N.W.I.N.A.B.A.

GENERAL RULES & INFORMATION

REVISED 01/25/2019

Updated 06/6/2019

• Northwest Indiana National Adult Baseball Association (NWINABA) is managed by:
  •    President- Jeramy Ortiz……0 years
• Manager Responsibility:
  • Financial Requirements:
    • All league fees need to be paid in full by April 7th 2019
      • $2650 for league fees
      • $30 player insurance fee
      • $750 for Games at the Steelyard are due by opening day 2019
  • Roster Requirements:
    • All rosters will be finalized on April 7, 2019, with 21 players max and a 15 player min. 
    • All Players on a roster must fall in line with Player eligibility rules established by the league
  • Website/Stats Updates:
    • Each manager is required to keep their team’s web page up to date.
      • Keeping the active roster up to date and current
      • Stats must be in put in to the site no later than start of next week’s game
        • Fines for not meeting this require will be assed in the amount of $50 per week missed.
        • Fines will be monitored and upheld by the President of NWINABA
        • Fines need to be paid by the start of the current seasons playoffs. If not paid the team will be forced to forfeit the playoffs.
  • Fields:
    • All teams are required to assist in the maintenance of the fields in which games are played.
      • As designated by field location rules the teams are to clean their dugouts after each game
      • As designated by field location rules the stands must be cleaned and all trash placed in the proper receptacle
      • As designated by field location rules file in holes on the mound, at home plate and as necessary around the bases and base paths.
    • Teams must assist in pre-game prep if needed to get the field game ready
    • Managers are responsible for delegating and assisting in pre-game prep to prevent the unnecessary cancelations of games.  
    • If the league loses a field due to misconduct (alcohol abuse, fighting, not maintaining) a fine for the team will be issued and could result in the team’s forfeit of the season. This will be determined by the league President
    • Fines for not adhering to the field maintenance rules will be enforced by league President.

• Player Eligibility Rules
  • All players must be 28 years old by 12/31/19 to qualify as a player in the NWINABA league.
    • Teams are allowed to carry a total of 3 players who do not meet the above mentioned age requirement. Must be 25 years of age prior to the start of the 1st game of the season.
    • Any play found to not meet the age requirements for the league will be removed the league. Any game played will be forfeited. The manager of the team will also be removed from the league.
  • No player will be allowed to play unless all his league fees are paid and Player Rules Agreement (PRA) is signed and turned in. 
  • Any player to be considered eligible for the post season must have participated in ½ the games played for the season. (18 games scheduled must participate in 9) 
    • For an injured player to get credit for a game he must be approved by the President "via EMAIL". The players name must be added to the bottom of the line-up card noting injured. Both the opposing team’s manager and game time umpires must be notified of injured player.
  • Teams are allowed up to 2 replacement players. Roster changes are to be submitted prior to the 9th game being played.    
    • The only criteria that allows a player to be replaced is the following:
      • 1.  Season ending injury and verification by league board.
      • 2.  Mutual separation agreement and verification by league board.
    • Replacement player must have A complete uniform as defined in the league rules to play in game. There will be no exceptions to the rule unless the President approves.
    • Replaced player will not be allowed in league play for the remainder of the current season and playoffs. A player who is replaced can be considered a bench/base coach so long as he is able to perform specific duties without being considered an obstacle.  
• Player Conduct
  • Smoking and Drinking in Dugout is prohibited. If caught can lead to player suspension up to expulsion from the league
  • Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated. Unsportsmanlike conduct will be defined as follows:
    • throwing of equipment
    • excessive arguing with umpires
    • badgering of players on or off the field
    • excessive use of words considered to be vulgar
  • Any violation of these rule can and will result in ejection from the game, suspension and or up to expulsion from the league. 
  • Physical violence will result in an indefinite suspension from the league with follow up review.
• Player Uniforms
  • All teams must use a team that is a featured MLB team. 
  • All players must be in their own team issued full uniform.  Uniform consist of hat, jersey (vest jersey requires short sleeved matching team colored undershirt), pants, and socks.  Belts are optional.
  • If a player shows up without his own current uniform, he cannot play.  His jersey uniform must match line-up card handed to umpire and opponent.
  • Hats with the same team logo must be worn by all players on the field in exception of catchers.
• The Materials for the game
  • Baseballs: Are to be supplied by the home team. (4 balls per game) 
    • NWINABA will supply each team with enough baseballs to accommodate every home game.
    • Request for additional baseballs need to come to the president via email with a reason as to what additional balls are needed.
  • Game Bats: Teams and or players will need to provide baseball bats that meet the fallowing expectations:
    • BBCOR non-wood bats are allowed with a length to weight ratio at -3.
    • All non-wood bats need to be clearly marked as “BBCOR”
      • If not marked said bat will be removed from play and considered illegal
    • Wood bats must be smooth, not more than 2 ¾” in diameter at the thickest part and not to exceed 42” in length
    • All bats that do not meet the listed requirements and are deemed illegal by an umpire will be removed from the field of play and confiscated by the head umpire. Said umpire will secure bat in personal vehicle and provide the bat to the President.
    • If the bat deemed illegal is used during the game the player using/attempting to use will be ejected from the game.
    • Failure to relinquish the illegal bat will include a mandatory league sanction that will be imposed by the President of the NWINABA.
    • If an umpire discovers that the bat is used illegally on a batted ball (fair or foul), the batter is out and all runners will be forced back to their base previously occupied and the batter will be ejected. This will need to be done as a protest and called by the opposing team before the next pitch is taken.
  • Line-Up Cards: Teams will be provided NABA Official lineup cards prior to the start of the season.
  • Score Book: Teams will be provided NABA Official score book prior to the start of the season.

