1] Official Game / Time Limit/ / Length of Games

·        Game Clock starts when by home plate umpire notification to official scorekeeper.

·        Games will be 7 complete innings unless time runs out or 10 Run Mercy Rule after 5 innings are completed, or a tie.

·        Most games are scheduled for two and one-half hours (2 ½) a game.  No new inning shall be started if less than fifteen minutes from the Drop Dead Time.  Drop Dead game time is set at 2 and one-half (2 ½) hours, unless official schedule notes a different Drop Dead Time.  Field lights turn off at 10pm, nightly and it is a safety concern should a ball be in play when the light turn off.

·        Shorten games shall be considered complete and final, if shortened after five (5) full innings have been completed.

·        Definition of Drop Dead Time;

1.      There shall be no new innings commenced within 15 min.s of the “Drop Dead (set at 2 ½).

2.      Should a game extend to 10pm, play shall be called immediately, as the lights are on a timer set to turn off at 10pm and continued play is a safety issue.

2] Batting Line-up

·        All defensive changes must be made to scorekeeper before changed players take the field.

·        Substitute for any player injured on the base pads.

·        Teams are allowed to substitute a base runner only twice (2) during a game and can only substitute with the last batter (Pinch runner only pitcher and catcher with 2 outs only).

4] Short Player-“Borrow Player Rule”

·        Short Player-“Borrow Player Rule” can be used by all teams, any team may borrow players but in no case shall using the “Borrow Players Rule” cause the team to play more than 9 players without prior League President approval and in no case more than 12 players.

·        The “borrowed” player must be approved by the league president prior to game time; failure to do so is cause for forfeiture of a team’s win.

·        A team may not choose more than a single “borrowed” player for a single game.

·        The “borrowed” player cannot play any defensive position other than outfield, unless first approved by League President. 

·        A “borrowed” player cannot play for the same team in consecutive games.

·        Should the regular team player, whose was expected to miss the game, arrive before game time, that player must be the last regular team player in the batting line-up, the “borrowed” player (if present), shall remain in the line-up and game.

·        Should the regular team player, whose was expected to miss the game, arrive during the game, that player must be added as the last player in the batting line-up.  The “borrowed” player shall remain in the game and play a minimum of 6 defensive outs.

·        The “borrow a player” rule has been adopted to keep all teams to eleven (11) players (with an option of 12), insuring maximum playing time for every player, on all teams.

·        A borrowed player must be in his uniform from the team of which he is borrowed.  This is to help identify him as a borrowed player (for opposing manager, scorekeeper and umpire).

5] Short a Player-“Share a Player Rule”

·        If, on game day a team experiences an unexpected absence and cannot field nine players and there is not enough time to seek a “borrowed” player, then the opposing team will “share a player” for defensive purposes for only the portion of the game where the other team is lacking a full nine (9) players.  The “shared” player shall play only outfield positions on defense and not bat.

·        The selected player(s) to be shared shall be taken from the bottom of the line-up of opposite team.

·        If a “shared” player’s turn to bat occurs while still playing defense for the other team, the last out of opposing teams shall take his place.

·        This “shared” player rule is an effort to avoid forfeitures and scheduling of games.

6] Time-Outs

·        The visits to the mound by the manager or other players should be “brief” not lasting more than 2 to 3 minutes at a time.

·        One trip per inning to the mound by the manager/coach is allowed.  A second visit to the mound by the manager/coach means the pitcher must be replaced.

·        Only 3 people are allowed during visits to the mound, umpires are to enforce this limit.

·        Injury time-outs are called with the approval of the umpires.

·        Players on the field are allowed to call time out only with the approval of the umpires.

·        After a time out is granted, the umpire shall call time-in only when pitcher strides or steps on the rubber with the ball.

7] Minimum Play

·        All players in the dugout and in uniform shall be considered an active player and required to play to the minimum at bats/innings as set forth by the League Rules or Tournament Rules, whichever applies, unless manager provides umpires and opposing managers with injury notification prior to that player’s place in line-up or conclusion of the last batter’s turn in the line-up batting.

8] Balks will be called and players advance bases accordingly

9] Rainout Policy

·        Rained out games will be rescheduled as best as possible on Sundays or scheduled Practice dates. Should a team’s prescheduled practice time be lost for a make-up game, the practice is lost without additional consideration.  Games needing additional time shall be continued per Arcadia League President’s ruling.

10] Pitching Rules

·        No single player is allowed to pitch more than 10 innings in any single calendar week. 

·        A calendar week is from 12:01am Monday to 12:00am Midnight the following Sunday.

·        No pitcher may pitch more than 7 innings in a calendar day.

·        Pitchers shall have at least 40 hours rest after pitching four (4) or more innings in any single game.  Rest time starts from “starting game time” to “starting game time”.

·        Teams where a player has pitched more than the League maximum allowances may have a victory taken away, that game may be ruled by the Arcadia League President, a win for the other team.

·        Should a player pitch more than the League allowable innings, that player cannot not pitch a single inning for their team’s next three (3) scheduled games.  Regardless of any other rulings.

11] Pitcher-Catcher Warm-ups during the game

·        Pitchers may use bullpens to warm up during a game only with another player between the pitcher and play, acting as protector. Player/Protector shall wear helmet.

