Sioux Falls Mens Slow Pitch

Sioux Falls Men's Slow Pitch Softball

2010 Summer League Rules

1. ASA Rules will be followed except as indicated. One ASA Official Rule Book will be supplied to each team.

2. Player Roster, Waiver and Release Forms:.

A. Roster forms and the waiver forms must be completed prior to a team's first game. Signatures and names on the waivers must match with the roster, or the team could be ineligible. The roster has to be turned in with at least 10 names or the team will not receive their schedule. The league will supply a drop off point for these documents. Failure to complete this form after the start of the season will result in a team forfeiting all scheduled games until one is completed.

B. After June 15th, no player additions can be made without Board approval. Hardship cases will be handled on a individual basis, however a $25 administrative fee will be charged.

C. Players are allowed to play on only 1 league team.

D. Players will be allowed to switch teams under the following conditions:

1. Before June 15th, a player must have the League Board of Director’s approval.

2. After June 15th and up to the last three weeks prior to end of league play, a player must have approval from the League Board of Directors as well as the coach or manager from both teams and pay a $50.00 administration fee to the league prior to the player being eligible to play. Also, the player can not have played for another team during the same calendar week.

3. No player will be allowed to switch teams with less than 3 weeks of league play remaining.

4. Players who fail to follow these rules will be considered ineligible to play for any team until all conditions have been met. Any player in violation of these rules regarding switching could be subjected to a 1-year suspension and the team will forfeit all games in which the player was involved.

E. Players under 18 years of age may play in this league provided a parent or guardian has signed the Waiver release form that accompanies the roster form in 2A. No exceptions will be made.

3. Rules of Play:

A. All games will start at the times printed on the schedule. If a team is not ready at the scheduled time, the result will be a forfeit. However, starting games earlier then scheduled is acceptable provided the field is available, the umpires are present and the teams have agreed to play.

B. The scorecard must contain full names and numbers of all players available to play in the game and must be signed by the managers and umpires. The person signing the scorecard is the only team member able to discuss a play call or rule interpretation with an umpire. It is the team manager’s responsibility to obtain and return the scorecard to the umpire prior to game time.

If a team wishes to challenge or protest a roster violation, it is important that the scorecards are accurate and correct . In the event of a protest where a scorecard is not complete, the team failing to properly fill out the scorecard will automatically be in violation of the roster rule and forfeit the game. It is the team/manager responsibility to insure correct and accurate information. In addition, teams in violation of this rule can be subject to a fine to be determined by the League Board of Directors.

C. Winning managers should sign the scorecard after each game to verify the correct score and winning team.

D. Teams that wish to protest or challenge the validity of a player on a roster for any game must do so with the umpire prior to the 1^st completion of the opposing team’s complete batting order. The team must follow Rule 9, Section A to register the protest. Players in question will be allowed to play, however, if the investigation of the incident determines the player to be ineligible, the team will forfeit all games the player played in and the manager will be subject to a penalty determined by the League Board of Directors with a possible suspension of at least 1 game up to a suspension for the remainder of the season.

E. All teams must keep an official scorebook, the home team will be the official scorer. The team in the dugout with scoreboard controls must keep the board current.

F. The run rules will be as follows:

20-runs after 3 innings

15-runs after 4 innings

10-runs after 5 innings

G. The home run rule for league play is as follows (this is for both upper and lower):

Monday	2
Tuesday	2
Wednesday	3
Thursday	6
Friday	2

All home runs after the allotted amount will be ruled as an out.

H. The 1&1 count is in effect.

I. Stealing will be allowed in the league per ASA Official rules as outlined in Section 8, Rule 4, Part G.

J. All protests/questions/challenges regarding official standings must occur within two weeks of the original game date by the coach or manager of the team. In is important to remember that standings will be determined by the scorecards, hence it is important for the winning manager to sign the cards to verify authenticity. If the scorecard is not signed, the home team’s book will be the official determinant for the score.

