Etobicoke 55+ Slo-Pitch League Rules
Preamble
The Etobicoke 55+ Slo-Pitch League (ESPL) is organized under the auspices
of the City of Toronto Parks and Recreation Department and operates out of the
Fairfield Seniors' Centre in South Etobicoke.
The ESPL is a recreational league and exists to allow seniors, both male
and female, 55 years and older to play slo-pitch on a regular basis from
early May to the middle of September each year.
The league began in 1994 and operates through a system of committees
which organize and conduct the activities of the League.
Each year an Executive is formed and their main objective is to balance
all teams in strength. Although there is competitiveness among teams,
the main thrust is for all players to have fun and get exercise.
Although the ESPL comes under the jurisdiction of the City of Toronto Parks
and Recreation, we remain self-supporting as sponsors for each team
are obtained.
All team uniforms (shirts), bats, balls, bases and game needs are
supplied by the ESPL.
Games are played using SPN rules with League rules where there are exceptions.
League Rules
New / modified rules for 2019 are shown in italics.
THE PLAYING FIELD
- The official dimensions of the diamond: baselines shall be 65
feet and the pitching zone shall be 24 inches wide located 50 to 65
feet from home plate.
- For the purposes of our league, the grass area of the field will
be considered the outfield, and the dirt area is the infield.
- A board 23 inches by 35 inches shall be covering home plate.
- Games will not be played with the infield on the grass.
It is acceptable to move home plate out into the dirt if the home
plate area (or other base path areas) are sloppy.
If the entire infield is sloppy, or there is standing water in
the outfield, the field should be declared unplayable.
EQUIPMENT
- All players must wear team jerseys in order to participate in a
game. Each sweater must have an easily distinguished unique number.
The umpire may grant exceptions to this rule if a legitimate reason
is provided and both captains agree.
- Players are advised for safety reasons not to wear jewelry.
There will be no penalty for the wearing of jewelry.
- The League provides all bats and balls (GRAY DOT or equivalent).
Personal bats are not allowed.
- Catchers must use a face mask.
DEFINITIONS
As per SPN with the following exceptions:
- Sec. 11. Batters area. The batter must have one foot at least
partially between the front edge of the plate (board) and the
back edge of the plate (board) when contact is made with the ball.
If not, the call is dead ball and the batter is out.
The batter can stand as far away from the plate (board) as
he/she desires.
- Sec. 31. Fake tag. Will be considered obstruction and the
obstruction rules will apply. A warning will be given.
- Sec. 49. Intentional Walk. See Sec. 87 for result of a walk.
- Sec. 76. Strike. Any legally pitched ball that strikes any
part of the plate is a strike.
See also Rule 7 A b re bunt attempt.
- Sec. 78. Tag. Tagging is an option in the ESPL. A runner cannot
be tagged between the commitment line and the plate.
- Sec. 87. Walk: The batter will be awarded one base when four pitches
have been called balls or when an intentional walk has been given.
If a pitcher throws 4 balls to the batter without throwing a
strike, the batter or his substitute runner will be awarded
2'nd base. Any runners on base will only move as forced by
walked batter.
If a male or female batter is walked, and is followed by a
female batter, they will be awarded 2'nd base.
The female batter must bat.
THE GAME
- Games are played Mondays and Wednesdays starting at 9:45 AM.
Warm up time will be from 9:15 to 9:30 for visiting team and
9:30 to 9:45 for the home team, with the home team remaining on
the field to begin the game at 9:45.
- A regulation game consists of 9 innings (but see rules 4 E, 4 H).
If a game is abandoned while in progress, a regulation game will
be declared if at least 4 and a half innings have been played.
Where possible games should stop at the end of a full inning (or
half inning if the home team is ahead); if not the score should
revert to the previous completed inning.
No extra innings are played in case of a tie in the round-robins
(one point for each team).
Playoff qualification round, semi-final and final games must
determine a winner, so extra innings are played.
- If any round-robin game is rained out (cancelled by e-mail or
phone), all games on that day shall be considered rained out and each
game is scored 9-9. If not cancelled by e-mail or phone, the games
can be played as scheduled where the fields are playable, but
safety is the first consideration.
The games not played will be scored 9-9.
Round-robin games cancelled for any reason are not made up.
- Playoff games: In the play offs sit outs must continue during
extra innings (see rule 5 E). In the playoffs, with 9 inning
games, captains should come prepared with the line up to extend for
3 additonal innings; similarly an extended lineup is expected with
7 inning games.