·        The warm up catcher must have a catcher’s helmet and chest guard.

·        Coaches or a player may warm up pitchers between innings, until catcher is fully ready.

12] Field Ground Rules at Bonita Park

·        A Batted ball shall be called “dead” if it hits wires above batter’s box on batted balls.

·        A ball hitting wire on an incoming throw is a live ball and play shall continue until umpire rules otherwise.

·        All batted balls hitting or traveling over the yellow fence capping shall be ruled a home run.  Should a batted ball hit an outfield fence above the yellow line, ball shall be declared dead and batter given a home run or a ground rule double.  The fence does not exist for the purpose of baseball at Bonita Park.

·        If a ball gets stuck under a fence or lost in the ivy then it is a ground rule double.  The player-fielder must raise arms to indicate to the umpire his inability to access the ball.

·        Home team sets up field (water and drag infield, caulk lines, set out helmets, install bases, uncover mound/home plate) keeps the used game balls at the conclusion of the game.

·        Visiting team cleans up field (drag field, return helmets and bases, sweep dugouts, cover mound, turn off field lights, empty trash cans (if more than half (1/2) full, place recycle can bags into shed, place trash bags in cans if needed, lock gates).

·        All players must wear a protective cup at all times, during warm-ups and play.

·        All protests shall be limited to an interpretation to the application of a rule and not the judgment of a play call (tagged or not tagged, ball or strike etc.).

·        Protests, to be valid, must be declared to Plate umpire and official scorekeeper by protesting manager at the time of the protested ruling and notify the Arcadia League President within twenty-four (24) hours of the game’s conclusion.

·        All protests shall be ruled on by a formed Decision Committee (consist of Umpire who received the protest, League Vice President and one other Board of Director).  Please refer to Arcadia Pony By-laws Article X “Committee”.

14] Late Player Arrivals Rule

15] Excessive Play, Intent to Cause Injury Rule    

(limited) Examples;

1.      Sliding into a base with cleats up, a play at the plate where the catcher clearly has the ball and the base runner does not turn back towards 3^rd to avoid a tag, or slides with intent to slide under or around the tag or surrenders to the catcher to be tagged out without a collision.

2.      Base runner collides with fielder with the intent of causing the fielder to drop the ball.

3.      A deliberate intent to throw a pitched ball at a batter.

4.      A fielder deliberately throwing a ball at another player.

5.      Throwing a punch, kicking, etc.

6.      Confronting another player and/or persons with a bat in hand.

7.      Terrorist’s threats of bodily harm.

·        Any adult (manager, coach, parent, etc.) whose actions are considered to have intent to inflict harm and/or injury (physical and/or emotional) to a player and/or other persons shall be removed by the umpires and the game shall not resume until such adult is outside of the grounds.  Any such occurrence by an adult shall incur a complete ban from the grounds for one full season per the decision of the Arcadia Pony League President. For any second (2) incident manager shall be suspended, see guideline for multiple player infractions above.         

16] Suspensions        

·        All ejections shall be reviewed by the Disciplinary Committee (please refer to Arcadia Pony By-laws Article X “Committees”).  The review may result in further penalty (additional game or multiple game suspensions or disqualification).  These penalties may be applied to players, coaching staff, or fans.  Suspended persons must leave the field and surrounding area upon umpire’s determination and do so in a timely manner.  Suspended persons may not return to any portion of the park/complex until the suspension is over.  An ejection for language, threats, violence, intimidation and/or behavior deemed hazardous to others requires, in addition to the ejection, shall include one additional game suspension.

17] Division Winners.

·        Should the same team win both halves, no playoff game shall be played. 

·        The League’s Board of Directors must approve the All Star Managers.

·        All-Star managers shall select their coaches.

·        Players shall be selected as All-Stars based on the following criteria;

1.      All 14 & 13 year old league players are eligible and best players shall play in the Pony 14U All-Star Tournament. Top 10 vote getters as voted by all league managers who are league age 13. Top 10 vote getters as voted by all league managers who are league age 14.

2.      Each team manager shall select the remaining players required to fill out roster, with a minimum of 12 players and a maximum of 14 players.

3.      All league players qualify for the League’s Galindo Tournament which is a Pre All-Star tournament using Pony Tournament rules and format.   Galindo teams shall be selected and formed after Arcadia All-Star teams are formed with the Arcadia All-Star teams participating as individual teams.

4.      Arcadia All-Star players must reside within the league boundaries as set by Pony Baseball Inc.

5.      League players in the Galindo Tournament may reside outside the league boundaries.

6.      Arcadia players participating in the Galindo and Arcadia All-Star tournaments shall pay a fee of $30.00 to participate, provide a deposit for the return of the Arcadia All-Star jersey.  Hats are provided and shall be the property of each player.  Each player’s parent is required to provide one (1) Snack Shack duty during tournaments.

·        The Board of Directors shall make the final determination as noted in General Pony Baseball Rules & Regulations, however in case of a conflict of interest such as the President or has a family member and participant in the game/action requiring a ruling the ruling shall be made by any of the other members of the league’s Board of directors.

·        Should the President not be available, in a timely manner, a require decision/action may be taken by any of the other members of the Board of Directors.

General Pony Baseball Rules & Regulations

Reference: Pony International Headquarters, 2011 Pony Baseball Rules & Regulations