ALL DIVISIONS

1.1        All rules/principals not specifically addressed in the Glen Abbey Slo-Pitch Constitution, By-Laws or in the following rules and amendments will be as is specified in the Slo-Pitch National Association current year Slo-Pitch Rule Book.  Any situations/incidents etc. not covered will be decided by the League Executive.

1.2        Appeals, protests, etc. will be submitted in writing to the Executive within three (3) days. The meeting and the decision will be made within fourteen (14) days of receiving the written protest.

1.3        Rules will not be updated during the course of the season, unless absolutely necessary.

1.4        Rule additions, changes, deletions, amendments must be forwarded to the League Executive in writing and must have the signed approval of at least five (5) other members of the League in good standing prior to the date specified by the League Executive  in order to be considered at the Annual General Meeting.

1.5        All players must bat.  Likewise, fielding is on an equal rotation basis (when the number of players is greater than ten (10), no player should sit a second (2nd) time until every other player sits out once, and so forth (pitchers are the only exception).  Who plays what position is the responsibility of the team manager.  NOTE:  It is the responsibility of the player involved to notify the Divisional Convener in writing of any complaints or problems regarding player rotation on their respective team.  Protests upheld will result in the offending team forfeiting the game. 

1.6        All exposed items judged by the umpire as hazardous or dangerous may not be worn during the game.  Neck chains, watches, bracelets, earrings, rings, exposed metal braces or casts not covered by a soft pliable material, must either be covered or removed.  Medical Alert Bracelets or Necklaces are excluded.  Any ring not removable must be identified to the umpire before the player enters the game and covered.  Any breach of this rule will result in the player being called out when entering the batter's box.

1.7        Current year "league jerseys" are to be worn during all League games by players on the official team roster unless stipulated by the Executive.   The umpire is to state if jerseys may be covered due to inclement weather.  Temporary players (from the spare lists) need not wear "league jerseys".

1.8        No grace period; all games are to start on time.  To ensure all games start on time the umpire should call both coaches together five minutes before game time to go over rules etc.  The home team should be taking the field at official game time, with no exception.

1.9        Games are nine (9) innings in length (time permitting).  No inning shall start after 1 hour and 40 minutes of play.

1.10        Five (5) courtesy runners per game.

1.11        No anticipation step or lead offs.  Contact must be made between the ball and the bat before the runner can leave the base, otherwise the runner will be called out.

1.12        Commitment Line is twenty (20) feet from home plate.  Once a runner touches the line he/she is committed to go home.

1.13        After crossing the Commitment Line, a runner can not be "tagged out".  The out must be made with the defensive player, in control of the ball, touching home plate before the runner crosses the Safe Line.  A runner who has been "tagged" after crossing the Commitment Line is considered safe at the plate.  A runner may be "tagged" prior to crossing the Commitment Line.  Any base runner that touches the plate or mat or attempts to slide across the Scoring Line will be called out.  Catchers play the plate, not the runner.  The base runner should avoid all collisions or be subject to ejection, based on the umpires' judgment. 

1.14        No fake tags.

1.15        Safety Base Rules:  Runners must touch orange safety base when a play is going to be made otherwise the runner is out. Fielder must play the white bag otherwise the runner is safe.  Once the play is made the white base is the only base in play.

1.16        On deck batter must be in position when the batter steps into the box or an automatic strike will be called.

1.17        If a defensive player has the ball and is waiting for the runner and the runner deliberately, with great force, crashes into the defensive player, the offensive player is out and ejected from the game.  The ball is dead and no runners may advance.

1.18        Managers who allow a player on the field who is neither on their team roster nor on the League approved spare list will forfeit the game and face possible suspension.

1.19        A player can not spare for another team if the player plays within the same division.

1.20        Coaches should be able to have access to the spare list.  Additional players should not be allowed on the spare list until the Convener notifies all coaches that they are available.

1.21        Under no circumstances should a player who is not on the spare list have the opportunity to play.  Before playing, all spares must have signed a waiver, which must be forwarded as soon as possible to the League Executive.

1.22        A player cannot spare more than 3 games for the same team during the regular season.  Both captains are required to call in and report the spare usage in order for this regulation to be correctly tracked.

1.23        If a spare is used, he or she must be placed at the bottom of the batting order.

1.24        It is the Manager's responsibility to notify the Divisional Conveners of any player with injuries that require professional medical attention.

1.25        If someone volunteers to umpire the games in which an umpire is not present, that person will be paid within thirty (30) days after notification to the league.

