STROUM JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF GREATER SEATTLE
COED SOFTBALL LEAGUE RULES
(Amended December 2007 for the Summer 2008 season by JCC Coed Softball Committee)
Chairman Adam Stein, Vice-chair Ron Pergamit, David Schiller, Selena Hockenstein, Steve Braverman, John Streimikes, Marc Ovetz, Jeff Piha, Stan Sorcher, Jay Holzman, Adam Droker, staff Josh Colwell and Zach Duitch
I. The Stroum JCC shall be responsible for the organization and administration of the League. The SJCC assumes no responsibility for any injury that may occur in the course of the softball league.
II. The league shall be governed by the Stroum JCC's Coed softball Committee and its Chair and Vice-Chairs. The Coed softball Committee is comprised of JCC members only. In addition, each team shall designate a Captain who will represent his/her team at the annual Captains’ information meeting held prior to the start of each season. The Coed softball Committee shall meet immediately following each season's play to evaluate and plan for the following season, and meet as often as needed to complete their work in time for the annual spring Captains’ meeting.
III. All correspondence should be sent to Josh Cowell, Softball Coordinator, Stroum Jewish Community Center, 3801 East Mercer Way, Mercer Island, WA 98040; telephone (206) 232-7115. Email to softballadmin@sjcc.org
IV. Team Rosters and Registration Fees
A deposit of $150 must be submitted by March 15, 2008. All players must be registered and paid in full, on or before April 15, 2008. Any new team, including a reorganized team per rule V, must have 10 players, at least three of whom are women, registered by April 1st. Any games played with any players who have not signed up and paid, will result in game forfeits. Additionally, a captain or acting captain who intentionally uses an ineligible player will be suspended for 1 game. The $150 deposit may not be applied to your team’s total amount due and will only be refunded if ALL DEADLINES, MEETINGS, and REQUIREMENTS are met. (If not the $150 will be forfeited.) There is a 14 player minimum roster limit and no maximum roster limit. Replacement players (for injured players or a player moving out of town) may be placed on the roster, or new players may be added to the roster by contacting the softball corodinator. After July 7th, 2008, NO players may be added for any reason. (Replacement for injured player not permitted)
V. Team Eligibility
To remain in the League and be eligible for entry the next season, a team must avoid being penalized a total of 2 points from the following: Missed Deadlines = 1 point each, No show Forfeited Game = 1 point, Forfeited Game due to use of ineligible player = 1 point, Forfeited Game with 24 hours notice to the league and opposing captain or due to injury/ejection during the game = 1/2 point
Any team receiving 2 penalty points (or more) during this current season may only return to play the next season if their roster contains at least 50% new players and a new captain.
VI. Player Eligibility
A. All players must be a minimum of 15 years of age.
B. Any new (first time) player will be added to existing or reconfigured teams as space permits. In accordance with the City of Mercer Island’s no growth policy, new teams may join the league on a space-available basis.
C. Players may play on two teams, if the player has registered and paid for both teams, AND that the two teams are in adjacent divisions (i.e. B and C, but NOT A and D). A player may not join two teams in the same division.
VII. Rules, Game balls, Scorebooks, ASA Materials, Etc.
Each team must pick up their league materials for the season at the mandatory Captains’ meeting prior to the beginning of the regular season. The League rules should be brought to every game by each team captain. It is the home team who supplies the "game balls" and the visitor supplies the back-up balls. The team supplying the game ball should keep it for practices after the game ends. In addition, the “home team” is responsible for being the official scorer for the game.
IX. Rainouts
It is the responsibility of each Captain to call the Softball Rainout Hot-Line 206 232-2099, ext 438 for any possible game cancellations due to inclement weather. The decision to cancel will be made by 3 p.m. for that evening's game. Sunday rainouts will be decided one hour before the first scheduled games.
X. Umpires
Both “In-House” umpires and Seattle Metro Softball Umpires Association umpires will be used for all Divisions of play. The JCC will make every effort to have games officiated by SMSUA umpires, In-House umpires, or another league official.
