Rules

Cincinnati Adult Baseball League

Rules & Regulations

(Covering: Ages 25+)

Updated 2/29/2024

1.00 Eligibility

1.01 Age minimums: To be eligible to play in a Cincinnati Adult League Baseball (Cincy ABL) game, a player must be:

25 years old within the calendar year
A player must turn 27 years old within the calendar year to pitch
No other position restrictions
All players are subject to the professional and playoff-eligibility rules. (See 1.03 and 1.05)

In good standing: Players must be in good standing with the league in order to be eligible to compete. In good standing includes but is not limited to having served suspensions for ejections, having paid all outstanding debts to former teams and/or the league itself, having not been sanctioned by the league for behavior infractions, etc.

Professional Experience: Professional experience refers to being paid to play baseball as part of Major League Baseball, its minor league affiliates, and/or an independent league.

There is no longer a waiting period for former professional baseball players (in effect 2022 and beyond). What defines professional experience:

A professional is someone who is given compensation in the form of a salary or stipend in exchange for their physical skills on the baseball field
Anyone under a professional contract by a MLB team, its minor league affiliates, and/or an independent league team is considered a professional, and will have to abide by the league rules, and cannot play in the same calendar year.
Teams are limited to no more than three (3) former professionals on their roster during a given season.

1.04 Penalties: A player or manager found in violation of Cincy ABL eligibility regulations is subject to expulsion from Cincy ABL for up to five (5) years. Use of an ineligible player will result in the game being forfeited. An expelled player or manager has the right of appeal or petition the Governing Board and/or Rules Committee after the Season has ended.

League Playoff Eligibility: To participate in Cincy ABL league playoffs, a player must:

Be on a roster (meeting all roster / league eligibility requirements) prior to AUGUST 1^st

Team rosters must be set by AUGUST 1^st and a list of eligible/ineligible players will be distributed to league managers and posted on our league website

and by the end of the season in order for a player to be eligible:
- Field Players to have played in minimum of 1/3 of total games played (rounded up). In 2023 we eliminated the 1/3 +1 additional game rule. For example, if a team plays 27 total regular season games, the eligible player must play in 27/3 = 9 total games to be eligible. If games amount to an odd number, we round up (29/3=9.667=10, rounded up)
  - A game played, for record keeping purposes counts if the player bats (offense), plays defense (a position), pinch runs (i.e. slot runner) or plays defense during the game.
- Pitchers need to have pitched at least 20 innings in the regular season (or have played in minimum of 1/3 of total games played (in the field or as a pitcher), to pitch in a playoff game (start or relieve any number of innings).
- For playoff eligibility, a player may become eligible if he/she meets the requirements for either a player OR a pitcher. To be clear, a player who plays the field and hits is playoff eligible and he/she is also eligible to pitch. To be clear, a pitcher who is playoff eligible is also eligible to play the field and hit – vice versa.

Games that were forfeited against a team will NOT count toward the number of games for their eligibility total. (i.e. Team A forfeits against Team B. At the end of the season Team B will have their eligibility total come from 26 games instead of 27 games. Team A must still base their eligibility on 27 games)
A player, who fails to meet the minimum game number or 20 inning requirement due to injury, may petition the Rules Committee for a waiver, in writing with documentation of the injury stating the date, treatment, and a letter of explanation from the attending health professional by AUGUST 15^th. No waiver requests will be accepted after AUGUST 15^th.
Players who miss the minimum number of games due to military service may apply to the Rules Committee for an eligibility waiver, with proof of service provided.
League statistics must be entered by each team into the league website within two days of the final regular season game. At this point, the league’s governing board will evaluate player’s eligibility for playoffs and distribute a list of eligible players to league managers and also post playoff eligibility on the league website.
Weather-related rain outs do not count toward the total number of games played.
The named coaches on the league roster are eligible for playoffs regardless of their playing time/pitching innings. Eligibility requirements are waived for two (2) coaches who have coached their respective team and are listed as coaches/ managers on the manager's list.
1. Governance: Cincy ABL is governed by a 3-member Governing Board, which establishes playing guidelines, fees. The Governing Board shall be composed of a President (Victor Harris), Vice-president (Jason Ehrhardt), and Secretary (Adrian Schau). Members of the Governing Board will have selected responsibilities throughout all of the divisions. There is also a Rules Committee will rule on rule disputes and eligibility issues that occur during the season.