1.26        During the final series of all leagues there will be a home plate umpire and a base umpire.

1.27        If a game is delayed or called due to time limits because of an injury or inclement weather, the game will be deemed complete if the minimum five (5) innings have been played.  If the minimum innings have not been played then the game will be played at a later date.

1.28        Mercy Rule:  A maximum of seven (7) runs per team can be scored in any inning except the eighth (8th) inning, ninth (9th) or the last inning of the game as called by the umpire.  In these innings there shall be unlimited runs.

1.29        Strike Zone:  In place of an umpire-called strike zone, a wooden board measuring 2' x 3' will be implemented.  Any contact with the board will result in a strike call.  Contact with the board must occur prior to the ball striking the ground.

1.30        If a team is faced with a permanent roster vacancy due to a player moving, withdrawing, or injury, the League Executive must be notified and a replacement player (of equal or less rating value) will be found from the League waiting list (where possible).  A replacement player cannot be added to any roster after August 1st of the current year.  New players added to a team must sign a registration form and pay a pro-rated registration fee as determined by the League Executive.

1.31        If a team captain or acting representative has been made aware of possession of an illegal bat - either in writing or verbally by the umpire - and then any player on that team brings the illegal bat into the batter's box, that player and manager shall be removed from the game.

NEW        A player must participate in a minimum of 2/3's of regular season games, (calculation based on when player joins the team), to be eligible to play in the playoffs.  It is at the discretion of the team's manager whether or not to allow an individual who does not meet the elgibility requirements to play in the playoffs.  Any player playing 2/3's of the regular season's games must be allowed the opportunity to play in the playoffs.  Any decision made by the team's manager must be reported to the League Executive prior to the first playoff game.

MEN'S DIVISION

1.32        The minimum number of players to start a game is eight (8).  Teams must field a minimum of eight (8) players during the course of the game and finish with a minimum of eight (8) players.  No automatic out is incurred.  If at any time during the course of the game the number of fielders or batters on a team falls below the minimum of eight (8), the game shall be declared a forfeit by that team at that time.

1.33        Spares from outside of the Glen Abbey Slo-Pitch League may not be used.  Only registered male players from the Co-Ed Division as well as male players on  the league waiting list are eligible spares. 

1.34        Protected Lists:  Men's teams will be permitted to protect 7 players prior to the draft.  One of these players must be a pitcher.  All protected players must be aware of and in agreement with said protection. 

CO-ED DIVISION

1.36        Minimum number of players to start or continue a game is eight (8). A minimum of three (3) females/males must take the field.  A maximum of five (5) males/females to be fielding at any time.  A team fielding three (3) or four (4) males/females and five (5) males/females shall incur one (1) automatic out in that inning, if applicable, for the fourth/fifth (4th/5th) male/female's batting position.  If at any time during the course of the game the number of fielders or batters on a team falls below the minimum eight (8) or three (3) female/males, the game shall be declared a forfeit by that team at the time.

1.37        Automatic Outs:  If there are only four males present to start a game and there are six females present to start the game, then a six female and four male ratio would be allowed to play, without the automatic out penalty being applied. If this female/male ratio starts the game, then this female/male ratio must be maintained throughout the entire game.

1.38        Batting order must be male follows female or female follows male.  A team cannot bat two (2) males/females back to back even when there is an automatic out. For example, if the 4th/5th male position is an automatic out, the next male at the top of the order will bat.  This prevents the batting sequence of female/automatic out/female and male/automatic out/male.

1.39        It is the responsibility of the player to notify the League Executive and team manager about a pregnancy and the expected due date.  No player can play in the Glen Abbey Slo-Pitch League six (6) months prior to a pregnancy due date.  In addition, if the pregnancy is noticeable, the player may not participate in any further games until after the pregnancy.  This rule will be enforced by the umpire and the League Executive and is for the safety of the individual teams and the League as a whole.

1.40        When a male batter is walked on four pitches or less, he automatically goes to second base.  The subsequent female batter has the option of taking an automatic walk or taking her turn at bat.

1.41        Spares shall not be called if the team knows in advance that it can field six (6) men and six (6) women out of its own roster.  If a spare is called and unexpected team members do show up, the spare is still entitled to play in the game.

1.42        Players who were not placed on a team due to divisions having more registrants than spots should get priority as spares, then members who were in the league in the past.

1.43        150 foot line rule:  No outfielder (minimum of 4) is allowed in front of this line until the ball is hit.  If this is violated the offensive team has the option of taking the result of the play or an award of 1 base to the batter and all runners.  It is the responsibility of the Home Team to clearly mark the distance line across the field prior to the start of play.

1.44        An outfielder may make a force out on the batter/base runner at first base.