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NABA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

2012 TOURNAMENT RULES

1. Start Times: Game start times will be approximately 8:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted on your schedules. Should a team fail to arrive or have a full team ready to play (8 or more under the 8-man start and finish rule) by the scheduled start time, a maximum 1-hour grace period will be allowed and the exact amount of time given that team will be deducted from the original starting time so that the game will be shortened by that amount of time. (Example: if the game starts 15 minutes late due to one team’s being late, no full inning will start after 2 hours and 45 minutes after play has begun.) Assuming the game starts within the 1-hour grace period, the late team will forfeit one run for every 15 minutes to the other team and the game will start at 1-0, beginning with the first minute. In other words, if the start time is 8:30, the score is 1-0 at 8:31; 2-0 at 8:46; 3-0 at 9:01; 4-0 at 9:16 and a forfeit at 9:31. (However, the actual forfeit score “in the scorebook” for tiebreaker purposes will be 9-0.) This rule will not apply if the late team is coming off a back-to-back game, and games that start late due to the previous game’s running over (and not due to a team’s lateness) will not be shortened. (E.g. if both teams arrive to a scheduled 3:30 p.m. game on time and have to wait until another game finishes and do not start until 4:00 p.m., that game will be allowed the full time under the 3 hour Time Limit rule, provided there is adequate light.) START TIMES WILL BE ENFORCED.

2. Time Limit: 3-hour time limits for all pool play games. No new inning may start after the 3-hour mark. If two teams are tied after 9 innings and have not played 3 hours, they may continue to play up to 3 hours, however no new inning may start after the 3-hour mark. All games tied at the end of the 3-hour mark will remain a tied game. There is a 3 ½ hour time limit for playoff games. No time limits for Championship games with the exception of the 45, 55 and 60 and over championship games, which will be a 3 ½ hour time limit for championship games.

3. Games Called Due to Darkness: With exception of Playoff games, any game that has gone at least (5) complete innings before being called because of darkness (on an unlighted field) will be deemed a “complete game” or “regulation game” for “pool play purposes” in accordance with the 2012 Official Baseball Rule (4.10(c)(1)). The NABA will do its best to see to it that travel times between games are minimized so that games can begin on time and games scheduled at 3:30 p.m. on fields without lights can begin on time and “be completed with 9 innings of play”. If a game during pool play has past (5) complete innings and the game is called due to darkness by an umpire before the bottom of the inning is complete, then the score of the game will revert back to the previous inning and the game will be ruled complete. For Playoff games only, at the discretion of the umpires and the tournament director, games to be “called due to darkness” will either be moved to an available field with lights the same evening (after checking in with the Tournament Directors’ office) or continued until the next day at another field (to be determined by the Tournament Director) so that these games can go a full 3 hours or 9 innings of play; provided, however, the “continuation of the game” is in accordance with the 2012 Official Baseball Rule (4.12(d)).

4. Games Called Due to Rain: With exception of Playoff games and Championship games, any game that has gone at least (5) complete innings before being called because of rain, will be deemed a “complete game” or “regulation game” for “pool play purposes” in accordance with the 2012 Official Baseball Rule (4.10(c)(1)). NABA will do its best to ensure that all pool play games are given every consideration to complete as many innings as possible (to be determined by the tournament director) in case of rain. If a game during pool play has past (5) complete innings and the game is called due to rain by an umpire before the bottom of the inning is compete, then the score of the game will revert back to the previous inning and the game will be ruled complete. For playoff or championship games only, at the discretion of the umpires and the tournament director, games will be “suspended due to rain” and will be continued at the point where the game was suspended on an available field that is playable the same day or evening, or continued the next day at the same field or another field (as determined by the tournament director) so that these games can go a full 3 hours or 9 innings of play.

5. Mercy Rule: There is a 10-run mercy rule after 7 innings, and a 15-run mercy rule after 5 innings in effect for all pool play and playoff games. The mercy rule will not apply to Championship games.

6. Protests: All protests must be filed at the field with the plate umpire and with a tournament official at the time in the game the manager believes an umpire’s decision is in violation of these rules. We will follow the rules exactly in accordance with the 2012 Official Baseball Rules (4.19) from the National Baseball Congress. By filing a protest, the manager agrees per this rule to submit a $150 cash, non-refundable fee (refundable only if you prevail) to the tournament field official or umpire at the field. If a protest is made, the game will stop and the protesting manager must call the number provided at check-in, and the plate umpire will contact the umpire coordinator. A tournament official will listen to the protest, and after consulting with the tournament rules committee, the umpire coordinator and tournament director; will make a decision regarding the protest. There will be no time added to the clock during a protest. The clock will remain running to keep the tournament on schedule. It will be the umpire and teams responsibility to get the game back on time through their combined efforts. Remember, an umpire’s “judgment” call cannot be protested, only rules interpretations. PLEASE NOTE: Only the tournament director has the authority, if needed, to stop the clock or to add time remaining to the game.

