2025 WYBSA Baseball Majors

Division Rules, Procedures, & Policies

Cap Ripken Baseball Rules apply for all rules not specifically addressed below

Game Rules

• Game format is 6 innings
• Games to be overseen by a Patched Umpire
• Infield dimensions:
  • 50' Pitching Distance
  • 70' Base Distance
• See Official Cal Ripken Baseball Rules for clarification if not specifically addressed below.
  • This document is intended to spotlight changes, amendments, additions, and/or clarification to the Official Cal Ripken Baseball rules.
• Ground Rules should be discussed before the game starts.

Equipment

• WYBSA adheres to a USA Bat Standard
  • All bats must have the USA Stamp to be used in practices or games.
  • Bats stamped with either BBCOR or USSSA are not permissible.
• Approved balls for this league are Diamond DLL.
  • No substitution for this ball standard is allowed.
• Metal cleats/spikes are NOT permitted
• Each team has been provided catchers equipment by the league. If additional catchers’ equipment is needed, reach out to the equipment coordinator

Coaching

• All teams are limited to (1) official Head Coach/Manager and (1) Official Assistant coach/manager for roster purposes.
• Grievances with scheduling, umpiring, rules, protests, game results, etc. are to be directed to the league commissioner by the official coaching staff within 12 hours of the event.
  • Relative to a protest, if a protest situation in game is imminent, the potential offending coach should be notified immediately by the observing party (i.e., try to prevent the issue before it occurs).
  • If the protesting condition has transpired, the umpire should also be notified.
  • Protest will be reviewed by the Commissioner with notification to Board as required for corrective action
• WYBSA reserves the right to approve/disapprove all Head Coach/Manager or Assistant Coaches.

Team Expectations

• For each game, the Home Team is responsible for (2) game balls and base placement.
  • Field lining will be completed by the Junior Umpires.
  • The Home Team is also responsible for the return of applicable items to the lock box.
• Both teams are responsible for removing trash and debris in and around the dugout areas post game.
• Both teams are responsible for the replacement of all applicable equipment to the trailer as well as ensuring the trailer is “locked” post usage.
• Both teams are responsible for maintaining field conditions (i.e., dragging the infield, repairing holes at mound and plate, returning tarps onto field, when necessary, etc.).

Sportsmanship

• All coaches, parents and players are required to demonstrate proper respect towards opponents, teammates, equipment and umpires.
  • Disrespecting opponents, teammates, equipment or umpires is subject to disciplinary action.
  • Coaches, Players and Parents should all be familiar with the Code of Conduct/Zero Tolerance policy.
• All issues and/or complaints will be investigated by the Commissioner and presented to the Board as necessary.
• All players and coaches will congratulate their opponents at the conclusion of each game.
• All players are to hustle (run) on and off the field of play.
• WYBSA understands chanting and singing is part of the fun of baseball, however any chanting or singing should be in a positive vein for one’s own team.
  • Any negative chanting or singing towards your opponent, or any timed chanting or singing to affect the opposing pitcher, or any rhythmic chanting that is focused on distracting the opponent shall be stopped immediately.
  • We want to encourage the kids to have fun while being good sports.

Scheduling, Game Length, & Scoring

• Game will be limited to 1 hr. 45 min (complete the inning if started before the time limit). Coaches to agree on official start time at first pitch.
  • Extra innings will be played IF before the time limit.
  • Night games shall have no inning start after 9:30 pm
  • Playoff games will NOT have a time limit and will be played until the game is complete/official.
  • Mercy Limit The game ends if one team leads by (12) or more runs at the conclusion of the 4th inning.
  • 3.5 innings constitutes a complete (i.e., an “official”) game (or 4 full innings if the visiting team is ahead).
    • If the game is stopped because of rain or darkness, or the field is deemed unplayable after 3.5 or 4 innings (if the visiting team is ahead) then the game becomes a “complete” game.
  • No run rule per inning. Unlimited scoring per inning.
  • The home team is always allowed last at bat. (Example: rain after 5 1 /2 innings, score would revert to end of 5 full innings)
  • The last inning depends on the pace of the game and is not necessarily the 6th inning. It could be, for example, the 4th or 5th inning. Coaches and Umpires must communicate during the game to determine the appropriate “last inning”.
• Every effort should be made to play all games as scheduled
• All weather-related cancellations will be rescheduled by the two affected coaches and the Scheduler
• Incomplete games due to rain will be rescheduled with scheduler and resumed where left off, with all statistics in place from game prior to delay. Strikes, balls, inning, score, etc... will be maintained.
• Non-weather-related cancellations are prohibited unless approved by the Commissioner

Standings

• All standings will be maintained through the WYBSA website
• Within 24 hours of game completion, the winning team is responsible for reporting the game score.
  • Both coaches will update the Google Document with call up names and pitching information.
  • The pitching report is to include the names of pitchers as well as the number of innings pitched by each player.
• Standings will be determined via winning percentage.
  • All teams will make the playoffs
  • When there is an odd number of teams, the top team will receive a bye.
• Regular season games against other town teams as well as the KP Cup games do not count toward the standings.
• Playoff Format
  • Single Elimination
  • If and when schedule allows, Double Elimination playoff format will be considered. Final determination will be communicated by League Commissioner

