The Official Rules of Baseball Canada 2014 www.baseball.ca OFFICIAL RULES OF BASEBALL 1 OFFICIAL RULES OF BASEBALL 2 The Canadian Baseball Program Baseball Canada Provincial Directory 2014 Baseball Canada is the sport governing body for amateur baseball throughout Canada. It is comprised of the ten provincial baseball BASEBALL BC BASEBALL QUEBEC th associations, representing over one million players, coaches and officials. 310-15225 104 Ave 4545 Pierre de Coubertin Players begin around five years of age and may progress through the many Surrey, BC. V3R 6Y8 C.P.1000, Succ. M (604) 586-3310 (B) Montréal, QC. H1V 3R2 age categories. (604) 586-3311 fax (514) 252-3075 (B) Baseball Canada is a member of the International Baseball [email protected] (514) 252-3134 fax Association (I.B.A.F.), the Pan American Baseball Association (COPABE), www.baseball.bc.ca [email protected] and the Canadian Olympic Committee. www.baseballquebec.com Baseball Canada administers development programs for players in all age categories, for coaches and for umpires. BASEBALL ALBERTA Baseball Canada hosts seven Baseball Canada Championships, Percy Page Centre BASEBALL NEW BRUNSWICK 11759 Groat Road 900 Hanwell Rd. Unit 13 including: 13U (Pee Wee); 15U (Bantam); 18U (Midget); Baseball Canada Edmonton, AB. T5M 3K6 Fredericton, NB. E3B 6A3 Cup (17U All-Stars); 21U (Junior), Senior (open age group) and 16U Girls (780) 427-8943 (B) (506) 451-1329 (B) (Bantam Girls). (780) 427-9032 fax (506) 451-1325 (F) Baseball Canada selects three national teams for international [email protected] [email protected] competition. The National Women’s Team competes in IBAF sanctioned www.baseballalberta.com www.baseballnb.ca tournaments. The National Junior Team (18 and under) competes at the World AAA Championships and COPABE qualifiers, and other world SASKATCHEWAN BASEBALL BASEBALL NOVA SCOTIA events. Team Canada represents Canada at open international events and 1870 Lorne Street 5516 Spring Garden Road, 4th Floor travels throughout the world preparing for the World Championships, Regina, SK. S4P 2L7 Halifax, NS. B3J 1G6 World Baseball Classic, and Pan American Games. (306) 780-9237 (B) (902) 425-5450 ext 355 (B) (306) 780-9222 (B) (902) 425-5606 fax For more information on Baseball Canada and its programs, contact: (306) 352-3669 fax [email protected] [email protected] www.baseballnovascotia.com Baseball Canada www.saskbaseball.ca 2212 Gladwin Cres., Ste A7 BASEBALL PEI Ottawa, ON K1B 5N4 BASEBALL MANITOBA P.O. Box 302 (613) 748-5606 145 Pacific Avenue Charlottetown, PEI. C1A 7K7 (613) 748-5767 fax Winnipeg, MB. R3B 2Z6 Shipping address: [email protected] (204) 925-5763 (B) 40 Enman Cres www.baseball.ca (204) 925-5928 fax Charlottetown, PEI . C1E 1E6 [email protected] (902) 368-4203 (B) www.baseballmanitoba.ca (902) 368-4548 (F) [email protected] www.baseballpei.ca BASEBALL ONTARIO 3-131 Sheldon Drive Cambridge, ON. N1R 6S2 NEWFOUNDLAND AMATEUR COVER PHOTO (519) 740-3900 (B) BASEBALL Senior National Team (519) 740-6311 fax 83 Ashford Drive [email protected] Mount Pearl, NL. A1N 3N7 2013 WBC www.baseballontario.com (709) 368-2819 (B) (709) 368-6080 fax [email protected] www.baseballnl.com OFFICIAL RULES OF BASEBALL 3 OFFICIAL RULES OF BASEBALL 4 Official Footwear, Glove, and Catcher’s Equipment Supplier to Baseball Canada’s National Teams __________________________________________________________________ Official Uniform, Apparel, and Batting Glove Supplier To Baseball Canada’s National Teams Official Cap of Baseball Canada OFFICIAL RULES OF BASEBALL 5 OFFICIAL RULES OF BASEBALL 6 Baseball Canada Official Rules Table of Contents Page Section Divisions of the Code 1.00 Objective of the Games, the Playing Field, Equipment ................................ 12 2.00 Definition of Terms ...................................................................................... 20 3.00 Game Preliminaries ...................................................................................... 26 4.00 Starting and Ending the Game ...................................................................... 30 5.00 Putting the Ball in Play, Dead Ball and Live Ball (in Play) ........................................................................................ 36 6.00 The Batter ..................................................................................................... 38 7.00 The Runner ................................................................................................... 46 8.00 The Pitcher ................................................................................................... 53 9.00 The Umpire .................................................................................................. 68 10.00 The Official Scorer ....................................................................................... 