- Cancelled games in the playoff qualification round will be made
up as a double header consisting of two 7 inning games at the
next schedule game date.
The 7'th inning (and any subsequent extra innings) are open
(no 5 run mercy rule).
Tie games are not allowed, a winner must be determined.
If the temperature or humidity is extreme, only single games
(7 innings) will be played.
Whether a single game is to be played can be decided on game day.
Extra Rules For Double Header Games:
- Both games are 7 innings;
play extra inning(s) if the game is tied.
- No infield balls after the 1'st inning.
- PLEASE HUSTLE ON AND OFF THE FIELD; HAVE THE ON DECK BATTER
READY TO HIT.
- Do not switch dugouts between games.
- The home team for each game is as designated in the schedule.
- Be reasonable about players who become tired and need
to sit out more than they are supposed to (especially in the
second game);
players should stay in the batting order if at all possible.
- There is no penalty for players that have to leave early
and a team can finish with less than 9 players.
- Leave the bases at the diamond after the first game.
The home team for second game is responsible for returning
the bases to the bunker after the second game.
- After the playoff round, the top four teams will advance to the
semi-finals.
Any ties for placement of the top four teams will be decided by
the tie breaker procedure (see the extra resources below).
- The maximum number of runs a team can score in an inning is 5.
This "mercy rule" applies to innings 1-8 for 9 inning games and 1-6
for 7 inning games. All subsequent inning(s) are open.
- In round-robin or playoff qualifier games where weather or other
situations make it difficult to play a regulation 9 inning
game, the teams will decide whether to play a 9 inning or 7
inning game.
If either team decides on 7 innings, the game will be 7 innings.
A 9 inning game with each batter starting with a 1 ball - 1
strike count is not an option.
- The batter can not be forced out at first base on a direct throw
from a rover or outfielder. Batters can be forced at first
on throws from the infield, and rover/outfield assists can be
made at all other bases.
- Appeal Play: To ask for an appeal, the Captain is only required
to ask for "TIME" and then address the umpire who is responsible
for the call on the play in question (e.g. base runner left early,
missed touching a base, etc.) The umpire that made the call (or didn't
make the call) may discuss the call with other umpires before
a decision is given.
- Call-ups for the semi-finals / final can be discussed if
a team is short due to the extension of the season
beyond the published schedule.
- The SPN "international tie breaker" rule is not to be used.
PLAYERS
- The maximum number of defensive players on the field is 11, two
of whom are "rovers". There must be 5 players in the outfield at
all times, except when a team has less than 11 players in the line-up.
The umpires or opposing Captain can ask which players are the
"rovers".
- A team must have a minimum of 9 players to make it an official
game. Less than 9 players will result in a defaulted game.
Exception: see rule 4 K for playoff games.
An exhibition game may be played.
- After the beginning of an inning, a defensive player (rovers
excepted) cannot exchange his/her position with another fielder.
- Shifting for infielders and outfielders is allowed without
restriction, but the order from left to right must remain the
same; as above, rovers are excepted.
- Pitchers: the pitcher may be substituted by another position
player that is on the field.
A maximum of 3 player switches will be permitted at that
time.
In the event of an injury any player can substituted.
- Infielder positioning: for male batters, must be at least
50 feet from home plate; for female batters, must be behind
the base line.
Players can move after the ball leaves the pitchers hand.
- If fewer than 11 players are expected, a team may call up relief
players from any "sit out" team or the spare list.
Relief players used in the playoffs must be approved by the
Commissioner and/or the non-involved captains.
Replacement players from the spare list for long term injuries
must be approved by the Commissioner and/or non-involved captains.
- When a team has more than 11 players at game time, one or more
players must sit out each inning and not take a position on the
field.
A player must not sit out two consecutive innings.
All players must sit out once before a player sits out a second time.
If a team Captain fails to follow the above procedure and an
appeal is made, the team Captain must make the appropriate change.
- All player changes, such as additions or trades, require the
majority approval of the non-involved team Captains and sanctioned
by the Commissioner.
- Players who leave a game early or who are injured or ejected
will not be considered outs when their turn is reached in the
batting order.
- Players reporting late for a game may bat at their designated
place in the batting order if they arrive before their turn at bat
is reached. If they arrive later, their name must be moved to the
bottom of the batting order.
PITCHING
- All SPN rules apply except see the ESPL rule that pitchers cannot be
changed to face particular batters.