7. Eligibility Protest: All protests with regard to age/identity or ex-pro/college rule must be protested on the field to the umpire and opposing team manager with the number of the specific player in question. By filing a protest, the manager agrees per this rule to submit a $150 cash, non-refundable fee (refundable only if you prevail) to the tournament field official or umpire at the field. If a protest is made, the game will stop and the protesting manager must call the number provided at check-in, and the plate umpire will contact the umpire coordinator. A tournament official will listen to the protest and, after consulting with the tournament rules committee, the umpire coordinator and tournament director; will make a decision regarding the protest. There will be no time added to the clock during a protest. The clock will remain running to keep the tournament on schedule. It will be the umpire and teams responsibility to get the game back on time through their combined efforts. Remember, an umpire’s “judgment” call cannot be protested, only rules interpretations.

PLEASE NOTE: Only the tournament director has the authority, if needed, to stop the clock or to add time remaining to the game. Eligibility protests must occur before the game begins if an opposing team knows of an infraction. For a protest to happen during the game, the manager of the team protesting must protest the game prior to the end of the 4th inning in order for the protest to be valid. The game must be stopped immediately with the specific player in question. If a player’s age or identity is in question and protested, the opposing manager must provide that specific player’s proof of age and identity with a valid picture ID. Any player unable to produce a valid picture ID will be ineligible to continue or play in the game. If a player’s identity or age makes him ineligible to play, the player will not be allowed to continue in the game. The NABA rules committee will then determine if the game has been tainted and if a protest/consequence should stand in the game and/or tournament for the violating team. A protest of the age/identity or ex-pro/college rule by a team after the 4th inning has been completed will not merit protest consideration.

8. Reporting Scores: Both teams must report all scores within 1 hour of completion of the game to the tournament scoreline or through the NABA texting service. It is the team manager’s responsibility to verify their team's score with the official tournament headquarters records. No discrepancies will be altered after seeding for playoffs.

9. Tiebreakers: See the official NABA Tournament tiebreaker rules below.

10. Additional Rules: If a team registered for the tournament decides not to come, and does not communicate with tournament officials until after the schedule has been completed, the following rule will apply: The schedule will be played as written and each team scheduled to play the said team which did not show up for the tournament will receive a forfeit win of 9-0. No pro-rated refund of a team fee will be given as a result of a forfeit win. If a team decide to stop playing a championship game and leave for any reason the following rule will apply: The championship game will be called a forfeit loss for the team who decides to leave or stop playing the game, and the championship will go to the remaining team. No warming up in the infield or around the dugouts. Use ONLY the outfield area to warm-up. Do not warm-up in front of the dugouts. No SOFT-TOSS or hitting baseballs into the fences. No alcohol on the baseball fields or in the dugouts at all. No smoking on the baseball fields or dugouts at all. No tobacco on the baseball fields or dugouts at all. Use only the restrooms provided. If you are caught not using the restrooms, both the player and the team will forfeit their game and be ejected from the facility and will not be allowed to play at that facility the rest of the tournament. All other rules of baseball (set forth in the 2011 Official Baseball Rules published by the National Baseball Congress), amended by the rules set forth in the NABA Manager’s Rulebook and Guidelines, except as amended above, apply.

11. Bat Requirements: Aluminum and graphite bats must not have a bare handle. Bats that have a -.03 differential in weight vs. length or less are currently eligible. Unauthorized use of an illegal bat will result in the bat being removed from the game.

12. Bat Divisions: In the wood bat divisions NATURAL WOOD BATS, COMPOSITE WOOD BATS AND METAL/WOOD BATS are permitted for use during play.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE NUMBER OF GUARANTEED POOL GAMES WILL BE THREE (3) FOR ALL THE DIVISIONS (AS PUBLISHED ON PROMOTIONAL FLYERS) AND THERE WILL BE ONE OR TWO ROUNDS OF PLAYOFFS, FOLLOWED BY CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES, FOR EACH SEPARATE DIVISION UNLESS ALTERED BY EVENTS OR HAPPENSTANCE BEYOND THE CONTROL OF THE NABA, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, INCLEMENT WEATHER, WAR, RIOTS, CIVIL DISORDER, FIELDS BEING OUT OF ORDER, OR ACTS OF GOD.

The NABA reserves the right to refuse any player or team permission to participate in a tournament. The NABA reserves the right to add, delete, merge or create divisions or divisional formats based on the number of teams entered at any time before the tournament, and will give every effort to give teams advance notice, however NABA may not be able to do so. If a team planned to enter a deleted division, that team may play in another division or receive a refund minus your deposit, or transfer the balance to another NABA National or World Championship Tournament, provided it is at least 5 days prior to check-in. The NABA also reserves the right to make changes to the rules or make changes in prizes and/or giveaways (but with a substitute of equal or greater value), which would then be effective upon notice to the teams participating in the tournament.

