Rules INTERPRETATIONS
des Règlements
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.
* * * * *
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.
* * * * *
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. A good rule of thumb for cases where the umpire is not sure is
that if the ball rolls more than 15 feet at Atom age, it was probably hit by
the bat.
* * * * *
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. While the player may run at his
own risk at any time, he can be put out and it will count, but if he arrives
safely at the next base, time will be called, and he will be returned to the
base he previously occupied.
* * * * *
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.
* * * * *
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.
* * * * *
CLARIFICATION - Retrait Automatique quand on a
moins de neuf joueurs
Dans les divisions
Atome à Midget, Classes A ou B (sauf Atome ‘B’), quand une équipe a moins de
neuf joueurs, il y a un retrait automatique SEULEMENT quand c’est le tour au
bâton du « fantôme ».
Exemple, équipe commence avec 8 joueurs. Première manche, les six premiers vont au bâton, pas de retrait
automatique. Deuxième manche, le 7e
frappe, le 8e frappe, mais quand c’est le tour du 9e, s’il n’est pas encore
arrivé, il y a un retrait automatique.
Que la manche continue ou non, le prochain frappeur pour cette équipe
sera le 1e. Chaque fois que le 9e
frappeur doit se présenter, on vérifiera si un 9e joueur est arrivé. Si oui, il frappe, sinon, retrait
automatique.
SI une équipe
commence avec neuf joueurs, mais (exemple) le 4e est expulsé, la joute n’est
plus arrêtée comme dans les années antérieures. Cependant, à chaque fois que le tour du 4e frappeur arrive, il y
aura un retrait automatique. Si
subséquemment, un nouveau joueur arrive, il frappera dernier, et le retrait
automatique est annulé.
Si les deux équipes
manque un joueur chacune ou deux joueurs chacune, il n’y a pas de retrait
automatique. Si une équipe a 8 joueurs,
et l’autre 7, seulement l’équipe qui a 7 joueurs aura de retrait automatique et
ce sera seulement UN.
* * * * *
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.
* * * * *
TEMPS LIMITE c. PARTIE REGLEMENTAIRE – Clarification – Time Limit vs
Minimum innings
Ref : Règlement de ligue Chapitre 14, Article 4, Section B (b)
Si le temps est écoulé mais la partie
n’est pas encore réglementaire, il faut continuer jusqu’à ce qu’on joue 3
manches Atome, 4 manches Moustique/PeeWee et 5 manches Bantam/Midget.
If time is up but the
minimum innings have not been played, the game must continue to 3 innings in
Atom, 4 innings in Mosquito/PW and 5 innings in Bantam/Midget.
Exception: Différentiel de 10 points / Mercy rule
* * * * *
ENGLISH
EXPLANATION OF “OPEN INNING” & TIME LIMIT (League Rule 14,
Article 4)
An “open inning” applies to
the ‘A’ or ‘B’ classes from Atom to Midget.
In these classes and divisions, teams may not score more than five runs
in an inning, UNLESS IT IS AN OPEN INNING.
Here is the important point: it is possible to have MORE THAN ONE “open
inning” in a game!!
Which innings are open
innings? The LAST inning of every game,
plus ANY inning started within one-half hour of the time limit, are OPEN
innings. If an open inning is completed
before reaching the maximum amount of innings for the game, and before
the time limit is reached, then another inning is to be played, and it
will also be open.
In Atom, Mosquito and
PeeWee, the Maximum number of innings = 6 and no new inning can start after TWO
hours. All innings started after 1h30 are open.
In Bantam and Midget, the
Maximum number of innings = 7 and no new inning can start after TWO hours and
TWENTY minutes. All innings started after 1h50 are open.
In addition, if the score
is tied and the maximum # of innings have been completed, but the
time limit has not been reached, then you play-on into EXTRA innings
until a winner is determined or time limit is reached, whichever comes
first. Extra innings are ALWAYS open
innings.
Finally, any inning STARTED
must be COMPLETED. If it is the last
inning or an extra inning, or the time limit has passed, the visiting team has
finished their turn at bat and the home team is winning, then the game ends.