PACIFIC GROVE PONY
BASEBALL/SOFTBALL INC.
2008-2009
RULES AND REGULATIONS
THIS DOCUMENT WAS
APPROVED BY
THE PACIFIC GROVE PONY
BOARD
ON FEBRUARY 26, 2009.
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I. BASEBALL
– Baseball play is governed by the following sets of rules, in decreasing order
of precedence:
A. Local Rules. Local rules are used in all games when two Pacific
Grove teams are playing. Exception: Pony League games shall be governed by the
Inter-CityRules even when two Pacific Grove teams are playing. (Those rules can
be reached by a link in this document.) Equipment
use, breaking ball use, and participation rules still apply as per Sections
3.0-6.0 below.
B. Inter-City
Rules, available via the links in this document. Bronco and Mustang Inter-City
games are governed by Inter-City Rules.
C.
PONY Rules, available at the www.pony.org web
site.
D.
Official Baseball Rules, available at www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/official_info/official_rules/foreword.jsp.
II. SOFTBALL
–
A.
Local Rules apply when Pacific Grove teams are playing each other.
B. Central
Coast Girls’ Softball Leagues
C.
Official ASA Rules and Regulations.
No other rules or regulations shall be
enforced without the action of the Board of Directors, whereupon an amendment
to this document shall be distributed.
I. GAME
RULES
A. Games shall be one hour or two
full innings, whichever comes first.
Games greater than two innings in length are authorized if both Managers
agree and the game is completed in less than one hour.
B. No score or standings shall be
kept.
II.
BATTING
A. All members of a team shall
bat in an assigned batting order once each inning.
B. No
bunting.
C. The batting tee shall be used
for the entire season.
D. The home team shall supply the
batting tee and the visiting team shall supply the game ball.
E. The batter shall continue to
swing until the ball is put into play.
III.
BASE RUNNING
A. The distance between the bases
shall be 50 to 60 feet.
B. Runners cannot lead-off.
C. On any hit the batter or
runner can only advance one base. Exception: For the last batter of the
inning, play continues until the bases are cleared.
D. Runners shall not be called
out, even when the fielding play dictates otherwise.
E. No sliding is allowed. Player shall be warned after first violation
and removed from the base paths after second violation.
IV.
FIELDING
A. A
regular infield shall be set, including a buck short (in front of second
base). The remaining players shall play
in the outfield.
B. It is the Manager’s
responsibility to play all players at least one inning in the infield during
each game.
C. The catcher shall stand away
from the batting tee and must wear a batting helmet.
I. GAME
RULES
A. Games shall be five innings or
90 minutes. No new inning may start
after the 90 minute mark. No extra
innings are allowed.
B. No more than five runs may be
scored in any half-inning. There is no ten-run
rule.
C. The final score of the game
shall not be emphasized by the coaches nor shall it be publicized (i.e., there
is no winner or loser of a game), and standings shall not be kept.
D. A coach from the batting team
will do the pitching.
E.
Coaches shall act as umpires during the game. The coach doing the pitching machine shall be
the home plate umpire.
F. Between games the coaches of
the exiting home team should reline the field, while the coaches of the exiting
visiting team should drag the infield.
G. The distance between the bases
shall be 50 to 60 feet.
II.
BATTING
A. All members of a team shall
bat in an assigned (continuous) batting order.
B. No bunting.
C. The batter gets a maximum of
six “good” pitches. Exception: foul balls not caught on the sixth pitch keep the batter
alive.
D. If the ball strikes anything
within the pitching mound circle (e.g. the coach doing the pitching or a bucket),
it is a dead ball. Batter and runner
advance one base.
E. Players must be present to be
in the lineup. If a player is not
present at the start of game, he or she shall be placed at end of lineup upon
arrival.
III.
BASE RUNNING
A. Runners cannot lead off or
steal. They may leave the base only when
the ball is hit.
B. On
a base hit to the outfield one the fly (no bounces), a runner may advance one
or two bases only. On any other hit a runner can only advance one base.
C. Sliding is allowed. The
Baseball Director and League Representative shall ensure that Pinto Managers
are trained on proper sliding techniques prior to the start of the season.
IV.
FIELDING
A. All players shall play in the
field every inning. A regular infield
shall be set, including a fielder at the pitcher position and a buck short (in
front of second base). The remaining
players shall play in the outfield.
B. It is the Manager’s
responsibility to play all players at least two innings in the infield each game.
A player shall not play the same position more than two innings
consecutively.
C. All male players shall wear a
cup during all games and practices.
I. GAME
RULES
A. Games shall be six innings or
two hours, whichever comes first. If an
inning has been started before the time limit elapses, then the entire inning
is to be completed. Exception: Tied games shall be played until a decision is reached,
but not to exceed nine innings. Tied
games that are called by the Umpire due to darkness, weather conditions, or
nine complete innings shall be called a tie and shall be counted as a tie in
the standings.
B. The ten-run (“mercy”) rule
applies after four innings (3 ˝ innings if home team is ahead). At this point the game is considered
official. However, play may continue, for
instructional purposes only, if both Managers agree. The scorekeeper shall continue to keep score
but record the final official score. Innings pitched in the unofficial portion
of the game still count against a pitcher’s maximum number of innings pitched
(as in 3.0 V below).
II.
BATTING
A. All members of a team shall
bat in an assigned (continuous) batting order regardless of whether he or she
is on the field.
B. An assigned batting order
shall be exchanged by both Managers prior to the start of the game.
C. Players must be present to be
in the lineup. If player is not present
at the start of game, he or she shall be placed at end of lineup upon arrival.
