SLAMMERS HIGH SCHOOL SHOWCASE TOURNAMENT

2010

TOURNAMENT RULES

        Start Times:  Game start times will be approximately 8:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4:00 p.m., and 6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted on your schedules.  Should a team fail to arrive or have a full team ready to play 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; YOU HAVE NOW BEEN WARNED.

        Time Limit:  2 1/2-hour time limits for all pool play games.  No new inning may start after the 2 1/2-hour mark.  If two teams are tied after 7 innings and have not played 2 1/2 hours, they may continue to play up to 2 1/2 hours, however no new inning may start after the 2 1/2-hour mark.  All games tied at the end of the 2 1/2 hour mark will remain a tied game.  There is a 2 1/2 hour time limit for playoff games.  No time limits for Championship games.

        Offensive and Defensive Lineups:  Each coach can hit as many players as they choose and make unlimited defensive substitutions.

        Speed up rule:  You can run for the catcher only.

       Base Runners/Sliding:  Must slide or avoid when the defensive player has the ball or is ready to make a play.  Failure to do so, in the umpires determination could result in an ejection from the game or can be called an automatic out at second and first.

        Pitching Rules:  Once a pitcher is removed from the game, he may not re-enter that game as a pitcher.  Coaches must remove the pitcher upon his 2nd trip to the mound in the same inning.  There are no pitching restrictions so please use good judgment.

        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 2010 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. 

        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.

       Protests:  All protests must be filed at the field with the plate umpire and with a tournament official within 1 hour of the protested game’s completion.  A, $150 cash, non-refundable fee (refundable only if you prevail) must be submitted to a league official at the Tournament Office within 1 hour of your team’s completion of the game in question (1 hour after your last game if you are scheduled to play another game immediately after the protested game).  Call the number provided at Check-in.  Remember, you cannot protest an umpire’s “judgment”, only a rule interpretation.  If a protest is lodged, all parties involved (Managers of both teams, and umpires) must be available the day of the protest no matter what time it is to discuss the protest.  The testimony as to the facts of the protest will not be considered, if a party involved in the protest cannot be contacted by a tournament official by 12 midnight of the day of the protest. 

       Reporting Scores:  Both teams must report all scores within 1 hour of completion of the game to the tournament score line.  It is the team manager’s responsibility to verify their teams score with the official tournament headquarters records.  No discrepancies will be altered after seeding for playoffs.  This allows us to update our tournament standings of the website.

        Tiebreakers:  See the official NABA Tournament tiebreaker rules attached.

        Adverse Weather:  The National Adult Baseball Association baseball tournaments may be played in adverse weather conditions.  The NABA reserves the right to change the format of the tournament to lesser time limits, fewer innings, or reduce the playoff format in whatever means possible to complete the tournament.  NABA coaches, managers and players accept these conditions when entering the tournament.  If adverse weather happens, please contact the Tournament office.

        Refund Policy for Adverse Weather:  There will be a $100.00 administration fee charged for complete rain out of the tournament; if two (2) games ares played = 50% of entry fee will be refunded; if 3 or more games are played = no refund.

        Refund Policy Prior to Tournament:  No refund will be given if the tournament bracket or schedule has been posted. If the schedule has not been posted and you call 15 business days before the tournament start date a full refund will be given minus the deposit.  If the schedule has not been posted and you call 8 to 14 business days before the tournament start date, 50 percent of your fee will be returned minus the deposit; if the schedule has not been posted and you call 7 or fewer business days before the tournament start date, no refund will be given.

        Coaches and Players:  Three coaches will be allowed in the dugout at all times.  Coaches may wear a full uniform or coaching shorts.  No jeans or cut-offs will be allowed on the field by any coach at any time.  Players must have a number on the back of the jersey.

        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 the ONLY the outfield area to warm-up.  Do not warm-up in front of the dugouts.  There is NO pre-game infield.  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 2009 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.