Majors Rules

These are the regular season playing rules for our Majors division. These rules are in addition to the common MAC League General Rules. For Spring Season post-season play, please refer to the additional Playoff Rules.

These rules are in addition to, replace or clarify the official rules in the Cal Ripken Major Division Ruleset.

Batting

1. The ball is always live.
2. Each inning has a limit of 5 runs per team. When the fifth run crosses the plate, that half of the inning ends and the team at bat takes the field. This rule does not apply to the 6th or last inning where both teams can score unlimited runs. The umpire must notify the coaches before the start of the last inning.
3. For those teams playing in Major-A games, there is no per-inning run limit.
4. On deck batters are allowed behind the 3rd or 1st base coaches, or preferably outside the field of play. Coaches will be responsible for understanding and administering where on deck batters are allowed to warm up. Check with the home team coach for in-town specific rules that must be followed.
5. Every team member must be in a consistent batting order. The batting order may not change during a game.
6. Games will be played on a diamond with 70’ base paths.
7. All players must use a bat that has been certified by USABat. BBCOR or USSSA bats are not allowed. Coaches are responsible for ensuring their players are using approved bats. 
8. Any player throwing equipment, with malice, will get a warning the first time it happens. The second time, the player will be automatically ejected from the game. The umpire may eject the player on the first incident if they determine the level of malice warrants an immediate ejection.
9. Any player throwing a bat, without malice, will get a warning the first time it happens. The second time, the player will be called out, and must then be removed from the batting lineup for the remainder of the game. The player can and should still play on defense. When that person’s spot in the lineup comes up the next time, the slot should simply be skipped, and no out should be recorded.
10. There shall be no slashing. Slashing is defined as: the pitcher is on the pitching rubber and the batter fakes a bunt to draw the infielders in and then the batter swings away. The pitcher does not need to be in his windup, the ball does not need to be struck. This is a safety issue, with the batter showing bunt, the charging third baseman does not stand a chance of protecting himself against a line drive off an aluminum bat. Penalty: Batter is out, and ball is dead. A second offense will result in the batter being ejected.
11. The slide or avoid rule is in effect. It is mandatory that a base runner​ slides or avoids when there is an imminent play at second (2nd), third​ (3rd) base or home plate. The base runner, at the sole discretion and​ judgment of the umpire, should be called out for not sliding or avoiding or if contact is made.​
12. Players hit by a pitch will be awarded first base, and the batter must take first base (if a batter is hurt and unable to run, he/she may be replaced by the last person that was called out).
13. If a player’s bat contacts the ball with any part of their body touching outside of the batter’s box, they will be called out immediately.
14. Bunting is permitted. All established baseball rules are in effect (for instance, a foul bunt with two strikes is considered a strikeout).
15. Intentional headfirst sliding into a forward base is not allowed and will result in an out being called on the player. Headfirst sliding returning to a previously occupied base is allowed. 
16. Outfielders are not allowed to play within the infield limits. They should never be standing on the infield dirt.
17. There is no limit to the number of bases a runner may steal or advance to on passed balls/wild pitches.
18. Runners may leave the base anytime as the ball is live. This includes runners taking a lead and attempting to steal any base (except 1st base) before, during or after a pitch.
19. The infield fly rule is in effect, with the following guidelines:
20. An infield fly is a fair fly ball (not including a line drive, nor an attempted bunt) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when first and second, or first, second and third bases are occupied, before two are out. The pitcher, catcher and any outfielder who stations themselves in the infield on the play shall be considered infielders for the purpose of this rule.
21. When it seems apparent that a batted ball will be an Infield Fly, the umpire must immediately declare "Infield Fly" for the benefit of the runners. If the ball is near the baselines, the umpire shall declare, "Infield Fly, if Fair." The ball is live, and runners may advance at the risk of the ball being caught, or retouch and advance after the ball is touched, the same as on any fly ball. If the hit becomes a foul ball, it is treated as any foul.
22. If a declared Infield Fly is allowed to fall untouched to the ground, and bounces foul before passing first or third base, it is a foul ball. If a declared Infield Fly falls untouched to the ground outside the baseline, and bounces fair before passing first or third base, it is an Infield Fly. 
23. When an infield fly rule is called, runners may advance at their own risk. If on an infield fly rule, the infielder intentionally drops a fair ball, the ball remains in play despite the provisions of Rule 6.05(1). The infield fly rule takes precedence. If interference is called during an infield fly, the ball remains alive until it is determined whether the ball is fair or foul. If fair, both the runner is out, and the batter returns to bat.
24. If the umpire does not immediately call “infield fly”, then the play will run as normal. A play cannot be changed after the play has been completed.
25. The dropped third strike rule is in effect, with the following guidelines:
26. A batter may advance to 1st base on a dropped 3rd strike by the catcher if 1st base is unoccupied or if 1st base is occupied and there are 2 outs. The batter is out when he is either forced out at 1st base or tagged out.
27. No runners on, 0, 1 or 2 outs – a batter may advance on a dropped 3rd strike. The batter is out when he is either forced out at 1st base or tagged out.
28. Runners on 2nd and or 3rd, 0, 1 or 2 outs – a batter may advance on a dropped 3rd strike; other runners may advance at their own peril. The batter is out when he is either forced out at 1st base or tagged out, and the other runners are out when they are tagged.
29. Runners on 1st and/or 2nd and/or 3rd, 0 or 1 out – a batter may NOT advance on a dropped 3rd strike. He is automatically out.
30. Runners on 1st and/or 2nd and/or 3rd with 2 outs – a batter may advance on a dropped strike and the other runners a forced to advance as well. The batter is out when he is either forced out at 1st base or tagged out. The other runners may be forced out at any base or tagged out.
31. Consistent with the existing Babe Ruth rule, as soon as a player steps outside of the dirt circle, they will be called out. Until they step onto the grass, they can turn and run to first.
32. Two adult base coaches are permitted. They must be rostered coaches or CORI non-rostered adults. Rostered players are also allowed to base coach, but must be wearing a helmet.
33. When there are two outs a courtesy runner for catchers is allowed and should be used whenever possible. A courtesy runner must be the last person who made an out.
34. Leading is allowed.

