GAME FORMAT and RULES
I. AGE RULE
Players in their respective age groups must not reach the next age before May 1, 2018. It is permissible for a player to play up from their designated age division, but they may not play down.
II. PHILOSOPHY OF THE LEAGUE
A. Keep the integrity of this great game of baseball in mind during the Advanced Fall Baseball League. Play only those players who are rostered with your team. All players, coaches and spectators are to behave in a manner that reflects the positive FUN associated with the game. Unsportsmanlike conduct will result in removal from the league without a refund.
B. The focus of the AFBL is competitive participation and player development. NOTE: It is the responsibility of all coaches to find equal playing time defensively for rostered players. Remind yourself that success of the league is NOT measured by wins and losses, but rather by the level of improvement and development a player has. Everyone will benefit from this league if we remember that this is for the kids and the focus of this league is their development as an athlete and a person.
III. GENERAL RULES
A. Each team must supply one new game ball which is provided. Additional balls are to be supplied alternately as needed.
B. The home team will keep the official scorebook.
C. Line markings, field dragging and bases are the responsibility of ALL the teams involved. Although all locations will have the fields dragged, there will be rakes at each field. When teams have completed their double headers, they are responsible for raking the field. Typically the losing team rakes the field.
D. Metal or wood bats allowed. There are no bat restrictions, but it is HIGHLY recommended that players use bats they will be using in their 2018-2019 season (i.e. 15u and above use BBCOR or wood).
E. Courtesy Runners: A courtesy runner for the catcher and pitcher can be used at any time, but is a requirement for the catcher with two outs. Projected substitutions are not allowed. Exception: Courtesy Runner(s) for an injured player will be the player making the most recent out.
F. All teams may use a continuous batting order and implement free substitution.
G. There will be no pre-game infield unless time allows.
IV. CONTINUOUS BATTING & FREE SUBSTITUTION (See Exception)
If someone becomes injured, it will NOT be an automatic out when that player comes to at-bat again.
V. UMPIRES
The AFBL provides umpires.
If an umpire does not show up, please arrange for a mutually agreeable substitute to be used. Call Jesse Tollefson at 612.790.4700 the following Monday to notify them of the problem and be sure to submit an umpire "no-show" invoice (email) within 48 hours to the Blizzard Baseball Academy office (substitute umpires will be paid $40.00 per game).
VI. GAME LENGTH
7 innings or a 105-minute limit ‚ whichever comes first. If a team is in the midst of an inning at the time limit, that team will finish that full inning. No new inning will start after the 105-minute limit. A new inning begins at the moment of the 3rd out of the previous inning. There are no ‘HARD STOPS’.
Games may end in a tie.
Championship Play (Playoffs)
Clarification: If the game is tied at the end of regulation (7 innings or 105-minute limit), the away team will start the next inning with the bases loaded (last hitters from previous inning) with one out. The bottom half will do the same until there is a winner. There is no time limit in the championship game.
VII. STANDINGS and REPORTING SCORES
By utilizing the online score reporting, game scores will immediately be updated on the league website and will also update league standings. Please report your scores within 24 hours of each game's completion.
VIII. www.scout-stop.com
League Website / game recaps / stats / rosters
IX. LEAGUE STANDINGS AND TIEBREAKERS
AFBL seedings will be determined by the team with the highest winning percentage in each division at the conclusion of the season. Ties in the standings will be broken by the following procedure:
1) Head to head competition (when applicable)
2) Least runs allowed
3) Run Differential
4) Most runs scored
5) Coin flip
X. COACH/PLAYER/SPECTATOR CODE OF CONDUCT
A. All players, coaches and spectators are to behave in a manner that reflects the positive fun associated with the game of baseball. Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated, and includes but is not limited to: verbal abuse, arguing, judgment calls, physical aggression, profanity, tantrum-like acts, confronting, taunting opposing fans, players and/or coaches.
B. Please keep in mind that you are coaching youth baseball. Therefore, unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated. Unsportsmanlike conduct will result in removal from the league without a refund. Unsportsmanlike conduct does include verbal/physical abuse or harassment of members of the same team by a coach, player or spectator.
D. Any player, coach or spectator ejected or removed from a fall baseball league game due to unsportsmanlike conduct will be suspended for the remainder of the season.
RAINOUTS and RESCHEDULING
Please check the weather the night before AND the morning of practice and game days. We will update the website (www.scout-stop.com) as soon as decisions are made. Updates will be made throughout the day. We will do our best to get the fields ready to play!
Your first form of communication for cancellations or postponements will be on www.scoutstop.com
Games may NOT be rescheduled if time does not allow for it. If we have fields and time slots available, we will reschedule games.
*no refund
EQUIPMENT and UNIFORMS
A dozen baseballs will be given to the coach before the season starts.
Each team (12u-Varsity) must supply one new game ball (supplied) for the start of each game at their site. (Additional balls are to be supplied alternately as needed.)
1. How do AFBL Coaches update their AFBL Team website?
Coaches can make updates to their AFBL Team website's articles, rosters, stats and schedules from www.scout-stop.com. Just these simple steps and you'll be all setup!
NOTE: ALL AFBL TEAMS HAVE ALREADY BEEN CREATED AND SETUP FOR THE AFBL WEBSITE. COACHES DO NOT NEED TO CREATE NEW TEAMS. ANY NEW TEAMS CREATED WILL NOT BE INTEGRATED WITH THE AFBL WEBSITE.
SIMPLY REGISTER FOR YOUR ACCOUNT AND REQUEST ACCESS TO YOUR TEAM THAT IS ALREADY SETUP BY FOLLOWING THESE STEPS:
* Create a free SportNgin account at www.scout-stop.com
* Send an email to jesse@minnesotabaseballacademy.com
* Subject: Team/League Admin Request
* Include your SportNgin user name and your team and you will get access to update your team’s page.
2. Can we score games and track statistics?
* Yes, this website will integrate with iScore which allows for fully automated scorekeeping. Stats can also be entered by hand if using a standard Scorebook. An instructional guide to updating team pages will be e-mailed to all team admins upon completion of account set-up.
