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NOTE: The rules for the Kenosha Chapter of the MSBL are founded on the "National" rules and regulations, and they have been revised and amended by Kenosha MSBL except as listed below; all other baseball issues will be governed by Major League Baseball rules.

1. Uniforms, helmets, baseballs and other equipment.
2. Game length, cancellations and suspensions.
3. Teams, players, and line-ups.
4. Player behavior and team responsibility.
5. Courtesy runners.
6. Pitchers.
7. Fielders and runners - decoys and collisions.
8. Batters.
9. General league rules.
10. Code of conduct.

1. UNIFORMS, HELMETS & BASEBALLS
1(a) All teams must have full uniforms consisting of caps, numbered jerseys, baseball pants. Any team wearing sleeveless jerseys must wear a sleeved shirt beneath the jersey. Any players without a shirt will not be allowed to play. Each player's uniform must be of similar design to his teammates' uniforms. Teams that have a sponsor will be allowed to have the sponsor's name on their uniform via patch or uniform shirt. However, there shall be no wording indicating alcohol or tobacco, such as bar, cigar, cigarette, smokeless tobacco.
1(b) No player out of uniform will be allowed to play unless that player has the opposing manager's consent, except as listed in l(c).
1(c) All teams should have their uniforms by their first game. A grace
period to be defined by the League President will be extended for newly
activated players or for new teams to complete their uniform purchase.
1(d) All batters, runners, and catchers must wear helmets. There is no
exception to this rule. Full, double ear-flapped helmets are encouraged for
batters and runners: but as a minimum, the batter’s helmet must have an
earflap facing the pitcher.
1(e) Each team shall provide two (2) baseballs for each game. Only balls
approved by MSBL Kenosha will be permitted.
1(f) Wood bats and metal bats are allowed. The maximum differential for any type of metal or aluminum bat is a –3, i.e. a 33” bat can not weigh less the 30 oz. If a player uses a bat exceeding this differential, and a protest is made, the offending batter will be declared an out.
1(g) Composite bats are allowed. The maximum differential for any type of composite bat is –3, i.e. a 33” bat can not weigh less the 30 oz. If a
player uses a bat exceeding this differential, and a protest is made, the
offending batter will be declared an out.
1(h) The league board may rule on any bat deemed a “Hot Bat” and outlaw specific bats from play.
1(i) Metal cleats are permitted.

2. GAME LENGTH, CANCELLATIONS, AND SUSPENSIONS
2(a) All regularly scheduled games shall be nine innings or have a 2-hour and 30-minute time limit. No players may be on the playing field while the umpires are giving “ground rules.”
2(b) No new inning shall start with less than 15 minutes remaining in the 2 hour and 30 minute time limit. However, the remainder of the inning that is in progress shall be completed.
2(c) In the event of a tie at the expiration of the time limit, "as defined
in 2(a) above", one and only one additional inning shall be played.
2(d) If, after 3 full innings of a regularly scheduled game and the first
round of the playoff games have been played and one of the teams is up by at least 10 runs, at that point the team shall bat only 9 batters that inning and then proceed to take the field and let the losing team have their regular turn at bat. This shall continue until the difference in the score is less than 10 runs or the time limit has expired.
2(e) All games may be deemed completed prior to the two hour and 30 minute time when agreed upon by both managers.
2(f) Time limit shall not include Playoff games.
2(g) An umpire may, at his discretion, suspend, cancel, or call a game if,
in his opinion; the safety of the players is compromised due to weather or
darkness. In the event of inclement weather, unless the field is deemed
unplayable or the umpire and both managers agree to end the game sooner, the umpire shall wait a minimum of 30 minutes before canceling all further play.
2(h) Re: rain, a game shall be deemed complete after 5 full innings (4 1/2
innings if the home team is ahead). A game that is stopped by inclement
weather before being deemed a complete game shall be considered never to have been played in any part and must, if replayed, begin as a new game.
2(i) Re: darkness, a game shall be deemed complete after 7 full innings (6
1/2 innings if the home team is ahead). A game that is stopped due to
darkness before being deemed a complete game shall be considered suspended and shall be resumed at the point of suspension. The length of time played at the point of suspension shall be noted and the remainder of the game shall be played within the limits under rule 2(a).
2(j) The League Commissioner shall reschedule all suspended, tied or
canceled games. Managers will be notified of all rescheduled games as soon as possible.

