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Mustang Rules
MUSTANG (Ages 9-10)
LEGAL PLAYERS: 9 & 10 year old boys or girls born before Aug. 1st of the current year.
No player may register to play in the current season after that division’s draft. Exceptions will be made for players who move into the area after the second registration. No roster changes or additions will be made after a team’s fourth game of the season.
PURPOSE: Mustang ball is to further develop the baseball skills which were introduced at a lower level, introduce and develop new skills, stress the importance of social skills and good sportsmanship, and to maintain an atmosphere whereby fun is still had while learning how to win and lose.
MANAGER: The team manager is responsible for the conduct of his/her players, coaches, and parents during and after a game. The team manager has the right to bench a player on their team which does not follow a league established rule, disrupts the play of the game, or does not act in an orderly manner. If this action is taken by the team manager, the reasons for such action should be conveyed to the umpire and the opposing team manager immediately and to the parent of the player after the game. Repeated occurrences should be reported to the League Coordinator.
A team manager should at all times respect the decision of an umpire, and should foster an environment whereby the umpire is able without distraction to fulfill their responsibilities during a game. In the case when it is the decision by the two team managers to assign either themselves or one of their coaches to be an umpire, that manager or coach assigned should refrain from their team responsibilities.
UMPIRES: Umpires have the final decision as to all rulings pertaining to the play of the game. Umpires also retain the right to rule a player ineligible to start (e.g., for equipment violation), or to remain in a game.
EQUIPMENT:
The home team is to provide two (2) new balls for each game to the umpire, and have a third new ball on-hand if needed.
Players are to wear appropriate foot wear, such as rubber or molded plastic cleats. No metal tipped spikes are permitted.
All players on the team at bat while on the playing field (which includes the on-deck circle) are required to wear a helmet (face guards are optional) with ear protection on both sides. If a player does not wear appropriate head gear, the umpire will call an automatic out for each non-conforming player on the field.
Anytime a player is the catcher on the playing field (including between innings when the pitcher is warming up), they must be in full gear – catcher’s mask, chest protector & shin guards. If a player is being utilized as a bullpen catcher, they must at minimum wear a catcher’s mask.
Wood bats or composite bats are permitted provided they are approved for use in Little League, Babe Ruth Baseball, Dixie Youth Baseball, or Pony Baseball via a designation on the bat.
The throwing or misuse of baseball equipment during a game is not permitted. The umpire at their discretion can either call an automatic out, or if they feel the violation was unintentional and the act did not disrupt the immediate play, issue a warning to the player and team manager. If a player is issued a warning for a violation, any subsequent violation of a like kind will result in an automatic out. If the umpire feels any violation is intentional on the players behalf, an automatic out will be called, the player will be ejected from the game, and the player will be suspended from the next game.
PLAYING FIELD: Base paths will measure sixty (60) feet, and the pitching rubber from the home plate side to the back tip of home plate will be forty-four (44) feet. The elevation of the pitching mound to home plate will be no more than six (6) inches.
GAME RULES: The Mustang league will be governed by the Illinois High School Rule Book. JBBL Rules and Regulations will supersede the Illinois High School Rule Book when differences are encountered.
Pitching Rules:
1. A player is restricted to pitching a maximum of two (2) inning per game, and six (6) innings every consecutive seven (7) days. One (1) pitch constitutes an inning. During the Mustang year end tournament the maximum number of innings allowed per every consecutive seven days will be increased to eight (8) to accommodate the greater number of games.
2. A pitcher must be immediately replaced if two (2) batters are hit by a pitch in the same inning. If the umpire makes a ruling a player intentionally moved so as to be hit by a pitch, the hit player will not be counted against the pitcher. If a pitcher is removed for violating this rule, the player is not permitted to pitch again in the game.
3. If a pitcher is substituted for, and the substitution is not for violation of Pitching Rule #2, #4, or #5, the player can return to pitch provided they have remained on the field in a defensive position, and they have not exceeded the maximum innings as established in Pitching Rule #1. If the player did not remain in the game defensively (except for the case when a player may have been injured), the player is not permitted to pitch again in the game. Removal because of injury is the sole decision of the umpire.
4. Pitchers are to not twist or break their wrists with the intent of throwing a curve ball. If a pitcher violates this rule, they will first be issued a warning, and a second violation will require substitution. If a player is removed for violation of this rule, they will not be permitted to pitch again in the game.
5. Pitchers are not permitted to intentionally walk a batter. If in the opinion of an umpire a pitcher has intentionally walked a player, the umpire will issue a warning to the defensive team manager, and upon a second offense will require the pitcher to be removed. If this occurs the pitcher will no longer be permitted to pitch again in the game.
6. No player called up from a lower division is permitted to pitch in a game.
Length of game:
1. Regulation play will consist of six (6) innings. If a game is tied at the end of six innings, one extra inning will be played. If the game is still tied after the play of one extra inning, the game will be recorded as a tie.
2. No new inning will be allowed to start if two (2) hours have elapsed since the start of the game. For the game to be considered Official (definition to follow), a minimum number of innings must be played.