2.00 Sportsmanship

2.01 Good Sportsmanship and adult attitudes must prevail no matter what the level of competition. Umpires will eject players before, during or after games for any of the following infractions, which the league considers to be unsportsmanlike behavior:

Consumption of alcoholic beverages during a game. (While the league cannot make judgments on sobriety, managers are requested to prohibit players who arrive at games and appear intoxicated or smell of alcohol from playing. Umpires will eject players who smell of alcohol.) (See Rule 2.04 regarding alcohol.)
Threats of physical intimidation of umpires, players or spectators, including any threatening physical contact. (In case of no ejection or where umpires are unaware of such an incident, managers need to report the incident to a member of the Governing Board for further action.)
Verbal abuse of umpires, players or spectators, such as profanity, name-calling, belittlement or excessive harassment. (Ball & Strike calls and judgment decisions are not debatable.)
Throwing of equipment (bats, helmets, gloves, etc.) at the umpire’s discretion.
Fighting (see 2.03).
Intentionally throwing at batters @ umpire’s discretion
Social Media - The CABL website is used by managers to post game results and recognize player performance on the field and to convey league information such as game changes and rain outs. The CABL Facebook page uses excerpts from the CABL web page to provide a snapshot of each game date and to help publicize the league to the general public at large. The CABL website and Facebook page are not to be used to criticize or belittle umpires or other players and teams in our league. The CABL website and CABL Facebook page is not to be used as a sounding board to personally offend another person and/or team.
If a player or team feels they are being attacked through the CABL website or the CABL league Facebook page, that player or team can submit through their manager a formal complaint to the league for review, with an explanation of why they feel offended. The Rules Committee will review the complaint.
The Rules Committee and League officers also have the option to review any comments a player publishes on the CABL website, and the CABL Facebook page, which may be deemed as bringing negative attention to the CABL.

Penalty options:

If the Rules Committee reviews such actions and votes that the social media postings do not fit into the overall spirit of the league, the following consequences can be invoked:

A warning to cease the postings
Posting rights to the CABL website revoked
CABL Facebook page post is immediately removed and the offending player posting right’s to the CABL Facebook page are revoked
TWO game suspension for the offending player

The Rules committee also reserves the right to increase the punishments depending on the severity of the incident or for repeat offenders. The punishment options above are NOT sequential in regards to enforcement.

Appeal rights:

Any player who is punished by the social media rule has the right to submit a formal appeal of the punishment to the Rules Committee for review.

2.02 Ejection: Any ejection will carry an automatic two (2) game suspension in the games to follow. When the offender is ejected, they must leave the field and the surrounding playing area. If a participant refuses to cooperate with an ejection, additional sanctions may be levied, such as forfeiture of the contest, monetary fines, or suspensions. The ejected player is ineligible during the next two (2) scheduled games and is not allowed to be physically present at the games.

2.02a A player/team may pay $100 to the league and shorten the suspension to one (1) game.

More serious infractions could result in longer suspensions.
- Contact with an umpire in any form carries a minimum (10) five game suspension.
- The minimum suspension for any verbal or physical threats or altercations made by a team or player toward another player or official carries a (5) five game suspension.
- Charging aggressively at an umpire could result in a minimum 10 game suspension and more if contact is made with an umpire.
- Verbal and or physical threats directed at an umpire could result in a minimum (5) five game suspension.
- Threats and violence will not be tolerated, and could result in our league losing a field, which is a highly sought after commodity.
- Should a player cause the league to lose a field, the player will be PERMANENTLY suspended from the league.
Suspensions will carry over from season to season (player is ejected during the last game of the team’s season will be required to sit out and not be present at the team’s first regular season game the following year).
A player who is ejected twice during the same season will be suspended from Cincy ABL for the remainder of the season, including the playoffs.
Additionally, if a player is a continued repeat offender with ejections, the severity of the suspension will build. For example, if a player is ejected once during the 2021 year, he will serve the one-game suspension. If the same player is ejected once during the 2022 year, he will serve a suspension that is double the one game suspension (a two game suspension). If the same player is ejected once during the 2023 year, he will serve a four game suspension. The caveat to this is, if the player does go a year without an ejection, his penalty will step down, just as it has stepped up.
- Appropriate documentation will be provided for every ejection from umpires, and both coaches. This is to be done via email communication.
- Failure to communicate an ejection could result in additional penalties (see below).
Any player, from year to year, with a history of ejections is subject to further disciplinary action subject to the Governing Board. If an ineligible player competes in the next scheduled game without notifying the League President, League Secretary, or Chairman of the Rules Committee prior, the ineligible players’ participation will be declared a forfeit and all subsequent games that the ejected player participates in will be also be declared forfeits.

