Majors Rules
DBBO Rules Across Divisions
Uniform and Equipment
Uniforms are not to be worn prior to the start of the season, or at any time except for a game after the season’s start. Uniforms issued by D.B.B.O. are to be worn for all sanctioned games.
Uniforms issued by the Organization shall not be altered in any fashion. An exception may be made for the printing of players and/or sponsors names on the jersey as deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
Spikes
No steel spikes will be allowed in any division, except the Liberty and Liberty Pro Divisions.
Equipment
Section 1. Inventory. Within one (1) week following the close of the season, a team inventory checklist must be submitted to the Commissioner. This checklist must be complete and accurate. Failure to submit the checklist will result in loss of new equipment for the following season.
Section 2. Equipment Responsibility. The Manager and Official Coach are personally responsible for reporting, gathering, collecting, storing, inventorying, and issuing all team equipment.
Section 3. Baseballs and Bats.
- A. Baseballs: Official League Baseball.
- B. Bats: All bats with a 1.15 BPF Stamp or a USA Stamp are allowed. Wood bats are also allowed as well. Senior, Liberty and Liberty Pro will follow restrictions as provided by the Board of Directors and the CSYBA League.
- C. It is the responsibility of the Head Coach to insure the bats used by players meet the requirements of the DBBO bat rules. A batter is in violation of the rules when they step in to the batter’s box with an illegal bat. An illegal bat must be pointed out to the umpire prior to the first pitch to the next batter, or before all defensive players leave fair territory. Penalty: The batter is out. All outs recorded during the time at bat count. Runner(s) will not be allowed to advance on a batted ball. If there are (2) infractions by the same team during a game will result in a forfeit.
Section 4. Mitts.
Pitcher may not use white or gray glove. Catchers must use a Catcher's glove, except for the Rookie Division.
Section 5. Protective Gear.
Every Catcher MUST wear a protective helmet. All players MUST wear a jock style protective cup. Any Manager who knowingly allows his catcher or other players to play without this equipment will automatically forfeit the game.
Conduct of Managers, Coaches, Players and Fans
Section 1. Only team managers may discuss a call with an umpire and only if the discussion is a question about a rules call. Judgment calls are final.
Section 2. Players Ejected will have an out recorded in their position in the batting order.
Section 3. Ejections: Any manager, coach, or player ejected from a game, the following penalties will be assessed:
- 1st Ejection: Will include a warning and up to a 1 game suspension
- 2nd Ejection: Minimum 3 Game suspensions
- 3rd Ejection: Subject to Board decision
- Note: Any manager, coach, player, or family member ejected from a game for disciplinary reasons must be reported by both managers to the Commissioner within 24 hours.
Section 4. Team managers will be responsible for the conduct of their coaches, players and fans. Umpires are authorized to throw violators out of a game and ask them to leave the park or subject their team to a forfeit. (note: players may remain on the bench if not causing a disturbance)
Section 5. Players who throw a tantrum and toss their bat, helmet or any equipment in a dangerous manner will be ejected.
Section 6. All teams are asked to clean up their dugout and bleacher areas after each game.
Section 7. Home team will set up the diamond for play and will fill in all low spots on the diamond after the game by using the rakes provided in the boxes at each diamond.
General Rule of Play
D.B.B.O. will adhere to these rules for gameplay. When a rule is not addressed in the attached rules, the Rules of The Little League Baseball Association apply, except in Liberty and Liberty Pro Divisions.
Parent/League Contact Regarding Unfair Play
If a child is told to stay home from any game that is on the Official Schedule, or is asked or told to participate in action not in accordance with fair play and good sportsmanship, the parent(s) of the player is to contact one (1) of the Officers. Under no circumstance can a Manager suspend a player without approval of the Board. If the Commissioner is involved, it will be brought to the Executive Board.
General Rules applicable to all Divisions
A. For Minors and Majors, when the umpire has determined that a player has thrown a bat, the team shall get a team warning. A subsequent thrown bat in the game by a player on that same team, whether or not it was the originally warned player, shall result in a dead play and an out of the player. As the play is dead, no runners may advance. In Rookie, we do individual warnings, however.