K. There is a no-trot rule in effect for all home runs.

L. New rule . COURTESY RUNNER.

Each team will be allowed to substitute a person on base with a courtesy pinch runner. This runner will be the person who made the most recent out. In the 1st inning, before an out has been recorded, the courtesy runner will be the last scheduled batter of the inning. This rule may be implemented one time per inning.

AN EXAMPLE: Team A has listed 10 batters on the lineup card. In the first inning, Batter 1 gets on base. If Team A wishes to 'courtesy run' for Batter/Runner 1, the person in the 10th spot on the lineup card would be the courtesy runner. If batter/runner 1 decides to run himself, and Batter 2 flies out...Batter/Runner 2 would now be the courtesy runner. Batter 3 comes up with 1 out and BR1 still on 1st. If Batter3 would hit a grounder that forces BR1 out at 2nd, BR1 would now be the courtesy runner. Now, with 2 outs, Batter4 comes up and hit a fair ball. BR3 tries advancing from 1st to 3rd on the play, but is tagged out for the 3rd out. BR3 would be the Courtesy Runner to start the 2nd inning until another out is recorded.

Please note: if a person who has been entered as a Courtesy Runner makes the last out of the inning, the original batter listed in that slot on the lineup card would be the Courtesy Runner to start the following inning, and remain so until the 1st out has been recorded.

4. Player Conduct

A. The SDASA Casual Profanity rule is in effect. The rule states that if an offensive player or coach uses profane language or gestures his team will be assessed 1 team out. If a defensive player or coach violates this rule they will be assessed 1 team out when they come to bat.

B. Excessive profanity will result in the offenders ejection from the game and the complex.

C. FIGHTING will not be tolerated. If a player(s) are involved in a fight, with anyone, anywhere on the complex the following procedure will occur:

a. immediate ejection from the game and the following game if it is the first of the double header

b. an investigation will be conducted by the League Board of Directors

c. Players will be allowed to submit, in writing, their version of the incident and provide statements, in writing, of any witness who observed the incident. These statements must be submitted within 1 week of the report.

d. The player(s) involved in the incident, if proven guilty, will be subject to at least a 4 game suspension or more depending upon results of the investigation by the League Board of Directors

e. Player(s) involved will receive written notification by the League Secretary as to when the official suspension will take place and for how long.

f. Players should note that a suspension due to this rule could occur over two seasons.

D. The team manager is responsible for the conduct of his players and fans.

E. If a player threatens or inflicts any violence on a umpire, league director or any employee of the league he will be sanctioned under current ASA rules.

F. No alcoholic beverages are allowed in the dugout. After the initial warning the team manager will be ejected from the game. Any player who is obviously intoxicated will not be allowed to play.

G. Ejections from a game, for any reason, are a serious matter. Due to the potential nature of an ejection it can be a negative reflection upon the player(s), coaches, managers, teams, umpires, spectators, and the league itself. To avoid any issues or problems with ejections, the League Board of Directors will handle player ejections from games in the following manner:

1. The player will honor the ejection and sit out the rest of that game.

2. The League Board of Directors will hold an inquiry to determine the nature of the ejection. The purpose of this investigation is to insure that the ejection was legitimate. In other words, did the player warrant an ejection (i.e. arguing calls with an umpire, unsportsmanlike conduct, etc.) or was it because of some other reason (i.e. personally conflict with an umpire, wrong person was ejected, etc.)

3. Any player who receives a 2^nd ejection found to be legitimate as outlined above, for any reason, in the same year will result in a automatic 2 game suspension and an investigation by the League Board of Directors to determine if any further action is deemed necessary.

4. Any player who receives a 3^rd ejection found to be legitimate as outlined above, for any reason, in the same year will result in a 1-year suspension from league play and an investigation by the League Board of Directors to determine if any further action is deemed necessary.

5. Any player involved in more than 3 ejections found to be legitimate as outlined above, for any reason, in a year will be automatically suspended from any further league play pending investigation by the League Board of Directors.

6. Players will receive written notice from the League Secretary regarding any action taken by the League Board of Directors.

7. Players who refuse to abide by the ruling of the League Board of Directors will not be allowed to participate until the ruling as been fulfilled. Teams who play a player in violation of this rule will forfeit all games the player was in.