(UP-01/01/12)

NABA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

2012 PLAYOFF and TIEBREAKER RULES

The following Playoff and Tiebreaker Rules only apply when determining eligibility/qualifying for playoff games. Tiebreaker rules have always been difficult. This is especially true when several teams have the same or tied record and are worthy to advance to the playoffs; yet, due to limits on fields and time to complete the tournament, not every team with tied records can be assured a playoff spot. The only way to “guarantee” a playoff spot is to remain undefeated.

It is our sincere belief that the following set of tiebreakers is the fairest, because the focus is on win-loss percentages first, head-to-head competition second, and the “best defensive teams in a given situation”, with least runs allowed, next.

There are also four key principles to which we consistently adhere:

1) As a general rule, a tiebreaker between teams with the same win-loss percentage should be determined by “head-to-head” since it is the best determinant of which of the teams in question is the better team;

2) Based on fairness, where teams with the same win-loss percentage are vying for the final playoff spot (usually the runner-up spot or a “wild-card”), and those 2 teams have not played one another, then the best defensive team with the average least runs allowed will be used.

3) If a head-to-head meeting did occur but that game ended in a tie, and the least runs allowed for each team is the same, the team with the highest average winning margin in pool play is the pool winner;

4) If a forfeit occurs in pool play, the forfeit win will count towards the tiebreaker for win-loss percentage, and the head-to-head determinants. However, forfeit wins will not count towards the tiebreaker for average least runs allowed, nor highest average winning margin in pool play. If a team forfeits a game during pool play, the NABA reserves the right to exclude the team forfeiting the game from the playoffs. NABA reserves these rights in order to protect teams against forfeiting teams gaining an unfair advantage in playoff games.

DETERMINATION OF POOL WINNERS and RUNNERS-UP

A Pool Winner is the team with the best win-loss percentage within a pool. However, if more than one team in a pool has the same win-loss percentage, then you must revert to the tie-breaker(s) below. All examples assume a three game pool schedule.

Determining the Pool Winner/Runner-Up

There are two basic scenarios: A) A tiebreaker involving two teams with the same win-loss percentage; and B) A tiebreaker involving three (or more) teams with the same win-loss percentage.

A) Pool Winner and Runner-up: Two teams with the same win-loss percentage:

In the event two (2) teams in the same pool finish with the same win-loss percentage, the order of tiebreakers is as follows:

1) Head-to-Head. (The team that beat the other is the Pool Winner.)

2) Average Least Runs Allowed. (If head-to-head did occur, but that game ended in a tie, then the team with the fewest runs allowed in pool play is the Pool Winner.) Average Least Runs Allowed is the total runs allowed divided by the number of games played. For the purposes of the remaining examples, this will be referred to as “Least Runs Allowed” (assume the same number of games played by the teams involved in the tiebreaker examples).

3) Highest Average Winning Margin in pool play. (If head-to-head did occur, but that game ended in a tie, and, the Least Runs Allowed for each team was the same, then the team with the Highest Average Winning Margin in pool play is the Pool Winner.) (For situations where two teams in the same pool with the same win-loss percentage did not play each other, see (C)(1) below.) Average Winning Margin is the following: The difference between the total runs scored and total runs allowed, divided by the number of games played.

4) Coin Flip. (All coin flips must take place in the presence of a Tournament Protest Committee Member.)

The foregoing will be referred to as the “Two Team Tiebreaker” and/or “Tiebreaker A”. The team that is not the Pool Winner is the Runner-up.

B) Pool Winner and Runner-up: Three teams with the same win-loss percentage:

In the event three (3) teams in the same pool finish with the same win-loss percentage, the order of tiebreakers is as follows:

1) If one team beats the other 2 teams, it is the Pool Winner. Then proceed to the “Two Team Tie-breaker” to determine the Runner-up as to the remaining two teams starting with head-to-head.

2) If all 3 teams involved in the tiebreaker beat one another, then the team with the least runs allowed among the three involved during all pool play games advances first or is seeded first. If two teams still remain, proceed to the Two Team Tiebreaker rule.

3) If three (3) teams have the same win-loss percentage and only two of the teams have played against each other, we will use head-to-head competition to break the tiebreaker with the two teams who have played each other, and then use average least runs allowed to eliminate or seed all three teams involved in the tiebreaker. Once the tiebreaker has either eliminated or seeded down to two teams, we will then use the two team tiebreaker rule. PLEASE NOTE: We will always use head-to-head competition as the first tiebreaker rule to try and break any tiebreakers, even in a three-team tiebreaker where only two teams may have played head-to-head. This rule applies not only for determination of pool winner and runner-up, but also for seeding purposes in pools for playoffs.

4) Tiebreakers for four (4) or more teams which are tied will be determined only by utilizing average least runs allowed. Unless one team has played and won against all other teams, the team with the lowest average least runs allowed will advance first or is seeded first. Once we have eliminated down to three (3) teams, we will refer to the three-team tiebreaker rule. Once we have eliminated down to two (2) teams we will refer to the two (2) team tiebreaker rule.

(Updated 1/12)