Arizona NABA League Rules

Arizona NABA League Rules

All games are played under the rules of baseball as stated in the most recent Official Rules of Baseball published by the National Baseball Congress, Inc. with the exceptions, additions, or notations contained in this booklet. The NABA Rules Committee also has access to, and frequently consults, The Case Book of the Official Playing Rules Committee of Major League Baseball, and the Handbooks of both the American and National League Umpires. These reference materials interpret and elaborate on the language of The Official Rules and are available to the public compiled in an Official Major League Baseball Publication entitled “Make the Right Call” as published by Triumph Books, Inc. 644 South Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60605.

GAME TIMES & TIME LIMITS: The AZ NABA game consists of 9 innings or 3 hours, whichever comes first. No new inning may begin after 2 hours and 50 minutes. If 3 hours have elapsed before a regulation game (see Official Baseball Rules 4.10 c), then the game shall be considered a regulation game. There will be a 3 hour and 10 minute drop dead limitation. If the home team is losing and was unable to complete it’s last at bat at the drop dead limit, the league president will make a determination as to whether the game score will revert back to the prior inning or whether it will be continued at a later time. The umpires will announce the official time. IT IS THE MANAGER’S RESPONSIBILITY AT THE HOME PLATE MEETING TO DETERMINE OFFICIAL START TIME FROM THE UMPIRES, AND TO AGREE ON WHO IS HOLDING THE OFFICIAL CLOCK. Any game ending in a tie after 3 hours will remain a tie in the standings. A game suspended (see Official Baseball Rules 4.12 for definition) for any other reason will be completed at a later date if it has a bearing on the final standings.

RUN RULES
The league has a mercy rule of 15 runs after 7 innings or 10 runs after 8 innings.

EIGHT PLAYER START RULE:
Teams may START AND COMPLETE any game with only 8 players and do so without penalty of a forfeit. The team with 8 players must record an out in the ninth spot (it must be the ninth spot only) in the order throughout the game, unless the missing player arrives If the ninth player arrives he may be added into the line-up only in the ninth batting position. He may also take his position when he arrives but must wait until the current batter has completed his at bat.

OFFICIAL ROSTERS
Anyone participating in an Arizona NABA league game must be on their team’s official roster. The ONLY place an official roster is recognized is the one on the www.aznaba.com website for each team. Any player on the field or in the dugout MUST be on the official team roster or they will be considered an illegal player. Any team caught playing with an illegal player will forfeit that game and any prior games if it is discovered that illegal players were participating in any prior games.  If it is discovered that you played more than one game with an illegal player, your team will be banned from participating in any future games that season and may be banned from participating in any future seasons. NO REFUNDS will be given to a team that is removed from the league due to this rule. The league president reserves the right to request and inspect lineup cards and scorebooks to investigate any challenges to this rule.

OFFENSIVE LINEUP:
A team may elect, for the entire game, to bat ANY NUMBER OF PLAYERS, however, it must finish the game with the a minimum number of 8 players in the order. If any players are ejected during the game for his actions an out shall be recorded in that spot in the order unless an eligible substitute is available from the bench.

BATTING ORDER & OFFENSIVE STARTER RE-ENTRY RULE:A starter in the batting order may be removed and a substitute may bat in that player’s place at any point during a game so long as the starter has had one plate appearance. The starter may return to bat again, but only in the original spot in the batting order, and only after the replacement has had at least one plate appearance. The substitute may not bat again once removed from the batting order. Please remember, only the starter may re-enter during the course of the game. Any other player re-entering the order will be treated as batting out of order under Official Baseball rule #6.07. The starter and substitutes are locked into the same spot in the order and cannot bat anywhere else. They become ineligible to bat in any other position in the batting order. The starter and substitutes are considered “in the game,” and may not be used as pinch runners as they have already been “used.” A pinch runner (as opposed to a courtesy runner) must be someone who has not been in the batting order and will be dealt with under the offensive lineup rule (i.e., that player must have one plate appearance before the starter re-enters). As reference, see Official Baseball rules #6.07. A starter (not designated as a non-runner) who is replaced by a pinch runner while on base is removed from the batting order. Once that runner or another legal substitute has one plate appearance the starter may reenter. . A pinch runner who does not hit at least once in the spot in the order where the player they are running for batted, shall be considered “out of the game” and may not re-enter

COURTESY RUNNER: Two players per team per game may have another player run for them in the event they reach base. Those that require the courtesy runners are called non-runners (“NR”). The courtesy runner will always be the last recorded out. It is not mandatory to use this rule as the manager has the option depending upon the situation. But if a change is made, it must be at the furthest base the player reaches safely on that play. If the non-runner advances to any base beyond that reached before the next pitch a courtesy runner may not be used. The courtesy runner must enter the game before the next pitch, or the use of the courtesy runner is forfeited on that play. Failure to promptly send the courtesy runner to the field may result in a “delay of game” call, resulting in the original runner being called out. The two players who will not run must be designated as such before the game begins on the lineup card with the “NR” symbol next to their name. This rule applies only to the player(s) and not the position in the batting order. If a listed available substitute is a “Non-runner”, they must be so designated on the lineup card. No more than 2 non-runners may be in the active lineup at one time. If the non-runner is the first player up in the first inning of a game, the courtesy runner will be the last player in the batting order. There is no speed-up rule allowing runners for the pitcher or catcher. Any improper use of a courtesy runner including the use of the improper or wrong replacement shall result in the non-runner being scored as an out.

DEFENSIVE LINEUP: All teams have the option to substitute freely on the field in any defensive position except for the pitcher. A pitcher may leave the mound for another position on the field or on the bench but may return only once to their position as pitcher. Violating this pitcher’s rule does not constitute a forfeit, although the pitcher must leave the mound immediately. Free substitution on the Field does not affect the batting order. Defensive positions need not be listed on the line-up card except for the pitcher.

BATS: This is a WOOD BAT only league. NO, you cannot use a metal bat.