D. No
more than five runs may score in any half-inning. Exception 1: Unlimited
scoring is permitted in the sixth and extra innings. Exception 2: prior to the beginning of Daylight Savings Time, the maximum is
four runs per half-inning in games beginning at or after 4 p.m. When the play on which the fifth run scores
has ended, the half-inning is over and play ends. The official scorekeeper shall inform the home
plate umpire that the maximum number of runs has been scored; the umpire shall
then notify both Managers.
III.
BASE STEALING
A. Base stealing is allowed only
on a passed ball/wild pitch. A passed
ball/wild pitch for stealing purposes is a ball not kept in the immediate
vicinity of the catcher. The Umpire
shall have sole authority to determine passed balls. League Representative shall notify Managers
prior to start of season regarding passed ball rule.
A.
Base stealing is not permitted. Runners may advance to second or third on a
passed ball or a wild pitch (a ball not kept in the immediate vicinity of the
catcher). Runners may not score on a passed ball or a wild pitch. The Umpire
shall have sole authority to determine passed balls and wild pitches. The league Representative shall notify
Managers prior to start of season regarding the passed ball rule.
B. Leading off is allowed;
however, coaches shall not have their players take excessive lead-offs (to be
defined as more than two primary and one secondary step from first or third
base, and four total steps from third base).
IV.
DROPPED THIRD STRIKE
A. The dropped third strike rule
is not in effect. Runners may attempt to
advance on a dropped third strike if it is a wild pitch or passed ball as
defined in 3.0 III.A above.
V.
PITCHING
A. A pitcher is not allowed to
pitch more than three innings in one calendar day or six innings in one “PONY
defined” calendar week (Monday through Sunday).
Any inning in which a pitch is thrown constitutes an inning for this
rule. A pitcher must have at least 40 hours rest (based on the scheduled
starting time in which the pitching occurred, unless the start of the game was
delayed more than two hours, in which case the actual starting time shall be
the base) after pitching three innings in one calendar day before he or she may
pitch again. Penalty: forfeit.
B. Breaking balls are not
allowed. Penalty: First offense – a “ball” is declared and a warning is
issued to the pitcher. Second offense by
the same pitcher – a “ball” is declared and the pitcher is removed from the
mound for the remainder of the game. The
home plate umpire determines whether a pitch was a breaking ball.
C.
Umpires shall call “no pitch” on the first balk by any pitcher in any inning.
Runners do not advance. Subsequent balks by that pitcher in that inning will be
called “no pitch” if the umpire feels that the batting team was negatively
affected by the balk; otherwise play will continue. Between innings, the Umpire
shall give further balk instruction to the pitcher, as needed.
D. There are no “automatic”
intentional walks.
VI.
PLAYER PARTICIPATION
A. Each player must play at least
two complete innings per game in the field.
If a team has eleven or fewer players able to play in a game, each
player must play at least three complete innings per game. In either case, each player must have played
two innings in the field by the end of the fourth inning. Penalty:
Forfeit. Exception: In a game called by the ten-run rule after three and
one-half innings, the home team is required to have had all players play at
least one inning.
B. Unlimited substitutions are
allowed. Exception: Replaced pitchers cannot return to pitch.
VII.
DISCIPLINE
A. All teams shall have written
disciplinary Team Rules in place prior to the start of the team’s first
practice. Copies will be given to the
League Representative. All teams shall
comply with the Local League Rules of Conduct.
B. Any disciplinary action not
listed on the team’s written Team Rules can only be taken against a player or players
after the written approval of either the League Representative, Baseball
Director, or League President.
I. GAME
RULES
A. Games last seven innings or
two hours and 30 minutes, whichever comes first. If an inning has been started before the time
limit elapses, then the entire inning is to be completed. Exception:
Tied games shall be played until a decision is reached, but not to exceed nine
innings in one day at which point it shall be considered a suspended game, and
shall be resumed from the point of curtailment at the time scheduled by Local
League officials.
B. The
game is a regulation game after five
innings, or four and one half if the home team is ahead or if it ties the game
in the bottom of the fifth. If the game is suspended after this point, then the
game must be resumed from the exact point of suspension at the earliest
possible date (see MLB rules 4.12.b for additional guidance). If the game is
suspended before this point, then the game is a “No Game” and must be completely
rescheduled.
C. Games may be suspended for
only the following six reasons:
(1) A curfew imposed by law
(e.g., PG Muni lights out rule);
(2) A time limit permissible
under Local League rules (e.g., two hours and 30 minutes for Bronco);
(3) Light failure or malfunction of a mechanical
field device under control of the home club. (Mechanical field device shall
include automatic tarpaulin or water removal equipment);
(4) Darkness, when a law prevents
the lights from being turned on (This does not apply to fields without
lighting);
(5) Weather, if a regulation game
is called while an inning is in progress and before the inning is completed,
and the visiting team has scored one or more runs to take the lead, and the
home team has not retaken the lead; or
(6) It is a regulation game that
is called with the score tied.
II.
BATTING
A. All members of a team shall
bat in an assigned (continuous) batting order regardless of whether he or she
is on the field.
B. An assigned batting order
shall be exchanged by both Managers prior to the start of the game.
C. Players must be present to be
in the lineup. If player is not present
at the start of game, he or she shall be placed at end of lineup upon arrival.
III.