Minor League Call Ups

• Team’s fielding 8 or fewer players for any given regular season or playoff game may call up a player from the WYBSA Minor League.
• An official Call Up list should be provided by the league Commissioner prior to Opening Day
• Called up player usage should be reported via email to the League Commissioner prior to game-time
• A team may not call up the same player more than once in a 7-day period and called up players are not to miss their assigned WYBSA Minors League team game as a result of a call up.
• Minor League call ups shall not pitch or catch. There are no exceptions. Coaches that violate this rule risk suspension.
• Minor League call-ups must bat last in the order
• Called up players are to be handled like the last player available in the line-up. Under no circumstances will a called-up player play more innings or get more at bats than any one healthy player on the team calling up a player.

Pitching

• Pitchers are limited to 6 innings per week regardless of age
• Pitchers are limited to 4 innings per game
• Pick-off attempts are unlimited
• Intentional Walks are not allowed
• A coach is allowed one (1) trip to the mound per inning; on the second trip in an inning, the pitcher must be removed from the mound. Calling a pitcher or catcher to the sideline will be considered a trip to the mound.
• Pitcher Tracker Google Document: All coaches should input their pitching after each game within 24 hours. Entry should include last name/innings pitched.
• WYBSA pitching rules are set up around innings pitched. Pitchers shall be limited to 4 innings per day. Coaches should also track the number of pitches thrown. Kids at this
  age should not be throwing more than 65-70 pitches in an outing regardless of number of innings played.
  • Note To the extent a player is pitching for a Club Team, coaches should work with the child’s parent /guardian to assess cumulative impact of pitching on a child’s arm.
• A pitching week runs Sunday to Saturday.Rest periods do not reset when a new pitching week begins.
• Once a pitcher has been removed from the mound for another pitcher, the removed pitcher cannot, under any circumstances, re-enter the same game as a pitcher. He or she can re-enter the game as a position player. The removed pitcher will require the allocated rest between appearances once removed from the mound during his or her outing.
• Pitchers throwing 1 inning do not require rest. Kids at this age should not be throwing back-to-back days if their 1 inning outing was not clean (i.e., if a player throws 35-45 pitches in a single inning, common sense on the next day should be applied; Player safety is the primary objective)
  • Pitchers throwing 2 innings in a game, must rest 1 full day
  • Pitchers throwing 3 innings in a game, must rest for 2 full days
  • Pitchers throwing 4 innings in a game, must rest for 3 full days
    • Example: If a pitcher pitches 4 innings on:
      • Monday, They cannot pitch again until Friday
      • Tuesday, They cannot pitch again until Saturday
      • Wednesday, They cannot pitch again until Sunday
      • Thursday, They cannot pitch again until Monday
      • Friday, They cannot pitch again until Tuesday
      • Saturday, They cannot pitch again until Wednesday
      • Sunday, They cannot pitch again until Thursday
• One (1) pitch in an inning is a full inning pitched.
• All innings pitched in an incomplete game will count toward innings pitched for that week as well as the makeup game when it is resumed at a later date.
• Balks by pitchers will be called and enforced
  • Each pitcher shall be provided one warning without penalty for purposes of player development inclusive of explanation by coach and/or umpire.
  • Instruction associated with a balk does not constitute a mound visit.
• NO Breaking (Curve, Slider) Balls.
  • 1st time a breaking ball is thrown will result in a ruling of a “ball”.
  • 2nd time throwing a breaking ball will result in the pitcher being removed from the mound for the remainder of the game

Sliding/Stealing

• Leading by baserunners is permitted
• Stealing is unlimited
• Except for first base, all base runners must slide or avoid contact
  • A close play results when the defending player, at the base in question, has the ball in their possession or is in the process of making a play on the ball.
  • The final determination of a close play is at the discretion of the Umpire
  • Headfirst slides are prohibited unless returning to a base. A headfirst slide will result in an out.

Batting Order

• All players must bat, and a continuous batting order is leveraged
• Pinch hitting is NOT allowed
• During a game if a player is injured and cannot bat, this WILL NOT result in an out when it is their turn to bat
• Slash bunting is not allowed (i.e., showing bunt and then pulling bat back to hit)
• During the regular season and playoffs, late arrivals must be added to bat last, at the end of the batting order. If a player arrives after the team has batted through the order then the player CAN NOT play in the game.

Fielding

• All players must play a minimum of 4 innings in the field
• Per game, each player must play at least one (1) full inning in the outfield. A full inning equates to three (3) outs.
• Dropped Third Strike rule is in effect
• Infield fly rule is in effect
• Catchers may catch up to (4) innings. Catcher is counted as playing infield
  • Please try to rotate catchers in and please check on their health status.
  • No catcher should be playing with leg pain.
• Free substitution is allowed except for the pitcher. See pitching rules above.
• No “hidden ball” tricks allowed
• Catchers are required to wear a cup

Please direct all questions to the League Commissioner