JOBL Rules

Home teams shall be responsible for setting up fields for play, removing all equipment following games, pre-game lining of the fields, and post-game dragging and watering of fields.

Each team shall have no more than three designated managers or coaches on the field at any time. (Field includes dugout.) Exception: Pee-Wee and Deb Girl Divisions where the maximum number is four. Any umpire assigned to a particular game may, at his or her discretion, enforce this rule.

Only the manager or coach acting in his or her absence is authorized to carry on a discussion with the umpires or scorekeeper. Scorekeepers shall only record scores and answer questions of umpires and managers on the field and shall have no direct contact with team personnel in the dugouts. Adults only shall coach from the coaches boxes.

No player shall be disciplined for lack of ability. In those instances where a player is being disciplined, prior notification must be given to the appropriate Division Manager, or appropriate Vice President in his or her absence. Parents of the player being disciplined should be notified in advance of the disciplinary action, if possible.

Each child must play a minimum of three innings each game. In the event a child is not playing for disciplinary reasons, the manager must inform the scorekeeper and the opposing manager prior to the beginning of the game. If a child does not play the required three innings and it is not recorded in the official scorebook, the game is a forfeit.

Visiting and Home Teams shall each provide a scorekeeper for each game. Home Team scorekeeper shall be designated official scorekeeper, with the Visiting Team Scorekeeper acting as monitor and record the pitch count, in divisions where appropriate. All scoresheets shall be signed by both managers prior to submission to the league office at the conclusion of the game.

Prior to the season opening, there shall be no more than three mandatory practices per week. After the season opens, no combination of more than four mandatory practices and games total per week shall be allowed. No mandatory Sunday or holiday practices allowed.

All players shall be notified in advance of all practices and games. Managers must be notified in advance if a player will not be present at scheduled practices or games. A player may be benched for unexcused absences not to exceed one game at the discretion of the manager.

There shall be no co-champions in a division without prior Board approval. Championship formats for all divisions will be established and published in writing prior to the start of the season.

No alcoholic beverages shall be allowed on the complex. No glass containers shall be allowed on the complex. No food shall be allowed in the dugouts or on the playing fields. No smoking or tobacco products, of any kind, including e-products, shall be allowed in the dugouts or on the playing fields. No animals shall be allowed on the complex.

Interference from parents during games or practices shall be strictly prohibited.

All teams must clean up their respective field areas (dugout, bleachers, fence lines) following each game, including emptying garbage barrels in the vicinity of their dugouts.

Players whose parents refuse to help when called upon can be dropped from the League. Teams may be penalized by point deductions in the standings for failure to fulfill their snack-shack duty, scorekeeping duties or failure of the team to respond to clean-up day or pre-season assignment.

A posted schedule shall be worked out among all members of the board so that at least one of the executive committee members shall be on the complex and in charge of the league office/complex at all times during which games are in progress.

A week shall run from Monday through Sunday.

Schedules shall be made up in such a manner that all teams shall play at least one weekday game and one Saturday game, whenever possible. All schedules shall be drawn up in such a manner as to equalize as closely as possible all elements of the schedule.

Regularly-scheduled games shall start on opening day and, if possible, extend up to the last Saturday of the season which shall be awards day. All divisions shall schedule an awards ceremony for all teams to receive participation awards.

Age cut-off dates shall be as follows: All boys divisions: May 1 (age on April 30). All girls divisions: Age on prior December 31.

Age limits for each division are listed in the table above. Exceptions to age brackets shall be allowed for medical and/or physical handicap reasons only and shall require the approval of the appropriate Vice President, the President, and the two involved Division Managers.

Written ground rules for each division shall be approved by the Board of Directors prior to the start of the season and shall override any conflicting league rules.

A parent or responsible adult other than a manager or coach shall be present at all games and practices.