The League Board of Directors reserves the right to impose additional penalties upon players who exhibit habitual behavior resulting in ejections. In addition, the Board reserves the right to mandate the maximum penalty of a lifetime ban from playing in Sioux Falls Men’s Slow Pitch League if such action warrants. The league wishes to emphasize that conduct resulting in ejections is simply unprofessional. Players who feel that umpires are not doing their job correctly, need to register a complaint with the League Board of Directors or The Umpire in Chief.

5. Uniform and equipment:

A. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday night teams must wear matching shirts to play. Thursday night teams must wear full matching uniforms. Matching shirts and pants/shorts constitute a full uniform. All shorts must match and all pants must match, however shorts and pants may be mixed. The pants must all match each other and the shorts must all match each other.

B. All shirts must have numbers, no two shirts may have the same number. Once a players name and shirt number have been placed on the scorecard no other player may wear that number during the game. Doing so will cause the ejection of the player and his manager.

C. Each team will be allowed to use a Uniform Waiver Form for a maximum of 3 times throughout the season. If a team needs to use a Uniform Waiver form the following process must be completed:

1. If a team has someone that does not meet the uniform requirements, the umpire will not allow that player to enter the game unless his manager can provide a uniform waiver.

2. The manager must then have a league officer or umpire sign the Uniform Waiver. The umpire will retain the waiver and turn it in with the scorecard at the end of his shift. The waiver will be good for the entire night on the date submitted.

NEW IN 2010: The week of June 21st-June 25th will be designated as "Throw-back" week. Teams/Players are given a 'free pass' on the uniform requirements during the week, and everyone is encouraged wear any uniforms from their past.

D . If a team is in violation of the Uniform rule outlined above and does not have the Uniform Waiver form signed, a forfeit will be posted by that team regardless of the number of players available. It is the opposing team’s responsibility to register the protest with the umpire prior to the first pitch of the 4th inning. Once the 4th inning has started, teams will be allowed to finish the game and the results will stand.

1. Players who show up late for game without the uniform will not be allowed to enter the game until the proper uniform is obtained.

2. Umpires will prevent the player from entering a game, however, in the event that an umpire does not, it is the responsibility of the opposing team to register an immediate protest.

2. Players will not be allowed to switch uniforms.

E. The final warning regarding uniforms will be given at the last league meeting prior to the beginning of the season. Any team or player not in compliance with the uniform rule will not be allowed to play in the league, no exceptions.

F. It is recommended that no jewelry be worn while playing. If a player feels it is necessary to wear jewelry when he plays, earrings must be the post or stud type and necklaces must be the type that cannot be worn outside the collar of the shirt. The final decision regarding player safety will belong to the umpire.

G. All equipment must be ASA or league approved. No steel spikes nor steel tipped spikes may be worn for league play.

H. It is recommended that each team carry a complete first aid kit. Blood rules are in effect. Players who are bleeding will be required to leave the game until the wound is covered.

I. The official bat in ASA Championship Play must meet all of the requirements of ASA Rule 3, Section 1 and:

must bear either the ASA approved 2000 certification mark or the ASA 2004 certification mark as shown below, and must not be listed on an ASA non approved list, and
must be included on a list of approved bat models published by the ASA National Office; or
must, in the sole opinion and discretion of the umpire, have been manufactured prior to 2000 and if tested, would comply with the ASA bat performance standards then in effect.
All titanium bats are illegal in the Sioux Falls Men's Slow pitch league, both summer and fall.

Beginning January 1, 2004, all bats in ASA Championship Play must pass the ASA 2004 bat standard. All bats having the 2004 certification mark will be allowed in ASA Championship Play. Bats that have the 2000 certification mark will not be allowed in ASA Championship Play unless they are listed on an approved bat list on the ASA website. For convenience, the ASA website has a listing of bats that do not pass the ASA 2004 bat standard.