61 Section Canadian Content Addendum 2014 Baseball Canada Calendar of Events ................................................. cc 2 Canadian Age Categories ........................................................................... cc 3 Rules Interpretation .................................................................................... cc 3 11.00 Minor Divisional Play ................................................................................ cc 5 Baseball Canada’s Umpires Committee Rule Interpretations / Case Studies…………………………..……...cc 12 Acknowledgement The Canadian Federation of Amateur Baseball extends grateful thanks to the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball for their written permission allowing the use of this text for republication. “Used with Permission of the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball” Copyright © 2013 Baseball Canada ISBNO-9686789-0-4 “Portions of the Official Rules of Baseball appearing in this book have been reprinted by special permission of the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball. The copyright in the Official Rules of Baseball is owned and has been registered by the Commissioner of Baseball. Any additional material in this rule book has not been endorsed by the Commissioner of Baseball.” OFFICIAL RULES OF BASEBALL ‐ 7 ‐ OFFICIAL RULES OF BASEBALL ‐ 8 ‐ Index Dropped Third Strike—2.00 (Ball), 5.09(g) Comment, 6.05(b-d, f, j, n), 6.09(b), 7.09(a). Rules 1.00 through 9.00 Dugout—see Bench. Ejection—4.06, 4.07, 4.08, 9.01, 9.02, 9.05. Note: For any items not listed and for additional information, see alphabetized entries of Rule 2.00. Equipment— Base 1.06; Abandoning Effort to Run Bases—6.08, 6.09(b) Comment, 7.08(a)(2), 7.08(j), 7.10(c). Baseball 1.09; Accident to Player or Umpire—5.10(c, h). Bat 1.10; Ambidextrous Pitcher—8.01(f). Bench 1.08; Apparent Fourth Out—7.10. Commercialization 1.17; Appeals—6.07, 7.04(d) Note, 7.05(i) Comment, 7.08(d, j-k), 7.10, 9.02(c). Glove/Mitt 1.12, 1.13, 1.14, 1.15; Apparent Fourth Out—7.10(d). Helmet 1.16; Awarded Bases— Home base 1.05; Appeal 7.10; Pitcher’s plate 1.04, 1.07; Overthrown ball, by infielder 7.05(g); Uniforms 1.11. Overthrown ball, by pitcher from pitcher’s plate 7.05(h), 7.05(g-i), 8.01(e); Equipment Illegally Touches Live Ball—7.04(e), 7.05(a-e). Ground rules 3.13; Fair Ball—2.00; Obstruction 7.06(a) Comment; Bounces out of play 6.09(e-g), 7.05(f); Spectator interference 3.16 Comment. Deflected out of play 6.09(g-h), 7.05(a, f); “Backswing (Follow-Through)” Interference—6.06(c) Comment. Intentionally dropped 6.05(l); Balk—4.03(a), 7.07, and various violations in Rule 8.00; Touches runner or umpire 5.09(f) Comment, 6.08(d), 6.09(c), 7.04(b), 7.08(f), 7.09(k). Penalty 5.09(c), 7.04(a), 8.05. Fielder— Base—1.04, 1.06, 2.00; Falls out of play 5.10(f), 7.04(c); Dislodged 7.08(c) Approved Rulings 1 and 2. Positioning on Field of Play 4.03; Baseball—1.09; Sleeves 1.11(c); Defaced 3.02, 8.02(a); Throws glove at ball (detached equipment) 7.04(e), 7.05(a-e). Official game balls 3.01(c-e). Fielder’s Choice—2.00, 10.12(f)(2). Base Coaches—4.05; Force Play/Force Out—2.00, 7.08(e); Helmets 1.16(e); Reinstated 7.08(e). Interference 3.15, 5.08, 7.09(h-i), 7.11; Forfeit—3.11, 3.18, 4.15, 4.16, 4.17, 9.04(a)(6), 10.03(e). Restrictions 3.17, 4.06(a). Foul Ball—2.00, 5.09(e), 6.05(h). Bat—1.10; Foul Tip—2.00, 5.09(g), 6.05(b) Comment, 7.08(d) Comment. Altered 6.06(d). Fraternization—3.09. Bat Boy/Girl—1.16(f), 3.15, 3.17. Game-Ending Runs—4.09(b), 4.11(c), 7.08(a) Comment, 7.10 Comment. Batter/Batter-Runner— Glove/Mitt—1.12, 1.13, 1.14, 1.15; Backswing strikes catcher 6.06(c); Illegally touches live ball 7.05(a, c, e). Fails to advance to first base 6.08, 6.09(b); Ground Rules—3.13, 9.04(a)(9). Hit by pitch 5.09(a), 6.05(f), 6.08(b), 2.00 (Ball, Strike); Groundskeepers—3.11, 4.01(e), 4.16. Interference by 6.05(g-i, k), 6.06(c), 7.08(g), 7.09; Helmet—1.16, 6.05(h) Comment. Interference with 6.08(c), 7.04(d); Hidden Ball Trick—8.05(i). Position in batter’s box 2.00, 6.02, 6.03, 6.06; Home Run—6.09(d), 7.05(a). Struck by batted ball 5.09(f), 6.05(g), 7.09(k). Illegal Bat—1.10, 6.06(d). Batter’s Box—1.04, 2.00, 6.02, 6.03, 6.06. Illegal Pitch—2.00 (Illegal Pitch and Quick Return), 8.01(b) Comment, 8.01(d), 8.05(e). Batting Order—3.03, 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 3.07, 3.08, 4.01, 4.04, 6.01, 9.04(a)(8). Illegally Batted Ball—5.09(d), 6.06(a). Batting Out of Order—6.07. Infield Fly—2.00, 6.05(e, l), 7.08(f) Exception. Bench/Dugout—1.08, 2.00; Intentionally Dropped Ball—6.05(l). Catch/Play attempts 2.00 (“Catch” Comment), 5.10(f), 6.05(a) Comment, 7.04(c), 7.11; Intentional Pitch at Batter—8.02(d). Equipment 3.14; Interference— Live ball deflected into 7.05(h); Authorized on-field personnel 3.15; Occupants 3.06 Comment, 3.17, 4.06, 4.07, 4.08, 9.05(c).