• The Game day:
  • All line must be provided to the home plate umpire and manager of the opposing team.
    • Doing so allows for players to be accounted for the post season qualification for participation.
    • Line-up cards must consist of players legal name and jersey number
  • All games will be played at 7 innings or within the time restriction of 2 hours and 45 minutes.
    • 10 run rule in affect after 5 complete innings, or 4 ½ innings if home team is ahead.
    • 15 run rule in affect after 4 complete innings, or 3 ½ innings if home team is ahead.
    • There will be a 2 hour and 45 minute time limit on all regular season games
    • If the game is tied at the end of regulation one complete inning shall be played. If the game remains tied after the completion of the one inning the game will be recorded as a tie for both teams. 
      • During Playoffs games cannot end in a tie.
    • Steelyard games will be played according to regular season rules with the following exception
      • If there is a call for the slaughter rules the game will be counted at that point. If both teams agree the remainder of game can be played out as agreed to by both managers.
  • The HOME team will be responsible for keeping the scorebook and properly scoring the game.  The HOME team’s scorebook is the official scorebook of the game.
  • Teams can start a game with the minimum of 8 players.
    • There is a 10 minute grace period to field at least 8 players.  Game must start as soon as there are at least 8 players. Note: Game clock starts as stated on the schedule. If a team plays with less than 9 players an automatic out must be taken.
    • If a team is unable to produce 8 players the game will be forfeited
  • All teams MUST use a continuous batting order.
    • If a manager does not have a player in the official line-up at the start of the game, he has till the batting order has completed its cycle to add a player into the line-up.
    • If a player vacates the line-up for any reason except injury during that played game, his spot in the line-up will be counted as an automatic out. 
      • Manager must provide a reason via email to league president as to why the player vacated their spot in the lineup
      • If a game starts later than 45 minutes of its ordinary start time, and a player has to leave due to the late start time, he may vacate his spot in the line-up without being penalized an automatic out.
        •  EXAMPLE:  if a game that is supposed to start at 10:00 starts at 10:50, that player has till at least 12:45 to qualify as an official played game. 
    • In the event a team only has 8 players or is forced by ejection to take an automatic out the game cannot end on that automatic out. The next out must completed by a player who is established in the lineup.

• Player Ejections
  • If any player is ejected during a game, he will be suspended the following scheduled game.
    1. When the players spot comes up to bat this spot will be considered an automatic out
  • Player will be asked to leave park in which the game is being played
  • Player will also be asked to not be attendance for the game in which they are suspended.
  • These rules pertain to the regular season, playoffs and championship series games. 
  • All managers must announce to the league via email that they have a player ejected immediately.  Manager must announce within 48 hours to the league board.  If not, team faces $25 fine.
  • If a player plays the next game that he should have been under suspension, he shall be suspended along with his manager and that game played shall be a forfeit.  
  • 1ST TIME EJECTED - 1 GAME
  • 2ND TIME EJECTED - 3 GAMES
  • 3RD BANNED FROM THE REST OF THE SEASON