3. For a game to be considered “Official” (i.e., counted as a win or loss), 4 ½ innings must be completed and the home team in front, or 5 innings must be completed if the visiting team is in front. If a game is suspended prior to this for what ever reason, the game will re-scheduled by the team managers and commence from the point of suspension (i.e., same score, same pitch count on the hitter, etc.). In the case of a suspension, if a pitcher was ineligible to pitch in the balance of the game prior to its suspension (i.e., pitched two innings, or violated rule #2, #4 or #5), the pitcher is still ineligible to pitch in the conclusion of the suspended game. In the case when the sixth or seventh inning is started and then the game is suspended prior to the completion of the inning, the score shall be recorded as it was at the end of the last completed inning, except in the case where the home team in its half of the incomplete inning, scores a run (or runs) which equal or exceeds the opponent score. In this case the final score shall be as recorded when the game is called.
4. The slaughter rule is twelve (12) runs provided the game has satisfied the requirements necessary to be classified as an Official game.
5. An inning will end when one of two events occur; a.) After all players in the lineup bat once - see exceptions under Player Minimums & Rules when teams do not have an equal number of players or the last eligible batter is intentionally walked, or b.) three outs are recorded.
Player Minimums & Rules:
1. A team must be able to field a minimum of seven (7) players; otherwise they will forfeit the game. If both teams have fewer than seven players, the game will be recorded as a double forfeit – a loss for both teams.
2. A team is able to call up a player(s) from the Pinto Division of the JBBL if they are not scheduled to play a game at their assigned level for that day. Players can only be called up to reach a player roster of nine (9) players for a game. Called up players must be inserted at the bottom of the batting order, and must wear either the uniform of their Pinto team, or the Mustang team they are playing for.
3. No player eligible to play can sit out defensively for two consecutive innings, unless for disciplinary reasons.
4. Players can move in and out of the field playing at any position at any time except for the pitcher – see Pitching Rules.
5. The batting order is continuous – one through the number of players who arrive for the game. Players, which show up after the batting order has been given to the opposing team, must be inserted at the bottom of the order. Player assignment in that order once established can not be changed during the game.
6. A team with fewer players than their opponent may bat the same number of players in an inning provided three outs do not occur first. For example; if Team One is playing with nine (9) players and their opponent is playing with eleven (11), Team One is allowed to bat eleven (11) player in their half of an inning provided three (3) outs are not recorded first. If a team has less than nine (9) players, but enough to play the game (i.e., at least seven), an out is recorded for each player they are short of nine (9) – e.g., if a team has only seven players, an out is recorded each time their eighth and ninth spot in the batter order would be called upon to bat.
7. If a team reaches the maximum number of batters allowed in an inning, and the last batter is walked (but not ruled intentionally by the umpire), the team at bat will be awarded one run irregardless of the runners and their position on base. If in the opinion of the umpire the last batter of an inning is intentionally walked, the team at bat will be allowed to bat an additional player or players if the umpire rules intentional walks are being issued consecutively.
8. Bunting is permitted, however a fake bunt and then a swing is not. Violation of this rule will result in the batter being call out.
9. Base runners must avoid contact with the fielders unless sliding into a base or a fielder is intentionally restricting the base runner from advancing.
10. Intentional head first slides are not permitted to any base. A player ruled to have intentionally slide head first, will be called out.
11. Players are permitted to attempt a steal of second or third base once a pitched ball reaches home plate, till the time the pitcher has control of the ball on the pitching mound. Players are not permitted to steal home unless a throw is made to third base by the opposing team. Players that leave a base (this includes lead offs) prior to the ball reaching home plate will be called out. Once a pitcher has control of the ball on the pitching mound, all base runners must return to their original base, unless they have already committed to a steal attempt (i.e., they are at least half way to the next base), or if the pitcher elects to make a play on any base runner prior to delivering the next pitch. For a player to attempt to advance to second base at the time they have been issued a walk, they (and any runner on second base) must be at least half way to the next base prior to the pitcher having control of the ball on the mound. Otherwise they will be forced to return to first base, unless the defensive team elects to make a play on any base runner prior to delivering the next pitch.
12. If the last batter of an inning (i.e. the final player permitted to bat) puts the ball in play, the play is considered “Dead” (i.e., no additional bases can be taken), once the defensive team has control of the ball near home plate, unless a play is imminent at home – umpire discretion.
13. Infield fly rule will not apply.
14. With two outs a manager can pitch run for his catcher on base to help speed up the transition of players at the conclusion of the inning.
GAME DAY PREPARATION: The home team is responsible for preparing the field for game play. Preparation includes but is not limited to raking the infield, setting the bases, lining the foul lines, and lining the batter boxes. After the game all equipment should be returned to storage. Each manager is responsible for making sure all garbage that surrounding the playing field and a result of their teams and or fans is picked up and disposed of properly.
If time permits, the home team has 10 minutes of infield access 30 minutes prior to game time. The visiting team has 10 minutes of infield access 20 minutes prior to game time. All necessary conferences and exchange of line up should be completed 5 minutes prior to the assigned start time in order to permit an on-time start.
STANDINGS & YEAR END TOURNAMENT: The league coordinator will maintain an official record of each teams wins, losses and ties for the regular season. Team records will be used to decide placement of teams for a double elimination year-end tournament. Ties amongst teams will be first decided by head to head competition, and then by a coin toss if necessary.
