have at least nine batting slots unless they are forced to play with only eight players for that game. If a team is forced to play with 8 players because 

(i) only eight players are available 

(ii) the team loses a player to injury 

then the team is permitted to bat eight without penalty. However, if a team is forced to play with eight players because a player is ejected, then the team must take an automatic out for that spot in the batting order until that slot is filled with a 9th player. 

1.03 Minimum Players Needed to Play 

Teams must have at least EIGHT players in the game at all times in order to play an official game. The eight players must be ready to play within the 15-minute grace period. The grace period begins to toll at the official game start time. See Rule 5.02

1.04 In-game Additions to Bottom of Lineup 

Once a lineup is set and presented to the Umpire, players may be added to the end of the lineup after giving notice to the Umpire and the opposing manager. 

1.05 Lineup Reductions 

Once a lineup is set and presented to the Umpire, it may only be reduced in the following exceptions; 

A player is ejected from the game and replacement player is not 

available. (See Rule 1.02), 

A player is injured in the course of the game 

If the manager still has at least 8 filled batting slots in the line-up excluding the injured/absent player, the manager must notify the umpire and opposing manager of the situation and remove the batting slot from the lineup. The batting line-up will skip to the next batting position for the remainder of the game without penalty to the offensive team. 

If the injured/absent player is the 8th player of a team playing the game with only eight players, the game is forfeited at that juncture. Under no circumstance is a team permitted to field nine players and bat eight players. 

1.06 Leadoffs and Stealing 

Stealing is not permitted in the league with the pitching machine in effect. Additionally, there is no advancing on “passed balls” or “wild pitches”. Baserunner advancement may only occur when a ball is hit into play. 

Leadoffs are allowed, but the primary leadoff must not be longer than 10ft to the nearest point of contact to the base, a “step and a dive” from the base. Secondary leadoffs may not extend past 16ft to the nearest point of contact to the base, or two normal shuffles from the leadoff once the pitch is made. 

1.07 Injury Runner 

If in the course of the game a player reaches base, subsequently becomes injured, and there are no bench players available to replace the injured player, the player may have a substitute runner. This substitute runner will be called (labeled or referred to as) an Injury Runner. The player functioning as the Injury Runner will be the choice of the team’s 

manager. The team’s manager may choose any player from the batting lineup of the injured player’s team to function as the Injury Runner, with the following exceptions: 

1. The Injury Runner may not be on base, at bat, on deck, in the hole or scheduled to bat immediately after the player in the hole, at the time of the injury.

2. The Injury Runner may not be a player who previously was allowed to use an Injury Runner but whose spot in the lineup has not yet been vacated, at the time of the injury. 

The team manager selecting the Injury Runner from the batting lineup of the injured player’s team has 90 seconds to make his choice, from the moment he is notified that an Injury Runner is needed/invoked. 

CLARIFICATION: Once a player is granted an Injury Runner, he may not take part in any part of game play, he is “done for the day”. Injury Runners are for the sole purpose of allowing a player who is injured while a base runner and is not put out a substitute runner. So, it is to allow an injured player who is on base and injured to leave the game and not forfeit/concede an out. The disposition of players injured in some other way and need to leave the lineup during the course of the game is outlined in Rule 1.06. Once an injured player leaves the base path and is replaced by an Injury Runner, he may not re-enter the game for any reason, not even to replace the Injury Runner. A player will not be allowed (granted) an Injury Runner if there is a bench player available to replace him. THERE is no limit to the number of times a team can invoke the Injury Runner rule. 

1.06(a) PENALTY with respect to Injury Runners: When an improper Injury Runner is used, and the defensive team appeals to the umpire before the first pitch to the next batter, the umpire shall declare the Injury Runner out. After the first pitch is thrown, then the improper runner becomes the Injury Runner of record and the right to appeal is forfeited. 

2.00 SAFETY ISSUES 

2.01 Collisions 

Any offensive or defensive player who initiates intentional and high-impact contact with an opponent shall be called out and subject to ejection. No obvious or malicious attempt to initiate contact will be tolerated. 

Base runners shall not use roll blocks or go out of the baseline to initiate contact. Slides should be directly to the bag and the slide may not go past the bag. Players must slide into the base or give up their right to a base (by stopping or leaving the base path) if the defensive player has possession of the ball. (NOTE: A base runner need not slide directly into a base as long as he slides in a direction away from the infielder attempting to make a play.) Under no circumstances can a base runner attempt to “take out” a fielder to “break up” a double play. 

A defensive player shall not block the base or be in the base path so as to impede

(obstruct) the base runners right to that base. A defensive player should not reach into the runner to catch a throw. A defensive player shall always leave a direct path open to the runner attempting to advance to a base. If a collision does occur under any of these circumstances, the runner will be considered safe and the obstruction rule shall be enforced. 

Runners are not required to slide to a base or home plate, but it is recommended that runners slide on any close play. Runners who do not slide and initiate contact with the fielder will be called out and may be ejected if the umpire rules the contact was malicious or intentional. 

2.02 Decoy Tags 

Defensive players shall not use decoy tags, verbal inducements or any phantom play to coerce a runner to discontinue his advancement or to slide unnecessarily. A player that violates this provision is subject to potential ejection with the runner awarded at least one base or as many bases as he would have advanced without the violation. 

3.00 OFFICIAL GAMES - CALLED GAMES -RAINOUTS 

3.01 Innings Requirements for Official Game 

A game becomes official in the following circumstances: 

• The teams complete a regulation seven inning game (or more if extra innings); or • The teams complete five innings (4.5 innings if home team leads) before the umpires’ rule to cease play for any reason, (darkness, light malfunction, sprinkler system activation, player injury, civil unrest, rain, fog etc.); or 

• There is a 10-run discrepancy at the end of 5 innings or more (4.5 innings if home team leads) 

3.02 Extra Innings: 

In extra innings, each team will start the inning with a runner on second base. The runner starting on second base will bethe player in the batting order immediately preceding thathalf-inning’s leadoff hitter. 