B. No new inning may begin after the 1-hour 45-minute mark of the game, whether there is a game afterward or not. There is NO hard stop at the end of a game: once an inning is started, it must be finished.
Substitute Players (replacement players for teams)
Section 1. Substitute players may be used for the following purpose:
A. To absolutely prevent the non-weather related cancellation of regularly scheduled games, (only if team is unable to have nine players available because of injuries to or absence of one or more players) and scheduled make-up games in accordance with the rules of the Dunham Boys Baseball Organization.
B. Commissioners will provide a "play up" list of players who request and are capable of playing in the division above their rostered/registered division.
C. To add a 9th or 10th player to the roster.
Section 2. The player selected (from the division below) must Have the consent of his parents and cannot have a scheduled game in his actual division at the same time as the substitute game.
Section 3. Usage of a Substitute
A. The player selected will be an official member of the team for that game. The player must be utilized during the game in accordance with the rules of the Dunham Boys Baseball Organization.
B. The substitute player selected may not pitch or catch for the team for which he is substituting, and the substitute player must bat last in the batting order. Failure to follow these rules will result in automatic forfeit.
C. If a substitute player is called and the regular team member shows, the substitute player is to play a minimum of two (2) innings in that game.
D. No player from a division may substitute for another team in that same division. The substitute must be a move up.
Home Team Responsibilities
Section 1. The Home Team automatically has the third (3rd) Base Line Bench.
Section 2. The Home Team is responsible for the following:
A. Install bases and pitchers’ mound on diamond and chalk the foul lines (as needed).
B. Provide two (2) new game balls.
C. Clean up diamond (raking in low spots on diamond, bases, dug-outs and gang box.)
Failure to observe above regulations by Home Team will result in forfeiture of game.
Field Nine (9) Players, Exception to Injured
Teams are nine (9) players, wearing complete uniforms. All uniformed players must play the minimum amount of innings required if they arrived prior to the first pitch of the third inning. If a team can only field 8 players, then the 9th spot in the lineup is an automatic out each time it comes up during the game. Exception: If a player gets injured during the course of play and cannot continue, leaving his team short on the number of players in the batting order, because the team has no substitute players, the team WILL NOT be charged an automatic out in that injured player’s spot in the batting order.
Offense
Section 1. All players must wear a protective helmet authorized by the D.B.B.O. while batting and as a base runner. The Batter-Runner and all other runners will be called out immediately if in the judgment of the umpire said player intentionally lost his helmet. This applies to all divisions.
Section 2. Courtesy Runners will be allowed for the pitcher and catcher scheduled to pitch in the next half-inning when there are two (2) outs. The courtesy runner must be the last batted out, and the Manager must announce the courtesy runner to the Umpire.
Section 3. Avoid Contact Rule. Runners must slide or otherwise attempt to avoid contact at any base where the defensive player has or is about to receive the ball to make a play. Runners do not have to slide if no play is being made at the base. If there is contact, and in the umpire’s judgment, the contact interfered with the fielder making the play, the runner shall be called out. The ball is dead and no other runners may advance. If there is contact away from the play, which in the umpire's judgment was deliberate or malicious, the runner, if at fault, shall be called out. At the umpire’s discretion, the runner may also be ejected from the game. If there is deliberate or malicious contact away from the play, which the umpire determined to be the fault of the fielder, the runner shall be awarded a minimum of one base. At the umpire’s discretion, additional bases may be awarded to the runner, and the fielder may be subject to ejection. If the umpire judges any contact to have been incidental and did not ultimately interfere with the play, no call shall be made.
Section 4. Fake bunting prohibited. Batters who show bunt must either bunt or take the pitch. The batter may not swing the bat at the ball after showing bunt. Batters will be called out whether they make contact with the ball or not and ejected from the game and that position in the batting order will be an automatic out in the lineup.
Section 5. No drop third strike in Minors or Rookie divisions.
Section 6. No head-first sliding when advancing to a base in any division. No warnings will be issued, the player shall be called out. Safety is our primary concern here.
