Rules INTERPRETATIONS des Règlements

English Explanation of NEW TIME LIMIT RULE (League rules Article 4)

According to Baseball Quebec rule 103.14a, teams in the ‘A’ or ‘B’ classes from Atom to Midget may not score more than five runs in an inning, EXCEPT during the LAST INNING, which is "open".  The last inning is the 6th inning for divisions PeeWee and lower, and the 7th inning for the Bantam and Midget divisions.  As of 2010, the LSL League has modified its time limit rule to conform to the "last inning is open" concept.

In Atom, Mosquito and PeeWee, an inning started after 1h30 has elapsed will be announced as the "last inning", and is therefore open.  Under our new rule, we start counting the elapsed time as of the ACTUAL game start time as determined by the scorekeeper, and not the SCHEDULED game time as in the past.  Also, any delay for any reason that lasts more than ten minutes must be added back to the alloted time.  Some examples are given in the table below.

If the score is tied after six innings, but the sixth inning began BEFORE the 1h30 of elapsed time, then there is time to play an extra inning.  Extra innings are ALWAYS open innings.

In Bantam and Midget, there is an additional 15 minutes allotted.  Therefore, only after 1h45 of elapsed time, as defined above, does a new inning become the LAST inning.  In these divisions, it is the 8th inning that would be an extra inning.

EXAMPLES regarding when to call "LAST INNING"

Schedule Start

Actual Start Time

Allowed up to PW

Allowed Bant/Mid

Delays > 10 min

Last Inning is the one starting after

18h30

18h30

1h30

none

20h00

19h00

19h04

1h30

12 min

20h46

19h30

19h28

1h45

none

21h13

19h00

19h07

1h45

19 min

21h11

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TEMPS LIMITE c. PARTIE REGLEMENTAIRE – Clarification – Time Limit vs Official Game

Une partie est réglementaire lorsque 4 manches ou davantage fut jouées à l'Atome, Moustique ou PeeWee, ou 5 manches ou davantage fut jouées au Bantam ou Midget, ou lorsque la "dernière manche" fut annoncée et terminée.  Une partie qui est arrêtée avant de devenir réglementaire est suspendue.

A game is official if 4 or more innings are played at Atom, Mosquito or PeeWee, or 5 or more innings are played at Bantam or Midget, or once the "last inning" has been announced and completed.  A game that is stopped before it is official is suspended.

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Lançeur-receveur dans la même partie - NOUVEAU - Pitcher and Catcher in the Same Game

À partir de cette année, un joueur ayant agi comme receveur peut aller lancer plus tard dans un match ou dans une journee.  Cependant, aucun lanceur, ayant terminé son séjour au monticule, aussi court que ce soit, ne peut agir comme receveur pour la balance de cette journée.  Son bras se refroidit et il n'est plus sécuritaire de le taxer autant que la position de receveur le taxerait.

Beginning this year, a player having already played catcher may go and pitch in the same day.  However, any pitcher who has finished his turn on the mound may not go play catcher during the rest of that day.  His arm cools off and it is no longer safe to tax it as much as the catching position taxes arms.

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Coureur de courtoisie pour le receveur - NOUVEAU - Running for the Catcher

Le coureur de courtoisie n'est plus permis au Québec.  Un receveur qui se trouve sur les buts avec deux retraits reste sur les sentiers.

There is no longer any courtesy running in Quebec.  Catchers who are on base with two outs remain and run for themselves.

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But sur balles intentionnel - NOUVEAU - Intentional Walk

Pour accélérer les parties, le but sur balles intentionnel est automatique à la demande de l'entraîneur en défensive.  On ne fait aucun lancer.  Le frappeur va au premier but et les autres coureurs avancent si forcés.  Non applicable à l'Atome et au Junior.

To speed up the game, the intentional walk is now automatic upon request by the defensive coach.  No pitches are thrown.  The batter is awarded first base, and runners advance if forced.  Not applicable to Atom or Junior.

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Retrait Automatique - NOUVEAU - Automatic Out

Depuis 2010, il n'y a plus de retrait automatique quand une équipe joue avec 7 ou 8 joueurs.

Beginning in 2010, there is no longer an automatic out if a team plays with 7 or 8 players.

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Receveur à l'Atome - CLARIFICATION - Catcher in Atom

Une équipe Atome A peut aligner 7, 8 ou 9 joueurs en défensive.  Une formation de neuf joueurs doit comprendre un 'lanceur' et un receveur tout habillé.  Quand il y a moins de neuf joueurs, c'est l'entraîneur qui choisira la ou les position(s) à laisser vacante(s).

