Welcome to 643 Premier Baseball Sports Club!

SWFL 643 Premier Baseball, an NABA League
 

SCHEDULE: 

League President and/or schedule director(s) coordinate season structure to publish an official schedule on TeamSnap. 

The League President cannot possibly accommodate all special requests for particular times and play dates for every team but the schedule will be balanced so that every team has approximately the same number of "home" games as "visitor" games; so that no team plays any other team too much (for example Team A plays Team B 5 times but only plays Team C 2 times).

Schedule changes, if necessary, are made in the weekly newsletter, email or website. All schedule changes are official when published or an update. In most cases, these changes are listed at least five (5) days in advance so your players can be notified. Keep these updates for reference. If you feel you've missed any updates be sure to contact your League President immediately. 

CANCELED GAMES:

Canceled games are games taken off the schedule because a team has dropped out of the league or a team has declared it is unable to field a team for a game and is forfeiting it. These games are not rescheduled. Postponed games are games postponed due to rain, field conditions, NABA Tournament conflicts (this occurs primarily in Fall seasons when teams attend the NABA National Championships). The NABA makes every attempt to reschedule these games, however, rescheduling is not guaranteed. 

INNINGS, TIMES, & TIME LIMITS

The typical NABA game consists of 9 innings or 3 hours, whichever comes first. No new inning may begin after the 3-hour point of a 9-inning game. If 3 hours have elapsed before a regulation game (see Official Baseball Rules 4.10 c), then the game shall be considered a regulation game. Any inning started before 3 hours must be completed. Extra innings may be played to break ties within the 3-hour time limit, with no new inning to begin after the 3-hour mark. The umpires will announce the official time. 

IT IS THE MANAGER’S RESPONSIBILITY AT THE HOME PLATE MEETING TO DETERMINE OFFICIAL START TIME FROM THE UMPIRES, AND TO AGREE ON WHO IS HOLDING THE OFFICIAL CLOCK. 

Any game ending in a tie after 3 hours will remain a tie in the standings. A game suspended (see Official Baseball Rules 4.12 for definition) for any other reason will be completed at a later date if it has a bearing on the final standings. No new inning may begin after the 2-hour mark for a scheduled 7-inning game. 

If a game starts late due to field conditions, the 3-hour clock is considered to have started at the scheduled time for that game. 

A forfeited game occurs when one team is unable to field enough players (8) at game time. There is a 15-minute grace period with a run being accessed at game time. 

The forfeiting team is responsible for reimbursing back to the league the full amount of the umpire fee, $120, by the following Thursday after the forfeited game.
 

EIGHT PLAYER START RULE: 

Teams may START AND COMPLETE any game with only 8 players and do so without penalty of a forfeit. The team with 8 players must record an out in the ninth spot (it must be the ninth spot only) in the order throughout the game, unless the missing player arrives. If the ninth player arrives, he may be added into the line-up only in the ninth batting position. He may also take his position when he arrives but must wait until the current batter has completed his at bat. 

LINEUP CARDS: 

Each team is required to provide a lineup card to the opposing manager before the start of the game. The lineup card must list the player’s last names and their number. It must also include the names of any substitutes expected to be available for that game. 

Any player arriving late and not listed on the lineup card cannot play in that game. A player in the game who is not listed on the lineup card will be removed from the game per major league rules. As a precaution it is best to list all eligible players on your lineup card including those players that are expected to arrive late or not at all.

Although managers are eligible to play, they must be listed as a starter or substitute just like any other player.

OFFENSIVE LINEUP: 

A team may elect, for the entire game, to bat ANY NUMBER OF PLAYERS, however, it must finish the game with a minimum number of 8 players in the order. If any players are ejected during the game for his actions an out shall be recorded in that spot in the order unless an eligible substitute is available from the bench. A team has 5 minutes (upon request from the opposing manager or home plate umpire) from the time of ejection or departure of a player from the line-up to indicate which other eligible player is the substitute for the removed player. 

If a player is ejected from a game for his actions the team manager must contact the local league president to see if any fines, suspensions, or expulsions will happen to the player who was removed from the game. * The local League President may change this rule. Please speak with your League President

BATTING ORDER & OFFENSIVE STARTER RE-ENTRY RULE (All Leagues):

A starter in the batting order may be removed and a substitute may bat in that player's place at any point during a game so long as the starter has had one plate appearance. The starter may return to bat again, but only in the original spot in the batting order, and only after the replacement has had at least one plate appearance. The substitute may not bat again once removed from the batting order. Please remember, only the starter may re-enter during the course of the game. Any other player re-entering the order will be treated as batting out of order under Official Baseball rule #6.07

The starter and substitutes are locked into the same spot in the order and cannot bat anywhere else. They become ineligible to bat in any other position in the batting order. The starter and substitutes are considered "in the game," and may not be used as pinch runners as they have already been "used." A pinch runner (as opposed to a courtesy runner) must be someone who has not been in the batting order and will be dealt with under the offensive lineup rule (i.e., that player must have one plate appearance before the starter re-enters). As reference, see Official Baseball rules #6.07.

A starter (not designated as a non-runner) who is replaced by a pinch runner while on base is removed from the batting order. Once that runner or another legal substitute has one plate appearance the starter may reenter. A pinch runner who does not hit at least once in the spot in the order where the player they are running for batted, shall be considered "out of the game" and may not re-enter.

COURTESY RUNNER:

To keep this simple during game play and to eliminate any confusion, courtesy runners will only be allowed for Pitchers & Catchers. Two (2) players per team per game may have another player run for them in the event they reach base. The courtesy runner will always be the last recorded out, unless the last recorded out is a designated non-runner, it will then be the last recorded out before the designated non-runner. 

There are no restrictions to use courtesy runners as it pertains to how many outs have been recorded that inning.