Infield Fly Rule
Majors Division and above
“An INFIELD FLY is a fly ball (not including a line drive nor an attempted bunt) in fair territory which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when first and second, or first, second, and third bases are occupied, before there are two outs. The pitcher, catcher, and any outfielder who stations himself in the infield on the play shall be considered infielders for the purpose of this rule. When it seems apparent that a batted ball will be an Infield Fly, the Umpire shall immediately declare “Infield Fly” for the benefit of the runners. If the ball is near the baselines, the Umpire shall declare “Infield Fly, if Fair.” Although the batter is ruled "out" as soon as the Umpire declares an "Infield Fly", the ball is still live and the runners may advance at the risk of the ball being caught, or retouch and advance after the ball is touched, the same as on any fly ball. If the hit becomes a foul ball, it is treated the same as any foul. NOTE: If a declared Infield Fly is allowed to fall untouched to the ground, and bounces foul before passing first or third base, it is a foul ball. If a declared Infield Fly falls to the ground untouched outside the baseline, and bounces fair before passing first or third base, it is an “Infield Fly.”
Umpire Responsibility, Forfeit
Section 1. In case of rain during a game, the Umpire’s decision will be final.
Section 2. The Umpire may declare a game forfeited in favor of the opposing team before play begins if:
- A. A team fails to appear upon the field within five (5) minutes of the time appointed for the game to begin.
- B. The team fails to field eight (8) eligible players. See Article 10 for starting with 8 players.
- C. An ineligible player is used during the course of the game.
- D. A forfeited game must be as a result of a written rule in the D.B.B.O. Rules only.
- E. If an ejected Coach/Fan does not exit the park.
Section 3. Regulation Game. If the game must be called due to weather, darkness, or any other causes which make further play impossible, the following applies:
A. Minors and Majors (6 inning game): If after 3½ innings the Home Team is ahead, this constitutes a regulation game. If after 3½ innings the Home Team is behind, a full 4 innings must be played to constitute a regulation game.
B. Senior and Liberty: follow the rules set by the NSYBA.
C. Any game that is called before it becomes an official regulation game will be replayed in its entirety.
Minors Specific Rules
A. The Playing Field.
Pitcher’s mound at 46 ft.
Bases at 65 feet.
B. The Game
All games are Six (6) innings.
A game becomes official once the losing team completes its turn batting in the fourth (4) inning
Game time starts from the first warmup pitch, not first game pitch nor scheduled time. No new inning may begin after the 1-hour 45-minute mark of the game, whether there is a game afterward or not. There is NO hard stop at the end of a game: once an inning is started, it must be finished.
The slaughter/mercy rule will be 12 runs after 4 innings or 10 runs after 5 innings. Standard baseball inning rules apply (i.e., if the home team is winning by 12 or more in the top of the 4th, and the visiting team does not close the gap in their half of the 4th inning, the home team will not bat in the bottom of the 4th inning and the game will end with a home team slaughter rule victory.). See "Section E: Offense" below for more information.
C. The Team
Nine (9) players on the field.
Each player must play in the field for a minimum of three (3) innings
Each team will bat all players in a continuous order.
If a team can only field 8 players, then the 9th spot in the lineup is an automatic out each time it comes up during the game. If a team starts with 9 but a player exits, that player’s spot is an automatic out unless there is a substitute. This will not apply to a player not being able to continue due to an injury
If a team bats 10 players or more and loses one, that player's abandoned spot in the lineup does not result in an out. The only exception to this portion of the rule is if a player is ejected. Ejection results in an automatic out regardless of the number of batters in a lineup.
D. Pitching
Section 1. A pitcher may NOT pitch consecutive days and must have 24 hours rest between pitching in games.
Section 2. Pitchers will be allowed to pitch up to six (6) innings (18 outs) in a week Monday through Sunday. If a pitcher pitches excessive innings within a Pitching Week, Monday through Sunday, the game in which he pitches the excessive inning(s) will be forfeited, with a final score of 6-0.
The above rule will not apply to rainouts; make up games, Play-Offs and Championship Games, where there shall be no limitations except for safety and health reasons imposed by the player’s respective manager. Only Executive Board members can overrule by vote.
2b. Pitchers may only pitch up to two (2) innings in one game (6 consecutive outs). Pitchers can not be replaced as a pitcher and reenter as a pitcher at a later point in the same game. An inning will consist of three (3) outs.
Section 3. Trips to the Mound. Managers or Coach may make one (1) trip each inning to the pitcher’s mound. If a second trip in the same inning is made, the pitcher must be changed.