2004 and Beyond Approved Bats (Updated:4/2/2009)

For a list of bats that have been tested and found to comply with the ASA bat performance standards, and therefore are authorized to bear the ASA 2004 certification mark and/or are authorized for use in ASA Championship Play beginning January 1, 2004, please click on the link below. Manufacturers continue to submit additional bat models for testing, and the ASA will update this list as test results become available.

http://www.asasoftball.com/about/getManufacturerDetail.asp

ASA NON Approved Bats.

For information on which bats are illegal please see this link http://www.asasoftball.com/about/certified_equipment.asp. The list of bats not approved are located at the following links:

http://www.asasoftball.com/about/build_batlist_one_page.asp

http://www.asasoftball.com/about/build_batlist_w_pics_2000.asp

http://www.asasoftball.com/about/build_batlist_w_pics_2004.asp

Bats no longer grandfathered in to ASA softball:

http://downloads.asasoftball.com/about/pdf/08grandfatherbats.pdf

The Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) no longer displays every bat made by bat manufacturers that do not comply with current ASA bat standards. If you want to know what bats are approved for use in ASA Championship Play, follow one of the steps below.

check the approved list located in the drop down boxes above and search by the specific manufacturer or select all

check for either the 2000 or 2004 ASA Certification Mark (both depicted above) and then be sure the bat is not listed on the PDF's above as a banned bat by ASA (Note: The lists above are broken up into two PDF's to help umpires in the NCAA and the NFHS because of their minor rule differences.

Please be sure to read the specific ASA rules surrounding bats (a portion of which is located above) for a comprehensive review. Please remember that all bats that do not bear an ASA certification mark remain non approved unless they were made prior to 2000 and in the sole discretion of the umpire would pass ASA certification test if tested. Local ASA leagues and tournaments not conducted as part of ASA Championship Play may alter ASA playing rules as they see fit.

The ASA periodically and randomly tests samples of bat models bearing the ASA approved certification mark to verify compliance with the ASA bat performance standards. Below are links for press releases announcing results of compliance testing as well as FAQ's regarding bat models withdrawn from ASA Championship play until further notice. The "ASA Banned Bats" link above contains the most up-to-date listing of bat models withdrawn from ASA Championship play. Models placed on that list will be allowed for use in ASA Championship play if they bear the ASA recertification mark (shown in the link below).

Last Updated: March 31, 2008

1. All approved bats will be provided a sticker that must be present on the bats at all times in league play. Any bat without a sticker, regardless of compliance, will not be allowed in the game. Stickers will be made available during the April manager meetings, and from 5:30 pm-6:00 pm Monday-Friday during the season. Outside of those times, special arrangements would need to be made with one of the UIC's in order to complete the testing.

2. Teams caught using illegal bats will be subject to severe penalties including but not limited to: ejection from game, forfeiture of games, fines, suspension and/or any combination of the previous.

3. Random ASA compression bat tests will be conducted by the UIC's throughout the season.

4. Anyone wishing to file a protest towards a bat must present a $50 fee to the board. If that bat passes our compression tester, the $50 fee is forfeitted. If the bat doesn't pass the tester, the sticker will be removed from the bat and the $50 fee will be returned to the protester.

J. Balls

1. The official ball for the league is the Dudley, 44 core, 375 pound compression optical yellow. NO SUBSTITUTES. It is up to the opposing pitcher to determine the legality of the ball before pitching it. If it is discovered that a non-approved ball has been put into play, the ball must be replaced with a league-approved ball immediately.

2. Each team Mon, Tue, Wed, and Fri will be provided 1 Dozen of the league balls at the beginning of the season. Thurs night teams will be provided 1½ dozen balls.

3. Teams will provide all balls for the game. Umpires will determine the playability of each ball.

4. Teams will provide a game ball to the opposing pitcher prior to the start of the inning they are scheduled to bat. Teams will also be responsible to supply a ball should the game ball be hit out of play as the result of a home run or foul.

5. Once a ball is provided and put into play, no new ball can be substituted unless the ball is knocked out of play, hit over the fence, or deemed unplayable by an umpire.

