50/70 Division – 2011 Pilot Program
Fields
Each team must have a home field available. Exceptions will be considered on a per-case basis.
If fenced outfield, the distance must be at least 200 feet, preferably more. Unfenced fields will be allowed. Bay State may visit each proposed field prior to entrance into 50/70 Division.
Portable pitching mounds and ‘skin’ fields allowed.
Rosters
Roster size will be a maximum of 20 players.
Players must be baseball-aged 11 or 12.
Players must be eligible by normal Bay State Baseball rules (play in town spring league or have a residence in said town), but they DO NOT have to be on a concurrent A or B Division roster. An 11-year old player is allowed to be on A, B and 50/70 rosters concurrently.
Playing Rules
Six inning games, with extra innings if necessary.
50 foot pitching distance & 70 foot bases. No bat restrictions.
Full baseball rules in use, including leading off, pitching from stretch, balks and batter advancement on dropped third strikes.
An Extra Hitter option is allowed. A tenth player may be added by a team as an extra hitter. This player may substitute for any player in the field, but he must remain in the same position in the batting order. The use of a tenth player is optional for each team on a game by game basis. Should a team start with ten players in its order, it must finish with ten. The only exception to this is if a player is injured or must depart early (either by choice or by ejection) and the team does not have ten eligible players available, it may play with nine. Should a team select to use only nine (9) players in a given game, a tenth player spot cannot be added during the game. Should a team use a tenth player for a given game, the manager employing the tenth player must include the tenth player in his lineup as exchanged with the opposing manager prior to the start of the game.
Teams may use a universal batting order, utilizing all game-day players, and having all players eligible to enter and depart defensively at any time. Managers are responsible for ensuring that all players are in the field for at least two (2) defensive innings (see #7).
Re-entry rule (in 9 or 10-player lineups): Starters may re-enter in the same offensive spot once. Substitutes cannot re-enter the game once they have been removed.
Mandatory play rules; each player must play at least two (2) innings in the field and have one (1) plate appearance.
Both teams do NOT have to use the same lineup format in a game; ie – teams can chose from 9-player, 10-player (with EH) or universal batting orders regardless of what the opposition chooses to use.
Courtesy runner allowed for the catcher and pitcher of record only at any time. This is not a substitution and is optional. Courtesy runners cannot be in the current lineup; or in the case of a universal order being used, they must be player(s) who have not been used in said role already during that inning.
Must slide /avoid contact rule. A player must slide or attempt to avoid contact on all close plays (umpire discretion). In essence, same as normal Bay State Baseball rules.
Mercy rule in effect. Four (4) innings must be played for the mercy rule to be considered. Once the run differential is 15 runs between the teams, the game is ended with immediate effect, regardless of which team is ahead.
Pitching Rules
Full baseball rules apply, including holding runners on base from stretch and balks.
Balks will be called following Major League rules. There will be one warning per pitcher per game. All balk calls will be delayed dead balls.
Any pitcher can re-enter as a pitcher as long as he/she stays in the game. Once removed from the game, the pitcher may re-enter the game defensively, but not as a pitcher.
Pitchers-eligibility rules will run concurrently with Bay State A and B Division pitching. In other words, ALL innings will count for the pitcher and will be part of their innings limit (9 per week, all levels included) and rest day rules will also apply.
Pitchers will be limited to six innings in a day, even if more than one game is played that day.
Format
Six-game schedule with the top two teams (as determined by normal Bay State Baseball tie-breaking rules, if necessary) contesting the championship game.
Umpires
All teams will be responsible for securing umpires through Bay State Baseball’s Umpire-in-Chief.
Two umpires per game are required, payment of $60 per umpire. Should only one umpire be available, he shall receive $90.
Miscellaneous
All scores and pitching must be entered on the Bay State Baseball website according to normal procedures.
Any rules/procedures not covered above will default to Bay State Baseball rules, as normally applied. This includes, but is not limited to, forfeitures; score/pitching postings, tips to the mound and rescheduling.
Game schedules may be altered, with agreement of both teams and Bay State Baseball. Listed home team is responsible for payment to umpires.
As a pilot program, rules/procedures may be adjusted or altered as the season goes along. All feedback from coaches is welcomed.
Game dates: Wednesday, June 29; Friday, July 1; Friday, July 8; Monday, July 18; Friday, July 22; Monday, August 1. Championship game – Friday, August 5.
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50/70 Division Info