In the rare event of an umpire who failing to show, THE GAME MUST START WITHIN 10 MINUTES of its scheduled start time, as the players have made an effort to be there and want to play. The COACHES HAVE AN OBLIGATION to play the game by working out an acceptable umpiring arrangement from the players or fans at the game. This will be an official game and count in the league standings.
XI. Protests/Grievances
Any protests shall be directed to the SJCC Softball League Coordinator by the end of the day following the game. If after discussing the protest with both captains, the Coordinator feels that the protest needs further evaluation he/she will advise the protesting party to submit the protest in writing (email is acceptable) with a $25 check payable to the JCC. The protest must be submitted within 24 hours of notice from the Coordinator and contain all pertinent information of how the disputed situation affected the outcome of the game. The Chair and the coordinator will consult with the parties involved and JCC staff, as necessary to reach a decision. The Chair may elect to call a special hearing. If the protest is successful, the $25 will be refunded. Grievances against any player for unsportsmanlike conduct, disruptive behavior, being an illegal substitute, or any action, which appears not to be in the league's best interests, must be phoned within 48 hours after the game completion to the League Coordinator’s office. The $25 fee is not required.
XII. League Structure
There shall be an "A" League, a "B" League, a “C” League and a “D” League (and possibility a 5th League) proportionately divided by the overall number of teams so that approximately 1/4 of the teams are in each league. Teams will be placed in the divisions by the Softball Chair and JCC staff. All teams will play within their respective divisions. The regular season will consist of up to 16 games. If unbalanced scheduling is necessary, additional games within each Division will be determined by pairing teams based upon the previous season standings.
XIII. Playoffs
All teams in the League will make the playoffs and the teams will be seeded according to their regular season records. The playoffs will be double elimination. An attempt will be made to conclude the playoffs by the Sunday after Seafair (no games on Seafair Sunday).
REGULAR SEASON TEAM STANDINGS
Team Standings will be calculated as 2 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, and 0 points for a loss.
BREAKING A TIE IN STANDINGS:
1st Criteria: Better record against each other during season.
2nd Criteria: Who has better record against the first place team. If still tied, who has better record against the next best team, etc. If still tied, a coin toss will determine seeding.
Playoff Time Limit Tie Breaker: Since playoff games can not end in a tie, if the game is tied and clock time has expired, the next inning will begin with the last male in the batting order going to 2nd base (if a platoon exists it is the Captain’s choice of which player goes to 2nd base), and the TOP OF THE BATTING ORDER bats with TWO outs. If still tied after both teams have batted, the next inning starts with the last out (male or female) on 2nd base, two outs, and the batting order continuing from the first tie-breaker inning.
TIE BREAKERS DO NOT APPLY TO GAMES WITH NO TIME LIMITS.
DETERMINING THE WINNER OF A PLAYOFF TIE GAMES ENDED BY DARKNESS
1st Criteria – Team leading at the end of the last completed inning with one team ahead.
2nd Criteria – Higher Seed (Home team) advances
IX. Awards
1. Individual trophies will be awarded to the champions in the playoffs for all Divisions.
Game Rules
· CODE OF CODUCT:
· Players are expected to show good sportsmanship at all times.
· The team Captain is responsible for the conduct of his/her players.
· Only the team Captain may address the umpires.
· The following are a few examples of inappropriate behavior and conduct which will result in automatic suspensions:
· Foul Language: may receive a warning for first offense and will be automatically ejected for 2nd.
· Physical Contact: Accidental contact may be warned the first time and if it occurs again will result in immediate ejection. Purposeful contact will result in an immediate ejection plus an additional minimum one game suspension.
· Verbal Abuse: The league will not tolerate any verbal abuse of umpires, players, or fans. If a player is ejected by an umpire for verbal abuse, he/she will receive an additional minimum one game suspension. If a Softball Committee member observes verbal misbehavior, even if the umpire has not ejected the player, this may result in a suspension.
· Other Inappropriate Behavior: Other actions which will not be tolerated include throwing the bat, Ball field/park abuse, using a ball in an unsportsmanlike manner, or any other actions not in the best interest of the league may result in game suspensions.