Defense

1. All players must be in the game for 6 defensive outs. This rule applies to regulation 6 inning games. Failure to comply with this rule will result in an automatic forfeit by the team not complying. However, in a shortened game (darkness, weather, etc.) failure to comply will not result in an automatic forfeit.
2. Free defensive substitutions are allowed between innings.
3. Teams will be playing with three outfielders; a left fielder, center fielder and right fielder.

Pitching

1. The distance of the pitching mound to home plate will be 50 feet. 
2. In order to maintain the health of or our young players arms, the MAC League has adopted the MLB/USA Baseball Pitch Smart Guidelines for the number of pitches and days of rest required between pitching appearances. We will be adopting the following pitching rules for the regular season.
3. Players cannot pitch in multiple games on the same day.
4. Recommendation – For safety, players should avoid catching and pitching during the same game.
5. Once removed from pitching, a player may not return as a pitcher for that game.
6. Recommendation – For safety, players pitching for teams other than their MAC league team, should count their pitches and pitching appearances on those teams as if it was the same team.
7. No pitcher shall appear as a pitcher for three consecutive days (not games), regardless of pitch count.
8. (Spring) If during a single at bat, the pitcher reaches their daily max for pitches, they MAY finish the batter before being pulled out. 
9. (Spring) A pitcher may NOT finish a batter if they are about to cross a day’s rest threshold if you want them to have the previous rest threshold amount. This means that if during an at bat, Johnny is at 35 total pitches, he needs to be pulled out during the at bat if you want to keep him to 1 days’ rest. If he finishes the batter and ends up with 36 pitches, he will be required to have 2 days’ rest.
10. (Spring) The number of pitches allowed and the rest required afterwards.  An example is that if Johnny pitches 36 pitches on Monday, he is not allowed to pitch on Tuesday or Wednesday and will be allowed to then pitch again on Thursday.
11. Daily Max = 85
12. No Rest = 1-20
13. 1 Day Rest = 21-35
14. 2 Days Rest = 36-50
15. 3 Days Rest = 51-65
16. 4 Days Rest = 66+
17. (Spring) Pitch counts will be required to be recorded using either a manual pitch counter or an electronic device/app. The pitch counts must be provided to the league within 24 hours of the completion of a game. It is recommended that between innings, and at the conclusion of the game, coaches confer with each other on the number of pitches thrown. If there is a discrepancy, the coach using an electronic device will have their pitch counts be the official numbers.
18. (Summer & Fall) Each pitcher will be limited to 3 innings maximum per game.
19. If a pitcher hits 4 players total within a game (not necessarily a single inning), then that player must be removed from the pitching position for the remainder of that game. 
20. Pitching substitution may be done during an inning. Substitutions DO NOT NEED TO BE 1 FOR 1. Example: Johnny is pitching, Billy is playing 1st base and Bobby is playing right field. Johnny is replaced by Billy; Billy is replaced by Bobby and Bobby is replaced by Johnny. 
21. A new pitcher gets 6 warmup pitches, returning pitchers only get 4 warmup pitches between innings. (This is intended to speed up the game)
22. Only coaches, assistants or team members are allowed to warm up the pitcher. Any player warming up the pitcher MUST wear a helmet. Adults are not required to wear a helmet to warm up the pitcher.
23. Any visit to the mound by a coach after the first pitch and before the last out will count as an official visit. If it is the second visit of the inning the pitcher must be removed. The umpire, at their sole discretion, may allow for additional visits for a player health check.
24. All balks will be called as warnings, except for teams playing in Major-A games, where only the 1st balk for a pitcher will be called as a warning and then for any subsequent balks runners will be awarded a base.