PITCHING
A. A pitcher is not allowed to pitch more than five
innings in one calendar day or ten innings in one “PONY defined” calendar week
(Monday through Sunday). Any inning in
which a pitch is thrown constitutes an inning for this rule. A pitcher must
have at least 40 hours rest (based on the scheduled starting time in which the
pitching occurred, unless the start of the game was delayed more than two
hours, in which case the actual starting time shall be the base) after pitching
four or more innings in one calendar day before he/she may pitch again. Penalty:
forfeit.
B. Breaking balls are not
allowed. Penalty: First offense – a “ball” is declared and a warning is
issued to the pitcher. Second offense by
the same pitcher – a “ball” is declared and the pitcher is removed from the
mound for the remainder of the game. The
home plate umpire determines whether a pitch was a breaking ball.
C. In the first half of season,
there will be one balk warning per inning per pitcher. In the second half of the seasons, balks will
be called according to the usual rules. The League Representative shall
announce the date the second half of the season begins prior to the start of
the season.
D. There are no “automatic”
intentional walks.
IV.
PLAYER PARTICIPATION
A. Each player must play two complete
innings per game in the field by the end of the fifth inning. Penalty:
Forfeit.
B. Unlimited substitutions are
allowed. Exception: Replaced pitchers cannot return to pitch.
V.
DISCIPLINE
A. All teams shall have written
disciplinary Team Rules in place prior to the start of the team’s first
practice. Copies to be given to the
League Representative. All teams shall
comply with the Local League Rules of Conduct.
B. Any disciplinary action not
listed on the team’s written Team Rules can only be taken against a
player/players after the written approval of either the League Representative,
Baseball Director, or League President.
Note: Inter-City
League play may operate under different rules, superseding these under some
circumstances.
Please CLICK HERE for Pony Inter-City rules
I.
PLAYER PARTICIPATION
A. Each player must play TWO
complete innings per game by the end of the fifth inning. Penalty (in PG vs PG games only):
Forfeit. Penalty (in games against non-PG opponents): Manager shall be
given a warning by the President, Baseball Director, or League
Representative. A second occurrence may
lead to suspension of the Manager. This
rule supersedes any less restrictive Inter-City League rule.
II.
DISCIPLINE
A. All teams shall have written
disciplinary Team Rules in place prior to the start of the team’s first practice. Copies to be given to the League
Representative. All teams shall comply
with the Local League Rules of Conduct.
IV
B. Any disciplinary action not
listed on the team’s written Team Rules can only be taken against a
player/players after the written approval of either the League Representative,
Baseball Director, or League President.
I.
GENERAL RULES
A. SLIDING: (Pinto, Mustang and
Bronco). A runner who does not slide during
a play at the plate be called out (at the Umpire's discretion) if there is
substantial body-to-body contact with a player applying a tag, or making a
catch in order to apply a tag on the runner.
The ball is dead and all runners return to the last base touched at the
time of the contact. Exceptions: incidental contact or
obstructions. If the Umpire feels the
contact was unsportsmanlike, he may eject the player. Enforcement and rule application is based on
Umpire judgment.
B. EQUIPMENT:
(1) (Mustang and Bronco). Metal
cleats are not allowed, except during All-Star
competition. This includes regular
season inter-city games where metal cleats are allowed by the opposing team.
(2) All bats must have grips or
be taped.
(3) All catchers shall wear full
hoods, cups and throat protectors. Exception: Shetland catchers shall
wear a batting helmet.
(4) (Mustang and Bronco). Equipment that does not comply with the above
regulations shall be considered illegal and shall be removed from play
immediately. Failure to do so after a
warning may result in the ejection of the offending player, coach, or Manager.
C. SCHEDULING
(1) The Leagues shall not have
any divisions. Exceptions: Pony.
(2) No team shall trade game
dates or times with any other team without first having a written agreement
with all teams involved and the approval of the League Representative.
(3) Inter-city games shall be
approved by the Baseball Director for other than Pony.
D. MISCELLANEOUS
(1) Home team shall occupy the third base dugout,
visitors the first base dugout.
(2) Accidentally Throwing
Bat. Any bat that strikes or comes
dangerously close to striking any player or is thrown shall result in the
following:
(a) First occurrence: Team
warning.
(b) Second occurrence: Player
causing infraction is called out, ball is dead, and all runners return to the
last base touched at time of infraction.
(3) No tobacco or alcohol is
permitted on the playing field or in the dugouts before, during or after the
game. Alcohol is not permitted anywhere
in the park before, during, or after games.
(4) (Mustang and Bronco). If a player is ejected with the continuous
batting in effect, his batting position shall be an automatic out. If a player leaves for reasons of injury or
illness there is no automatic out.
E. PLAYERS ON FIELD.
(1) (Mustang and Bronco). A team with only eight players may play and
win an official game, either by fielding eight players, or by “borrowing” a
player from the other team to play the field. (A team with eight of fewer
players may also seek a postponement; see 6.0 II below.) Each inning the
borrowed player will be whichever player who made the last out for the
opponents, or, in the top of the first inning, the player listed last in the
opponent’s batting order. The borrowed player must play in the outfield, does
not appear in the batting order and never bats. A team that starts with more
than eight players and is reduced to eight may also then borrow a player and
still win an official game. A team with seven or fewer players cannot win an
official game, even if both sides agree to play.
(2) (Pinto and Shetland). The
game may begin with any number of players present.
F. SAFETY
(1) Batters, on-deck batters, and base runners,
must wear protective head gear.
Protective head gear must be worn by players when acting as base coaches
or when spotting pitchers/catchers in the foul area bullpens.
(2) When catchers are warming up pitchers and are
in the crouch position, the catcher must wear a face mask.
(3) Loose equipment, which are items not in
immediate use, shall be kept out of play behind the fence or in the
dugout.