Must follow ESPL rule 5 C and female batter bunting rule 7 A.
- Pitching Screens
- The pitching screen must be set up on the field in close vicinity
to and in front of the pitching rubber, facing the batter.
- Any batted ball that hits the front side or top of the
screen before being touched by a fielder is a dead ball;
the play counts as a strike;
if it is the third strike, the batter is out.
Otherwise a ball hitting the screen is in play.
BATTING
- Bunting:
- Female batters have the option to bunt when not taking
a courtesy runner from the screen.
- Bunt attempt: It is called a strike if the bat is still
over the plate when the ball descends to hit the ground, even
if the ball does not hit the plate.
- Batters area: the batter must have one foot at least partially
between the front edge of the plate (board) and the back edge
of the plate (board) when contact is made with the ball.
If not, the call is dead ball and the batter is out.
The batter can stand as far away from the plate (board) as
he/she desires.
BASE RUNNING
- Courtesy (Pinch) Runner:
- The player is the one who initiates the request for a
pinch runner.
- A player can pinch run only 3 times per game and only once
per inning. In the event of extra innings, a player may pinch
run 1 more time, for a total of 4 in the entire game.
- A pinch runner can have a pinch runner; however this
counts as one time as a pinch runner (of their three times).
- A player does not have to declare he/she needs a pinch runner
at the beginning of the game.
He/she may ask for a pinch runner at any time, and is not
confined to use a pinch runner all the game.
- The courtesy runner from the screen may advance only to first
base. However, in the case of an overthrow (i.e. the ball goes
out of play or out of bounds), he is awarded 2'nd base and other
baserunners will be awarded 2 bases from the last base touched.
- Pinch running: it counts as a pinch run in all these cases:
- the runner is substituted for a runner already on base.
- the runner from the plate is on base when the next pitch of
the half-inning is thrown.
- the runner from the plate lets go of the cord / rope /
post and the batter does not make contact with the ball.
- An anticipation step is allowed by runners on base after the
ball has reached the plate or has been offered at.
- Catchers are not permitted to tag a runner who has crossed the
commitment line;
the catcher has to be in contact with the board plate to register
the out.
Any base runner touching or running over the board plate is out.
- Sliding is permitted in the ESPL, either advancing to or returning
to a base.
- Runners must touch the (orange) scoring plate which is located
between the board plate and the fence to score a run.
UMPIRES
- Unless umpires are assigned, teams umpire their own games.
- Qualified paid umpires are assigned for the semi-finals and final
games.
- The decision of the umpire is final on all judgment calls.
Decisions based on rules will be discussed by the two team
Captains and umpires at the time of the situation and resolved
fairly.
- There are no protests on calls or rules.
SCORING
- Teams are responsible for their own score keeping.
The Captain must report their game score to the Statistician.
TEAM SELECTION
- Teams will be chosen using the ratings of
the players, with the aim of establishing balanced teams.
Each Captain at the end of the season will be responsible for
providing new ratings to be used the following year.
New players will be evaluated at the preseason Rookie Camp.
The final team rosters are to be presented to the Fairness Committee
for final scrutiny.
- Team standings will be reviewed at the end of the first
round-robin by the Fairness Committee.
Players may be shuffled to better balance the teams.
FAIR PLAY
- Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated and could result
in a player being ejected from the game, with the possibility
of further suspension upon review by the Fairness Committee (see
the Fairness Committee supplement to the rules March 12 2009).
- If a player is ejected from the game, the umpire will file a
report with the Fairness Committee.
A repeat offender may be asked to meet with this Committee.
- The decision of the umpire is final on all judgment calls.
Decisions based on rules will be discussed by the two team
Captains and umpires at the time of the situation and resolved
fairly.
- There are no protests on calls or rules.
Rule Changes / Clarifications For 2019
- Rule 4
- 4 C: round-robin cancelled games
- 4 E: playoff games extra innings, cancelled games
- 4 J: appeals during game play
- 4 L: international tie breaker
- Rule 5
- 5 C a: infielder's shifting position
- 5 C b: substituting pitcher
- 5 C c: infielder's position from home plate (male/female batters)
- Rule 7
- 7 A b: bunting attempt
- 7 B: batters area
- Rule 8
- Rule 9
Additional Resources
This page created and maintained by Mike Peterson,
mikep@rubberchickencult.ca.
Created April 10, 2019. Last updated September 6, 2019.