It is not mandatory to use this rule as the manager has the option depending upon the situation. But if a change is made, it must be at the furthest base the player reaches safely on that play. 

The courtesy runner must enter the game before the next pitch, or the use of the courtesy runner is forfeited on that play.

Any improper use of a courtesy runner including the use of the improper or wrong replacement shall result in the non-runner being scored as an out.

IN-GAME INJURED PLAYER / PINCH RUNNER:

If a player is injured and needs a pinch runner, the player can re-enter the game following the substitute player re-entry rules. Any player that is substituted for while on base as a pinch runner, will remain out of the game until the pinch runner has had at least 1 at-bat. 

NO COLLISION/SLIDE RULE: 

The NABA has a No Collision/Slide Rule defined as follows: 

The intent of this rule is to ensure the safety of the defensive player. This is a safety as well as an interference rule. Whether the defense could have completed the double play has no bearing on the applicability of this rule. 

A. The runner must slide on the ground and in a direct line between the two bases.

1. EXCEPTION– A runner need not slide directly into a base as long as the runner slides or runs in a direction away from the fielder to avoid making deliberate contact or altering the play of the fielder. 
2. “On the ground” means either a head-first slide or a slide with one leg and buttock on the ground. 
3. “Directly into a base” means the runner’s entire body (feet, legs, trunk and arms) must stay in a straight line between the bases. 

• Example 1– If a runner goes into a base standing up and does not make contact or alter the play of the defensive player, interference shall not be called. 

B. Contact with a fielder is legal and interference shall not be called if the runner: 

1. Makes a legal slide directly to the base, or
2. Is on the ground at the time of contact and the fielder moves directly down the line between the two bases to attempt a play. 
3. Makes a legal slide and makes contact with a defensive player who is on or over, but not beyond, the base. 

• Example 2 – When the base runner slides beyond the base, but does not (1) make contact with, or (2) alter the play of the defensive player, interference shall not be called 

C. Actions by a runner are illegal and interference shall be called if:

1. The runner slides or runs out of the base line in the direction of the fielder; 
2. The runner uses a rolling, cross-body or pop-up slide and either makes contact with or alters the play of a fielder; 
3. The runner’s raised leg makes contact higher than the fielder’s knee when in a standing position; 
4. The runner goes beyond the base and either makes contact with or alters the play of the fielder (“Beyond the base” means any part of the offensive player’s body makes contact with or alters the play of the fielder beyond the base.) 
5. The runner slashes or kicks the fielder with either leg; 
6. The runner illegally slides toward or contacts the fielder even if the fielder makes no attempt to throw to complete a play.

PENALTY for 1-6: 

1. With less than two outs, the batter-runner, as well as the interfering runner, shall be declared out and no other runner(s) shall advance.
2. With two outs, the interfering runner shall be declared out and no other runner(s) shall advance. 
3. If the runner’s slide or collision is flagrant, the runner may be ejected from the contest based on the umpire’s judgment. 

Note: The objective of this rule is to penalize the offensive team for deliberate, unwarranted unsportsmanlike action by the runner for the purpose of crashing into the fielder, rather than trying to reach the base. Obviously this is an umpire’s judgment play.

It is the judgment of the umpire whether a collision/slide intentionally violates this rule. This includes using elbows or lowering a shoulder in an attempt to cause a fielder to drop a held ball. The umpires may, at any time, eject any player who makes contact with another player with the intent to cause injury. 

The NABA would like to remind all managers and players that a player might not block the base path or a base without possession of the ball. For example, a catcher may not block the plate without the ball. The right of way belongs to the runner. Most catchers should know to offer the runner part of the plate to make him slide inside or out.

DEFENSIVE LINEUP: 

All teams have the option to substitute freely on the field in any defensive position except for the pitcher. A pitcher may leave the mound for another position on the field or on the bench but may return only once to their position as pitcher. Violating this pitcher's rule does not constitute a forfeit, although the pitcher must leave the mound immediately. Free substitution on the Field does not affect the batting order. Defensive positions need not be listed on the line-up card except for the pitcher.

PITCHERS & HIT BY PITCH:

This is a competitive league, there are expectations the league president upholds to preserve the integrity of competition. Any pitcher that hits 3 batters in an inning OR over the course of the game is required to be replaced after hitting the 3rd batter.

RUN RULE (Mercy Rule):

10-run rule takes effect at the completion of the 5th or any ensuing inning of a 9-inning game.

DOUBLEHEADERS:

Typically, a double header will be scheduled when both teams are scheduled to play each other again. Both games will be 7 innings in this instance.

RAINOUT POLICY: 

Any game that has gone at least (5) complete innings before being called because of rain will be deemed a “complete game” in accordance with the 2012 Official Baseball Rules (4.10(c)(1)). If a game has past (5) complete innings and the game is called due to rain by an umpire before the bottom of the inning is complete, then the score of the game will revert back to the previous inning and the game will be ruled complete.

EJECTIONS: 

Any game that a player gets ejected a team has 5 minutes to put a substitute from the bench in the game. If the team is able to use a substitute player who has not been in the hitting line up there is no penalty for the team. If a team has no substitutes to take the ejected players spot an out will be recorded in the ejected players spot in the line up. Teams must finish the game with a minimum of 8 players. Failure to do so will result as a forfeit. If a player is ejected from a game for his actions the team manager must contact the local league president to see if any fines, suspensions, or expulsions will happen to the player who was removed from the game * The local League President may change this rule. Please speak with your League President

We are a community of like-minded sports enthusiasts who share a passion for 643 Premier Baseball. Our club offers a range of activities and events throughout the year that cater to all levels of experience and ability. Whether you're a seasoned pro or a complete beginner, there's something for everyone at 643 Premier Baseball Sports Club.

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