3. TEAMS, PLAYERS & LINEUPS
3(a) MABL players are eligible to participate in an officially sanctioned
game on or before May 1 of their 18th birthday. MABL players can be on the roster of a college team. MSBL players are eligible to participate in an
officially sanctioned game on or before May 1 of their 25th birthday. MSBL
players can not be on the roster of any college team. 18 to 24 year old MSBL players from the 2006 and 2007 seasons are grandfathered into MSBL. If a grandfathered player chooses to play in MABL or skips a MSBL season the player will be eligible to play in MABL but must wait until May 1 of their 25th birthday to reenter MSBL. Each team will be allowed to maintain 3 grandfathered players but these players can not pitch in MSBL.
3(b) Team rosters (a minimum of 12 players), league and player fees, and
player registration and waiver forms must be submitted to the league as
determined by the Board. There is no limit to the number of players on a
roster. Coaches are encouraged to provide equal playing time for all
players. Teams may add players to their roster at any time.
3(c) After the regular season has started, all new players, must have all
forms signed and fees paid and be approved by letter from the League
President prior to participation in a game.
3(d) A team may bat as many players as it wants, with a minimum of ten (10); however, if fewer than ten (10) players are available, all players must be listed in the batting order. If a team has only nine (9) players and
therefore bats nine players, the opposing team will have the option of
batting nine as well. Batters cannot be deleted or skipped over, regardless of their batting position or when they were added during the game, except as defined in 3(e) or 3(f).
3(e) A manager may add a batter to the end of the lineup at any time, but if a batter is pinch-hit or pinch run for (except under the courtesy runner rule 5), the player may not re- enter the offensive line up. Each team has an offensive and defensive line up that is independent of each other. Players may play in either line up or both.
3(f) If a player is forced to leave a game because of injury or prior
announced commitment, or if a player is ejected from the game, a reserve
player not previously entered into the game, as a batter must hit in the
player's place. If no reserve is present, that spot is skipped and all
batter move up accordingly with no penalty to the affected team. The batting order positions from nine up may be occupied by two (2) players in each batting position.
3(g) A team must have eight (8) players for an official game and may borrow a player from the opposing team or from any other team with the opposing manager's consent. If the team's ninth player arrives after the start of the game, the borrowed player reverts back to his team. A borrowed player can play any position excluding pitcher.
3(h) All players may be substituted for defensively at any time without
affecting the player's offensive status in the line up. If the pitcher is
removed, he may re-enter to pitch, one time during the course of the game, but not in the same inning. The removed pitcher may play any other position.
3(i) No player may switch teams during the season without the consent of both managers and the league President.
3(j) After the playing season is over; any player in Kenosha MSBL may do one of the following: 

3(k) Each coach will be required to submit a lineup to the opposing coach
and umpire prior to the start of each game. All substitutions must be
announced to the umpire and opposing coach.

4. PLAYER'S BEHAVIOR & TEAM RESPONSIBILITY
4(a) There will be no beer or alcoholic beverage permitted at the field
before, during, or after any game. The field refers to the general playing
area and the immediate bleacher area.
4(b) The league has the right to suspend or expel any league member who abuses league rules, or who does not exhibit a sense of sportsmanship, or who plays without regard to the safety of him-self, umpires, or other players.
4(c) An umpire has the sole discretion to expel any player or manager from the game at any time.
4(d) Fighting among players or aggressive physical contact with an umpire will not be tolerated and players ejected from a game for either violation shall be suspended from the next 5 games their team plays. A second fighting offense in one season will result in a mandatory ejection from the league. This decision is subject to league board review.
4(e) Our league has set its own standards of player/team sportsmanship and will enforce suspensions for infractions contrary to the image and policies of the league.
4(f) Failure to abide by age regulations: The managers must all recognize
their responsibility to the league and the perpetuity of it as not to cross
the line where winning is more important than playing. An opposing manger may at any time have the right to question a player's age. If a manager wants to lodge a protest, proof of age must be mailed to the manager, who lodged the protest, by Friday of the following week. If an underage player is detected, the penalties will be forfeiture of all games in which the underage player participated and a minimum two-year suspension for both the player and the manager.