2.03 Fighting: Players involved in fights or verbal threats (regardless of who may have been the instigator) will be suspended for the remainder of the season, and will have a strict zero-tolerance policy going forward. Any future infractions or ejections against the player(s) will prevent the individual(s) from future involvement in the league. Sanctioned players may appeal their suspension to the Rules Committee and, if denied, may petition for reinstatement before the following season.

Any physical fight or altercation could result in a permanent expulsion from the league.
Any verbal or physical threats made by a team or a player of a team will not be tolerated and the team or player will automatically be brought in front of the Rules Committee for a review of their behavior. Feedback from the umps and coaches of the teams will be solicited and penalties will be levied accordingly.
The rules, as listed above for an ejection or fight, will carry over to a player who has been involved in a threat or fight to the same extent.

2.04 Alcohol: Alcoholic beverages are prohibited at the playing sites – before, during and after all league activities. Playing sites are defined as the playing site itself plus the property owned by the same entity surrounding the playing site. This includes parking lots. Player(s) found in violation of open-container ordinances at playing sites are subject to a 2-game suspension.

2.05 Tobacco: Smoking is prohibited on the field of play or in the dugouts and their immediate area, before, during or after games. Players who wish to smoke must go to the stands or the parking lot—however; players are subject to the field owner’s smoking rules. Player(s) found in violation of tobacco regulations at playing sites will be ejected and subject to subsequent penalties.

2.06 Property responsibility: Player(s) responsible for damage or vandalism to facilities and/or property used by the league will be suspended from play, pending an automatic review of his actions by the Governing Board. Player(s) may also be financially responsible for repairs.

2.07 Right of Appeal: A player may appeal a suspension of more than one game, to the Cincy ABL Rules Committee but must do so within 24 hours in writing (to the Chairman of the Rules Committee or his designee). This may be by email. Appeals will be heard by the Rules Committee, which will review the incident to determine whether the suspension should be upheld, modified, or waived (the Board does have the option of increasing sanctions). Player may participate pending appeal; although the Committee will do all they can to review the appeal within 24-36 hrs. Players suspended for actions other than an ejection are not eligible to compete pending their appeal. In the case of suspension appeals, The Rules Committee will have the following options:

Rescind the suspension.
Increase the suspension
Decrease the suspension

Note I: In the case of a 2^nd ejection suspension appeal, player has 24 hours in which to file an appeal; however, the player may not participate pending a hearing.

Note II: In all cases, an umpire’s report will be solicited from the Umpires Association whose members officiated a game out of which a protest, ejection or appeal arises. However, an umpire’s report will not be necessary for the implementation of the one (1) game suspension for an ejection (2.02).

3.00 Registration / Fees / Waivers

3.01 Registration: Before competing in a Cincy ABL event, a player must:

Be listed on their respective team’s Commercial General Liability Form. (CGL). This form will also serve as the Team Roster.
New players to Cincy ABL will provide a copy of their Driver’s License or Birth Certificate to the League.

3.02 League Fees: All league fees are to be paid before the first game, and all games will be forfeited until those fees are paid in full.

3.03 Insurance: Cincy ABL carries a $2,000,000 liability policy. The per-team fee is included in team registration fees.

3.04 Fee Payment: Managers are responsible for their team’s fees and how they are collected. The Governing Board will set deadlines for the payment of league fees (league fees include field fees, insurance fee, and balls). Teams will not be scheduled to play if fees are not paid.