(4) Specific rules for each playing field may be
prepared by the Baseball Director and shall be approved by the Board Members.
(5) All fields and each team shall have a
complete first aid kit on site for all practices and games. It is the responsibility of the Equipment
Director (concession stands, equipment sheds) and Managers (each team) to
ensure that the first aid kits are in good order. Deficiencies must be reported to the
Equipment Director.
(6) A medical release form for each player shall
be in the possession of the attending coach on the field at all times.
II.
POSTPONEMENT
A. Postponement: To qualify for a
postponement, a team must have eight or fewer players.
B. No game shall be postponed
without the approval of the League Representative and the complete knowledge of
both managers. The League Representative
must be notified at least 24 hours prior
to the scheduled game
C.
The postponing Manager must :
(1) Have the approval of the League
Representative, who shall notify the Baseball Director, who shall notify the
Umpire Scheduler;
(2) Notify the Director of the Pacific Grove
Recreation Department;
(3) Notify the Concessions Coordinator.
D. Failure to notify the
responsible parties shall subject the postponing Manager’s team to a forfeit.
E. Postponed games shall be made
up within a reasonable period of time, i.e., the next available date on the
schedule. In the event the Managers
involved cannot agree on a suitable date, the postponing Manager shall contact
the League Representative, who shall schedule a make-up game, or the postponing
Manager shall forfeit the game.
III.
SCOREKEEPER FUNCTIONS
A. (Mustang and Bronco). Official score shall be kept by a scorekeeper
supplied by the home team. The
scorekeeper shall record the score, outs, balls and strikes, batters per
inning, substitutions, and the number of innings played by each player. Managers shall notify the official
scorekeeper of the changes as they occur.
B. (Mustang). The scorekeeper shall inform the Home Plate
Umpire, who shall inform both Managers when the maximum number of runs have
been scored (five or four, see Section 3.0.II.D).
C. (Mustang, Bronco, and
Pony). Managers and their scorekeepers
are encouraged to attend a workshop on scorekeeping.
D. (Mustang). The scorekeeper shall continue to keep score even
after a game has ended because of the ten-run rule, recording the final
official score. Innings pitched shall count even during the unofficial portion
of the game (per Section 3.0.I.B).
E. (Mustang, Bronco, Pony). The scorekeeper shall keep track of the
number of pitches by both pitchers (Pacific Grove pitchers only, for Pony or
inter-city games) in the game, the number to be made available upon request
from a coach from either team. All throws made by a pitcher to the catcher with
a batter in the box will count as pitches, including foul balls and intentional
walks. Scorekeepers are not required to
count warmup pitches, which will not exceed a maximum of eight
prior to the start of each inning.
Warmup pitches thrown in the bullpen are also not required to be counted
by the Scorekeeper.
IV.
PROTEST OF RULE INTERPRETATION BY THE UMPIRE
A. The protest of a judgment
decision shall NOT be considered.
B. The Manager must inform the
home plate Umpire that the game is being played under protest BEFORE the next
pitched ball following the play with the rule in question.
C. The Manager who is protesting
or filing a claim must cite the rule in question in a written statement of
protest to the Baseball Director within forty-eight hours of the game.
D. The Umpire of the game in
question must inform the Baseball Director of the circumstances and the rule in
question within 24 hours of the protesting Manager’s written statement being
submitted.
E. The Committee's function and
membership are defined in the Addendum to the PG PONY Constitution and
By-laws. If a member of this Committee
is involved in the protest, he/she shall disqualify him/herself and be replaced
with another Board member.
F. There shall be a $25 protest
fee paid by the Manager filing the protest.
If, in the opinion of the Protest Committee, the protest is valid, then
the $25 shall be returned. If the
protest fee is invalid, the $25 fee shall be given to the League Treasurer and
deposited in the Local League's general fund.
G. In all protested games, the
decision of the Protest Committee shall be final.
Click here for CCS Pre-Rookie Rules
Click here for CCS Rookie Rules
8.0 SELECTION
OF PLAYERS
- Baseball and Softball
I.
TRYOUTS (Mustang, Bronco, Pony, Rookie, Minors; and Majors, if
necessary).
A. A tryout session shall be
conducted in the presence of League Managers, at which time every candidate
should at the minimum run, hit, throw, and field.
B. Each player candidate should
be given a t-shirt with a number on it or a number written on heavy paper or
similar material which can be pinned to the back during the tryout session so
that the observing Managers may identify each player by number.
C. Prior to the tryout session,
the League Representative shall supply a list of all player candidates. These shall be distributed to the Managers
and coaches.
D. All player candidates subject
to Manager-Child “Options” (see paragraph III below) must participate in the
tryout session with the other player candidates, or are automatically
considered to be a first round selection, unless they can be evaluated by Managers
who are familiar with their level of performance.
E. Candidates who do not
participate in tryouts shall either be evaluated by Managers who are familiar
with their level of performance; if this level is unknown, their names shall be
placed “in a hat” for random selection.
II. ASSIGNMENT
OF PLAYERS. Players shall be assigned in
one of three methods: LEAGUE RESPRESENTATIVE ASSIGNMENT, COMPLETE RE-DRAFT, and
DRAFT WITH RETURNING PLAYERS.
A. LEAGUE REPRESENTATIVE
ASSIGNMENT. Shetland, Pinto, and
Pre-Rookie players Shetland, Pinto, and Pre-Rookie players shall be assigned to
teams by the League Representative.