5. COURTESY RUNNERS
5(a) Players who will need courtesy runners must have their manager notify the opposing manager prior to the start of the game. If not so notified, the opposing manger may deny the request. The offensive team that is putting in a courtesy runner has 30 seconds to make the runner change. If the runner is not replaced within this time period, the original runner must run and the right to use the courtesy runner for this particular batter shall be forfeited for the balance of the game. The 30-second time limit shall begin at the time the umpire calls for time to allow replacement for the runner. If a defensive team refuses a courtesy runner for an injured player the offensive team may appeal to the umpire for a decision.
5(b) Each team will be allowed a maximum of two (2) courtesy runners at the beginning of the game.
5(c) Once the game begins, only by an obvious injury, can an additional
courtesy runner be used.
5(d) If a player for whom a courtesy runner has been designated opts to run, or forgets to use a courtesy runner and subsequently remains on base as a runner, he will lose his courtesy runner status for the remainder of the game.
5(e) When two (2) outs are recorded, the base runner that will be the
catcher in the next inning will have the option to be removed for a courtesy runner (as described in Rule 5(f) before the next pitch can be made. This rule is not to be enforced during the semifinal and final playoff games.
5(f) The player to make the last batted out in the current inning or if no
outs have been recorded in the current inning, the last batted out of the
previous inning must be the courtesy runner, unless that batter has been
designated to have a courtesy runner, in which case the player preceding him to have made the last batted out will be the courtesy runner. In the event that first batter of the game has been designated to have a courtesy runner, then the courtesy runner shall be the last player in the offensive line up.

6. PITCHERS
6(a) No player, while pitching, may wear white or gray sleeves, nor may a
pitcher wear a white or gray batting glove or a white or gray wristband. No wristband or batting glove of any color may be worn on the pitching band.
6(b) If a pitcher hits four (4) batters in any game, the pitcher must be
removed after the fourth hit batsman.
6(c) The umpire has the sole discretion to call an intentional brush back
pitch. The first called infraction during a game is a verbal warning with
the second call resulting in the removal of the pitcher from the game. Two
or more game removal violations during a season will result in a five-game
suspension. This decision is subject to league board review.
6(d) There is no regulation as to how many innings a pitcher may pitch in a game or a week. 6(e) A pitcher must be removed from the game (as a pitcher) after a limited number of meetings with his manager per inning as follows: “If the manager is not playing in the field, the pitcher must be removed on the manager's second trip to the mound in any one inning or if the manager is playing in the infield, the pitcher must be removed on the manager's third trip to the mound in any one inning.”
6(f) Pitchers shall only get 5 warm up pitches prior to starting a new
inning. All other Major league rules apply regarding number of pitches.
6(g) There may be intentional walks per Major League Rules.