4.00 Rosters

4.01 Players must meet Playoff Eligibility Rules (see 1.05) to be on Roster for playoffs. Final Playoff Rosters are due AUGUST 1st. Coaches should remove players from the Roster who are not eligible for playoffs. The Rules Committee will send out a list of ineligible players before the playoffs begin.

4.02 Should a player be named on two rosters, the player’s eligibility represents the most recent game played for eligibility purposes.

4.03 Ex-Professionals: Refer to 1.03

5.00 Player Transfers

5:01 Players may transfer to (1) one other team during the season provided that he:

is released from his original team AND
he has fulfilled all financial obligations from his previous team.
These obligations will include league and uniform return and or fees.
Any player in the league who wants to transfer from one existing team to another during the off-season is acceptable, providing all financial obligations from his previous team have been fulfilled.

5.02 The request must include documentation of approval (written or email) by vacated team manager to the CABL President. Managers can block release requests during the season and the player must wait until the following season to play on another CABL team. This rule only applies to transfers after the season has started. A release can only be denied under these circumstances by the Rules Committee:

Tampering: Proof a player was recruited or induced financially, etc., to change teams
The transferring player has not met financial or equipment obligations to the team he is leaving. Teams are required to notify the Governing Board in writing prior to the transfer if there are any financial or other issues involving any players

5.03 Players in the league are free to transfer to another team no later than July 1st. The associated teams must provide new rosters reflecting the changes. See rule 4.02.

5.04 Players transferring to a new team by July 1st must fulfill the original eligibility requirements of their new team in order to be eligible for the playoffs. See rule 1.05.

6.00 Pre-Game & Starting Rules

6.01 Where possible, the home team has the field until 15 minutes before the game. Visiting team has the field 15 minutes prior to the game. Be gentlemanly and help each other out.

6.02 A team must have at least 8 (eight) of its players to start an official game. The deficient team has a 10-minute grace period to get at least 8 players before the game is declared a forfeit. If a player is on the way in, then it is up to the managers and umpires discretion. A team may start a game with 8 players. The 9^th (slotted) batter will always be an automatic out with less than 2 outs. If there are 2 outs and anybody is on base and the 9^th batter comes up, the inning will continue with the top of the order and the next inning will start with an automatic 1^st out. If there are 2 outs and nobody on base and the 9^th batter comes up, then the automatic out is the 3^rd out. If another player arrives after the start of the game, then he will automatically be put into the 9^th slot. It is allowed for the opposing team to borrow from the opposing team a 9^th player for defense if they choose. In this case, the 9^th batter automatic out rules still apply. It is also allowed for the opposing team to borrow a player to the deficient team for the whole game (maximum of 1 player). In this case, that same player will stay on the opposing team for offense and defense for the whole game, and the automatic out rules do not apply. In either case, the winner of the game is awarded the points, regardless of the deficient team.

6.03 If a game is declared a forfeit, the deficient team may pick up players from the opposing team or other teams at the site; umpires are NOT committed to calling a game under these conditions.

6.04 The team that is at bat is responsible for retrieving foul balls. On-deck batters will retrieve balls to backstop. Everybody should help.

6.05 Managers are required to submit the official line-up, including last name, first initial, and jersey number of all players expected to participate in the game, to the home plate umpire and opposing manager. Players arriving after the start of the game then may be inserted into the game, but that player must be listed on the lineup card to be eligible to play. (Penalty: Follow existing baseball rules for batting out of turn.)

6.06 Both teams are required to keep scorebooks and to communicate changes in the offensive line-up, pitching and catching to the opponent’s scorekeeper. Penalty for 6.06

First occurrence: Warning and appearance before the Governing Board
Second occurrence: Forfeiture of the game

7.00 Games: Complete & Length

7.01 Length: Regular Season Sunday games are 9 inning games. Regular season Wednesday games are 7 inning games. All Playoff Games are 9 inning games.

7.02 Time Limits: There is no time limit for 7 inning games. Darkness will be only limiting factor. 9 inning game – No inning will start after three hours from start of game, BUT not less than 9 innings. If the game remains tied, see Rule 7.05.

7.03 Darkness: The score of the game will revert back to the last completed full inning when darkness forces the mid-inning halt to a game. Often times, both managers come together to discuss “what if” or “this will be the last inning” with the umpires, and this is a good practice. Unfortunately, we cannot control weather and darkness is a limiting factor and there will be no continuation of the game.