An Atom A team may play with 7, 8 or 9 players on defence.  A 9-man team must include a "pitcher" and a fully-dressed catcher.  If there are less than 9 players, the coach determines which position(s) to leave undefended.

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Entraîneur en uniforme - CLARIFICATION - Coach in uniform

Le règlement de la ligue stipule que les entraîneurs doivent être en uniforme.  Certaines associations fournissent les mêmes uniformes à leurs entraîneurs qu’aux joueurs.  Ça c’est correct.  Mais dans les cas contraires, qu’est ce qu’on demande comme MINIMUM ?  Tout entraîneur DOIT porter la casquette de son équipe, un chandail de son équipe ou un autre T-shirt ou Polo dans la même couleur, ou bien le jacket de l’équipe ou de l’association.  Si des pantalons d’équipe ne sont pas fournis, il faut porter des PANTALONS de couleur conservatrice ou d’équipe.  Pas de SHORTS et pas de GOUGOUNES !  L’objectif c’est de présenter une belle image des entraîneurs aux joueurs et aux spectateurs.  Nous demandons à TOUS leur coopération à cet égard.

League rules stipulate that coaches must be in uniform.  Some associations supply identical uniforms to players and coaches.  That’s fine.  But what is the minimum standard when they don’t?  Every coach MUST wear the team baseball cap, the team shirt OR a T-shirt or Polo in the same colours OR the team or association jacket.  If pants are not supplied, the coach must still wear pants in the team colour or another conservative colour.  No SHORTS and no SANDALS!  The goal is to project a nice image to the players and fans.  We require EVERYONE’S cooperation in this matter.

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MYTH BUSTER – “How can he be safe???  He ran over my catcher!!" – MYTH BUSTER

Some umpires and coaches believe that under the CONTACT RULE 103.10, if there is a collision and the runner touches home plate before he is tagged, the runner must either be a) SAFE or b)OUT AND EJECTED.

Most people have also read that a player is ejected only for MALICIOUS contact.  Therefore, some umpires have ruled in certain cases that the runner was SAFE because they did not want to eject him since they felt the collision was not malicious.  However, this is wrong and unfairly penalizes the defensive team.

The correct approach is to judge the play and the malicious contact separately:  Examples of applying the rules are:

Runner fails to slide or try to avoid contact  ==> he is called OUT.

Runner slides, makes "normal contact" with catcher  ==> Runner is SAFE or OUT according to judgment on the actual play, and no PENALTY to the runner.

Runner slides but maliciously kicks, stomps on or otherwise attacks the catcher  ==> runner is called OUT and also EJECTED.

Runner does not slide, makes contact, but it is not malicious  ==> after being called out, the runner is NOT ejected.

Runner does not slide, makes contact, and the umpire judges it malicious  ==> after being called out, the player is EJECTED.

Catcher blocks plate without ball, runner slides into catcher and is tagged later after ball arrives  ==> runner is called SAFE due to obstruction.

Catcher blocks plate without ball, runner barrels into catcher "à la Pete Rose"  ==> runner is called SAFE on the obstruction but then EJECTED.

Runner slides or tries to avoid contact, catcher initiates malicious contact  ==> runner is SAFE and catcher is EJECTED.

Runner scores before contact is made, but malicious contact occurs afterwards  ==> run COUNTS, guilty player is EJECTED.

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MYTH BUSTER – “Hee-hee, you have to take your pitcher out!” – MYTH BUSTER

Some coaches have been trying to force their opponents to take out their pitcher if he has reached (insert a number here:  two, three, four, five, whatever) hit by pitches.  With great conviction they argue their particular version to the umpire and hold up the game while everyone gets into a pow-wow.  The discussions are really interesting and deep.

“I swear, the rule is three plonks and you’re out”.

“No, seriously, it’s two in the same inning.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s two in the same inning OR three in the game.”

“Get out of here, last week in St. Ruth de Batville, I had to take out my pitcher after one hit by pitch and three close calls!”

“Trust me, it’s four and a half in Bantam and Midget, otherwise three.”   And on it goes.

The fact is, there is no such rule in either the Baseball Canada or Baseball Quebec rule book.  Unless the umpire determines that a pitcher is INTENTIONALLY throwing at hitters, there is no consequence.  Live with it !  Let the pitcher’s manager decide when he comes out.

