WEST COVINA YOUTH PONY BASEBALL

GROUND RULES

Rev. 12/09 AC

ORDER OF RULES: WCYPB Ground Rules and League By-Laws, PONY Baseball Rules
and Regulations, Official Rules of Major League Baseball

Must slide rule: When a fielder is making a play at any base, the runner must slide or attempt to
avoid contact with the fielder. A fielder is considered to be making a play when he has the ball in
his possession. PENALTY: Runner is declared out and may also be ejected depending on the
severity of the contact. Umpires judgment.

1. Managers and Coaches must stay in the dugout area. The dugout area will consist of the
area five (5) feet in front of the dugout, running the entire length of the dugout. Only the
Managers and 2 coaches will be allowed on the field at any one time.

2. Game Time: 5 innings. No new inning after 1 hour and 45 minutes. If the inning is
started, it must be completed.

3. If a game is called for any reason, it shall be a complete game if four innings have been
completed, or if the home team has scored more runs in three innings or three and a
fraction innings, than the visiting team has scored in four completed innings.

4. If a game is called for any reason before it is a complete game, or when the score is tied, it
shall be considered a suspended game and shall be resumed from the point of curtailment
at the time scheduled by league officials.

5. For League Playoffs only . No time limit, unless stopped because of darkness by the
UMPIRE. Game to be continued at the point of suspension the following day with line up
and positions remaining the same. If game is stopped because of rain, as soon as fields
become playable, game will be continued at point of suspension with line up and positions
remaining the same. Pitching log is still in effect. You don’t get pitching innings back, due
to play stoppage.

6. All teams must bat their entire roster. Nine (9) players will play on the field. All substitutes
must play in every game and play every other inning.

If it is discovered that a player has not played in the required innings, he/she will play the entire
next game they attend for each infraction of this rule. Managers found in violation of this rule will
be automatically subject to the following disciplinary actions:

A. First Offense: I Snack bar shift and a 1 game suspension

B. Second Offense: 2 Snack bar shifts and a 2 game suspension and
Manager will be ineligible to manage or coach a tournament team.

7. The official score book will be the authority on innings played and innings pitched. It is the
responsibility of the manager to be sure all substitutes are in the official scorebook. Each
manager is responsible for signing the scorebook after the game.
8. The Player Agent must be notified of all benchings prior to the start of the game.
Managers may bench a player for disciplinary action only once. The manager must review
any disciplinary problems with the Board of Directors before he can bench that player
again. No player may be benched during the playoffs.

9. Each team is allowed 1 offensive time out per inning, injury time-outs are excluded.

10. Base runners are not permitted to steal bases and shall remain in contact with the base
until ball is hit or crosses home plate. PENALTY: If a runner is off the base and the ball is
hit, the runner is out and the ball is in play. If the ball is not hit, the runner is out.

11. Batters cannot run on a dropped third strike.

12. If no direct play is made on the base runner, the base runner may only advance one (1)
base on a passed ball. 1 base per overthrow. After 3rd overthrow, play is dead.

13. Scoring from third base: The only way that a base runner starting at third base can score
is:

A. By a batted ball
B. Forced by walk or hit batter

14. Ball 4 batter - Only advance to first base, then dead ball. If there is a runner at 2nd base
and 3rd base is not occupied, runner at 2nd base can advance at own risk.

15. Starting Pitcher who walks 4 batters or hits 2 batters in the first inning must be removed
from the mound. If he/she still qualifies under the pitching rules as outlined in the Pony
Rule book, he/she may return to pitch after sitting out the rest of that inning off the mound
plus 1 more complete inning. If the same pitcher returns and hits 1 more batter or walks 3
batters he/she must come out again. A combination of 3 walks and I hit batter will count for
the first removal on the above stated rule. Any other Pitcher cannot return to pitch if
removed for this violation.