Rules followed in the various divisions: (A) MLB/Sr. Babe Ruth Rules for Sr. Babe Ruth Division. (B) MLB/Babe Ruth Rules as modified by the League for Babe Ruth Division. (C) Cal Ripken Division of Babe Ruth Rules as modified by the League for Pee-Wee, Valley, Minor and Major Divisions. (D) Babe Ruth Softball Rules – Fast Pitch as modified by the League for Deb, 8 & Under, 10 & Under, 12–14 & Under and 14/16 & Under Divisions.

Pitching: (A) One pitch constitutes an entire inning pitched. (B) Allowable innings pitched per week determined separately for regular season and playoffs. (C) If a pitcher pitches more than the allowable innings in a game, the game is a forfeit. (D) Pitcher shall be removed after the second trip to the mound in the same inning. (E) Pitch counts will be followed in Valley/Minor/Majors divisions.

Make-up, ties, protested or rained-out games: Saturday games resulting in a tie shall continue until completion. Make-up games played at the next available date. A win shall be awarded two points, a tie one point, and a loss no points in the standings.

Incomplete games shall be played at a later date from the point of suspension. In the event of a protested game, it shall be played from the point of protest should the protest be upheld.

First base side shall be designated as home team and third base side shall be designated as visiting team.

Courtesy runners shall be provided for injured players only. Players removed for a courtesy runner shall be removed for the remainder of the game. For safety reasons, players in casts shall not be allowed to play.

Field preparation shall be completed thirty minutes prior to game time. Visiting teams shall take the field for infield practice at twenty minutes prior to game time and home teams at ten minutes prior to game time.

Games shall start promptly at the scheduled times. A team unable to field eight players shall be permitted a fifteen-minute maximum delay before a forfeit is called. In the event a game is played with only eight players, the ninth position shall be an automatic out.

Game times: All evening games shall begin promptly at 5:30 P.M. Saturday games shall be played to completion except in divisions having time limits. Valley, 8 & Under and 10 & Under Saturday games are governed by a two-hour time limit.

In a six-inning game, the game shall be over if at the end of five and one-half innings the home team is ahead. In a seven-inning game, the game shall be over if at the end of six and one-half innings the home team is ahead.

Six-inning games shall be considered complete after three and one-half innings if the home team is ahead and four innings if the visiting team is ahead. Seven-inning games shall be considered complete after four and one-half innings if the home team is ahead and five innings if the visiting team is ahead.

All games in progress shall be uniformly suspended due to rain by the Chief Umpires in conjunction with the highest ranking League official present.

Ghost or fake tagging will not be allowed in any division.

In the interest of time, batter must keep one foot in the box when taking signs from the coach. There is one offensive conference per inning.

At no time are parents or spectators allowed in the dugouts. No photographers are allowed on the field of play.

Face masks are mandatory on all batting helmets in the Valley Division and girls' divisions with the exception of the Deb Division.

Jeering or harassing of any team, player or umpire from the stands or dugouts shall not be permitted. Good sportsmanship will be expected. Plate umpires shall be in charge of and control all games.

Dress Code: All players shall be properly dressed in complete uniform issued by the League and shall wear such uniforms appropriately, including hat worn with bill forward and uniform jersey tucked in. This rule applies to managers/coaches also.

Metal cleats will not be allowed in any division, with the exception of Babe Ruth and Sr. Babe Ruth Divisions.

Late-arriving players shall be added to the bottom of the batting rotation. Should a player leave early, the line-up merely slides up.

Batter cannot refuse to take first base when hit by a pitched ball.

Bat throwing: Team warning will be given after a first instance in a game; automatic out will be called for subsequent bat throwing. Ball is dead; runners cannot advance. This rule applies to all divisions.

New Cal Ripken Bat Standard as of 2018: All non-wooden bats must have USABat logo imprinted on it. Barrel Maximum: 2 5/8". Pee-Wee/Valley Divisions: 2 1/4" barrel, no big barrel, no composite bats.