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MYTH BUSTER – “He Threw his BAT!” – MYTH BUSTER

Some umpires have been declaring a batter out for “throwing his bat”.  This even happened recently in a AA game.  The fact is, there is no such rule.  Nor is there a rule that calls for the umpire to EJECT a player who UNINTENTIONALLY loses control of his bat.  Yes, it can be dangerous, but think for a minute to MLB Bloopers when a player loses control of his bat.  He is never called out for doing so, UNLESS the flying bat INTERFERES with the fielder trying to field the ball and make a play on the batter or a baserunner.

Coaches who have protested an automatic “out” or ejection on a play where the batter loses control of the bat have usually won their protests.

Of course, if someone INTENTIONALLY throws his bat (or helmet), the umpire may warn or even eject that person, depending on the circumstances.

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MYTH BUSTER – “He hit part of the Tee!” – MYTH BUSTER

In Atom, some umpires have been declaring a foul ball or strike on batters who hit part of the tee when swinging at the ball sitting on the tee.  Some seem to be under the impression that the bat may not strike any part of the tee.  Others believe that the bat must hit “more of” the ball than the tee.  BOTH OF THESE IDEAS ARE WRONG!

As long as the batter hits even a tiny bit of the ball, it is in play, even if the Tee was also struck.  The ball may then be either a fair or foul ball depending on the balance of the Atom Rules.

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MYTH BUSTER – “That wasn’t a steal!” – MYTH BUSTER

In Atom to Midget, classes A and B, we play “Equite de Jeu” (rule 103.14).  One aspect of this rule is that a team leading by 5 or more runs may not steal a base.  Some teams and some umpires believe that a failed pickoff attempt removes or cancels this restriction and allows the runner to advance.  THIS IS NOT TRUE.

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Hit by Pitch – MYTH BUSTER – “It bounced!” – MYTH BUSTER – “The hands are part of the bat!”

Basically, when a batter is hit by a pitch, it creates a dead ball.  If it is in the strike zone or was swung at, the pitch is a strike.  If it is a ball, and the batter made an attempt to get out of the way, he is awarded first base.  If he did nothing or, in the opinion of the umpire, intentionally got hit, the pitch is simply a ball.

Let us bust two myths about “hit by pitch” plays.

The first myth is that if the ball bounces before hitting the batter, he is not awarded first base.  WRONG!  Nothing changes.  The rule is EXACTLY the same as above, and the bounce does not cancel the possibility of attaining first base.

The second myth is that if the ball hits the batter on the hand(s), it is a foul ball because “the hands are part of the bat”.  This is nonsense, as any doctor will tell you.  The hands are actually part of the body!  So a pitch that hits the batter’s hands is either a strike or a ball, depending on where it located (in or out of the strike zone) and whether the batter swung.  But it is still a dead ball, as mentioned above.  No runners can advance if it is a strike or if it is called a ball with no award of first base, and runners advance if forced, if the batter is awarded first base.

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The “Hidden Ball Trick” and the position of the pitcher

Baseball Canada Rule 8.05 (i) forbids a pitcher from being on the rubber or straddling it without the ball in his possession.  Umpires have been instructed to interpret “straddling” as being near enough to the rubber that they could reach it in no more than one stride of each leg.  Some umpires are even more strict than that and require an “easily visible” distance from the rubber (this is a non-appealable judgment).  The penalty for non-compliance is a BALK.  The rule book also reminds umpires that whenever in doubt about a balk, they should ask themselves if there was any intent to deceive the runner, and if so to apply the balk.

We must also tell you that contrary to sandlot myth (and perhaps a famous baseball movie for kids), tagging a runner out via the hidden ball trick can NEVER immediately follow a timeout.  The reason is that the umpires must only re-put the ball back in play following a timeout if the PITCHER has the ball in CONTACT with THE RUBBER.  If the pitcher doesn’t have the ball, play cannot resume and thus an out is not possible.  Umpires in certain areas of Quebec seem to have been taught that ATTEMPTING the hidden ball play following a visit from the manager to the mound is so terribly unsportsmanlike that besides not being allowed to work since “play ball” has not been called, the manager or both the manager and pitcher may be ejected.  Because this falls under the “unsportsmanlike conduct” category, such a judgment of the umpire cannot normally even be appealed.  In light of this practice, coaches are advised to tell their kids NEVER to attempt a hidden ball trick after a timeout.

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