HTUA RULINGS/GUIDELINES
Last updated 6/21/05, 12:25 AM
SPECIAL RULES AND RULES GOVERNING UMPIRES
GAME ASSIGNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES
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Home Talent League Special Rules and Rules Governing Umpires
From the HTL Constitution:
Article VI
1.06 If an umpire fails to arrive at a regularly scheduled game or is not in the proper condition to work it after he arrives, a replacement can be obtained subject to mutual agreement of both managers. If mutual consent cannot be reached, one umpire will be used. The replacement umpire will be paid at regular league rates. A report of the incident must be filed with the umpire coordinator within 24 hours of the game.
1.07 The umpires shall have absolute control of the players while on the playing field, and may render decisions on all disputes taking place in the course of the game. They may impose such discipline they deem necessary.
1.08 Umpires shall follow the current Official Baseball Rules with the HTL adaptations.
1.09 Umpires will receive assignments in writing for each game (NOTE: Email and Internet/Web postings will be considered to be “in writing” for the purposes of this rule). They, their wives and children will receive free admission to all games they work during the season.
Article VII
1.02 The home manager will make arrangements so that the visiting team can have the field 50 minutes prior to the starting time of the game. The visitors will have the field 25 minutes. Then, 25 minutes prior to the start of the game the home team will have 10 minutes for infield. Then, 15 minutes prior to the game, the visitors will have 10 minutes of infield. The final five minutes will be for ground rules and the exchange of lineup cards.
1.03 Each manager will provide the umpires with the official starting line-ups.
1.04 The home manager is responsible for having the baselines and batters boxes marked, grass at reasonable length, and boundaries marked with foul poles or flags.
1.05 Each manager should have a copy of the ground rules covering his park in the scorebook and make it available for the umpires if deemed necessary. A copy should be on file in the league office.
1.06 The home manager will furnish official league baseballs for the game.
Assorted Home Talent League Special Rules:
? All legal wood baseball bats may be used.
? Umpires shall be paid $68 per game. They will be paid $25 each if they are working a game and it is rained out before it is official and $15 each if they make a trip and a game is rained out before it is started.
? If either team is ahead by 10 runs after 7 innings, the game will be terminated. A game can be ended at any time by mutual consent.
? All games in a playoff situation will be treated as suspended games if rain or another emergency terminates play before nine innings are completed. Play will be resumed from the point of suspension until nine innings are completed and a winner is determined. The game must be made up before the next Sunday.
? All players must be in uniforms and they should match as closely as possible.
? A player striking an umpire will have his membership in the league terminated and is subject to a fine.
? If it is decided to walk a player intentionally, he may be waived to first base without pitching to him.
? The league will use the re-entry rule. Any of the starting players may withdraw and re-enter once, including the player who was the designated hitter, provided such player occupies the same batting position whenever he is in the line-up. A substitute who is withdrawn may not re-enter.
? Only the official league ball may be used in official league games, and it must be purchased from the league supplier.
? A game must start and end with nine eligible players on the field.
? The league designated hitter rule will be: A hitter may be designated to bat for any starter and any subsequent player who replaces that starter. The DH must be selected prior to the game and must be included in the line-up cards presented to the umpire-in-chief. It is not mandatory that a club designate a DH, but failure to do so precludes the use of a DH for that game.
--The DH may be used defensively, continuing to bat in the same spot in the batting order
--The DH can be replaced by another DH. The starting DH can re-enter the game the same as any starter.
--The DH is locked into the batting order. A substitute for the DH need not be announced until it is the DH’s turn to bat.
? The league sliding rule is:
The two acceptable forms of sliding are:
1) foot first slide with one leg extended and the buttocks down;
2) head first slide with arms extended. An illegal slide (roll blocks, football blocks, slashing of legs, etc.) is not penalized unless contact is made or interference is called. Malicious or flagrant contact will result in ejection from the game.
--Runners will not leave the baseline with any kind of slide to break up a play or upset a fielder.
--Players must slide or attempt to get around fielders at all bases on any close plays
-- It is not legal to crash into a fielder who is holding the ball and waiting to make a tag
-- It is not legal to fake a tag without the ball
? Teams will be allowed one offensive time out per inning and umpires will deny all other request for conferences.
? Protests involving a play of a game must be filed in the form of a protest card at the time of occurrence and before the next pitch is made. It should be announced by the umpire. The official protest must be filed in writing with the commissioner, assistant commissioner, or umpire coordinator within 48 hours. A protest fee of $5.00 must accompany the protest. The fee will be returned to the team if the protest is upheld. Protests involving eligibility of a player must be filed within 5 days of the game. A copy of the protest will be sent to the other team involved with orders to file its answer within 5 days thereafter. The protest will be decided and the clubs notified. The decision may be appealed to the executive committee within 5 days.
? Umpires will remove from the game any helmet found to be cracked.
