V. League proper

1. There shall be no grace period for each game’s scheduled starting time (ie, teams/players who report late by one minute or more shall merit a default for such violation). The official time shall be held by the official scorer of the day as well as the league commissioner and league director. All three officials shall have the same synchronized time. Teams shall not be excused for having a different time.

2. There shall be an allocated seven (7) minutes warm-up time for each team prior to its respective game time.

3. No third (or other) team shall be allowed to warm up on field premises until a game has been completed. Pitchers shall warm up in the designated bullpens of the field only. There shall be no fraternizing between teams during ongoing games. (ie, if there is a game in progress while one team is outfitting game uniforms in the clubhouse/locker room prior to its scheduled game, that team is restricted from interacting with the team in the dugout and must remain silent so as not to be a disturbance to the other team. Violation of these regulations may warrant a penalty by the technical committee of Baseball Philippines.

Teams may be allowed to cross the dugout in order to access the designated warm-up area (if there is a game in progress) during the fifth inning stretch so as not to disrupt the team that is currently in the corresponding clubhouse/locker room. Violation of these regulations may warrant a penalty by the technical committee of Baseball Philippines.

After each player on both teams has been introduced by the public address announcer prior to the start of each game, both teams shall line-up in front of their respective dugouts (behind the foul lines). Teams are required to remain lined-up until the conclusion of the national anthem prior to each game. Everyone is expected face and honor the Philippine National Flag at the top of the center field scoreboard for the duration of the national anthem.

4. Defaulted games

A defaulted game score is automatically set to 9-0 and awarded to the winning team. Any team which defaults its scheduled game(s) shall be penalized by the league. Penalties shall be determined on a case-to-case basis.

5. Suspended games

A game shall be suspended with less than 4 1/2 innings played due to unexpected events such as inclement weather or other unforeseen scenario as determined on a case-to-case basis. The suspended game shall be rescheduled at a later date and continue in the game situation of the inning that was currently being played. In the event that inclement weather or unforeseen scenario occurs during the first inning leading to cancellation of the game, the game shall be rescheduled and played anew in its entirety regardless of the score in the first
inning.

6. Proper officials to address concerns

All in-game substitutions and position changes shall be directed first to the home plate umpire followed by the official scorer. If the home plate umpire is not notified of the substitution prior to the official scorer, the substitution shall not be valid.

In-game umpiring decisions that are contested by a team shall first be addressed to the home plate umpire. If further clarification is required, the chief umpire may be called upon to help resolve the dispute. In the event that a team opts to protest a certain event in a game that was already ruled upon by an umpire, a formal protest may be made to the technical and/or decisions committee of Baseball Philippines. This formal written protest shall be submitted to the aforementioned committee no more than 24-hours after the conclusion of the game in protest.

7. Protest

Protests should be made within 24-hours after the conclusion of game in protest. The recorded end-time by the official scorer shall be the official start time for the 24-hour grace period.

A non-refundable processing fee of PHP 50,000.00 shall be charged for every protest submitted. Judgment calls cannot be protested.

Teams are not allowed to walk out of games regardless of whether a protest is called for. Teams shall been sanctioned for such a violation and shall warrant a penalty by the technical committee of Baseball Philippines.

8. The Official Rules of Major League Baseball (American League) will be used unless otherwise stipulated. herein.

9. Player Coach Suspension and Ejection

Penalties shall be determined on a case-to-case basis. If a player/coach incurs two or more offenses/warnings (after the first offense/warning), the offender is given a one-game suspension. After serving the one-game suspension, the player/coach shall be allowed to play the next scheduled game.

The team manager/assistant manager/coach(es) are responsible for the actions of all the players and/or representatives within their respective team’s dugout. Th team manager/assistant manager/coach(es) shall be penalized for their player/representative’s inappropriate actions if the player/representative in question cannot
be identified.

It will be the commissioner’s and/or chief-umpire’s call on the warnings and ejections handed out to any member of the given team.

10. Decision body for protests

The league commissioner shall serve as the chair of the decisions committee of Baseball Philippines.

Three representatives from Baseball Philippines shall comprise the decisions committee. In the event of a stalemate, the league commissioner shall vote for the decision.

Teams involved in the protest shall be allowed to furnish the decisions committee with its written protest(s) and explanation(s) (see section V.6.iii and V.7.i).

All other related complaints and suggestions may be made thru the office of the league commissioner and/or sent to info@baseballphilippines.com.

11. Given that there are three (3) games to be played during a given play date, there is a need for all games to conclude within a reasonable amount of time with respect to the schedule. Therefore,

For the first 2 games of the day: If a game goes into extra innings, and surpasses its allotted duration of three (3) hours, a maximum of two (2) extra innings shall be played. If the game has not been won or lost within the two (2) extra innings, the game shall be suspended and rescheduled only if it will have a bearing on the final standings.

For the final game of the day: the duration of extra-innings play will be determined by the discretion of the home-plate umpire with regards to sufficient daylight for playing. The safety of the players and the ability of the home plate umpire to call a game will be of primary concern.