16. A manager is allowed 2 trips to the mound per inning for each pitcher. On the third trip to
the mound to the same pitcher, the manager must remove that pitcher (except for an
injury). Only 3 players are allowed at the mound per time out.

17. To prevent a forfeit a minimum of 9 players must be on the field within 15 minutes of the
scheduled starting time. To accomplish this, a maximum of 2 players may be added from
other teams within the division. These players must bat in the last available spot in the line
up, and must play in the outfield. If a member of the team shows up, he/she will be put in
the game immediately and replace the sub in the same spot in the line up. No subs can be
used more than once. No sub can be used during the playoffs.

18. The "Mercy Rule" consists of once through the batting order or five (5) runs per inning
during innings 1 through 4. In these innings only five (5) runs will count, unless a homerun
is hit over the fence. In the fifth inning you can score as many runs possible or three outs.

19. If a team is leading an opponent by at least 10 runs after 3 ½ or 4 complete innings have
been played, the game shall be terminated and the team in the lead shall be declared the
winner.
20. The League Champion will be decided by a tournament at the end of the regular season.
All teams will participate in this tournament and will be seeded by their regular season
standings. The selection of the Invitational Tournament managers will be in the order of
standings from the League Tournament finish. No manager or coach can turn their team
over to another person.

21. Any Manager or Coach, ejected from a game will automatically be suspended from their
next game. Managers and Coaches that have been suspended will not be allowed around
the playing field from I hour before scheduled game time until the end of the game and will
not be permitted any closer to the field than the center field fence. Failure to comply with
this rule will result in additional disciplinary action by the Board of Directors. Additionally,
any manager or coach removed from the game by the umpire or causing a forfeit will
automatically be assigned a Snack Bar shift that must be completed prior to coaching their
next game. The Board of Directors will review all ejection's and suspensions as outlined in
the West Covina Youth Pony Baseball Code of Conduct.

22. Any player ejected from a game will be removed from that game and will also be from their
next scheduled game, and are confined to the dugout.

23. The HOME TEAM will be responsible for dragging, watering (if needed), setting up two
trash cans, chalking the field and setting up the bases prior to the start of the game. The
HOME TEAM will also provide the official score keeper for the game. The VISITING
TEAM will be responsible for dragging and watering down the field, putting away the
bases into the storage shed after the game. The VISITING TEAM will be responsible for
operating the score board. BOTH TEAMS are responsible for cleaning up all the trash in
the dug out area and in the spectator stands. Each team is responsible for emptying the
trash cans after the game.

24. Pitching:

A. The pitching mound will be set at a distance of 40 feet.

B. Pitchers shall not pitch in more than two (2) innings in a calendar day.
C. Pitchers shall not pitch in more than four (4) innings in a calendar week.
D. Pitchers shall have 40 hours rest after pitching in two (2) innings in the same
calendar day. The 40 hours of rest rule is computed from the scheduled starting
time of the game in which the pitching occurred, or in games that begin more than
two hours after the scheduled starting time. The actual starting time of the game
shall be used to interpret this rule.

25. Bases: The bases will be the distance of 60 feet.

26. Any player or coach who is bleeding or who has an open wound shall be prohibited from
participating further in the game until appropriate treatment has been administered. If
medical treatment can be administered in a reasonable amount of time, the individual
would not have to leave the game. The length of time that is considered reasonable is left
to the umpire's judgment. If there is an excessive amount of blood on the uniform, it must
be changed before that individual may participate.

27. The returning manager will have the first option to take the same team the following year.
If the manager declines, then the "Coach’s option" will have second option to fill the role as
returning manager. If the “Coach’s option” also declines, no further priority will be given
 and the team will be declared equally open for consideration to anyone requesting that
team. All team managers are subject to Board approval annually.

28. Managers and Coaches will not be permitted to manage or coach multiple All Star teams.
*They can only appear on only (1) one post season tournament affidavit. (*Rev. 9/25/03)