Every attempt shall be made to honor requests for specific
Managers/coaches, practice days, shall be assigned to teams by the League
Representative. Every attempt shall be
made to honor requests for specific Managers/coaches, practice days, and/or
teammates.
B. COMPLETE RE-DRAFT. All players are eligible for drafting. There are no returning players.
C. DRAFT WITH RETURNING
PLAYERS. Players eligible to play in the
same League again return to the team they played on the previous year. All new first- and second-year players are
drafted.
D. Suggested
Minimum/Optimal/Maximum numbers of players for each League:
Shetland 9/11/13
Pinto,
Mustang, Bronco 11/12/13
Pony 12/13-14/15
Pre-Rookie, Rookie, Minors, Majors 12/13/14
E. All players and at least one
parent/guardian must sign a “Players Code of Ethics” before they can be
assigned to a team.
III.
OPTIONS.
A. Manager-Child Option. Each Manager has the option to draft his or her
son or daughter. Managers decide at the
draft meeting via secret ballot the round in which the player is to be
drafted. The League Representative shall
make final decision. In the event a
Manager does not desire to utilize his Manager-Child Option, the player
candidate shall be considered to be in the regular player pool.
B. Sibling Option. Parents may request siblings to be on the
same team. Managers decide at the draft
meeting via secret ballot the round in which the players are to be
drafted. The League Representative shall
make final decision. When the first
sibling is drafted, the second (and other) sibling shall be drafted in the
round designated by the Managers. If that round has already passed, then the
second sibling shall be assigned to the next available round.
C. All options must be declared
by the Manager or League Representative prior to the tryouts and draft
proceedings.
D. All player candidates subject
to options must participate in the tryout session with the other player
candidates (if not, see 8.0 I.D above).
IV.
DRAFT (Mustang, Bronco, Pony, Pre-Rookie, Rookie, Minors, and Majors, if
needed)
A. Age.
(1)
Age, for playing purposes, means “League age” which is that age attained by a
baseball player as of April 30 and as of December 31 for a softball player of
the season in question. In addition,
girls may play either Shetland or Pre-Rookies if they are seven years old by
from May 1 through December 31 of the season in question.
(2) Players
may participate in a League designed for older players only with the explicit
approval of the Board.
(3)
No player shall play in a League for younger players, except as required by the
Americans With Disabilities Act (http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm).
B. No roster may include more
than eight second-year players, unless the number of players of this age or the
number of returning second year players for a specific team dictates otherwise,
or if the COMPLETE RE-DRAFT procedure, with no draft separation of first- and second-year
players is being used.
C. Prior to starting the draft,
the League Representative shall declare all Manager-Child and Sibling Options
and determine their draft position via secret ballot by the League Managers.
D. Players who miss tryouts go “on
the board” (that is, have regular eligibility) for the draft, if known to a
majority of the Managers. Players who
miss tryouts and cannot be accurately rated go “into the hat” (that is, will be
assigned randomly) for the draft. The
team with the next draft selection after all players of known ability are
selected shall make the first selection “from the hat.” Teams shall continue in
normal draft order until all players in the hat have been placed on a
team.
E. COMPLETE RE-DRAFT procedures.
(1)
SELECTION ORDER. The selection
order shall be determined randomly by the League Representative. A ladder draft format shall be used. The first team to draft in a round shall be
the last team to draft in the next round with the other teams moving up one
position. The draft continues until all
players of known ability are selected.
(2) There may or may not be
requirements for a minimum/maximum number of first/second year players per
team. The League Representative and Baseball or Softball Director shall make
this determination prior to the tryouts.
(3) The reverse order shall be
used to determine practice times and fields.
F. DRAFT WITH RETURNING PLAYERS
procedures.
(1) RETURNING PLAYERS.
(a) A returning player is defined
as one who has played 50% or more of the scheduled regular season games during
the preceding season.
(b) Any returning player shall
remain a member of his/her team for the balance of his or her eligibility in
that League. Exceptions: If the player played less than 50% of the
scheduled regular season games during the preceding season, that player shall
go back into the draft.
(2) SELECTION ORDER.
(a) The team having the fewest second
year players selects first. This team
shall select players until it has as many players as the team with the
second-smallest number of players; then these teams continue to draft until
they have the same number of players as the team with the third-smallest number
and so on. If two teams enter simultaneously, the team with the lowest finish
in the previous year selects first. League Representative shall ensure that final
round selections are made in an appropriate order to ensure all teams have an
equal number of players (within one either way).
(b) The reverse order shall be used to determine
practice times and fields.
G. Any dispute arising in the
draft shall be resolved by the highest-ranking Board Representative present at
the draft.
V.
EXPANSION/CONTRACTION FORMULA
A. If it is determined, prior to
the draft that an expansion team is needed, the League shall use the COMPLETE
RE-DRAFT procedure above.
B. If a League needs to reduce
the number of teams (contraction), the League Representative and Baseball
Director shall determine which team shall be disbanded. If the
DRAFT WITH RETURNING PLAYERS procedure is used, the returning players from the
disbanded team shall be placed in the draft pool. If the
COMPLETE RE-DRAFT or LEAGUE
REPRESENTATIVE ASSIGNMENT procedure is selected then the normal procedures
listed above shall be used.
VI.
LATE SIGN-UPS
A. A “late sign-up” is any
player, who fails to sign-up by tryouts (for those Leagues with tryouts) or
prior to LEAGUE REPRESENTATIVE ASSIGNMENT for those Leagues using this procedure.
B. Late
sign-ups shall be assigned to the next team in the draft order or to a
team that is numerically deficient (due
to attrition) with the latter taking priority.