7.04 Rainouts: Prior to the start of a game – field owner, commissioner or home team manager (in that order) determines status of field. Rainouts will be listed on the league website. Once game is started, rainout decision will be made by umpires. Every attempt will be made to complete the game. Makeup dates will be designated and determined throughout the season. If a game is stopped due to rain, the game can be continued as is contingent on (2) two full innings being completed. If two innings are not completed, the game will start as if the game was brand new.

7.05 Complete games: Five (5) innings (4½ if the home team is ahead) – for both 9- and 7-inning games.

7.06 Tie games: If the score is tied when the time rule limit is enforced, the game will be continued the next time the two teams play or the score will remain a tie (if the two teams do not play again). Teams may also play additional innings at the discretion of the game umpires. The decision of the umpires to continue the game is final and non-reviewable. Tie games will be completed if the schedule allows.

7.07 Continuation of a Game: For a game to continue, there must be a total of two, full complete innings. Games failing to meet the full two innings, will restart as if the game was never started.

7.08 Mercy rule: A game will complete under the following circumstances:

10 runs after 7 innings in a (9) nine inning game
10 runs after 5 innings of a (7) seven inning game
Games may also be ended early upon the agreement of both managers

8.00 Forfeits

Teams will forfeit under the following conditions:

8.01 Fewer than 8 players are available at the start of game after 10-minute grace period.

8.02 Fewer than 8 players are available after the start of (or during) the game because players being lost due to ejection or injuries. This is the case regardless of the inning the game is in.

8.03 Use of an ineligible player.

8.04 Failure of an ejected player to leave the park.

8.05 Lack of uniforms after June 1^st. (all players on the field must be in uniform). (See Rule 10.01.)

Note: If a game has been declared a forfeit and both managers agree to share players, the teams may still play a game; however, umpires are not obligated to work the game.

8.06 If a team forfeits due to a shortage of players prior to game start, the forfeiting team will pay both umpires fees. Umpire Fees: $70/ea. for 7 inning game, $80/ea. for 9 inning game.

8.07 A Hearing by the Rules Committee will be held if a team forfeits twice during the season to determine their future for the rest of the year. In no instance will a team continue with 3 forfeits.

8.08 All games will be played as scheduled. If a team chooses not to play a regularly scheduled contest then that game will be declared a forfeit and the non-forfeiting team will be declared the winner. If a game is forfeited before 12 pm the day before the scheduled game then the forfeiting team will pay both umpires a $25 ($50 total) appearance fee. This fee will be paid back to the league before the next scheduled contest. If this occurs a second time, the forfeiting team will have to pay both umpires fees regardless of notification and could be subject to additional penalties. Umpire Fees: $70/ea. for 7 inning game, $80/ea. for 9 inning game. See 8.07.

8.09 If only one umpire is present instead of two, the ump fees are as follows: $100 for a 7 inning game or $110 for a 9 inning game.

9.00 Protests / Suspension appeals

9.01 Protests: Allowed only on rule interpretations or violations. Protests on a judgment call by an umpire will not be accepted. Retroactive protests will not be accepted.

9.02 Process: Protests must be made at the point at which a rule has been broken or miss-applied. To protest a game, a manager must:

Stop the game before the next pitch is thrown.
Notify the umpire and the opposing manager that the game is being played under protest and why.
Write in the HOME team’s scorebook the situation and on what grounds the game is being protested. The manager must sign it.
The umpire must sign the HOME team’s scorebook, noting the situation of the game (including the count on the hitter) and when the protest was lodged.

9.03 Disciplinary / Protest Committee: All matters subject to dispute must be submitted in writing within twenty-four (24) of the incident to the Chairman of the Rules Committee, the League President, or the League Secretary or their designee. Disputes can be submitted by email, and must contain all information pertinent to the dispute. Names of the teams involved, the date the incident occurred, names of players and/or umpires involved, and a complete description of the event. Contact information for all the parties concerned must also be included. All disputes will be decided based solely on the written information submitted by the involved parties, so the written information that is submitted must be complete. It is up to the discretion of the Rules committee to request more information to resolve the dispute. This however, may delay the judgment of the committee.