• Makeup Games
  • All make-up games will be made up within the interest of the leagues benefit.
  • League will make all efforts to make every game up possible. 
  • Teams can make their own arrangements to makeup games.
  • Forfeited games cannot be made up.
• Forfeited Games
  • All forfeited games will be fined $100 by the team that causes forfeit during regular season.  THE TEAM THAT FORFEITS A GAME MUST PAY THE OPPOSING TEAM THE FEE.  THAT FEE MUST BE PAID BY THE FIRST GAME OF POST-SEASON TOURNAMENT GAME
  • IF ANY TEAM OWES ANY FORFEITED FEES, THAT TEAM IS TERMINATED FROM POST-SEASON TOURNAMENT AND THAT MANAGER WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO MANAGE ANOTHER TEAM IN THE NWINABA.
  • DURING PLAYOFFS, A TEAM THAT FORFEITS A GAME IS COMPLETELY ELIMINATED OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS, AND NO FEE WILL BE REQUIRED AND THE TEAM MAY NOT BE ASKED TO RETURN FOR NEXT COMING SEASON.
• Playoff’s
  • Rules for playoff games will be provided during the weeks leading up to the start of playoffs.
    • A meeting to review playoff rules should take place prior to start of the games.
• Miscellaneous notes:
  • All equipment specification and game rules not covered by the NWINABA BI-LAWS, will be governed by the NABA National rules and then by the MLB American League rules.
  • Metal cleats are permitted to play.
  • Outside of all dugouts must be cleared of all helmets, bats, and balls during the play of game.  If any equipment hinders any play of the game, the umpire may assess an out according to the umpire’s judgment
  • A BATTER THAT GETS HURT AT HIS AT BAT WILL BE REPLACED BY ANOTHER BATTER , BUT THAT BATTER WILL ASSUME THE PREVIOUS BATTERS COUNT
  • NO PLAYER CAN BLOCK A PLATE IF THEY DO NOT HAVE THE BALL IN THERE POSSESSION
  • Only Adults are allowed in the dugouts
  • All players must avoid any malicious contact. An umpire may eject any player for unsportsmanlike conduct.
•  ALLSTAR GAME
  • ALLSTAR PICKS ARE AS FOLLOWS
    • THE COACHES WILL BE THE FIRST AND SECOND PLACE LEAGUE MANAGERS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR
    • THE CURRENT YEAR PLACE STANDING WILL DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF PLAYERS TO REPRESENT EACH TEAM
      • 1ST  PLACE GETS 3 PICKS
      • 2ND 10TH PLACE GETS 2 PICKS
      • 11TH PLACE GETS 1 PICK
      • BOTH MANAGERS WILL BE ALLOWED TO PICK 4 MORE PLAYERS THREW OUT THE LEAGUE FOR A TOTAL OF 15 PLAYERS 

        

• ANY PLAYER FOUND TO BE NOT OF AGE , ALL GAMES THAT THE PLAYER WAS INVOLVED IN WILL BE FORFITTED AND MANAGER WILL BE UP FOR EXPULSION FROM THE LEAGUE

• PITCHERS
  • Pitchers may only pitch 4 innings
  • If a pitcher is pulled out of a game, he cannot return as a pitcher in that game.
  • If an ineligible pitcher pitches a game, the game is ruled a forfeit.
  • One pitch or play constitutes 1 inning.
  • If a coach or a manager makes second trip to the same pitcher in the same inning to the mound from the dugout, that will cause that pitcher an automatic removal as a pitcher only.
  • Pitchers are not allowed to wear any white sleeved undershirts while pitching.

• COURTESY/PINCH RUNNERS
  • Catchers will be eligible for a courtesy runner any time he reaches base.  The pinch runner shall be the last eligible out.
  • Managers must designate a there courtesy runners prior to the start of the game. The courtesy runner must be labled on the lineup card when exchanged during the home plate meeting. Failure to designated means that your team is forfieting the use the courtesy runner during the game.
    1. Once a pitch or a play has been made, the courtesy runner will be forfeited until his next at bat.
    2.  If a player that requires a courtesy runner during the game and had his runner forfeited as described above gets injured during that run and receives a pinch runner, he will not be able to play due to injury and will NOT be accessed with an out in the line-up.
  • If a player requests a pinch runner during the game due to injury, he will not be able to play the rest of the game.
  • The pinch/courtesy runner is the eligible last out made…ON THE BASES OR AT BAT.
  • Once a pinch/courtesy runner has been used, that runner cannot be used until he has batted again.

• PROTESTED GAMES
  • No protest shall ever be permitted on judgment decisions by the umpire
  • In all protested games, the decision of the league’s board members not pertaining to that current game shall be reviewed and final.
  • A protested game must be announced to the umpires before the next pitch or play so that protocol can take place.
  • In accepting the protest, the umpires shall:
    1. Make sure the manager’s exact reason or grounds for protest.
    2. Confer as a crew, making certain their ruling is correct.
    3. Have the protest announced out loud.
    4. Make notation on the line-up cards and score books as to the exact situation at moment of protest (inning, score, out, runners on base, count on batter, and defensive player due to bat first the next inning.
  • Managers shall have a detailed written report turned into the league board via email within 24 hours of the protest.
  • Managers need to make sure that all umpires of the crew sign the report or scorebook of the protested game.

All protests will be ruled on within 3 days after the written protest has been filed.