In addition to the rules below, the Sporting News Baseball Rules will be followed, unless otherwise noted. Home team will be determined by a coin flip prior to the game, with the team winning the flip getting its choice. Both teams are encouraged to have a scorekeeper, keeping score in a scorebook or on an app designed for score keeping. Teams not keeping score this way will have difficulty defending their score in the event of a score discrepancy.
Age Requirements
Beginning with the first JWPB tournament of the season, a player’s age is based on a April 30 cutoff date (i.e. If a player will turn 11 on or before April 30, 2025 he must play 11u or above). A player may “play up,” but can not “play down.”
Rosters
Each tournament, all participating teams will be required to submit a signed roster prior to the start of their first game. If a team is found to be playing with an illegal player, the player(s) will be removed immediately and the team will forfeit any game(s) an illegal player participated in. The reason there is no disqualification is because that would affect other teams in the tournament, costing them games.
Players may not play for or be on the roster for two teams in the same division.
Repeated violation of the age requirements could result in removal from the Tournament of Champions (if the team has previously qualified) and ineligibility for any future JWPB tournaments.
In addition to the roster, every team needs to have copies of birth certificates for all rostered players. These will be used to verify players’ ages. Failure to produce a birth certificate will lead to the player in question being ruled illegal.
Field Dimensions
Bases: 7u: 60′, 8u: 60′, 9u: 60′ or 65′, 10u: 60′ or 65’, 11u: 70’, 12u: 70’, 13u: 80′, 14u: 90′, 16u: 90′, 18u: 90′
Pitcher’s Mound: 7u: 40′, 8u: 40′, 9u: 46′, 10u: 46’, 11u: 50’, 12u: 50’, 13u: 54′, 14u: 60′ 6″, 16u: 60′ 6″, 18u: 60′ 6″
Game Length
No new inning will begin after 1:30 for 7u-12u ; after 1:40 for 13u, after 1:50 for 14u, 16u and 18u.
There is NO drop dead time. Any inning started will be played to completion, or until a winner is determined (i.e. home team is leading, is at bat, and time limit has passed).
Games will be a maximum of 6 innings in pool play (7 innings for 13u, 14u, 16u and 18u).
No extra innings will be played in pool play, even if time remains. The game will end in a tie.
Championship game lengths will be as follows: No new inning after 2 hours for 7u-12u; no new inning after 2:10 for 13u; no new inning after 2:20 for 14u; no new inning after 2:30 for 16u and up. These times do not apply to Silver or Bronze Bracket Championships. Those will have the same time limit as Pool Play and non-Championship playoff games. For the Tournament of Champions, championship games will not have time limits. 8u-12u will be 6-inning games and 13u and up will be 7-inning games. Mercy rules still apply.
In playoff games, a winner must be determined. If a playoff game is tied after time expires, or the designated number of innings have been played, a California tie-breaker will be used beginning with the first extra inning…a runner (the last batted out of the previous inning) will be placed at 2nd base to begin the inning and the inning will be played out from there. This will be done each inning until a winner is determined.
Lineup
Teams may bat 9, 10 (with one extra hitter) or entire roster. Anyone in batting lineup is considered “in” the game and can be inserted or removed from any defensive position. If any player (starter or reserve) is removed from the batting lineup for a substitute, for any reason, that player may re-enter at any time, as long as it is in the same spot in the batting order.
If batting the entire lineup and a player is removed due to injury, there is no penalty when the spot comes up. However, the player may not return to the game. If the injury occurs during an at-bat in progress and the team is batting the entire lineup, the last out will finish that at bat. If not batting the entire lineup and there is no substitute to replace the injured player, an out will be recorded. If the umpire deems that a team is feigning injury to gain an advantage, he can call an out when the injured spot comes up.
If a spot is made vacant due to ejection, and there is no substitute to fill it, an out will be recorded each time it comes up.
While a substitute is tied to another player and that spot in the lineup, a sub may fill a defensive position for an injured player that has no sub to take his/her spot.
A team may play with any number of players; however, outs will be recorded for any missing players, up to nine (i.e. play with seven players, two outs will be recorded each time through the lineup). Note: The team playing short may designate on the lineup card where the outs will fall. Players arriving late will be permitted to enter one of the “out” spots. We want to avoid forfeits, if at all possible.
Pitching
There are no pitching restrictions. Coaches are expected to use common sense in protecting the arms of their young players.
A pitcher cannot be removed and return to the mound in the same game. A pitcher is considered “in the game” if that player throws one warm up pitch from the mound.
Balks: There are no balks in 7u & 8u. At the 9u and 10u levels, balks will only be called after a warning has been given to that pitcher. A balk will always be called if it leads to an out for the hitting team (i.e. stopping motion and throwing out base stealer).