7. FIELDERS & RUNNERS - DECOYS & COLLISIONS
7(a) Players shall not intentionally collide with nor attempt to hurdle any
other player. In the case of a runner intentionally colliding with or
attempting to hurdle a fielder, the runner will be called out and may, at
the umpire's discretion, be ejected from the game. All base runners must
either slide, or stop and give themselves up, or run around a defensive
player (however runners may not avoid a tag by running more than 3 feet out of the baseline) if the defensive player: has possession of the ball or is in the act of receiving the ball, and will be able to make an apparent play on the base runner. Note! (A person may have incidental contact with out being called out and ejected from the game by the umpire. The determination of flagrant and incidental contact is at the sole discretion of the umpire and is not subject to appeal.
7(b) If a defensive player is not in possession of the ball, or is not in
the act of receiving the ball, he cannot block the base or be in the base
path so as to impede or obstruct the base runners right to that base. Under such circumstances the defensive player shall be responsible to avoid any collision. If a collision does occur under these circumstances, the runner shall always be safe and the obstruction rule shall be enforced. The defensive player may be expelled from the game if the umpire deems the action intentional and that decision is not subject to appeal.
7(c) If a defensive player forces a runner to slide because of a decoy when there is no play on the runner, all men on base will advance one base. If the same player makes an illegal decoy twice in the game, he will be expelled from the game and suspended from league play. (This is not to be confused with smart baseball. For example, a fair decoy is when a shortstop who sees a man attempting to steal second base during a hit and run, looks upward and says that he has the pop up when in fact the ball has been hit on the ground to the second baseman. This play might cause the base runner to stop and retreat to first base, but did not cause the base runner to slide unnecessarily.)
7(d) If a runner attempting to break a double play does not make a
legitimate attempt to slide within reach of the base, or stands up in the
way of a pivot man, or raises his hands in an attempt to deflect the ball or
distract the fielder, an automatic double play will be called, regardless of
how close the play at first might have been.

8. BATTERS
8(a) A batter shall not delay the game by failing to take his position
promptly in the batter's box within 20 seconds.
8(b) The batter must keep at least one foot in the batter's box throughout the time at bat except that the batter may leave the batter's box under any of the following conditions:

1. The batter swings at a pitch. 
2. The batter is forced out of the box by the pitch.
3. The batter attempts a drag bunt.
4. The defensive team feints or attempts a play at any base. 
5. The pitcher leaves the dirt area of the pitching mound or takes a  position more than 5 feet from the pitcher's plate after receiving the ball. 
6. A member of either team requests and is granted, "Time."
7. The catcher leaves the catcher's box.
8. The catcher does not catch the pitched ball.

8(c) Failure of the batter to be ready within 20 seconds after the ball has
been returned to the pitcher, the umpire shall call a strike. If the batter
leaves the batter's box and none of the exceptions in 8(b) apply, the plate
umpire shall charge a strike to the batter. The pitcher need not pitch, and
the ball remains "alive."

9. GENERAL LEAGUE RULES
9(a) Final league standings will be determined by win-loss percentages. Ties will be decided first by (in order):
 
1. Head -to-head competition.
2. Intra-divisional win-loss percentage.
3. Three inning playoff game, or in the
event of a tie after 3 innings as many innings as necessary to establish a
winner.

9(b) If team “A” is not able to field a team for any given day, they first
must reach agreement with opposing team “B” and then both teams must notify the Commissioner 48 hours prior to game time or team “A” will face a forfeit. Five forfeits by any team shall mean immediate expulsion from the league with no money refunded to the team. All teams must submit a deposit of $100 before start of season for a forfeit fee. If a team forfeits a
game it must submit an additional fee of $150, 48 hours prior to their
next game or that game will be deemed a forfeit. Each additional forfeit fee will require $50 more than the previous forfeit fee.
9(c) In order for a player to qualify and participate in his team's local
league playoffs, tournaments and post-season events, he must have a least one plate appearance in each of 50% of his team's regular season games played. If such player fails to meet the requirement because of injury, a letter explaining the non-compliance must be submitted to the league President for review.
9 (d) All players must have league fees paid and waivers signed prior to
playing. If a player participates in a game without paying league fees and
(or) signed waivers the game will be forfeited to the opposing team.

