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CENTRAL PA OVER THIRTY BASEBALL LEAGUE |
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30 and over Baseball in Central Pennsylvania |
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CPOT RULES |
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GENERAL
1. All players and coaches must be 30 years of age or older. Managers must recognize their responsibility to the league and to its perpetuity so as not to cross the line where winning is more important than playing. An opposing manager has the right to question a player’s age and get their name. If a manager wants to lodge a protest, proof of age and residence must be mailed to the manager who lodged his protest by Friday of the following week. If an underage player is detected, penalties (whether to the individual or team) will be decided by the League Board. A team may be subject to forfeiture of all games in which the underage player participated. The underage player may be subject to a minimum of a two (2) year suspension beginning on the player’s 30th birthday. If the manager had prior knowledge that the player was underage, he is subject to the same suspension. A player will become eligible to play on the day of his 30th birthday.
2. Rosters and League dues must be submitted by the date determined by the League Board each year. Initial rosters must be submitted before opening weekend. Final rosters must be submitted by a date determined by the League each year, normally the second week in June. There will be no roster changes after final rosters have been submitted without approval by the League Board.
3. A player must be out of professional baseball for three (3) complete seasons before becoming eligible to participate in the Central Pennsylvania Over Thirty League. Professional baseball refers to major and minor leagues. A player is ineligible if he is on any twilight baseball roster for the current season.
4. No player may change teams after April 1st. If a coach will not release a player during the off-season, the coach and player will appear in front of the League Board to resolve the issue. The League Board must approve all decisions involving player movement between clubs.
5. In the event a player wishes to leave his existing team to form a new team, he may do so, providing the League has approved the addition of new teams. No other player can be taken from that existing team without a written consent release by the existing team’s manager. No other league player can be taken from any other team without the respective team’s manager’s consent and approval by the League Board. Players will not be allowed to form a new team and/or add players from the league (even with consent) if the result puts an existing league team in the position where they are in danger of folding or will have to fold.
6. In order for a player to qualify and participate in his team’s post-season playoffs he must participate in at least 50% of his team’s regular season games. If an odd number of regular season games are played, the number will be rounded down. For example, if there are 13 regular season games, the number of games played to be eligible is 6. A minimum of one (1) inning is required for participation in that game to count. If a player fails to meet the requirements due to injury, a letter must be submitted to the League President explaining non-compliance. A doctor’s excuse may be required. Any non-compliant player must be approved by the League Board to participate in the playoffs.
7. Final league standings will be determined first by win percentage. The tie-breaker progression is as follows: Head-to-head, Divisional record, Run differential (head to head)
8. Expulsions – When a player is expelled from a game, the following penalties apply: First Expulsion – Rule 25 applies and there is an automatic one-game suspension for the next played team game. Second Expulsion – the player is suspended for the rest of the season.
9. No beer or alcoholic beverages are permitted during the game or on the field or its premises. If this situation arises, and the player notified refuses to obey, the player is subject to expulsion from the league.
10. Fighting is subject to league suspension.
11. If bleeding on any player occurs during the game, that player will be substituted for and may not reenter the game until the bleeding has stopped. If blood appears on any player’s uniform, it must be covered with tape or a patch for that player to continue play.
12. All protests must be lodged to the League Board within 24 hours of when the incident occurred. The protest must be in writing along with a check for $25.00 postmarked within three (3) business days. The League Board will decide all protests. A $25.00 refund will be given if the protest is valid. If the protest is not valid, there will be no refund and the money will be donated to the League.
GAMES
13. All games are nine (9) innings. In case of darkness, seven (7) innings are considered complete or umpire’s discretion. In case of rain, five (5) innings will be considered a complete game.
14. A game will be ruled final after the completion of the full inning which is started. A game will also be ruled final if any team is ahead by 10 runs after seven (7) innings are completed. In a seven-inning game, the game will be ruled final if any team is ahead by 10 runs after five (5) innings are completed.
15. In the event of inclement weather, the home team’s manager must be in contact with the opposing team’s manager three (3) hours prior to game time to discuss the situation. Both team managers must be in agreement to play or the game will be rescheduled.
