BASEBALL 2015 AND 2016 RULES 2015 AND 2016 NCAA BASEBALL RULES NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION 1 [ISSN 0736-5209] THE NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION P.O. BOX 6222 INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA 46206-6222 317/917-6222 WWW.NCAA.ORG OCTOBER 2014 Manuscript Prepared By: Jim Paronto, Secretary-Rules Editor, NCAA Baseball Rules Committee. Edited By: Brad Woodward, Coordinator of Playing Rules and Officiating. NCAA, NCAA logo and NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION are registered marks of the Association and use in any manner is prohibited unless prior approval is obtained from the Association. COPYRIGHT, 1974, BY THE NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION REPRINTED: 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014 PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 2 Contents page Preface ..............................................................................................................4 NCAA Baseball Rules Committee ...................................................................4 Major Rules Changes for 2015 & 2016...........................................................5 Index to Editorial Changes ..............................................................................6 Points of Emphasis ...........................................................................................7 Code of Ethics .................................................................................................8 Major Rules Differences ...................................................................................9 NCAA Baseball Umpire Program ..................................................................10 Official NCAA Baseball Rules .......................................................................11 Rule 1—The Game, Playing Field and Equipment....................................11 Diagram of Playing Field .............................................................12 Diagram of Home Plate ..............................................................13 Diagram of Mound .....................................................................16 Rule 2—Definitions ...................................................................................22 Rule 3—Game Personnel and Their Duties ...............................................37 Rule 4—Pregame Procedures .....................................................................42 Rule 5—The Game—Its Beginning and Ending .......................................45 Rule 6—Ball in Play, Out of Play ..............................................................57 Rule 7—Batting .........................................................................................62 Rule 8—Base Running ...............................................................................71 Rule 9—Pitching .......................................................................................82 Rule 10—Scoring .......................................................................................91 Appendix A—Sample Official NCAA Box Score .........................................102 Appendix B—Rules for Scoreboards, Audio and Video ...............................103 Appendix C—Lightning Guidelines ............................................................105 Appendix D—Ejection/Suspension Procedures ...........................................106 Appendix E—Getting the Call Right ..........................................................107 Appendix F—Pitch/Between Innings Clock Procedures ..............................109 Appendix G—Concussions ..........................................................................112 Index to Rules ..............................................................................................114 3 Preface The NCAA Baseball Rules have been designated as either administrative rules or conduct rules. Typically, administrative rules are those dealing with preparation for the contest. The conduct rules are those that have to do directly with the playing of the contest. Some administrative rules (as indicated) may be altered by the mutual consent of the competing institutions. Others (as indicated) are unalterable. No conduct rule may be changed by mutual consent. All NCAA member institutions hosting varsity games are required to conduct their intercollegiate contests according to these rules. NCAA member institutions playing games at nonmember institutions may play by the rules of the host school. In the NCAA Baseball Rules, the administrative rules that may be altered by mutual consent of the competing institutions are: Rule 1: Sections 2-b, 3-d, 4, 5, 7, 15, 16. Rule 3: Sections 4, 5. Rule 4: Sections 5, 8. Rule 5: Section 9. The administrative rules that may not be altered are: Rule 1: Sections 3-a, 3-b, 3-c, 6, 8, 9. Rule 3: Sections 1, 2, 3, 6-a, 6-b. Rule 4: Sections 2, 3, 4. Rule 10: Sections 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. All of the other rules are conduct rules and may not be altered. Those desiring interpretations of rules or play situations or who have suggestions regarding rules may contact the secretary-rules editor: Jim Paronto Phone: 970/985-0233 (mobile) Email: [email protected] NCAA Baseball Rules Committee The NCAA Baseball Rules Committee roster is available online at www.NCAA. org/playingrules. 4 Major Rules Changes for 2015 & 2016 The figures below refer to rule and section, respectively. Each changed or altered segment is identified in the rules by a screened background. Rule Page 1-2-b Foul poles required to be painted fluorescent yellow by the 2016 season .................................................................................12 2-1 Definition for abandonment (new) .................................................22 2-26 Clarifies A.R. 6 that for an ejection for any unsportsmanlike action, the individual will be assessed a minimum of a one-game suspension ...........................................25 2-51 Added A.R. 6 to clarify that no runner shall advance on an interference play ..........................................................................31 5-7-d Added A.R. 9 to specify that scheduled stand-alone seven- inning games are prohibited ........................................................50 5-7-d Added A.R. 10 to provide additional specific guidance as to how doubleheader rules are to be interpreted ..............................50 5-15-a Better defines the process of application and the penalties involved when two teams participate in a National Anthem standoff ..........................................................................54 7-11-p Clarifies that runner’s lane interference can only be enforced when the defense is covering the respective base ...........69 8-2-d Clarifies that a batter must make an attempt to avoid being hit by a pitched ball before he will be awarded first base .............71 9-1-a Defines where a pitcher’s free foot may be in the windup position ..........................................................................82 Appx. E Allows umpires to conference and change a call of “catch” to “no catch” and a call of “no catch” to “catch” .........................107 Appx. F Allows a team to use one of its three defensive timeouts to avoid a 90-second between-innings clock penalty......................110 5 Index to Editorial Changes The following are editorial changes to the playing rules. Although the editorial changes are minor, it is the rules committee’s intent to inform umpires, coaches, administrators and players of all changes in the rules book. 2015 & 2016 Editorial Changes 1-3-c Clarifies the coaches’ box rule for all game venues and the position of the coach in the coaches’ boxes ..................................14 1-14-e Only a pitcher may wear a jacket as an outer garment while running the bases .........................................................................18 2-26 Clarifies A.R. 5 that when a player is removed as a pitcher but remains in the game as a position player and is subsequently ejected, the suspension will be for a total of four games ...................................................................................25 2-26 As it applies to assistant coaches and players, clarifies A.R. 6 that only head coaches are permitted to officially communicate with an umpire ......................................................25 2-26 Clarifies A.R. 7 that no team personnel may continue to argue or to continue to excessively express themselves with prolonged actions or offensive language after an ejection ............25 2-26 Removed from 5-16, A.R. 1 and moved to 2-26 as A.R. 8 that suspension penalties are to be applied and served during a team’s next regularly scheduled contests ........................25 2-26 Removed from Rule 5-16, A.R. 2 and moved to Rule 2-26 as A.R. 9 for consistency of application ...........................................25 2-26 Inserted misconduct chart of ejection and suspension offense categories and corresponding penalties ........................................26 2-33 Added an A.R. that any advancing runner must be tagged on a dropped third strike when the batter is not entitled to run to first base ..................................................................................29 2-75 A.R. 1, A.R. 2 and penalty procedures for 5-16-b moved to 2-75, Suspensions ........................................................................35 3-3-b Reinforces