10. CODE OF CONDUCT
A. PROHIBITIONS
Managers and players shall conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner at all times. No manager or player shall commit any of the following:
10(a)(l) Lay a hand upon, shove, strike, or threaten an official before,
during, and after a game. Players or managers guilty of such conduct shall
be suspended for the next 5 games their team plays and be subject to
suspension for the remainder of the season or expulsion from the league for life.
10(a)(2) If a player or manager has been suspended from further
participation in any game and then exercises further misconduct that causes an official to remove them from the park itself, that player or manager shall be automatically suspended for the next 3 games their team plays. If he does not remove himself from the entire park within 10 minutes of being ordered to, then that team shall forfeit that game to the opposing team.
10(a)(3) Be guilty of objectionable demonstrations of dissent at an
official's decision. Players and managers guilty of such conduct shall be
suspended from further participation in the game and the next game that
there team plays.
10(a)(4) After being told by an official to end a discussion, a player shall
not continue to discuss with an official or officials the decision by them,
except for the manager or his designee who are authorized to participate in such discussions. Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately
suspended from further participation in the game and the next game their
team plays.
10(a)(5) Use of unnecessarily rough tactics in the play of the game against the body of an opposing player is forbidden. Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game and shall be suspended from the next game their team plays.
10(a)(6) Be guilty of physical attack as an aggressor upon any player,
manager, official, or spectator before, during, or after a game. Players
guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further
participation in the game and shall be suspended for the next 5 games their team plays and subject to suspension for the remainder of the season or expulsion from the league for life.
10(a)(7) Be guilty of verbal abusive attacks upon any player, manager,
official, or spectator before, during, or after a game. Players guilty of
such conduct shall be immediately suspended for the next game their team plays and be subject to suspension for the remainder of the season. 10(a)(8) Consume alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs during the game or be on the field of play at any time in an intoxicated condition. Players guilty of such conduct shall be immediately suspended from further participation in the game and shall be suspended for the next game their team plays.
10(a)(9) Smoking on the field of play or in the dugout is forbidden. Players guilty of such conduct shall be suspended from further participation in the game and the next game their team plays. I0(a)(I0). Any acts of conducts such as specified above in sections 10a(l) through
10(a)(9) shall be submitted to the Commissioner, in writing, within (7)
calendar days by either a player, manager, or an official for any action to
be taken. The Commissioner shall make a ruling within (7) calendar days of receiving said report.

B. PENALTIES
10(b)(1) The Board of Directors may, by vote of the majority of the
directors suspend any player or manager for such a period of time and upon such terms as it may propose, for the conduct which in its opinion is
prejudicial to the welfare, interest, reputation, or charter of the league.
10(b)(2) Except as otherwise provided, the Commissioner shall determine the appropriate action required for the violations of the Code of Conduct, and shall report his decision to the player, manager, and the Board of Directors.
10(b)(3) Any player or manager that has been ejected from any game shall be immediately suspended for the next game their team plays and placed on probation for the remainder of the season including the playoffs.
10(b)(4) A player found in violation of any provisions delineated in the
Code of Conduct, after being placed on probation for the remainder of the
season shall be suspended for the remainder of the season.
10(b)(5) Any manager who has been suspended for any amount of games, the following policy shall be understood as being part of that suspension:” A manager may sit in the bleachers outside of the playing field as these are public parks. However, he is not to approach the screen or any of his players during the course of the game. If the manager of the opposing team feels that in his opinion, the suspended manager is in any way managing the team, he can seek out the head or plate umpire for his interpretation and if the umpire agrees, than the umpire shall immediately call the game and award the opposing team a forfeit victory.”

C. GRIEVANCES, PROTEST & APPEALS
10(c)(1) Grievances may be filed by an individual player or by the manager of a team provided that a grievance is formally submitted, in writing and within 7 days of the event leading to the grievance to the Commissioner. The Commissioner shall adjudicate all such grievances and shall report any action taken to the Board of Directors.
10(c)(2) All decisions made by the Commissioner regarding Sections 10 a and 10b of the Code of Conduct may be appealed to the Board of Directors, in writing within (7) calendar days of the Commissioner’s decision. If an appeal is submitted, penalties issued shall be suspended until the Board hears the appeal and makes their decision.