6. Teams who do not supply a ball during a game, will result in a forfeit for that game.

6. Rainouts:

A. Rainouts will be called as soon as possible after 6 pm. The rainout information will posted on the website as soon as possible. The city will make every effort to make the fields playable prior to game time. All teams should plan on playing and be at the fields to prevent any possible forfeits. The best bet is to count on playing.

B. Once a game has started, the umpire in chief, his designated alternate or the league director on duty will decide whether games will be continued. Once a game has been cancelled for the night, all other games are considered cancelled.

If, for any reason, a game is canceled during the middle of the game, it will be considered official after 4 complete innings. (This includes 3 1/2 innings where the home team is ahead).
If the game is called off before 4 complete innings, the game will be rescheduled (when possible) and the game will start fresh (0-0 top of the first, re-flip the cointoss, lineups can be changed, etc)
If the cancellation occurs in the middle of an inning, and the score is tied or the visiting team is ahead, the final score will revert back to the last completed inning and follow the 4 complete rule For example: if the visiting team is batting in the 6th inning, and the score is tied when the UIC calls the game off, the score will revert back to what it was at the end of the 5th inning. If it was tied after the 5th, it will revert to the 4th, and so on. If it reverts back to any inning before the 4th, the game will be started over from scratch on the rescheduled date (when possible).

D. Rainouts will be scheduled at the midpoint of the season, and at the end of the regular season. If it is impossible to reschedule a makeup game during these times the league will make every effort to reschedule these games depending on field availability. Players and teams should note that rainout makeup games can occur on any night depending upon field availability. Therefore teams may not necessarily play on their regular playing night to make-up games. In extreme cases, rainouts could be made up on a Saturday.

7. Playoffs and Championships:

A. Designated teams (8 teams per division) will enter a single elimination playoff to determine the Playoff champion.

B. In the event of a tie for any position the following tie breakers will be used:

1. For two teams only -- head to head competition will determine the winner
2. For two or more teams -- 1.) tie breaker will be head to head competition; 2.) best winning percentage based on common record between the playoff teams; 3.) Average run differential for entire season; 4.) A coin toss.

C. The top team (and ties) with the overall record in league play and the top 2 division playoff teams will move to the next highest division in the following season. If the league is at full capacity of teams, the bottom 2 (or possibly 3 depending upon moves from other divisions) will move to the next lowest division. If space is available, teams may play 'up' on the highest night they wish to play on.

*** The 8 teams making the 2010 playoffs on Wednesday nights (upper division) will be moved to Thursday nights in 2011 to start the new Thursday Lower division.

The League Board of Directors holds the right to make any additional moves deemed necessary to insure equal competitive nights. Teams will be notified at the February and March meetings of moves. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS. Teams may stay on the current night provided they do not have more than 5 players (regulars and subs) on the roster from the previous year.

D. Awards will be determined and presented in all divisions each year. These awards (if individual) will not exceed the total number of players on the roster (20 players).

8. League Fees:

A. League fees are $900 per team. Every team will play two (2) 12-game sessions for a total of 24 games. The first half of the fees are due at the February meeting and the second half at the March meeting. There will be a 1-week grace period from each due date for all league fees to be paid. Teams who fail to submit payments by the due date will be subject to a $50 late fee.

B. Failure to pay fees by the specified date will result in loss of the teams spot in the league.

C. Teams in default for any past due fees from any other season (summer or fall) or any other league will not be allowed to play until such fees are paid. For example, a team last fall has not paid all of the league fees. That team will not be allowed to play in the summer until the fall league fee is paid in full.

9. Protests:

A. All protests must follow ASA rules. They must be presented to a league director within 48 hours of the protested game and must be accompanied by a $25 processing fee. This fee will be returned if the protest is upheld or if the ruling is found to be in the favor of the team making the protest.

10. Complex Rules:

A. No glass bottles, kegs or partials will be allowed in the complex.

B. No pets are allowed at the complex.

C. Please remind your families and fans that the complex can be a dangerous place. Fans should only be seated in the bleacher area. They should always be aware of batted and overthrown balls. Safety cannot be guaranteed anywhere on the complex. Children should be supervised at all times and not be allowed to run unattended.