The manager of the opposing team must be informed of the protest and the reasons thereof, so he can submit information regarding the dispute to the Rules committee.

Any disputes that are not filed within the proper time frame will not be considered by the committee nor by the league president.

The dispute will be heard by at least three members of the rules committee and decided upon by a majority vote. In all cases, an odd number of members will cast a vote as to not have a tie. The league President and Vice League President will be the deciding vote if there is a tie or Rules committee cannot come to a consensus. The decisions of the Rules Committee are final and are not subject to appeal.

Decisions of the Rules Committee will be rendered with 24-36 hours of hearing the dispute and communicated to the involved parties. No verbal disputes will be heard by the Rules committee or the league president, nor will any action be taken on verbal disputes.

9.04 Rulings: The decision of the Rules Committee is effective immediately and cannot be appealed.

10.00 Equipment

10.01 Uniforms and Uniform Quality: All teams must have matching uniforms (tops and baseball pants) and hats of a baseball quality not unlike those worn by professional teams and be in accordance with the rules of baseball. No sweatpants or shorts allowed. Pitchers will not wear white or gray long-sleeve shirts, wristbands, or batting gloves. Non-uniformed players will not be allowed to play or appear on the field. Coaches are allowed to wear shorts but must have matching uniform top and hat. All teams must make an effort to have their uniforms by their first game. If a team doesn’t have uniforms, the game will be played, but all teams must have uniforms by June 1^st. Teams who do not have uniforms by this date could be subject to forfeit. (Teams whose uniforms have not arrived but can prove purchase may apply to the Governing Board of the league for a waiver of this rule before any game is played.)

10.02 Helmets: All batters (dual-flapped or flap toward pitcher), and runners must wear helmets.

10.03 Bats: Only wood bats or wooden composite bats (Bamboo, birch etc...) may be used in league and tournament play. In the case of composite bats or bats that have metal handles as long as the barrel of the bat is made of wood it is deemed legal for league play.

10.04 Cleats: Metal cleats are allowed, with the exception of turf fields. All games played on turfed fields must be played with molded cleats or turf shoes.

10.05 Baseballs: Cincy ABL supplies DIAMOND baseballs to each team. The home team and the visiting team will each supply 3 baseballs – 2 new and 1 good used – for each game. Baseballs must be thrown into the umpire. Any use of a non-league approved DIAMOND (D1Pros or DOL-1s) baseballs will result in forfeiture by the team supplying the non-league approved baseballs. From 2022 forward, only Diamond baseballs will be allowed.

10.06 Catchers’ Equipment: Catchers are required to wear a skull-cap or helmet, a protective cup and throat guard (can be built into mask).

11.00 Playoff Tiebreakers

11.01 For post-season playoff seeding, the following tiebreakers will be used:

Overall Win – Loss Percentage
Head to Head Record
Fewest runs allowed in games played between the tied teams.
Fewest runs allowed for the season in games that are played. Forfeits do not count toward this total.
Average runs per game if teams have played a different amount of games.
Coin Toss.

11.02 Post Season Field Choices: The team with the higher overall seeding will have the first choice of field selection. This is a perk of being a higher seeded team and playing well during the regular season.

Cincinnati ABL Special Playing Rules

The Major League Baseball rulebook, with American League designated-hitter specifications, serves as the official guide for governing play for any Cincy ABL game. The exceptions are included in these rules alterations for Cincy ABL.

12.00 Safety Rules

12.01 To prevent injuries, all runners should avoid collisions with fielders.

12.02 Any runner who deliberately runs into a fielder or forcefully slides into a fielder away from a base will be ejected.

12.03 Illegal slides will result in the sliding player being called out and ejected.

A legal slide is directly to the base (defined as player being within an arm’s length of the bag) on a straight line from the previous base. A slide may go past the base, but not through the base to hit a fielder. In general, the players should slide at all bases where there is an apparent play.
An illegal slide is described as:

barrel-rolling
body blocking
sliding with such momentum that it takes the sliding player into a fielder beyond the base
sliding out of the baseline
sliding with spikes above the fielder’s knee

12.04 The rules committee is concerned about unnecessary and violent collisions with the catcher at home plate, and with infielders at all bases. The intent of this rule is for base-runners and defensive players to avoid such collisions.