If more than one late sign-up is available, their names shall be placed “in
a hat” and selected randomly by the teams in draft order, starting with
whomever was next in the draft.
C. Once the League Representative
and Baseball or Softball Director announce a cut off date or team size limit,
additional late sign-ups shall be placed into a player pool. These players shall fill the positions of
players who have undergone attrition for any reason.
D. A late sign-up player who
signs up before the draft and is known to a majority of the Managers shall be
placed in the general draft; otherwise he or she goes “into the hat” (per 8.0 IV.D
above).
E. Late sign-ups who register
after the draft shall either be placed on the team which would have had the
next draft selection in the draft or be placed on the team with the fewest players..
F. Once the maximum number of players per team is
reached, late sign-ups shall be placed in a player pool. These players shall fill the positions of
players who have undergone attrition.
VII.
OBTAINING PLAYERS
A. After the draft, no player
shall be moved from one team to another team without approval of the League
Representative, Baseball or Softball Director, and President, who shall notify
the Board of Directors.
I.
SELECTION.
A. All prospective Managers and
coaches must fill out a PG PONY volunteer application and submit it to the
Board who shall forward it to the appropriate League Representative who is
responsible for reviewing the application for accuracy and appropriateness.
B. League Representatives are
responsible for soliciting Managers for their Leagues.
C. The Manager Selection
Committee shall be designated no later than the December Board Meeting. The Committee's function and membership are
defined in the Addendum to the PG PONY Constitution and By-laws.
II.
REQUIREMENTS.
A. All Managers plus one working
coach must be NYSCA (National Alliance for Youth Sports- http://www.nays.org/) certified. The NYSCA.
fee shall be paid by the Local League if the coach desires. League Representatives are responsible for
ensuring compliance. The Vice President
and the Baseball or Softball Directors shall provide oversight.
B. Every Manager and coach shall
sign a Coach’s Code of Ethics and may be subject to fingerprinting. These documents shall be retained in the
official Local League records. League
Representatives are responsible for ensuring compliance. The Vice President and the Baseball or
Softball Directors shall provide oversight.
III.
RESPONSIBILITIES.
A. Any violation of the intent or
spirit of the code of ethics may result in the Manager or coach in question
being brought before a hearing of the Board of Directors. This hearing shall take place as soon as
possible after the alleged violation and may result in the Manager or coach
receiving a penalty as severe as being relieved of his/her duties. Refer to PONY rules and regulations, re:
Disciplinary action
(12)
http://www.pony.org/files/home/52977%20Boys%20R&R%20book.pdf
B. The Board of Directors highly
recommends that each Manager have at least one working coach. A working coach is defined as a coach who is
in attendance at practices and games at least fifty percent of the time.
C. Each team is allowed three members
of the coaching staff on the field during the playing period. The Manager and coaches are to remain in the
dugout or the immediate vicinity of the dugout, except when acting as a base
coach.
D. Managers from both teams are
responsible for having their team clean the dugout after each game. The parents from both teams are responsible
for cleaning the bleacher area. The
manager shall provide oversight.
E. Sunday practices and games are
strongly discouraged for all teams.
F. The Managers of the home and
visiting teams and Umpires shall be the sole judges as to whether a game shall
be started because of unsuitable conditions or the unfit condition of the
playing field. If they disagree, then
the Umpire’s opinion shall prevail.
The home team manager shall inspect the field
of play prior to the start of the game to identify any potential safety
hazards. He/she will apprise the
visiting team manager and the umpire of any hazards noted and will recommend
solutions to mitigate the hazard or recommend postponing the game until the
deficiency can be corrected.
G. A Manager cannot drop a player
from his or her team without the written consent of the League Representative,
Baseball or Softball Director, and President, who shall notify the board of
directors.
H. A Manager shall notify the
League Representative, in writing, of any player who has missed two consecutive
games, and the reasons, so that
appropriate action can be taken. A
Manager shall immediately notify the League Representative, verbally or in
writing, if a player quits the team. The
League Representative shall call the parents immediately to determine why the
player quit and then report to the Baseball or Softball Director and Board.
I. Manager/Coaches
responsibilities.
(1)
Organization and proper conduct of players and Assistant Coaches assigned to
his/her team while participating in Local League activities.
(2)
Proper care and accountability of Local League equipment entrusted to him or her.
(3)
Setting an excellent example of good sportsmanship, leadership, and fair
play.
(4)
Assistant Coaches are the second in command and are responsible to the Manager
of the team.
10.0 BASEBALL
ALL-STAR AND TOURNAMENT PLAYER SELECTION
I.
TOURNAMENT TEAMS AND MANAGERS
A. After the annual PONY Section
President’s Meeting (usually in January), the Tournament Director (Vice
President) shall make a recommendation to the Board regarding the number of
tournament teams in each League.
B. People wishing to be
considered for selection as a tournament (All-Star) Manager must express their
desire in writing to the League Representative.
C. The “A team” Tournament
Managers shall be chosen by the the All-Star Manager and Coach Selection
Committee. The Committee's function and
membership are defined in the Addendum to the PG PONY Constitution and
By-laws.
D. The “B team Managers shall be
selected by the All-Star Manager an Coach Selection Committee after the
All-Star selection meeting and after the “A team” has been selected by the “A
team” Manager.
E. Selection of the Managers and
coaches (to include Business Managers) shall be based on qualifications,
experience, and ability to make the necessary time commitment required.
F. Each All-Star Manager shall
select an Assistant Coach and Business Manager.
All-Star coaching positions should consider in the following candidates
(not necessarily in order):
(1)
Managers from the League.
