Team, Player, Manager, and Fan Conduct:

• Managers responsible for players, fans and team conduct: Managers are held responsible for the conduct of their players, coaches, and fans. Game personnel, including spectators, shall not use language or gestures that will, in any manner, refer to, or reflect negatively toward opposing players, coaches, umpires, or spectators.
  • PENALTY: In the case of unruly fans or "unsportsmanslike" conduct from fan(s), the umpire has the ability to eject the fan from the field and complex for the remainder of the day.

• Manager only allowed to appeal to umpire: Only managers or recognized head coaches are allowed to appeal to umpires during the game and all conversations with an umpire should be conducted after a time out has been called and be held in a calm and professional manner.
  • Verbal abuse of the umpire will not be tolerated and will result in ejection from the game. Assistant coaches not adhering to this rule are subject to immediate ejection from game.

• All ejections of managers and coaches: Any manager or coach ejected from the game is required to sit out the next game also (mandatory).
  • After ejected, a manager or coach must vacate the premises of the current game and the next game of which he is suspended (must adhere to the cannot see or hear ejected coach policy).
  • Any manager caught continuing to coach after being ejected or suspended will be suspended for an additional period of time at the league director's discretion.

• Player ejections: Any player ejected from a game is subject to an additional one game suspension at the league director's discretion.

Managers are responsible for the conduct of his players and fans at all times. Managers are subject to ejection if his players or fans are out of control. Players ejected during game must remain in dugout for remainder of game. Ejected player must sit out remainder of game quietly and without incident.

• PENALTY: Failure of player to act without further incident in dugout will result in additional and immediate game suspensions or even disqualification for remainder of the season.

Post-Game Misconduct: If a team, coach, or player displays misconduct or poor sportsmanship after a game has concluded, the player or coach may be ejected from the next game, the team may forfeit the next game, or may be suspended at the discretion of the league/tournament director.

• Game Misconduct: No coach, player, or team shall, at any time, whether from the bench, coaching box, or playing field, attempt to incite by word or sign, any unsportsmanlike conduct or demonstration by spectators.
  • PENALTY: Offending team member is subject to immediate ejection from game. (Profanity of any sort is strictly prohibited and is grounds for immediate ejection)

Failure to leave park after being ejected from game: If any manager, coach, or fan upon being ejected during game refuses to leave the park in a timely manner determined by the league, director the game shall be deemed a forfeit.

All protests: will be ruled on immediately by league director and all decisions are final and once the next pitch is thrown, team loses right to protest. Only managers may protest. Judgment calls by umpires may not be protested. Upon a protest, a manager shall remit $100.00 cash protest fee. If the protest is upheld, the $100.00 shall be immediately refunded. If the protest is denied, the deposit shall be forfeited. All protests must initiated thru the home plate umpire before being brought to the tournament director. Absolutely, No pre-game infield on any of the fields. Warm up in foul territory only please.

• Team Line-Up Card: Must be exchanged with the opposing team at or before managers' Home Plate meeting before the beginning of each game. All players participating in game must be entered on official team line-up card to be eligible to participate in game.
  • Note: Any players arriving after start of game must be listed on the team line-up card that is turned in to the umpires prior to the start of the game to be eligible to play.

• Teams may elect to bat as many players as needed.
  Free Substition: In all ABCL games during the regular spring season,
  
  • A team may choose to bat between 9 players and as many as 16 players. The team is not required to bat the entire lineup if it is not in the team's best interest. Every batter not listed on the lineup as a traditional position player or pitcher will be listed as an extra hitter (EH).
  • Extra Hitter: A team may use the EH, (extra hitter) if desired in any division. The manager must declare the use of an EH prior to the start of the game.

• Jewelry shall be prohibited, (except Medical Alert bracelets). One warning will be given per team – followed by player (possible) ejection for ensuing infractions by players of the team for the

Intraleague Recruiting: No player can switch teams during league play and continue to be eligible to play. Coaches should have professionalism and not recruit players during league play. The first team the player has an at bat during league play is the only team he will allow to play with. Any contest the player participates in with another team will be forfeited.

ABCL Bat Specifications:

• Wood bat/Wood Composite bats. Penalty for use of illegal bat will be an out. 2nd offense will result in ejection of offending player.
• Any player violating the meeting the 2nd offense-penalty will be ejected from the game and will have to serve an additional game suspension automatically. No appeal.
• Player must be caught in the act of using bat. Any play subsequent to violation of bat rule by player will be deemed an automatic out and play will be deemed dead and any resulting play will revert.
• Any 2nd violation by same team during the same weekend will result in the automatic ejection of player and manager from the game. Both manager and player will sit out an additional game suspension. No appeal.
• Any player or coach caught violating bat rule for a 3rd violation will be suspended for duration and remainder of the spring season . No appeal.