3.03 Called Games 

3.03 (a) If a game is called for any reason, it is an official game: 

• If five innings have been completed; 

• If the home team has scored more runs in four and a half-innings than the visiting team has scored in 5 innings. 

• If the home team scores one or more runs in its half of the fifth inning to take the lead, even if the home half of the inning is not completed when play is ceased. • If the home team scores one or more runs in its half of a completed fifth inning to tie the score when play is ceased, it shall be a tied game and indicated as such in

the league standings. 

• If an official game is called with the score tied, it shall be a tied game and indicated as such in the league standings. 

• If a game is called before it has become an official game, the game shall be declared “No Game.” 

3.03 (b) A called game ends at the moment the umpire terminates play. In the event an official game is called while an inning is in progress, the final score will be the from the last completed inning except; 

1. In the event the home team enters the home half of the 5th inning trailing and has tied or taken the lead when the game is called, the final score and statistics will be those at the moment play ceased regardless if the home half of the 5th inning has been completed. 

2. In the event the home team enters the home half of an inning later than the 5th inning trailing and has tied or taken the lead when the game is called, the final score and statistics will be those at the moment play ceased regardless if the home half of the inning has been completed. 

3. In the event the home team enters the home half of the 5th inning with the score tied and the game is called before the inning is completed without the home team taking the lead, the game is not official and shall be declared "No Game." 

3.03 (c) All called games which have achieved an official status are final. There are no suspended games in the Adult Recreational League. 

Any game called during an incomplete inning shall revert back to the previously completed inning, unless the game is called in the home half of an inning in which the home team entered the inning trailing and has tied the game or taken the lead. 

4.00 PREGAME & GAME PROTOCOL 

4.01 Pre-game Infield 

Teams should cooperate to ensure that both get a fair opportunity for infield/outfield practice before the game. Generally, the home team has the field until 15 minutes before the game. The visiting team has the field 15 minutes prior to the game. 

4.02 Grace Period 

Teams will be granted a 15- minute grace period to produce enough roster players to avoid a forfeit. A team must have at least 8 (eight) of its players to start an official game. If the 15-minute grace period is invoked, the time used will be deducted from the time limit. The game clock begins running at the scheduled start time. 

5.04 Baseballs and Retrieving Foul Balls 

The team at bat is responsible for retrieving foul balls.

5.00 UMPIRES 

5.01 Authority 

The Umpire in Chief will be the official Columbia Parks and Recreation representative during the course of all games. His decisions are final. Umpire judgment calls may not be disputed or officially protested in the league office. 

6.00 EQUIPMENT 

6.01 Bats 

NFHS Rules 1-3-2 to 5 govern the construction and limitations on bats to be used.A link to the page can be found here: 

https://baseballrulesacademy.com/official-rule/nfhs/section-3-bats-balls-gloves/ 

Notes: 

(a) Any bat 30 inches and under with a drop greater than minus three AND a barrel diameter of2⅝ inches is illegal; 

(b) Any wood bat must meet the standards in NFHS Baseball Rules 1-3-2 and 1-3-3(c) Bats 31 inches and over must meet NFHS Rule 1-3-2 including the BBCOR label. 

6.02 Baseballs 

Teams are responsible for providing game balls for their team to hit. 

1. All balls to be used in competition must be affixed with BOTH the NFHS Authenticating stamp and the NOCSAE Standard mark. 

2. It is required that each team has three (3) umpire-approved balls must be available to start a game and a minimum of two (2) to complete the game. If properly stamped balls are not available for umpire approval, the game shall not be contested. 

6.03 Uniforms 

All teams must have baseball uniforms consisting of caps, baseball pants, and baseball cleats. Each player's uniform must be of similar design to his teammates’ uniforms. In the event a team has players with a duplicate number displayed on their jersey or a player without a number on their jersey, the manager shall declare these players during the pregame home plate conference with the umpires and the opposing manager.

7.00 FORFEITS 

7.01 Forfeit Provisions 

A team will forfeit a game under the following circumstances: 

• If fewer than 8 players are available within 15 minutes of the official start time of the game (15-minute grace period); or 

• If fewer than 8 players are available after the start of (or during) the game because players are lost due to ejection or injury; or 

• If a team uses an ineligible player; or 

• If one of its players fails to leave the complex after being ejected. 

(1) Ejections: 

Ejected players, coaches or fans must leave the field of play immediately and the playing site upon gathering their belongings. Failure by the ejected player to comply with this rule may, at the discretion of the umpire, result in a team forfeiture of the game and if so, then the ejected player will receive an automatic 2 game suspension. The ejected player's lineup spot will be filled by a substitute if one is available. Otherwise, the ejected player's lineup spot is skipped in subsequent at bats. 

(2) Suspension: Players and managers who are suspended for a game, games, or season, are not allowed to participate in any way in all League games during the suspension (this includes, but is not limited to coaching, managing duties, warming up, sitting on the bench and dressing out). 

Suspended players and managers may be spectators at games during their suspension provided they have no contact with their teams and do not make comments or take actions that cause a distraction or disrupt play on the fields as determined by the umpires. Remainder of the season suspensions include suspensions from all League. 

Games that are called or canceled for rain or other reasons will not be counted toward suspensions of a specific number of games. The game has to end as a win, loss, or tie to be counted toward the suspension. 

No player ejected from a game may return to play.