? Umpires will check all bats for legality and proper grips and remove those found faulty from the game.
? Any umpire who fails to show for an assignment shall not be paid, plus shall be fined one games pay of $68.
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Game Responsibilities and Duties
April 3, 2005
n The umpire that is listed first on the schedule is responsible for contacting his partner 48 hours prior to a scheduled game. Unless specified, it is up to the umpires scheduled that day to determine for themselves which umpire will work the plate and which umpire will work the bases.
n Umpires are expected to determine whether they will travel together – if not, umpires should predetermine where they will be parking. Umpires should arrive no later than 30 minutes prior to the scheduled starting time and should immediately notify the home team manager of their arrival.
n When notifying the home team manager of their arrival, umpires should also notify the managers that they will be on the field 10 minutes prior to the start of the game to inspect bats and helmets. The plate meeting will begin immediately after the equipment inspection and the game will start at the scheduled starting time.
n While dressing, umpires should conduct a thorough pregame with their partners – making sure to include HTL special rules, ground rules, and 2-umpire mechanics they will be using during the game.
n The umpire coordinators must be notified in the event of an ejection or incident. In general, we should hear from the umpires before we hear from the managers. Ejection/incident reports can be emailed to htlumpires@charter.net. If the report is sent via snail mail, it should be preceded by a phone call to a coordinator the day of the incident. All ejection reports will be sent to the HTL President, Pat Reilly, and should include any recommendations for suspensions, etc.
n When attending an HTL game as a spectator, HTL umpires are expected to refrain from any actions or comments that interfere with the management of a HTL game or reflect upon the abilities and/or decisions of HTL umpires. Umpires are encouraged to warn and/or have ejected a non-working umpire in violation of this expectation. Non-working umpires who violate this expectation repeatedly can be suspended from working HTL games.
n Finally, we expect umpires to always act in a professional manner – and this includes, when necessary, ejecting players, coaches, and managers whose behavior is inconsistent with good sportsmanship. Failing to eject when necessary allows for a deteriorating standard of sportsmanship and sets expectations of the teams that umpires will tolerate bad behavior and not eject for it. We do not expect umpires to go looking for ejections – but we do expect umpires to use that tool when needed.
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Game Assignment Responsibilities
March 28, 2005
Upon receipt of your schedule it is your responsibility to review all game assignments to ensure they are acceptable and there are no obvious errors. If you do find something wrong with your schedule please contact me within 24 hours so that the necessary corrections can be made.
Returning Games Once They Have Been Accepted
After you have accepted a game(s) assignment it becomes your responsibility to find a replacement or face the one game or games penalty for failure to work an assigned game.
Furthermore, you must notify Dave Thom or Rich Fronheiser as to who is going to work the game for you. You must also notify the home team manager or coach of this change.
Trading Games
If a situation develops and you would like to work at a closer location please feel free to review the master schedule and contact the umpire that you would like to trade with and work it out. Be sure to notify either Dave Thom or Rich Fronheiser and the home team.
Assignments for Cancelled or Suspended Games
Assignments for cancelled games will be reassigned accordingly:
1. The right of first refusal will be given to the original scheduled umpire(s).
2. If the right of first refusal is not exercised by either or both umpires the game will be posted by e-mail and first acceptance will be the rule of order.
3. Assignments for Suspended games that have not met the requirement to become a legal game will be reassigned using the same criteria as cancelled games.
Assignments for Suspended Games that have met the requirements to be a legal game will be reassigned using the right of first refusal. Payment for both suspended games and suspended games being rescheduled for completion will be as follows:
1. Game has net met the requirement to be a legal game $25.
2. Game has met the requirement of a legal game $68 (if approved)
Contact Information
A special e-mail account has been created to handle umpire correspondence at htlumpires@charter.net Please use this account to contact either of us.
Dave Thom Rich Fronheiser
608-242-0644 608-850-5076
dthomump@charter.net fronheiser@charter.net
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May 17, 2005
Reference: Official Rules of Baseball
The HTL has adopted a helmet rule that requires a batter to wear at the minimum, a helmet with a ear flap facing the pitcher. if the batter reaches base he may the switch to a skull style helmet, but under no circumstance may a batter or runner go without a helmet. This rule is in place not only to protect those players who lack the necessary judgment to safeguard there personal well being but, just as importantly, to safeguard the labializes of the league, it's players, advisers, umpires, and board of directors.
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Sliding Rule February 27, 2005
This letter is to clarify the HTL slide rule in hopes that it is better understood and enforced and a more consistent basis. Home Talent Baseball adopted a slide rule for the protection of its participants. HTL understands the need to ensure that players’ safety and livelihood must outweigh the competitive nature of the players. This is done to minimize the risk of an unnecessary injury that incapacitates a player(s) which could harm the player(s) physically and / or financially.
