LEAGUE RULES
1- CONDUCT
- Only the team captains are permitted to dispute a questionable call by the umpire. Any player interference will be subject to ejection and/or suspension at the commissioner’s discretion.
- Players acting in an overly aggressive or malicious manner may result in suspension at the commissioner’s discretion.
- Neither the League Office nor the Commissioners may be contacted for a ruling before or during a game. The umpire is entrusted with rendering all rulings on the field of play. Any disputes must be brought to the attention of the league office by the “team captain” following the game.
- Neither children nor non-RJSL players are permitted on the field at any time.
- Dugouts must be thoroughly cleaned after each game.
- No audible foul language on or around the field.
- Grounds crew must be treated with courtesy and respect.
- The league is not a babysitting service. If your children are not behaving, it is your responsibility to care for them.
- All players MUST wear the official league jersey and cap (or at a minimum your kippa). Playing without a cap or kippa is prohibited.
2- GAME TIME AND ROSTERS
- There is no cap in regards to roster size for RJSL games. Team captains have complete discretion over their rosters in terms of playing time.
- Games will begin at the announced time, assuming each team can field a minimum of seven eligible players. Any team that cannot field a minimum of seven players by 10 minutes after the official start of game time forfeits. Home and away team status may not be reversed.
- All regular season games are scheduled for nine innings of play and must be completed within a two hour time frame. During the last 10 minutes of play, no new inning may commence. However, the umpire has final discretion regarding the time a game is concluded.
- A mercy rule will be in effect during the regular season when a team is leading by 25 runs after five innings of play. Upon the completion of the 25th leading run crossing the plate, the umpire will bring the game to an immediate close if the leading team is the "Home" team. If the leading team is the "Visiting" team, the captain of the "Home" team reserves the right to either end the game at this time or to have "last licks".
- In the event of inclement weather, game delays and cancellations will be announced on the league website www.rjsl.org as soon as that information is received from the Parks Department. Team captains will also be directly notified. The commissioners will examine each weather related situation and determine the most appropriate course of action. Since the commissioners do not assist in weather control and are not privy to high level weather related decisions, please allow for judgment errors.
3- SOFTBALL RULES: BATTING
- All players on each team will bat.
- Any player arriving before the batting order has been cycled during the regular and post-season may enter the game and be added to the roster at any spot in the order corresponding to where it is when they arrive up to the last spot in the order. A player may also be subbed in if the captain so chooses. After the batting order has been cycled, late arriving players may be subbed in only. The player that is replaced must leave the game and may not return.
- Baseball (hardball) bats are forbidden
4- SOFTBALL RULES: FIELDING
- Captains will determine the best substitution system for their team.
- A fielder may NEVER block the base.
- Fake tags are not permitted
5- SOFTBALL RULES: PITCHING
- Pitchers must begin with one foot on the rubber.
- Pitchers can take one step prior to releasing the ball.
- Pitchers may spin the ball.
- Pitchers must deliver the ball in an underhand motion.
- Pickoffs by the pitcher are not permitted
6- SOFTBALL RULES: BASE RUNNING
- When running to first on a ground ball, players must step on the orange (safety base).
- Players may not wear metal cleats
- Base runners may not lead.
- Base runners may not intentionally collide with a fielder. Doing so will result in ejection from the game. A base runner MUST SLIDE OR AVOID if a play is being made.
- Base runners may run ON THE RELEASE.
- Tagging up from any base is permitted.
- Pinch runners may be used under the following conditions:
1) A maximum of two players on a team (only one during the playoffs) are permitted a pinch runner and said players must be identified to the opposing team captain prior to game time.2) The substituting pinch runner will be the last player batted out (exclusive of a player requiring a pinch runner).3) If a player is injured during the course of the game and requires a pinch runner, the captain may designate a pinch runner for this player in lieu of a player originally selected. The original player must run for themselves. - The infield fly rule is in effect and will be called at the umpire’s discretion.
6A: Pickoffs and Stealing
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- A catcher may pick-off a base runner at first or third base. A base runner will be called "out" if the tagging fielder successfully catches the ball and steps on the base prior to the base runner.
- If the catcher makes an attempt to pick off a base-runner, any other base-runner can advance after the ball leaves the catchers hand. If the base-runner was off the base before the ball left the catchers hand, then he must return to the base before he can advance. Runners on 2B do not need to return to the base as they are allowed to steal.
- A base-runner on 2B may steal third on the release of the ball from the pitchers hand. If the third baseman tags the base runner before he reaches the base, the runner is out. If the player leaves early he may be called out by the umpire. If the base-runner on 2B does not execute the steal prior to the catcher throwing back to the pitcher (or even starting the motion to throw back) then the steal may no longer be executed and the runner must remain on 2B. Any runner violating this rule will be sent back to 2B.
7- SOFTBALL RULES: EQUIPMENT
- It is advisable for the catcher to wear all of the safety equipment.
- The catcher must wear a mask and cup.
- Each captain must bring one game ball
- Each captain must bring their own equipment.
- Each team must bring its own bats. A player may decide to not allow other players to use his bat.
8- SOFTBALL RULES: SCORING
- Teams are encouraged to keep their own stats.
- Teams must keep track of the number of runs they score.
- At the completion of each game, Captains must provide the following information on the RJSL Captains Group Whatsapp chat so that the league web site can be kept current:
1) A written short synopsis of each game
2) A game score card identifying the number of runs each team scored after each inning - Captains are asked to find out the name of the umpire for each game and submit a critique to the league office.
9- PLAYOFFS
• Teams are seeded by: 1) Points; 2) Wins; 3) Head to Head; 4) Record vs. Playoff teams. This maintains the relevance and importance of the regular season.
• The top six teams automatically qualify for the playoffs.
• The seventh and eighth seeds will have a one game play-in for the final playoff slot.
• All playoff rounds (other than the play-in game) are best of three, with the higher seed the “home” team for games 1 & 3.
• For the first round, the first place team has a bye. The other matchups are #2 vs the play-in winner; #3 vs #6; #4 vs #5. Teams are reseeded for the second round.
• The first round will be played expeditiously utilizing all available time lots including the possibility of Sunday double headers (both back to back and day/night) as well as potentially playing three games in one week or three weeknights in a row). Teams will have NO input regarding postseason scheduling during the first round, with the exception of a team function where many players will be missing and in that case, the league may decide to allow the use of replacement players.
PLAYOFF ELIGIBILITY
• Paid team players who physically play six games during the regular season qualify to participate in the playoffs. Games canceled due to rain-outs do not qualify as a played game. However Games that are forfeited do count as a played game.
• Players who are hurt during the regular season must play in 25% of the games in which they were not injured (e.g. If you missed ten games due to an injury you must play in 25% (three games) of the remaining ten games of the regular season).