12. House Rules / Ground Rules

House rules shall be adopted based on venue restrictions. The chief umpire shall announce the house rules to each team before the start of each game.

Each team shall present its designated manager/assistant manager/coach(es) and team captain to the chief umpire prior to the start of each game. Only the designated persons shall be allowed to appeal calls on the field to the chief umpire.

13. All regular season games shall have no time limit and shall go the full nine (9) full innings of play. Draws shall merit extra innings until a winner emerges (see section V.11)

14. In the event that two teams are tied in the standings at the end of the regular season the higher-ranked team shall be determined as follows:

The team that won the game(s) between teams (head-to-head match-up) Fewer runs allowed in the games played between teams More runs scored in the game played between teams
Higher batting average in the games played between teams Fewer runs allowed in all the games played.

15. There shall be no time restriction on postseason games.

16. Teams shall abide by the rules and regulations of the playing venue (ie, no smoking and no alcoholic beverages on the field and dugout).

17. Team representatives/owners must at all times recognize and include Baseball Philippines in the event of any press release on internet, print, radio, and television. An appropriate penalty or expulsion from the league shall be incurred by violators of this rule.

18. Run Difference Rule (mercy rule) shall be in effect. If a team is losing by ten or more runs after a completed 3rd or 4thinning during Five (5) Inning Games, 5th or 6th inning during the Seven (7) Inning Games and 7th inning on the Nine (9) Inning Games having batted, the game is ended at that point.

19. No at-bat can continue without coaches properly stationed on their respective positions at the first base and third base coaching box.

20. Speed up rules

The 12-second rule for the pitcher shall be enforced at all times during the game (with or without men on base) and there shall be an audible device controlled by the technical committee of Baseball Philippines to indicate a violation of this rule.

The hitter shall be required to remain in the batter’s box unless a request for time is made and the umpire feels that such a request is reasonable. Only then shall the umpire grant time out.

The pitcher shall be allowed four warm-up pitches between innings and the plate umpire shall ensure that the pitches are thrown without undue delay. If a team fails to complete the warm-up pitches within a reasonable length of time, the umpire may terminate them and call “play ball”. Teams shall be directed to have a designated/bullpen catcher ready to warm-up the pitcher as soon as an inning is completed.

When a batter hits a home run, team members shall not be allowed to come in physical contact with the batter (or any runner scoring as a result of the home run) until runner(s) and batter touch home plate. A violation of this rule shall result in a warning and if it occurs a second time, the manager of the team shall be ejected from the game.

Only one infielder at a time can make a trip to the pitcher’s mound and only one such visit per inning shall be allowed. The catcher shall not be considered an infielder for the purpose of this rule.

Coaches shall be allowed three free trips to the mound during the game to talk with the pitcher (a free trip is one in which the pitcher is not removed from the game). These meetings shall be limited to no more than 30 seconds from the moment the umpire calls time. After the third free trip, each subsequent trip to the mound shall result in the removal of the pitcher. If the game goes to extra innings, one additional free trip shall be allowed for each extra three innings. Two trips to the mound in the same inning to the same pitcher shall result in the removal of the pitcher. When infielders visit the mound simultaneously with the coach (mound conference), it shall be likewise be considered an infielder’s trip to the mound for that inning.

Teams are allowed a maximum of three at-bat (offensive) meetings per game. An offensive meeting shall be charged any time a coach delays the game for any length of time to talk with an offensive player regardless of whether it is the hitter, a base runner, an on-deck batter going to the plate, or another coach. the game goes into extra innings, one additional offensive meeting shall be permitted for each 3 extra innings. Violation of this rule may result in the team manager/assistant manager/coach being ejected. No offensive trip shall be charged if the offense discusses strategy during a delay for which they are not responsible for (Ie, trip to the mound, injury, player change, etc.) provided they cause no further delay upon resumption of the game.

Intentional walks shall consist of one pitch only. The catcher or the team manager/assistant manager/coach of the fielding (defensive) team shall inform the plate umpire of this play prior to its execution. The customary four pitches shall not be necessary.

Pitching Rules

If a pitcher pitches more then six (6) innings in a game, that pitcher shall not be allowed to pitch in the next scheduled game.

If a pitcher pitches six (6) innings or less, that pitcher shall be allowed to pitch in the next game.

A pitch thrown in an inning by any player is equivalent to one inning pitch.

These pitching rules shall be applicable to the postseason.

22. Teams shall be responsible for anticipating conflicts in schedules and the willingness to play of their respective players. (Ie, national team players, foreign players, collegiate players, etc.)

23. If more than Six (6) teams bracketing in a Single Round Robin System with top two (2) for semi-final, top one (1) for
final or Championship with 7 inning to play. In case of tie, win on the other will apply.

VII. Awards

a. Most Valuable Player
b. Best Pitcher
c. Best Hitter
d. Homerun Kinge. Best Coach
f. Best Umpire
g. Medals to Individual Athletes (Team member)

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