Humble Atascocita Baseball Association
8u League Rules
Coaches Responsibilities at Gametime:
- You must have complete lineup card prior to game time. (2 copies, one for your book, and one for the opposing team.)
- Have the below volunteers at every game, prior to game time.
- Asst Coaches (Base Coaches)
- Dugout Parent
- Scorekeeper
1. League games shall be six innings maximum or 1 hour 15 minutes. No inning shall begin after 1 hour 15 minutes. If a tie exists after six innings of play, or at the end of regulation time, the game will remain a tie. THERE WILL BE NO EXTRA INNINGS.
2. The new inning begins when the 3rd out is made from the previous inning.
3. At the end of regulation time, 1 hr and 15 minutes, should an inning be in progress, the inning will be completed. If the home team is ahead after the visiting team has made 3 outs when regulation time has expired, the game is over; however, if the home team is behind when regulation time has expired, the home team will get to bat.
4. Teams must leave the dugout and bleacher area remove all trash as quick as possible after the completion of the game.
5. No team meetings will be held in the dugout, field or bleacher area after the game is complete.
6. RUN RULE- 5 runs per half inning or until mathematically eliminated based on 6 innings of play.
7. If for any reason a team cannot field 8 uniformed players no later than 15 minutes after scheduled game start time, that team shall forfeit by a score of 7-0. Teams that play with only 8 players will suffer 1 out in the 9th batter position every time through the lineup. The Official Game Start Time will remain. Example: Official game time 6:00. Actual start time 6:15, the clock will start at 6:00. You will lose actual playing time.
7a. No Metal Spiked Cleats are allowed in ages 5u-12u. any player wearing metal cleats will be ejected from the game as well as the team manager.
8. If a Manager or Coach is ejected from a game, he is suspended from any coaching responsibility at minimum for the remainder of that game AND his next game. Immediately following an ejection, the manager or coach will proceed to the parking lot for the remainder of that game. The manager will notify the Board Member on duty and/or the Vice President of all violations within 24 hours. HABA board of directors will notify the manager if the suspension needs to be longer.
9. If a player is ejected from a game, it is mandatory that he sit out the remainder of that game AND his next game. The manager will notify the Board Member on duty, Player Agent or Vice President of all violations within 24 hours. HABA board of directors will notify the manager if the suspension needs to be longer.
10. Batting orders shall include the full team roster.
11. No Tee-Ball bats allowed.
12. Coach Pitchers:
a. Coaches shall pitch to their own team.
b. Coaches shall pitch from a pitching rubber 40 feet from the point of home plate. One foot must remain in contact with the pitching rubber at point of release. Coach Pitcher may not pitch with their knee touching the ground. Penalty: no pitch recorded no runners shall advance. Coach’s warning next would be coach removed from pitching duties for the game.
c. If a batted ball strikes coach pitcher, the ball is dead, the pitch counts as a foul ball and no runners shall advance.
d. Intentional interference by the coach pitcher with any defensive player shall result in the batter being called out.
e. At no time shall the pitching coach offer any coaching or encouragement to the batter except to position him at the plate. Once the ball is put into play he must exit the field immediately in opposite direction of the play. Penalty: warning then after removal of pitching duties.
f. The player fielding the pitchers position shall take a position always to the rear of the pitching rubber, and on the left or right side of the coach pitcher.
g. The player playing in the pitcher position is required to wear a helmet with facemask while the ball is being hit. The player may take helmet off after the ball is in play.
13. The home plate umpire will not call balls and strikes but shall keep track of the number of pitches. A maximum of 6 pitches or 3 strikes will be allowed to each batter. If the 6thpitch is fouled off the batter will receive an extra pitch. The batter must make an attempt at the extra pitch or will be declared out. They batter will continue to receive an extra pitch until ball is in play or no contact with ball.
14. An inning shall end after the defensive team has made three putouts, or when the offensive team has reached the run limit.
15. Defensively, 10 players will be allowed on the field. However, no more than 6 infielders will be allowed. NO IN-FIELD SHIFTS. (i.e. Astro’s shifts) (Each player must staying the respective area of where their assigned position is played.)
16. Substitute players must participate in at least 3 consecutive defensive outs every other inning, unless being disciplined by the manager. If a player is being so disciplined, it shall be noted in the official score book prior to the game. Exceptions to this rule should be reported to the Board of Directors in writing. If a uniformed player is not scheduled to participate for any reason, the manager shall inform the opposing manager, umpire and official scorekeeper prior to the game.
17. Injured players or starting players may reenter the game provided the player they are replacing has met the minimum playing time requirements. Free substitution will be allowed so long as rule 11 requirements are satisfied.
18. The playing field shall be marked with batter's box, pitching circle, foul lines and halfway marks on the base path. The distance between the bases will be 50 feet and the distance from home plate to the pitching rubber is 40 feet. There will be a 5-foot radius circle around the pitching rubber and halfway marks between bases at 1st to 2nd, 2nd to 3rd and 3rd to home.
19. Appeal plays must be made immediately following the contested play, prior to another pitch. The appeal shall be made by the manager only, at which time the umpire shall hear the appeal and make a ruling. If the ruling after the appeal is still disputed and the dispute is about the official rules, not a judgment call, the manager is allowed to pause the game to request a HABA Board Member (On duty) to come to the field to make an official ruling.
20. A manager shall be limited to 2 defensive and 1 offensive time-outs per inning, upon permission by the umpire.
21. Batters are not allowed to bunt or swing easily at the ball. Penalty: The batter is called back to the plate, the ball is dead. NO runner may advance and the pitch shall be considered a foul ball.
22. Base runners are not permitted to steal or lead off the base and must remain in contact with the base during a pitch until the ball is hit. Penalty: Runner is out, ball is dead, and the pitch does not count and no runners advance.
23. There are no base on balls, base awards for hit by pitcher, infield fly rule, base stealing or bunting. (added 9/21/18)
24. The catcher will be positioned behind the plate in full catching gear. Catchers must be properly equipped.
CATCHERS ARE LIMITED TO 3 INNINGS PER GAME!
25. When in the umpire's judgment, an infielder has stopped the advancement of the lead runner, time shall be called and runners shall assume their positions on base. When in the umpire's judgment, a runner is beyond the halfway mark when time is called, the runner shall be awarded the next base. When two runners occupy the same base, the lead runner is entitled to the base.
25a. If the lead runner is on the base, and the ball is in the infield and the player is in control of the ball, the ball will be called dead, and the runner cannot “feint” a run to entice a throw.
26. Batting orders will consist of the entire team roster, so that substitutions during the game are made only for defensive purposes. Should it become necessary, because of an injury, to substitute for a base runner, the player having made the last previous out will be substituted for the injured runner. THERE SHALL BE NO COURTESY RUNNERS FOR ANY OTHER REASON.
27. Pitchers are allowed to tag runners advancing from the batter’s box to first base.
Items not covered in HABA local rules are covered under the Nations Baseball rules and then MLB rules. In particular please note: per Nations Baseball rule F.18 - The coach pitcher must be in the "pitching position" and is prohibited from coaching while in this position. MLB rule 8 allows for 2 legal pitching positions and both require that a pitcher be standing with at least 1 foot in contact with the rubber.
2/20/2024
JPG
Rules Coordinator