Carl Reyna League Rules

1. The distance between bases is seventy feet (70’). All bases are fixed. The distance between home plate and the pitching mound is fifty feet (50’).

2. Continuous batting orders will be used. If a player is injured, leaves early, or is unable to continue, his position in the batting order will be skipped without penalty.

3. Free substitutions are allowed. No player is allowed to sit out more than six (6) defensive outs per game unless there are thirteen (13) players in attendance at the game, and then, no player may sit out three (3) innings until all players have sat out two (2) innings. Every attempt should be made to ensure that all players sit out approximately the same amount of innings throughout the season.

4. No leads are allowed off 1st base. Runners may not leave 1st base until the pitcher releases the ball. Penalty: one warming (for both teams) will be issued during each regular season game. After the initial warning, the ball is dead once the pitcher releases the ball and the runner on 1st base runner is out. The pitch, a hit by the batter, or any other subsequent activity will not count. No warnings will be issued during the playoffs.

5. Runners may lead off 2nd and 3rd bases. A fifteen-foot (15’) maximum lead is allowed from 3rd base before the ball reaches the plate.

6. Balks will be called if they are blatant or if they are repeated after a warning has been issued to that pitcher during the same inning. Players that advance safely during the play in which a balk is issued will be allowed to advance. No warnings will be issued during the playoffs.

7. Squeeze bunts are not allowed during either the regular season or the playoffs.

8. The ball is live until the pitcher steps back onto the rubber or the umpire calls time out.

9. Pitchers are limited to maximum of three (3) innings per game and five (5) innings per week. The pitching week starts on Monday at 12:00 AM and ends on Sunday at 11:59 PM. When a relief pitcher comes in to finish an inning, one (1) pitch thrown constitutes one (1) inning pitched. Once a pitcher has been removed, he or she is not allowed to return to the game as a pitcher. A maximum of ten (10) warm-up pitches are allowed for each relief pitcher.

10. Courtesy runners are allowed for the catcher with two (2) outs. The courtesy runner will be the player who made the last out.

11. Games are seven (7) innings long. The time limit on weeknights: no new inning will start after 7:15 PM as defined by the home plate umpire’s watch. The time limit on weekends: no new inning will start after two and a quarter (2-1/4) hours from the start of the game as defined by the home plate umpire’s watch. New innings begin when the last out is made in the previous inning.

12. Rained-out or rescheduled games will be played Sundays. The first rescheduled game will be played at 11:30 AM, the second at 1:45 PM, the third at 4:00 PM, and the fourth at 9:15 AM on Sunday. The time limit for all Sunday games: no new inning will start after two (2) hours from the start of the game as defined by the home plate umpire’s watch. New innings begin when the last out is made in the previous inning.

13. The twelve (12) run rule will apply to all games after four (4) innings.

14. The “infield fly rule” will apply.

15. “Hidden ball trick” plays are not allowed.

16. The “Official Baseball Rules” will govern all other rules.

17. All teams will qualify for league playoffs. The playoff schedule will be determined by each team’s regular season win-loss record. Tiebreakers will be decided by head-to-head record, head-to-head run differential, or a coin flip (in that order).

MUDVILLE LEAGUE RULES
updated March 16, 2009

Click for a PDF of the Mudville playoff rules

1.  The Mudville pitching distance is 44 feet with the bases set at 60 feet.

2.  Games are 6 innings or 2 hours long.  Official game time will be kept by the Home Plate Umpire. A new inning cannot begin after 2 hours from the game start time.  A new inning starts when the 3rd out is made in the previous inning.

3.  Continuous batting order with no changes allowed during the game.

4.  Defensive substitutions are allowed at any time.  The defense must consist of 10 players with 4 outfielders on the grass portion of the field.  A player must not sit out consecutive innings and no more than 2 innings per game.

5.  Mercy Rule: A half-inning will end when the offensive team scores 7 runs or the defensive team records 3 outs. This rule does not apply to the final inning of the game.  

6.  A runner on 1st Base may not lead off or steal 2nd base until the pitched ball crosses Home Plate.  If the runner leads off, then the ball is dead and the runner is out.  

7.  A runner on 2nd Base may not steal 3rd base if he/she leads off.  If there is no lead off, then the runner may steal 3rd base after the pitched ball crosses Home Plate.  

8.  A runner on 3rd Base may lead off at most 10 feet from the base. A runner may only advance Home when a batter puts the ball in play or is forced in by a Walk or hit batter.  

9.  Overthrows at first and second base are live during a pickoff or steal attempt.  If the ball leaves the field of play, then a runner may only advance one base.

10.  Adult coaches will pitch to their own team during the first 3 innings of all preseason games.  Batters will be given 5 pitches to hit a fair ball.  Foul balls beginning with the 5th pitch will extend the at-bat.  No leading, stealing or walks allowed while a coach is pitching.  The defense shall include a fielding pitcher.  Mudville players will pitch the final 3 innings of all preseason games and each inning of all Regular Season games.

11.  Pitchers are limited to 2 innings per game with 7 warm-up pitches between innings.  Once a pitcher has been replaced, they are not allowed to return to the game as a pitcher.  A relief pitcher is allowed 10 warm-up pitches.  When a relief pitcher enters the game to finish an inning, one pitch will constitute one inning pitched.

12.  A player who pitches 2 innings in any one game cannot pitch again for 40 hours.

13.  A called strike will result in a ball being removed from the count.

14.  A pitched ball returned from the Catcher to the Pitcher is a dead ball and the runners may not advance.

15.  No Balks, Dropped Third Strike, Infield Fly Rule or hidden ball tricks.

16.  All other rules will be governed by the "Official Baseball Rules"