(2)
Coaches from the League.
(3)
Managers or coaches from any other League (with a child on the team).
(4)
Parents of children on the team.
(5)
Managers or coaches from any other League (without a child on the team).
(6)
Any other suitable candidate.
The coaches must fill out a PG PONY volunteer
form (if one is not already on file)-to be collected by the League
Representative. Coaches selected by the
All-Star Managers must be approved by the All-Star Manager and Coach Selection
Committee and subsequently by the Board.
G. Each All-Star Manager shall
establish rules governing practice schedules, tournament play, attendance,
uniforms, and discipline.
H. All-Star players shall pay for
their uniforms except for caps which shall be paid for by the Local
League. Scholarships are available.
I. Practice schedules shall be
coordinated by the Baseball and Softball Directors and the League
Representatives with their respective team Managers.
.
II.
BASEBALL ALL-STAR SELECTION PROCEDURES
A. At a gathering of all Managers
within a League, the following shall take place:
(1)
The League Representative shall bring the Official Scorebook. Each Manager should bring their own
scorebook.
(2) The Managers shall discuss
general qualities for being an All-Star – attitude, ability, performance, and
dedication.
(3)
There is no Manager-Child Option or Sibling Option. Only players nominated and successfully
placed on the All-Star roster are eligible to play.
(4)
The All-Star “A” and “B” Teams shall consist of at least twelve players (13 for
the Mustang “B” team). Seven alternate players shall be chosen (first
through seventh), with only the League Representative, Baseball Director, and President (unless they
are managing or coaching the specific team, in which case an alternate board
member) knowing their identity.
(a) If the “A” team loses one or
more players, the Manager shall replace the player(s) with player(s) from the
“B” team. The “B” team shall replace
player(s) from the alternates list in order.
Exception: Once the “B” team has played their first District
Tournament game, the players are ineligible to be moved to the “A” team. Any additional players must then be taken
from the top of the alternate list.
(5)
Every team shall be represented on the All-Star Team.
(6)
Nominations – Round 1
(a) Beginning with the first place team, and continuing in order of
finish, each Manager shall nominate any players from his team who he or she
feels meets the criteria of an All-Star.
(b) Each Manager shall read the list of remaining (un-nominated) players
on his or her team and positions played.
(7)
Nominations – Round 2
(a) Proceeding in the same order around the room, each Manager shall
nominate any player on any other team.
(b) Once all Managers have placed their players on the board, a
discussion of each All-Star nominees shall take place, including but not
limited to position played, batting and attitude.
5 (8)
Voting – Round 1
(a) After the nominations have been completed, the voting shall
commence.
(b) Each Manager shall vote via secret ballot for twelve players from
other teams. Managers cannot vote for players
from his or her own team in the first round.
(c) Players receiving votes from at least 50% of the Managers (e.g., 2
of 4 votes or 3 of 5 votes) shall be
placed on the All-Star roster until the roster is filled (with 24 players for
Bronco, 25 for Mustang). Players with the
most votes make team down to those that tie for final spots.
Example (6 team Mustang League): First Round
Players needed: 32 (25 players plus 7 alternates).
45 players nominated
Players with 5 votes: 5 make team
Players with 4 votes: 3 make team
Players with 3 votes: 3 make team
(11 players are on All-Star roster, 34 stay in
pool and move to round 2)
Players with 2 votes: 8 stay in pool, move to
round 2
Players with 1 vote: 10 stay in pool, move to
round 2
Players with 0 votes: 16 stay in pool, move to
round 2
(9)
Voting – Subsequent Rounds
(a) Each Manager shall now be allowed to vote for any player and shall
vote the number of votes to fill out team (13 in the above example). The voting shall continue in the above manner
until the team is filled out. However,
if more than the required amount of players to fill out the team receive 50% or
more of the vote in a round, the players with the most votes shall make the
team, the ones who tie and put the team over the maximum amount shall be put
into a pool and voted on. The top
vote-getters shall be assigned to the team and the remainder shall be the 1st,
2nd, etc. alternates.
(b) In case of a tie for the last position(s) on the team, coaches shall
vote for the last position(s) among the tied players.
(c) Alternates shall be determined by each Manager awarding points to
remaining players: 1 point for strongest, 2 for next strongest, 3 for next
strongest, etc.
(d) The player who tallies the fewest points shall be first alternate,
player with the second fewest, the second alternate, etc.
Example (6 team Mustang League): Third Round
Players needed: 32 (25 players plus 7 alternates).
45 players nominated
20 players have already been selected; 25
remain in the pool
5 spots remain, each Manager gets 5 votes
Players with 5 votes: 0 n/a
Players with 4 votes: 1 makes team
Players with 3 votes: 6 go into one time vote
pool
(11 players are on All-Star roster, 34 stay in
pool and move to round 2)
Players with 2 votes: 1 stays in pool, moves
to alternate round
Players with 1 vote: 1stays in pool, moves to
alternate round
Players with 0 votes: 16stay in pool, move to
alternate round
In this case, the player with four votes makes
the team (21 players now selected, four to go).
The six players with three votes are placed in a one time vote
pool. Since four spots remain, each
Manager casts four votes. The top four
vote getters (50% or greater) make the team, the remaining two are the 1st and
2nd alternates based on their votes. The
remaining 18 players are put into a pool to vote on the seven alternates using
the same
procedures.
(3)
(10) The votes from each Manager are tabulated for each player by the
League Representative, Baseball Director, and League President (or their
representative should they be a nominating Manager). Players shall be notified of their selection
for the All-Star Team by their regular season Manager at a time agreed upon
agreed by the Managers.
