Etobicoke 55+ Slo-Pitch League Rules

Version: 6 March 2020

[Etobicoke 55+ Slo-Pitch League]

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 2020 are shown in italics.

  1. THE PLAYING FIELD

    1. 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.
    2. For the purposes of our league, the grass area of the field will be considered the outfield, and the dirt area is the infield.
    3. A board 23 inches by 35 inches shall be covering home plate.
    4. 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.

  2. EQUIPMENT

    1. 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.
    2. Players are advised for safety reasons not to wear jewelry. There will be no penalty for the wearing of jewelry.
    3. The League provides all bats and balls (GRAY DOT or equivalent). Personal bats are not allowed.
    4. Catchers must use a face mask.
    5. The following extra procedures will be adopted for play in the 2020 season:
      • no handshakes
      • minimize team meeetings
      • no one in the dugout as ours are so small (except possibly the batter in the hole)
      • catchers / umpires must wear a nose/mouth mask (this won't protect them much but could help avoid them being an asymptomatic spreader)
      • masks on sidelines / base coaches; players to distance along the sidelines / outside the fence
      • wipes for practice / game balls (pitcher especially) / bats
      • strong suggestion to wear batting gloves

  3. DEFINITIONS

    As per SPN Rule 3 with the following exceptions:

    1. 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.
    2. Sec. 49. Intentional Walk. See Sec. 87 for result of a walk.
    3. Sec. 78. Tag. Tagging is an option in the ESPL. A runner cannot be tagged between the commitment line and the plate.
    4. 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, the batter will be awarded 2'nd base. The female batter must bat.

  4. THE GAME

    1. Games are played Mondays and Wednesdays starting at 9:45 AM. The on-field 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.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. Playoff games: In the playoffs 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.
    5. 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:

      1. Both games are 7 innings; play extra inning(s) if the game is tied.
      2. No infield balls after the 1'st inning.
      3. PLEASE HUSTLE ON AND OFF THE FIELD; HAVE THE ON DECK BATTER READY TO HIT.
      4. Do not switch dugouts between games.
      5. The home team for each game is as designated in the schedule.
      6. 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.
      7. There is no penalty for players that have to leave early and a team can finish with less than 9 players.
      8. 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.
    6. After the playoff qualification 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).
    7. 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.
    8. 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.
    9. 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. Clarification: if a rover/outfielder takes a throw at second or third base to force or tag a runner, that player can not throw to first base to get the batter out. Clarification: a rover/outfielder may throw the ball to an infielder who then relays the ball to first base to get the batter out.
    10. 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.
    11. 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.
    12. The SPN "international tie breaker" rule is not to be used.

  5. PLAYERS

    1. 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".
    2. 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.
    3. After the beginning of an inning, a defensive player (rovers excepted) cannot exchange his/her position with another fielder.
      1. 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.
      2. 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.
      3. Infielder positioning: must be at least 50 feet from home plate for all batters. Players can move after the ball leaves the pitchers hand.
    4. If fewer than 11 players are expected, a team should 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.
    5. 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.
    6. When a team has fewer than 11 players at game time, automatic outs must be added to the batting order to reach a roster of 11 players. It is the Captain's choice where the automatic outs are placed.
    7. All player changes, such as additions or trades, require the majority approval of the non-involved team Captains and sanctioned by the Commissioner.
    8. 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.
    9. 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.

  6. PITCHING

    1. All SPN rules apply except see the ESPL rule that pitchers cannot be changed to face particular batters. Must follow ESPL rule 5 C.
    2. Pitching Screens
      1. The pitching screen must be set up on the field in close vicinity to and in front of the pitching rubber, facing the batter.
      2. 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.

  7. BATTING

    1. Bunting:
      1. Female batters do not have the option to bunt. All batters must take a full swing to the best of their ability.
    2. 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.

  8. BASE RUNNING

    1. Courtesy (Pinch) Runner:
      1. The player is the one who initiates the request for a pinch runner.
      2. 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.
      3. A pinch runner can have a pinch runner; however this counts as one time as a pinch runner (of their three times).
      4. 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.
      5. 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.
      6. Pinch running: it counts as a pinch run in all these cases:
        1. the runner is substituted for a runner already on base.
        2. the runner from the plate is on base when the next pitch of the half-inning is thrown.
        3. the runner from the plate lets go of the cord / rope / post and the batter does not make contact with the ball.
    2. An anticipation step is allowed by runners on base after the ball has reached the plate or has been offered at.
    3. 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.
    4. Sliding is permitted in the ESPL, either advancing to or returning to a base.
    5. Runners must put a foot on the ground on or over the scoring line between the board plate and the fence to score a run. NOTE: Runners must avoid the catcher attempting to play the ball; the runner will be declared out for interference if there is contact.

  9. UMPIRES

    1. Unless umpires are assigned, teams umpire their own games.
    2. Qualified paid umpires are assigned for the playoff qualification round, semi-finals and final games.
    3. 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.
    4. There are no protests on calls or rules.

  10. SCORING

    1. Teams are responsible for their own score keeping. The Captain must report their game score to the Statistician.
    2. The maximum run differential used for playoff qualification round tie-breaking is 7 runs per game.
    3. The home does not bat in the bottom of the last inning if leading the game.

  11. TEAM SELECTION

    1. 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.
    2. 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.

  12. FAIR PLAY

    1. 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).
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. There are no protests on calls or rules.
    5. A suspended player may be replaced by a spare with the same or lower rating.

Rule Changes / Clarifications For 2020

Additional Resources

This page created and maintained by Mike Peterson, mikep@rubberchickencult.ca.
Created April 10, 2019. Last updated May 15, 2020.