All Star and Major League Divisions
All games are 9 innings unless the mercy rule is reached.
Games are goodwill rules, but can teams may play full rules as long as both teams agree and inform the umpires at the plate meeting.
Violations of Goodwill rules is simply a “do-over”.
Batting is continuous with everyone batting and the man on deck when the last out is made becoming the lead off hitter the next game. Everyone on the team has to be batting with the exception of the pitcher. Batting order can be reset for any playoff games.
Pitchers can just be pitcher-only meaning they do not have to hit.
Games are goodwill rules: no passed balls, stolen bases, balks, wild pitches, pick-offs, or dropped third strikes. Leads are limited to the cut outs.
No base stealing permitted
No passed balls – runners may not advance
No wild pitches – runners may not advance
There are no balks
Dropped third strikes are outs
Base runners may not take a lead beyond the grass cutout
MLB Division Pickoffs: Pitcher may not attempt pickoffs from the mound. Catchers may attempt to pick runners off; runners must return to their last occupied base on a catcher pickoff attempt, and it is a tag play. No runners may advance on a catcher’s pickoff attempt, unless … Ball is live if pickoff throw is gets past the defensive player at the base.
All Star Division Pickoffs: Pitcher may attempt pick offs from the mound and catchers may attempt to pick runners off. Pitcher’s will also be called for any balks they commit. Runners must return to their last occupied base on a pickoff attempt, and it is a tag play. No runners may advance on a pickoff attempt, unless the throw gets past the defensive player at the base and the runner tags up.
Though games are goodwill rules, teams may play full rules as long as they both agree and inform the umpires before the game.
Courtesy runners are allowed for injured base runners and catchers. The player making the last out must be the courtesy runner unless he is the pitcher or catcher in which case its the runner is the previous batted out. NO courtesy runner from the plate. If you can't run to first base, then you don't bat and cost your team an out.
Catcher's can pick runners off any base.
Bunting is only allowed in sacrifice situations; squeeze/suicide plays are not allowed. No drag bunting, or bunting with a runner occupying 3rd base. There is no fake bunting (It’s not a fake bunt if you don't bunt a bad pitch). No fake bunts. If batter shows bunt but pulls back and swings, batter will be called out.
The mercy rule is 15 runs after 5 full innings or 10 runs after 7 innings as pitching and players will be at a premium during the tournament.
Tie games: Play extra innings until winner determined. Each new inning begins with the last batted out from previous inning on 2nd base. Exception: Game called by darkness revert to last full inning.
Standings Tie Breakers:
head-to-head competition (2 teams)
head-to-head differential (N teams)
runs against
run differential
HOF Division
In addition to the above rules, the following apply to the Hall of Fame division:
- Batter cannot be thrown out from the outfield
- Base runners can be forced at any base by an outfielder.
- Runners can take leads no further than the cut outs and runners have to return to and touch 1st base on catcher pick off throws before they can advance. No other runners can advance on an errant pickoff throw unless the attempted pick off runner has " tagged up " and trying for next base.
- HOF games are 7 innings unless both managers agree to 9 innings before the game.
- If game is tied after 7 innings, each new inning will begin with the last out from the previous inning on 2nd base. Innings 10 and higher will have a runner on 3B.
- Each team may have up to 2 players age 55-59, but no one under 60 may pitch. If anyone under 60 pitches, the game will be recorded as a forfeit. We are going by the RHBB rule defining 60 as anyone turning 60 in the year of the tournament.