When there is a collision between a runner and a fielder who clearly has possession of the ball, the umpire shall judge:

Whether the collision by the runner was avoidable (could the runner have reached the base without colliding) or unavoidable (the runner’s path to the base was blocked); or
Whether the runner actually was attempting to reach the base or attempting to dislodge the ball from the fielder.
PENALTY: If the runner, a) could have avoided the collision and reach the base, or b) attempted to dislodge the ball, the runner shall be declared out even if the fielder loses possession of the ball. The ball is dead and all other base runners shall return to the last base touched at the time of the interference.
A.R.1 – If the collision by the runner was flagrant, the runner shall be declared out and also ejected from the contest. The ball shall be declared dead.

If the defensive player blocks the base (plate) or baseline clearly without possession of the ball, or is not in the immediate act of catching the ball, obstruction shall be called. The runner is safe and a delayed dead ball shall be called.

A.R.1 – If the runner collides flagrantly, he shall be declared safe on the obstruction, but will be ejected from the contest. The ball is dead.

12.05 The catcher is not allowed to block the plate without the ball or a reasonable expectation of a play on the runner. If he does, the runner will be safe, and the catcher will be warned. A second warning in the game will result in ejection.

12.06 Any fielder who forces a runner to slide by faking a tag will be ejected. The runner advances one base.

12.07 Any pitcher who, in the opinion of the umpires, intentionally throws at a batter will be ejected. The player ejected could potentially face additional discipline by the Rules Committee.

12.08 Same ejection, suspension and expulsion rules (and appeals) apply as described in Section 2.00 of Cincy ABL Regulations.

13.00 Batters Box Rule

13.01 Batters must keep one foot in the box at all times while at bat. The following exceptions:

When batter is driven out by a pitch or has swung at a pitch
Defense calls time out or pitcher is off the mound
Defense attempts a play or a wild pitch / passed ball occurs
Catcher leaves his position
Offense (or batter) calls time out
Batter fakes a bunt or assumes possible ball 4 (this does not mean go all the way to first base)

13.02 When the batter is out of the box, he may not leave the dirt area around home plate except in the case of a substitution, a conference or an equipment problem.

13.03 This rule is to keep the game flowing. When a player is in violation, the umpire will ask the offending batter to return to the batter’s box – one warning per offending player. If the offending player does not return to the batter’s box (or if the violation is repeated), a strike will be called without a pitch being thrown.

14.00 Line-Ups

Philosophy: Offensive and defensive teams are considered separate – a defensive player not in the offensive line-up may be added to the batting order or inserted in a shared batting position at any time.

14.01 Defensive: There are unlimited defensive substitutions for players who are physically capable and willing to play.

14.02 Offensive: The starting offensive line-up must have at least 9 batters (all can be DH’s if it’s the manager’s choice). The maximum number of batters is limited only by a team’s roster.

The batting order may be expanded at any time.
The batting order may NOT be decreased.
If a game begins with 8 players, all must hit; players who arrive late must be added to the bottom of the order until the line-up has at least 9 hitters, after that they may be added or slotted.

14.03 Official Lineup: Managers are required to submit the official line-up, including last name, first initial, and jersey number of all players expected to participate in the game, to the home plate umpire and opposing manager. Line ups in the scorebook and all lineup changes must be included in the scorebook the same way. A lineup with just first names is no longer acceptable. All players who participate in a game must be entered in the scorebook. This includes all pinch/courtesy runners and players who play the field. At the conclusion of the contest each manager or their designee, will check and sign the opposing team's scorebook. A signature in the book means that you have checked the book and to your best knowledge, it is complete and accurate. Any questions about players who participated in the game should be asked at this time. Players arriving after the start of the game may then be inserted into the game, but that player can only be added to the bottom of the lineup or slotted for another player.

15.00 Substitution

15.01 Defense: Free substitution at all times. (Exception: See 15.02.)

15.02 Pitchers: Pitchers may re-enter as pitchers as long as they remain in the game defensively. A re-entered pitcher is limited to 4 warm-up pitches.