(11)
The Mustang and Bronco All-Star Teams shall play a “Red and Gold Game” where
players shall be divided into two approximately equal teams who shall play each
other allowing review by the Tournament Manager prior to final tournament (A
and B) team selections. The Local League
shall provide each player with an All-Star pin and cap at the game.
B. Pinto All-Star Selection
Procedures. The League Representative
and Baseball Director shall determine the number of All-Stars to be selected. Each team's Manager shall select their “fair
share” of players for the All-Star Team.
If extra spots are open, the extra players may come (one each) from the
All-Star Manager, Assistant Coach, and Business Manager's team (if all three
are on separate spring season team, if not, the League Representative shall
determine the teams (one each) from which the additional players shall be
selected.
III.
ALL-STAR AND TOURNAMENT TEAMS, PLAYER PARTICIPATION
A. The following player
participation rules adopted by the Local League shall be in effect for All-Star
and Tournament games. Exceptions: District, Sectional,
Regional, Zone, and World Series PONY Tournaments.
(1)
Each player must play at least two complete innings and have at least one at
bat. This rule takes priority even if
tournament rules are less stringent.
(2)
A complete inning is defined as six outs – three in the field and three at
bat. Note: A player who plays the
top of the 3rd and 4th innings in the field and bats in the bottom of the 3rd
cannot be removed for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the 4th because he or she
will not have played a complete inning in the 4th.
(3)
Failure to comply may result in the Manager appearing at a hearing before the
General Board, where a Manager may be relieved of his/her duties.
11.0 GIRLS
SOFTBALL ALL-STAR AND TOURNAMENT PLAYER SELECTION
I.
TOURNAMENT TEAMS AND MANAGERS
A. After the annual PONY Section
President’s Meeting (usually in January), the Tournament Director (Vice
President) shall make a recommendation to the Board regarding the number of
tournament teams in each League.
B. People wishing to be
considered for selection as a Tournament (All-Star) Manager must express their
desire in writing to the League Representative.
C. The Tournament Managers shall
be chosen by the the All-Star Manager and Coach Selection Committee. The
Committee's function and membership are defined in the Addendum to the PG PONY
Constitution and By-laws.
D. Selection of the Managers and
Coaches shall be based on qualifications, experience, and ability to make the
necessary time commitment required. Each
All-Star Manager shall select an Assistant Coach and Business Manager. Each All-Star Manager shall establish rules
governing practice schedules, tournament play, attendance, and discipline.
E. Selection of the Managers and
coaches (to include Business Managers) shall be based on qualifications,
experience, ability to make the necessary time commitment required.
F. Each All-Star Manager shall
select two Assistant Coaches. All-Star
coaching positions should be considered in the following order:
(1)
Managers from the League.
(2)
Coaches from the League.
(3)
Managers or coaches from any other League (with a child on the team).
(4)
Parents of children on the team.
(5)
Managers or coaches from any other League (without a child on the team).
(6)
Any other suitable candidate.
The coaches shall fill out a PG PONY volunteer
form (if one is not already on file)-to be collected by the League
Representative. Coaches must be approved
by the All-Star Manager and Coach Selection Committee and the Board.
G. Each All-Star Manager shall
establish rules governing practice schedules, tournament play, attendance,
uniforms, and discipline.
H. All-Star players shall pay for
their uniforms except for visors which shall be paid for by the Local
League. Scholarships are available.
I. Practice schedules shall be
coordinated by the Baseball and Softball Directors and the League
Representatives with their respective team Managers.
II.
ALL-STAR SELECTION PROCEDURES
A. The following guidelines may
be used for selecting Softball All-Stars.
Other methodologies may be used if agreed upon by League Managers,
League Representative, Softball Director, and President.
B. At the gathering of all
Managers within the League, the following shall take place:
(1)
The coaching staff shall be selected by the Manager of the All-Star Team,
subject to the All-Star Manager and Coach Selection Committee and Board
approval.
(2)
Each Manager shall nominate as many players as he/she wishes from his/her
team.
(3)
The names of the players shall be listed by team in the priority order
determined by the team Manager so that all of the Managers may see the
nominees.
(4)
After all of the Managers have finished nominating players from their teams,
any Manager may nominate one player from another team that has not been
nominated.
(5)
Each Manager shall secretly select players from the list of nominees. The selections are only those players each
Managers feels are All-Star Team quality.
Managers shall be allowed to vote for members of their own team if three
or less teams constitute the League.
(6)
Players receiving the most votes are placed on the All-Star Team roster. Players with the most number of votes are
first; players with the second most number of votes are second, etc., until a
minimum of twelve to be a maximum of fifteen players are selected. The number of players to be selected shall be
determined by the All-Star Team Manager prior to voting. In case of a tie, the League Representative
agent shall cast the deciding vote. In
case an alternate is needed. The
player(s) with the next highest number of votes shall be selected as the
replacement(s).
C. Every team in the League shall
be represented on the All-Star Team.
D. The votes from each Manager
shall be tabulated by the League Representative, Softball Director, and
President.
I. The
Board of Directors meets monthly at the Pacific Grove Community Center, 515
Junipero Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA 93950.
II.
Meetings are held monthly on the fourth Thursday of each month unless
otherwise scheduled. Exceptions:
November and December's meetings shall be held on the third Thursday of the
month.
III.
The monthly meetings shall be held at 6:30pm except during the baseball season when daylight savings is in
effect (March-October)) during which the
meetings shall be held at 7:30pm.
IV. The
Baseball or Softball Directors shall have additional meetings as needed.