· Delay of Game: Such actions as, but not limited to, purposely slowing progress of the game for own team’s benefit and excessive switching of player’s field positions, may result in immediate ejection and further suspensions.
I. Length of Games and Time Limits and Forfeits:
Games shall last a maximum of one hour, thirty minutes. No new inning will start after one hour, twenty minutes have expired from the SCHEDULED start time and the game will end no later than 1 1/2 hours after the scheduled start time. Games ended with incomplete innings revert to the last completed full inning (unless the Home Team is batting and has tied or gone ahead). Games are a maximum seven innings long. The "umpire's watch" time shall be considered as official start and end time. The umpire shall strictly enforce game time limits
There is no automatic run rule to win a game. All playoff games will have time limits unless specifically stated in the brackets.
PLAYOFFS: No new inning will start after one hour, twenty minutes have expired from the SCHEDULED start time or the end of the previous game, whichever is later. The final inning shall be played to completion.
DELAY OF GAME: If the team leading in score causes the game to be delayed, the umpire may start calling balls or strikes, as appropriate, to keep the game moving. No more than one 30- second defensive conference is allowed per inning.
FORFEITS: If you have 8 players (of whom at least 2 are women), you have a "TEAM" and will not have to forfeit. You have 10 minutes from scheduled start time to field your minimum 8 players; if not a forfeit will occur. If after 5 minutes you have 8 players (and presumably still expect at least 1 or 2 more players to show up) you MUST START THE GAME with the 8 players that you have.
SUBSTITUTE PLAYERS: If a captain is concerned about the possibility of his/her team being short players for an upcoming game, he may borrow a player from another team in their same league or a league below the one they play in. C league players may substitute in the D league. All substitutes must be legally registered players on a SJCC softball team. A captain or acting captain who intentionally uses an ineligible player will be suspended for 1 game. If it turns out that enough regular players show up for that game, the substitutes are permitted to play anyway. NO Substitutes or replacement players are permitted to play in the playoffs.
II. Ground Rules at South Mercer Fields:
DOUBLE FIRST BASE: The batter-runner must touch and/or overrun the new base on any batted balls that would result in a play at first base. The fielder must touch the regular 1st base when accepting a throw or tagging the base on a play. On a base hit, the batter-runner will use the regular 1st base for making the turn.
Field #1: Outfielders MAY go into the bushes to catch a fly ball. Any fly ball, which enters the high grass/bushes, on the fly, deeper than the white home run pole on the center field side of the pole, and is NOT caught, is a HOME RUN. A fly ball, which enters the bushes on the left field side of the home run pole, or any fair ground ball, which enters the bushes, is a dead ball and an automatic ground rule double. Any ball that hits any part of the trees in centerfield will be ruled a ground rule double and declared a dead ball.
Field #2: Any fly ball, which goes over the fence and lands in the bushes, is a ground rule DOUBLE. Each team is allowed two fly ball ground rule doubles per game. (All subsequent are outs) Any player who hits a fly ball, which clears the upper wood fence, will be immediately called out and ejected from this game and the next game. If the same player does it again in a subsequent game in the same season, he will be banned for the remainder of the regular season AND playoffs. Any ground ball which rolls into the bushes beyond the fence is a ground rule triple.
Field#3: In Right field, a fly ball, which goes over the fence on the right field side of the white Home Run pole, is an automatic ground rule double. Each team is allowed two fly ball ground rule doubles per game. (All subsequent are outs) In Right-Center field, any fly ball, which goes over the fence on the center field side of the Home Run pole, is an automatic Home Run. (NO limit) In Right-Center field, any ground ball which rolls into the bushes beyond the fence is a ground rule triple.
Field #4: The trench that runs from the first base side of the fence will be considered the extension of the fence for out-of-play and catch-and-carry.
III. The Coed Softball League shall follow Official ASA Coed Slow Pitch Rules with specific exceptions and/or points of emphasis which are covered in the following:
A. Pitching
1. Regular ASA rules will apply. . When a woman is batting, she may choose the official women's ball, or may use the men’s ball for her turn at bat. When the play is ended, the men’s ball will be put back in the game. If the wrong size ball is used, a "do over" shall occur if the batting team so desires and if the error is corrected prior to the next pitch.