Section 4. Re-entry of Pitcher. No re-entry of pitcher once removed.
Section 5. Pitchers will receive a maximum five (5) warm-up pitches every inning. Relief pitchers will receive a maximum of ten (10) warm-up pitches. Umpire discretion, all levels.
Section 6. No breaking balls including a slip pitch will be allowed. Only the umpire will deem a pitch a curve ball. One warning will be given. On subsequent curve balls, the pitch will be deemed an illegal pitch and the IHSA rules for an illegal pitch shall apply.
Section 7. Pitchers may not wear white wristbands, a white batting or fielder’s glove or a white long sleeved undergarment (which may distract the batter).
Section 8. A pitcher hitting two batters in an inning is required to be removed from pitcher.
Section 9. Each team must use a nine (9) year-old (or younger) pitcher for at least two (2) innings, six (6) outs, per complete, official game regardless of the amount of innings actually played.
E. Offense
Stealing bases
Section 1. A player can steal second base and third base.
Section 2. Base runners may not leave their base until the ball has been delivered and has reached the batter or been hit or swung at by the batter.
Section 3. On a steal attempt, in the event of an overthrow at second base, the runner may attempt to advance to third base at his/her own risk. Runners also may advance at own risk on an overthrow from catcher to pitcher, but cannot score from third (see "3rd Base Wall" below).
Section 4. Runners may not lead off when the pitcher is on the rubber with control of the baseball, preparing to pitch. However, runners may lead off at first, second or third base after the pitch crosses home plate, until the pitcher returns to the pitcher’s mound area with control of the baseball.
Section 5. Any attempt to pick off or tag the runner during his/her leadoff continues the live ball situation, during which the runner may attempt to return to the base he/she is leading off or attempt to steal the next base forward before being tagged out. A fake throw does not constitute a pick-off or tag attempt.
Section 6. A hit ball is in play until the base runner stops at a base and ball is thrown to pitcher on the mound.
Section 7. When a base runner leaves his base before the pitched ball has reached the plate and the batter does not hit the ball, the runner is permitted to continue. If play is made on him and he is out, the out stands. If he reaches the next base safely, he must be returned to the base he occupied before the pitch was made, and no out results. If the ball is hit and the runner has left too soon, then the runner gets one (1) base farther than the batter. On the first offense, the team gets a warning. On any subsequent offense, that runner will be called out.
Section 8. 3rd Base Wall — a base runner may not steal home or advance to home on a passed ball/wild pitch. Runners may also not advance to home on an overthrow from the catcher when stealing 3rd base. Runners may advance from 3rd to home on an overthrow to third base after a batted ball has been put into play. Runners may also advance to home if the catcher or pitcher attempts to pick off or tag the base runner at 3rd base.
F. Scores, standings and playoffs
Official Scoring: Home team will keep the official scorebook. Please verify scores with opposing team every half inning.
Winning team manager or his designee must report the final score of games to the dunhamboysbaseball@gmail.com, please included who pitched and how many innings, no later than 48 hours after the end of the game.
Commissioners or their designee will post the game results on the league web site no later than seven days after the completion of the game.
All Dunham teams are eligible to participate in the end of season playoffs
Format to be determined by number of teams in the division by the Board of Directors, based on diamond availability when the regular season ends.
All teams must submit their player rating sheets prior to the start of the end of year playoffs. Failure to do so will result in the team forfeiting their playoff game.
Standings will be determined by winning percentage. Ties will count as 0.5 wins. For end of the year playoffs tie breakers will by broken by the following.
■ Head to Head play
■ Runs scored in head to head play
■ Runs scored total in season
■ Runs allowed total in season
■ Coin flip
G. Pregame warm-ups
Pregame warm-up time is NOT guaranteed. If available (i.e., the game scheduled on the same diamond for an earlier time finishes on time), each team will be allowed 15 minutes of warm up time prior to the game provided they arrive early enough. The home team should be the first to warm up. Use good judgment and courtesy in order to get the game started on time. If there is not 30 minutes of practice time available, the available time will be split in half with each team receiving equal time on the diamond for warm ups. The first pitch should be thrown at the time listed on the league schedule.