Game Play Rules and Regulations:

• Between Innings: A maximum of 90 seconds or 5 warm up pitches (whichever comes first) will be allowed between innings with timing started upon the 3rd out. The umpire shall keep time. Automatic strikes may be called on an offensive team not ready, after the umpire has directed teams to play. Additionally any defensive not ready to begin play when umpire commences play with may be accessed automatic "balls". If an injury requires an emergency pitching change, the new pitcher will have 10 minutes maximum for warm up, during which time the game clock shall be stopped.
• Illegal Players: Any team using illegal players (i.e. – player being too old for division) shall be subject to discipline ranging from forfeiting a game, possible ejection from tournament and possible future sanctions imposed by the ABCL.
• California tie breaker: runner placed at second base at the start of every half inning with no outs. Runner must be last out of previous inning. In Pool Play a tie stands and will not be played out.
• ABCL Run Rule: The only run rule that will be in effect for the 2014 spring season will be 15 run rule.
  • 15 runs after 5 innings for a 7-inning game
    
  • 15 runs after 6 innings for a 9-inning game

• Home team must occupy the third base dugout (Unless mutually agreed upon differently by both opposing managers). All changes must go thru the home plate umpire.
  
• Game Time Start: Official game time begins at the start of the managers Home Plate meeting.
• Time Limits:
  • 7-inning games are to be no longer than two (2) hours unless otherwise specified.
  • 9-inning games are to be no longer than two (2) hours and thirty (30) minutes unless otherwise specified.
  • Regulation game time limits will be adhered to for all games, with the exception of the semi-final championship game in the ABCL Championship Tournament only, and may end in a tie and the tie will stand if regulation game time has expired.

• Catchers must be properly equipped for safety purposes. "Properly equipped" is per judgment of chief umpire and tournament director. (i.e. no skull caps allowed, catchers head gear must cover ears & catchers must wear athletic protective cup.)
• Courtesy Runners: A courtesy runner may be used for the pitcher or catcher at any time. Courtesy runner can only run once in an inning and must be first be someone not presently in the game or secondly the last out. The same runner may not run for both the pitcher and the catcher in the same inning. Courtesy runner for the catcher with two outs is mandatory. (This is also referred to as the "Speed Up Rule which is intended to help speed the game along so as to help insure that teams get their full games in.)
• Intentional walk: Four (4) balls must be thrown.
• Missed bases: require an appeal play.
• Forfeits: Any team forfeiting a game will result in a 10-0 loss
• Some parks may have gate fees. Private parks policies and gate fees may differ and are determined by those respective parks. Gate fees where posted are not optional.
• No alcoholic beverages: allowed to be brought into the ballparks.
• No tobacco (smoking or chewing): allowed during tournament play within the comfines of the ballparks, stands, playing fields, etc. Please smoke or chew in the parking lot, Thank you..
• The Slide or Avoid Rule will be in effect. Any player is out when the runner does not slide when the defensive player has the ball (or is judged to be in the act of catching the ball) and waiting to make a tag.The fake pick to 3B is now prohibited (Thirty-One) - Beginning in the 2014 season, it will now be ruled as a balk and runners will advance to the next base. The runner at 3B will then score.
  • All players are required to avoid collision with another player while running the bases. If, in the opinion of the umpire, the runner does not make an effort to avoid collision, he is to be declared out.
  • If in the opinion of the umpire the act is deemed to be malicious, the runner will be ejected from the game. Runners are not allowed to go after a defensive player to break up a play at any base.
  • Flagrant collision: When there is a collision between a runner and a fielder who is clearly in possession of the ball, the umpire shall judge whether the collision was avoidable and whether the runner was attempting to dislodge the ball or simply attempting to reach the base. If the runner is judged to have attempted to intentionally dislodge the ball, the runner shall be called out, the ball is dead, and all runners return to their last base touched at the time of the interference. Any player, in the judgment of the umpire, flagrantly colliding with any fielder (especially the catcher) is subject to immediate ejection.
• No ball buckets or coaches chairs on the playing field.
• Wherever stated clearly: these "ABCL Sports Rules" supersede ALL Official Sporting News Rules for all ABCL Events.

ABCL Costs:

• Teams will be responsible for providing a home field to host their games
• Both teams are responsible for splitting the costs of the field, umpires, and baseballs.League fees will need to be paid to participate in any ABCL event prior to being scheduled in the event.
  • High end umpires will be provided for teams if needed. 

ABCL Tournament/Playoff System

• For a team to qualify to play in the league tournament, a team must play at least 8 games during the season, otherwise you will be disqualified from tournament play.
• Seeding will be based upon the winning percentage of the regular season.
• The top 8 teams in each division will advance and be seeded to compete in the league-end tournament/playoffs. Consolation games will be provided if they are wanted, but all additional costs will be incurred by the managers while the scheduling will be executed by the ABCL.
  

Report Game Scores

• All team managers must report and verify score of each of their games VIA EMAIL TO JOESPIERS1@HOTMAIL.COM:
  • Team Managers are required to report and verify their scores immediately following completion of each day so proper scoring can be posted.

ABCL League Director reserves the right to alter format of any ABCL event in order to finish the event in a timely manner. This includes shortening minimum game guarantees, modifying game schedules, time limits and innings per game if necessary. Additionally, every effort will be made to finish tournament but in case of rain, darkness or other acts of nature, director reserves the right to shorten games or modify schedules in order to finish event.