2. INTENTIONAL WALKS: If a male batter is pitched four straight balls WITHOUT ANY STRIKES and a woman’s slot is the next in the batting order, the man will automatically walk to 2nd base and the woman/Captain will have the option to hit or take an automatic walk to 1st base. Any base runners will automatically advance two bases even if not forced. If a man is intentionally walked and the next batting slot is an automatic out for a missing woman slot, the out is recorded after any and all base runners have been awarded their bases.
3. WARM-UPS: Any new pitcher, (or in the first inning of a game) shall be allowed a maximum of 5 warm-up tosses. After that, NO warm-ups are permitted between innings.
4. NO COURTESY FOUL: If after two strikes a foul is hit, the batter is out.
5. DISTANCE: Pitchers MUST use the 50 foot pitching rubber. On Fields 1, 2, & 3, it is the furthest pitching rubber from home plate. On Field 4 it is the 2nd of 4 from home plate.
B. Batting/Batting Order
1. No bunting.
2. Wearing of batting helmets is recommended but not required.
3. All bats used must be listed as legal bats on the ASA website. If they do not have an ASA stamp, captains are responsible for providing proof they are legal (such as a printed copy of the relevant webpage listing the bat as legal). http://www.softball.org/about/certified_equipment.asp
4. Batting Orders: Batting orders must be exchanged by each team, at home plate, during the pre-game ground rules meeting. At this time the line-ups become official. (The only exceptions shall be a pinch hitter who then replaces the player pinch hit for in the same spot in the line-up or a player who arrives late to a shorthanded team as described below. A woman may fill a vacant slot at any time when the team is shorthanded).
Batting orders must be constructed so that not more than two men can bat in succession (except from the end of the order to the first two batters and then no more than 4 men bat in a row). Players may be placed into the batting order even though they do not play the field. If a team is playing with fewer than 10 players, late arriving players may be added to the end of the batting line-up until 10 spots are filled. The current men-to-women ratio still applies, however, and the opposing captain must be notified. Once 10 legal batting slots are filled, any additional late arriving players may be used until the #1 batting slot bats a second time; after which late arrivers must be pinch hitters only. If fielding 10 players, then 10 batting slots must be filled. (A platoon is considered to be ONE slot) Batting orders will consist of the following men to women ratios:
EXAMPLE of a Batting Order
8 players: 2 women
9 to 11 players: 3 women 1. man 4. man 7. man 10. man
12 to 14 players: 4 women 2. man 5. man 8. man 11. man
15 to 17 players: 5 women 3. woman 6. woman 9. woman
18 to 20 players: 6 women
If a male or female player already in the batting line-up gets injured during the game and can’t continue, and no subs are available, it is permissible to simply “SKIP” his/her batting slot and have the next batter in the line-up bat with NO automatic out recorded, provided that the male to female batting order ratios are still maintained. If skipping the spot would result in 3 men batting in a row, other than from the bottom of the order to the top of the order, and automatic out must be taken for the injured batter.
Special Note: If only 2 women are in the line-up, 7 men may play in the field, and 8 men may be in the batting order. However, the first woman's slot is an automatic out regardless of the number of batters in your line-up. Also, a late arriving woman may fill that vacant slot at any time.
Women in Batting Order:
Question: -Is it legal to bat a woman in the 1st or 2nd slot in the line-up?
Answer: The answer is YES. If a woman is the first batter in the batting order, the last 4 batters may be men. If a woman is the 2nd batter in the batting order, the last 3 batters plus the leadoff batter may be men.
5. Platooning Batters
Coaches have the option of placing two batters (who have already arrived at the field) of the same sex in the same batting slot in the original line-up exchanged at home plate. These two batters must be designated as "platooning", which means that they will alternate turns batting each time the assigned line-up batting slot comes up during the game. The coach must declare which platooning batter will hit the first time around. Once declared, the platooning batters must alternate in that order. In other words, the same platooning batter may not bat twice in a row. Once a particular line-up slot has been designated as "platooning", it must remain so for the entire game. An exception would be if a platooning batter was injured during the game and could not continue to play, the spot would be filled by the other platooning player, if a bench player was not available, to avoid having to take an automatic out. A platooning batter may be removed for a pinch hitter of the same sex. However, the pinch hitter must be a player who has not previously batted and was not in the original starting line-up. SPECIAL NOTE: The A.S.A. re-entry rule does not apply to our league.