The two acceptable forms of sliding are:
1. Foot first slide with one foot extended and the buttocks down.
2. Head first slide with arms extended.
Either form of slide must be at the base or away from the play. Players must slide, retreat, or give themselves up on any close play. Any illegal slide (roll block, slashing of leg(s), slide at the player, but not at the base) will be penalized regardless of the degree of contact.
The penalty will be applied in accordance with the current Official Rules of Baseball for interference. Any Malicious or Flagrant contact by either the offensive or defensive player will result in an ejection from the game.
Note: It is not legal to fake a tag without the ball.
Penalty: Obstruction shall be called against said fielder and team warning issued. The second offense shall result in player being ejected for poor sportsmanship.
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May 13, 2005
David Thom and Rich Fronheiser
There has been some confusion on the HTL Sliding
Rule. The rule, as posted on the HTUA.org website, reads as follows:
The two acceptable forms of sliding are:
1. Foot first slide with one foot extended and the buttocks down.
2. Head first slide with arms extended.
Either form of slide must be at the base or away from the play. Players must
slide, retreat, or give themselves up on any close play. Any illegal slide (roll
block, slashing of leg(s), slide at the player, but not at the base) will be
penalized regardless of the degree of contact.
The one thing that is not covered well in the citation is the penalty for an
illegal slide.
The rule citation is: The penalty will be applied in accordance
with the current Official Rules of Baseball for interference. Any
Malicious or Flagrant contact by either the offensive or defensive player
will result in an ejection from the game.
I’d like to clarify the rule so that all umpires can be consistent in its
application.
High school and college baseball has a provision called the
force-play-slide-rule (FPSR). On a force play, if the runner chooses to slide,
he must slide straight into the base legally, or away from the fielder. Any
initial contact to the side of the line between the bases or beyond the base
(including home plate) is a violation of the FPSR. The runner is never required
to slide, but if he doesn’t he must not interfere with the fielder’s throw.
The Home Talent League’s rule is so close to the wording of the FPSR that it
should be interpreted the same way. If a runner violates the HTL sliding rule
on a force play, that runner shall be out AND the batter-runner shall also be
declared out regardless of whether the umpire feels that the runner would’ve
been out absent the interference. The rule is especially strict and unbending
because it is both an interference AND a safety rule. Think of it as the “the
players have to go to work in the morning” rule.
Please remember that runners are never required to slide — they may choose to
veer away from the play or give themselves up.
For more details, click here. (Added June 21, 2005, 12:25 AM)
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February 25, 2005
Ground rules are specific rules established by the home team. These rules may not contradict official playing rules. The home team has the right to establish where the live ball / dead ball demarcations will be placed. They are responsible for determining how obstructions will be played (i.e. tree branches, electrical lines hanging over live ball area, facing on dugouts, etc…). They may establish temporary ground rules for an unusual circumstance; such as a heavy rain that created a dangerous mud puddle or a special event dictates the changing of the pre-approved dead ball area demarcations. If teams can not agree on unusual ground rules then the umpires have the right to make a ruling.
Beginning in the 2005 HTL season, the board of directors has adopted the use of the National Federation Rule on the treatment of DBA’s. This rule states that if a player catches a ball and enters DBA with BOTH FEET, DIVES INTO, OR FALLS INTO DBA the ball becomes dead. The player may not reestablish himself in live ball territory.
The award of bases will depend on whether the ball is a batted bounding ball, a batted ball in flight, a thrown ball other than from the pitchers plate, or a thrown ball from the pitchers plate.
Note: There is a special rule that deals with the intentional carrying of a ball into DBA.
Ground rules must be submitted to the leagues board of directors for approval. A copy must be present at the plate meeting prior to the game.
Some examples of live ball / dead ball areas:
1. Dugout areas- Facing on the dugout, lines extended on the ground for equipment.
a. Ex. - Cottage Groves dugout located inside fenced playing area and demarcated by chalk lines.
b. Ex. – McFarland dugout located along fence line. Door openings are dead ball lines.
2. Lines- extending from backstop or fence usually running parallel to the foul lines and toward an area near the foul poles.
a. Ex. – McFarland dead ball line running from end of fencing just past 3rd out to the leftfield corner. Usually there are fans sitting in lawn chairs along this line.
b. Ex. – Waterloo dead ball area extending from backstop running toward both the left and right field corners.
3. Unordinary DBA - rain has created a mud hole down the 1st base line in foul territory. TEAMS MUST AGREE TO MAKE THIS A DBA OR THE UMPIRES WILL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO RULE ON IT.
Examples of obstructions:
1. Goal posts in the outfield at Sun Prairie, played as live ball and if caught in flight on a ricochet is considered a ground ball.
2. Electrical lines at Rio, played as dead ball
3. Tree in left field at Ft. Atkinson, played as foul ball if it is hit in flight.
Remember ground rules do not allow the home team to require that either one or both feet are in live ball territory for a catch nor do they allow a team to establish a ground rule triple. HTL rules are the same at all playing fields.