15.03 Offense: Those players not in the initial offensive line-up can be inserted in the batting order by adding them to the end of the line-up or by having them pinch-hit or pinch-run for another player (slotted). Any time a player is added or inserted to share a batting slot, the manager must notify the umpires and the opposing manager.

15.04 Offensive sharing: Two (or more) players may share a position (batting or running) in the offensive lineup; the sharing may be initiated by the manager at any time and is not limited to one batting position.

Neither player may appear anywhere else in the offensive lineup.
If one of the players is incapacitated (cannot play) for any reason (left early, ejection, or injury), the remaining players in the shared position continue as before.
If all players in the shared position are gone (left early or ejected), and no substitute who has not appeared in the offensive line-up is available, the batting position is an automatic out, regardless of number of batters in the lineup.
If the last player in a shared (or non-shared) position is injured and is forced to leave the game and no more substitutes are available, then the batting position will not be an automatic out, unless it results in only 8 batters left, in which it will be an automatic out in that slot.

15.05 If a player in the offensive (starting or been added) line-up has to leave the game due to another commitment or ejection, he must be replaced in the line-up by another player.

If there is no reserve player available, the position is declared vacant and it will be an automatic out whenever the position comes to bat for the remainder of the game. (Except 15.04 (d)). If an ejected player is at bat when ejected, his replacement will assume the ball-strike count. If there is no replacement, it is an automatic out.

16.00 Courtesy runners

16.01 Courtesy runners are permitted if agreed upon at the beginning of the game or as the need arises (injury etc.) during the contest by each team’s manager. Managers if at all possible should declare courtesy runners at the beginning of the game.

A courtesy runner can be used for the catcher AND/OR pitcher as a way speed-up the pace of play at any time during a game with the last person making the out. The offensive team may keep the catcher as the runner only if it considers it as an advantage. That team will warm up the pitcher the next inning. The courtesy runner must be the last out (this may in some circumstances extend to the previous inning) or a slotted player (tbd by manager).
If the team has more than 9 players than teams should slot players to use as runners.
Sportsmanship and common sense should rule in the case of courtesy runners.

17.00 Pitchers

17.01 While pitching, a pitcher may not wear white or gray long-sleeve undershirts; or wear batting gloves or wristbands. All neck jewelry will be hidden.

17.02 If a pitcher hits 4 batters in a game, he must be removed.

17.03 Intentional walks are allowed. Defensive team just states its intention to walk hitter and he goes to first base, without pitches being thrown.

17.04 Pitchers should be loose and ready to pitch at game time. Umpires will enforce a maximum of 7 warm-up pitches between innings.

18.00 Umpires

18.01 Umpire Fees: $70/ea. for 7 inning game, $80/ea. for 9 inning game. If both teams and the umpires show for a game and it is rained out before the game starts, there will be no umpire fees paid. If any portion of the game is played, the full umpire fees will be paid.

If a team forfeits prior to game start and the weather is not a factor, the forfeiting team will pay both normal umpire fees (see also Section 8.08).

If only 1 umpire shows then he will be paid 1.5 times the rate for that game, divided by both teams. (Wed-$100 Total; Sun.-$110 Total)

18.02 Continuation of a Suspended Game - If a suspended game is resumed, the umpires will be paid the following prorated umpiring rate: $4 per half inning per umpire per team.

18.03 If there is an argument on the field regarding a play or rule interpretation, only the managers or acting managers will discuss the call with the umpire(s). Managers will discourage their players from discussing or arguing the call with the umpires. Complaints about the on-field conduct of umpires can be filed in writing to the President within twenty-four (24) hours of the incident for possible action. No verbal disputes will be heard by the Rules committee or the league president, nor will any action be taken on verbal disputes.

Throw to Third Rule:

Pitchers can still fake throw to third base if occupied and throw to another base if it is occupied. If properly done this will not be called a balk.

Rules Committee

Adrian Schau- Sting (Chair) 415-328-0943 adrian.schau@gmail.com

Jason Hamberg - Bulls 513-659-9923 jhamberg01@gmail.com

Rob Balog – Flying Tigers 216-704-1238 rbalog2672@aol.com

Andrew Kasten – Rockies 513-764-3017 kastend@rocketmail.com

Stephen Smith - Dodgers 910-599-7983 Smsmith112@me.com