6. Ejected Player
If a player is ejected from the game, he/she may NOT be replaced in the batting line AND an automatic out shall be recorded during the ejected player’s turn to bat. In addition, the ejected player will be suspended from his/her next game(s) by the League Chairs. (If the player requests a special hearing, the suspension(s) will be enforced after the hearing) If a player is platooning, an out must be taken when that player’s half of the platoon is scheduled to bat. The other half of the platoon is allowed to bat. An ejected player may NOT be skipped in the order.
C. "Courtesy Runner"
The intent of the courtesy runner rule is to allow a player with physical problems, but who can bat and run to first base, to be able to play in spite of temporary or permanent physical problems. Each team is allowed three courtesy runners (male or female for a total of three) per game designated at any time during the game. The Courtesy Runner, each time, shall be the last batter or runner out at the time the courtesy runner is needed of the same gender. If the courtesy runner becomes the on-deck batter while on base, he/she will be replaced on base by the person of the same gender who made the last out, at the time of the replacement. The designated player must first reach base safely. All other runners requiring base running assistance will be removed from the batting line-up if they use a pinch runner (see pinch runner). If a team bats around, and the proper replacement runner is on base, the next previous out of the appropriate sex is chosen. If a platooning batter requires a courtesy runner, the runner is specifically a courtesy runner for that batter, not for the platooning batting slot.
IV. Field Positions
A. A maximum of 10 players, of which at least 3 must be women, can occupy the field at one time. A legal minimum of 8 players must be present, of which at least 2 must be women. If there are 9 players, at least 2 must be women.
B. Free field substitution is allowed at all times. A player may play the field without batting in the lineup.
C. ENCROACHMENT: When, in the umpire’s judgment, a male outfielder takes away a ball hit directly to a female outfielder, a delayed infraction called "encroachment" will be called at the conclusion of the play and it is the offensive team's choice if they wish to decline or accept the penalty, which is: the batter will be awarded 2 bases. All runners will advance 2 bases.
V. Safety Rules
1. No metal spiked shoes are permitted.
1.5 ASA rules regarding proper uniforms are extended to include the option of women wearing long, loose skirts or other garments reflecting modesty in dress.
2. Catchers are encouraged to wear a mask. It is each team's responsibility to provide the mask.
3. It is advised that coaches ask their players to acquire medical insurance.
4. Avoidable physical contact between players will be strictly enforced with the possibility of a game ejection and suspension. Any Committee member who observes a dangerous act during a game as a spectator, (not player), has the authority to take the necessary action to handle the situation. This will usually require notifying the league Chairman as soon as possible and reporting the incident.
5. The following infractions will result in an automatic minimum of a one game suspension:
Any fake or bluff tag trying to slow a base runner or forcing him/her to slide unnecessarily.
Purposely running into a fielder at any time: i.e., trying to knock over a fielder at a base to dislodge the ball; and i.e., "accidentally" on purpose running into a fielder trying to catch a batted or thrown ball.
6. Who has the "right of way?"
When fielding a live ball: The fielder, when trying to make a play on a live ball, has the right-of-way. The base runner must, at all times, avoid contact.
When covering a base: (a) If no action is imminent at the base a fielder is covering, the runner has the right-of- way and the fielder must not impede the runner's path; (b) If the fielder is in the process of catching a thrown ball (getting ready for a tag on a sliding runner), he/she should straddle the base from the opposite side the runner is approaching. The fielder must not block the base and the runner should not run into the fielder.
7.&#Error#160;&#Error#160;&#Error#160; Slide or get out of the way. We are a non contact league. Runner must avoid contact even if the fielder is in the wrong place and the play results in the runner being called out. Umpires should call a runner safe who avoids contact with a fielder in the interest of safety.