At 11u, 12u, 13u, 14u, 16u and 18u levels, umpires will exercise strict adherence to balk rules.
The “fake-to-third” by a pitcher, who does not first step off the rubber, is a balk.
Protests
Protests are only allowed for an umpire’s rules interpretation, not for judgment calls. Protests cost $100, due at time of protest, and will be resolved immediately by tournament director. $100 is returned following successful protest only.
Special Pinch Runners
Special pinch runners are allowed at any time for the pitcher currently in the game or the next inning’s catcher. Special pinch runners are mandatory for next inning’s catcher with two outs.
Special pinch runner may be any player not currently in the lineup. If batting entire roster, special pinch runner must be last out recorded.
Intentional Walks
To intentionally walk a hitter, no pitches need to be thrown. A manager simply needs to notify the umpire. An intentional walk can take place at any point during an at-bat.
Slide and Avoid
Base runners are expected to slide or avoid collisions. If, in the view of the umpire, a base runner does not slide or avoid a collision when there is a play on him, he will be called out. Malicious “plowing” of a defensive player will result in ejection from the game and could result in suspension of the offending player for the next game.
Bats
For 13u and below, all bats must have a BPF ratio of 1.15, or be BBCOR or wood. If a bat has a 1.15 BPF, but is not stamped, clear and concise evidence from manufacturer will be required to be shown. 2 5/8″ or 2 3/4″ are allowed, as long as they meet the other requirements. For 14u, 16u and 18u, only BBCOR or wood bats are allowed.
Note: ALL 2017 -10 and -8 Demarini Zen bats are NOT allowed, unless retooled by the manufacturer, containing the new orange cap.
Penalty for use of an illegal bat is an out, as soon as the batter steps in the box with the bat. If the batter is allowed to hit, the result will stand. There is no “going back.” Teams should bring the illegal bat to the attention of the umpire as soon as the batter steps in the box.
Special Rules
There will be 90 seconds between half innings. Hustle in, hustle out. Repeated violation of this rule can result in penalties of balls or strikes issued to first hitter, depending on offending team.
Visits to the mound will be limited to two for any given pitcher per game, without removal of the pitcher. On the third visit for any given pitcher, the player must be replaced.
Stalling will not be permitted. If, in the umpire’s opinion, a manager is stalling, the umpire may refuse to allow a visit, make a player step in the box, etc. to keep the game moving. Please attempt to get in as many innings as possible and maintain integrity to the game.
Metal spikes are prohibited in 8u, 9u, 10u, and 11u. They are allowed in 12u, 13u, 14u, 16u and 18u. In divisions that metal spikes are prohibited, a player coming to bat (stepping in the batter’s box) with metal spikes will immediately be called out. A player taking the field with metal spikes will have to be immediately replaced until spikes are removed. If no sub is available, team will play short until spikes are changed. When portable mounds are used, metal spikes are not allowed to be used while pitching.
Rules Specific to 7u & 8u
Stealing of home is not allowed. Home plate is “dead” and runners may only score from third on a batted ball or if forced home on a walk or hit batter. If a runner attempts to take home when not allowed, that player will be sent back to third. However, that player is able to be tagged out until the umpire calls time to send the runner back. After multiple violations, the umpire may warn the coach that subsequent violations will result in an automatic out.
Lead-offs are not allowed. Runners may steal 2nd or 3rd only after the pitch crosses home plate. Players who leave early will be sent back. After multiple violations, umpire can call runners out.
The ball is dead when the pitcher has the ball in the area of the pitcher’s mound and runners are on their bases.
Mercy Rule
13 after three innings
10 after four
8 after five
Applies to all games, including championships.
Tiebreaking Procedure
- Head-to-head Record among all tied teams (only applies for 2-way ties or multiple-team ties when all tied teams played each other)
- Run Differential for all games (Max of 8 in any one game)
- Runs allowed for all games
- Coin Flip
If a tie is among more than two teams, winner will be determined, then remaining tied teams will return to tiebreaker #1 to determine second-place team.
Alterations to Tournament Format
If, for reasons beyond JWPB’s control, tournament needs to be altered to finish in a timely manner, Tournament Director reserves the right to change schedule, game lengths, etc. as necessary. Refunds or credits for future tournaments will be given to teams who do not play guaranteed games. Refunds will be $65 per game not played (i.e. with 3-game guarantee…$65 refund if you play 2 games; $130 if you play 1 game). Team can choose $90 per game credit toward future tournament in place of cash refund. Full refund/credit will be given if no games are played.
Dropping From Tournament
If a team drops from a tournament the Thursday before the tournament or later, 50% of the tournament fee will still be due to Just Wanna Play Ball.