Eligibility
To be eligible to play in the Stark County Area Baseball League a player must be at least 30 years old by September 30^th of the current baseball season.

All players must have signed a contract and paid league fees prior to competing.

Any player found in violation of SCABL eligibility requirements may be expelled from SCABL for up to three years. Any manager found to have used an ineligible player also may be expelled for up to three years.

A team will forfeit all games that any ineligible player participates.
 

Sportsmanship
Umpires will eject players before, during, and after games for any of the following infractions, which the league considers unsportsmanlike behavior:

Any ejection will carry a one game suspension (next scheduled game). Any player ejected twice in the same season is suspended for the season.

Equipment
Metal spikes are permitted.

Players may only wear dark 1/2, 3/4, or full length sleeve undershirts.

Player uniforms must be identical (including hats, belts, jerseys, and pants).

All batters and runners must wear helmets with at least one ear flap (toward pitcher).

Wood or metal bats are allowed. Metal bats must have a length/weight differential or 3 of less (ex: 32 inch/29ounce) - umpires will be checking bats.

Home team must supply 3 new and 2 good used baseballs for each game.

Catchers must wear approved mask, chest protector, shin guards, catcher's mitt, skull cap, and protective cup.

Extra bats and helmets must be kept in the dugout during the game and not in the on-deck area.

Rosters
Players may not transfer to another team after the start of the season.

Teams may have no more than two ex-professional players on their roster.

Deadline for adding players to a team is July 1^st of the current season.

Game Rules
The Stark County Area Baseball League uses the official Major League Baseball rules with the following modifications and adaptations:

Teams must have at least eight (8) players to start a game. There is a 15 minute grace period. When playing with only eight (8) players, the ninth (9th) spot in the batting order will result in an out each time that spot comes up in the order.

Home team has the field until 15 minutes before the game. Visiting team has the field 15 minutes prior to the game.

Both teams are responsible for retrieving foul balls.

Managers are required to submit a lineup card to the opposing team prior to the game.

Games are nine (9) innings long during the regular season. No new half-inning may start after the 4 hour time limit. The game will be considered a complete game and the results are final. Games are nine (9) innings long during the playoffs and championship games.

If a game is rained out (at the umpires discretion) after 7 complete innings (6 1/2 if home team is ahead) the game will be considered complete. If it is rained out before it is considered a complete game, the teams will finish the game at a later date with the game frozen (lineups, score, situations, identical when it was rained out). The only substitutions can be for players who are not present.

All playoff games must be played to completion (9 innings).

A player must participate and play in half of its team’s regular season games to be eligible to play in the playoffs.

Mercy rule is 12 runs after 7 innings.

Teams will forfeit a game if: 1) Fewer than eight (8) players are at the start of or during the game. 2) Use of an ineligible player. 3) Failure of an ejected player to leave the park.

Protests are allowed only on rules interpretations or violations. There can be no protest on a judgment call. To protest a game, notify the umpire and the opposing manager immediately that the game is being played under protest and why. Have the umpire sign the home team scorebook and write down the exact reason for the protest. Notify the league commissioner within 24 hours of the game. A meeting will be held with both managers and the commissioner and a ruling given.

An alternate runner may run for the catcher with two outs. This runner must be the last offensive player to be put out.

Runners going into base must slide on an attempted double play or will be called out.

Runners must slide into home or give themselves up on a close play. Running into the catcher is cause for ejection.

The catcher is not permitted to block the plate without the ball or reasonable expectation of a play.

Decoy tags are not permitted. Any player committing a fake tag will be ejected and the runner awarded the next base or base he would have made without the obstruction.

There are unlimited substitutions on defense. The opposing manager does not have to be notified of defensive changes. However, offensive changes must be reported to the opposing manager.

Batting orders and strategy
Batting order must have at least eight (8) players.

Batting order may be expanded at any time. Players are added at the bottom. Batting order is unlimited.

Batting order may not be decreased at any time (ejections or injuries result in an out if not replaced by another player).

A team must bat at least nine (9) players if there are nine (9) players present. If nine (9) players are not present, a team may play a game with eight (8) players. An out is taken for the missing batter. Any additional player(s) must be added to the bottom of the lineup until at least nine (9) players are represented. A team may not play a game with less than eight (8) players.

Once a pitcher is removed from the game they may no longer pitch again in that game.

Any player who is pinch hit or run for cannot bat or run again but may play defensively.

Any pitcher hitting 3 batters in a game must be removed.

Intentional walks may be called but pitcher must pitch four pitchouts.

Miscellaneous
All teams must score the game with a scorebook.

Only players and coaches of league teams are allowed in the dugouts and on the field before and during the game. Scorekeepers who are not players must be in the stands or behind the safety fences. Our liability insurance does not cover anyone other than players and coaches. DO NOT allow anyone, with the exception of team players and coaches, in the dugout during the game FOR ANY REASON. Umpires will stop the game at any time to enforce this rule.

Playoff spots and seedings are determined by the following tie-breakers:
    1) Head to head competition record.
    2) Total runs scored
    3) Coin flip.

Playoff Eligibility: To participate in SCABL playoffs, a player must have a signed contract on file and have appeared in at least half of the regular-season games.  However, any player failing to meet the minimum game requirement due to injury may participate in the playoffs.  Each team manager will provide the commissioner with a roster of eligible players one week prior to the start of the playoffs.  Upon request of the commissioner, a manager may be asked to provide proof of a player's eligibility by showing the team's scorebook.  The use of ineligible players will lead to forfeiture of playoff games in which the eligible player(s) participated.

Alcohol consumption before, during or after games on any school or municipal property will not be tolerated. Any player who consumes alcohol on these premises or its grounds will be suspended for the remainder of the season.

Please be considerate and clean up fields/dugout of trash after each game.