16. Any postponed game will not be rescheduled by the League, but shall be made up anytime not conflicting with previously scheduled games. If both teams cannot get together, the next scheduled game in which the teams play each other will be a doubleheader. All make-up games can be played to completion at a later date with the agreement of both teams and League notification.
17. A team must have eight (8) players to start an official game. A team may borrow a player from the opposing team manager. If a team’s ninth player arrives after the start, the borrowed player reverts back to his original team. The ninth player must bat at the bottom of the order.
18. Forfeits: Two (2) forfeits in one season may result in league expulsion with no refund of league fees. The League Board will evaluate the circumstances before rendering a decision of expulsion. The team that forfeits is required to pay both umpires. A forfeited game will be considered a 9-0 win for the team that did not forfeit and a 9-0 loss for the team that forfeited.
EQUIPMENT
19. Wood and metal bats are allowed. No multi-walled bats are allowed.
20. Each team is responsible to provide two (2) game balls. NCAA (or better) Official Competition Grade Baseball, Full Grain Leather Cover.
21. All teams must wear full baseball uniforms. No non-uniformed player will be permitted to play. All teams must have their uniforms by opening day unless the League Board gives prior approval.
22. All batters and runners must wear helmets. Full earflap helmets are encouraged for all batters and base runners. Catchers are also encouraged to wear a helmet underneath their mask.
23. Metal cleats are permitted.
GAME PLAY
24. Each manager may bat as many players as he so desires in his initial line-up with a minimum of eight (8). If a manager wants to add players at the bottom of his line-up, he may do so at any time. Batters may not be skipped over regardless of their batting position or when they were added during the game. If a player plays in the field, he must occupy a spot in the batting order.
25. If a player leaves the game, any other player not previously entered into the game as a batter must bat in the injured player’s position in the batting line-up. If no player is available, the batting position is skipped and every other batter moves up in the line-up with no penalty. If a player is ejected, his batting position is an automatic out for the rest of the game.
26. Any player may be substituted for defensively at anytime. If the pitcher is removed, he may reenter to pitch one (1) time during the remainder of the game.
27. The pitcher and catcher will be allowed courtesy runners during the game. The courtesy runner will be the player who made the last batted out. If the last batted out is a pitcher or catcher, the manager has the option of not using them in that capacity. If a player becomes injured offensively, a courtesy runner may be used only for that at bat. A courtesy runner cannot be used for any other batter (except stated above) who reaches base.
28. A pitcher may pitch any amount of innings. A pitcher cannot wear any white or gray-sleeved shirt under his uniform. Other accessories that are not permitted for pitchers include batting gloves, wristbands, reflective glasses and white or gray fielding mitts.
29. Intentional walks and pitchouts are permitted. A pitcher is required to throw the pitches for an intentional walk.
30. If a pitcher hits three (3) batters in any one game, the pitcher will be removed upon hitting the third batter.
31. All players must avoid an intentional collision with a fielder. In case of a collision, the runner will be automatically out and if ruled deliberate by the umpire, the runner may be subject to ejection from the game.
32. The NCAA Force-Play Slide Rule applies to the Central Pennsylvania Over Thirty League. a. On a force at any base, including home plate, the runner must slide on the ground and in a direct line between the two bases. A legal slide, even if contact is made with the fielder is: 1. On the ground can either be head first or with one leg and buttock on the ground. 2. Directly into the base means the runner’s entire body (feet, legs, trunk and arms) must stay in a complete line between the bases. b. Contact is allowed if the runner: 1. Makes a legal slide directly to the base 2. Is on the ground at the time of contact and the fielder moves directly down the line between the two bases to attempt play. c. Runners may give themselves up by turning to the infield or outfield but must not interfere with the play or make contact with the fielder. d. It is an illegal slide if: 1. The runner slides or runs out of the baseline in the direction of the fielder. 2. The runner uses a rolling, cross-body or pop-up slide into a fielder. 3. The runner’s raised leg is higher than the fielder’s knee when in standing position. 4. The runner goes beyond the base and makes contact or alters the play of the fielder. 5. The runner slashes or kicks the fielder. 6. The slide is flagrant - the runner will be ejected. If an illegal slide occurs both the runner and the batter/runner shall be called out for a total of two (2) outs. In addition, a fielder may not in any way obstruct the runner from reaching the base. |
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