Fayetteville Youth Baseball Ground Rules 
The following rules apply to ALL leagues

Revised 02/09/2022

ANY rule not specifically covered here or in the rules for each individual age group will be governed by USSSA.

1. There will be no profanity, obscene gestures or throwing of any equipment. This can result in automatic ejection from the game in which it occurs and suspension from the next game. The second time one of these violations occurs, the person or persons involved will meet with the Fayetteville Youth Baseball Board. At this meeting it will be decided if the person or persons involved will be allowed to continue in the Fayetteville Youth Baseball League.

2. In case of a discussion, only the manager or head coach will speak to the chief umpire. All other coaches and players will either stay at their positions or in the dug-out. If this is violated, the person or persons involved may be ejected and suspended for one game. If it happens a second time, the person or persons involved will have to meet with the board where it will be decided if the party involved can remain in the Fayetteville Youth Baseball League.

3. A player, a coach, or a fan ejected from the game must immediately leave the park.

4. There will be no yelling of personal or personal pronoun names. There will be no banging of bats against the dug-out fencing, floor, or bench. There will be nothing done to distract players from the other team. If any of the above violations take place, the umpire will warn the person or persons involved. A second warning means automatic ejection from the game. If the umpire is unable to tell who the guilty party is, the head coach will be ejected from the game. Managers should remember whatever their players do- good or bad - reflects directly on them. Again, managers are expected to have control of their players.

5. No smoking or chewing tobacco will be allowed in the confines of the playing field. Alcoholic beverages and drugs are not permitted anywhere in the ballparks.

6. There will be no soft toss allowed against a fence at any ballpark during practice or before a game.

7. Home team will be in the 3rd-base dugout.

8. Before the start of each game, the managers will meet with the umpires at home plate to discuss the ground rules and anything else important for that game.

9. All equipment shall be kept in the dug-outs during the game. All players, unless they are on the field playing a position, on base, in coach's box, up at bat, or in the on-deck circle, must be in the dug-out.

10. Managers should have their players in uniform with their shirts tucked in.

11. Batting helmets: When a player is at bat, in the on-deck circle, being used as a coach, or a base runner, they must wear a helmet. This includes the team bat-boy. **Helmets must have a mask at Kessler Park. Masks are not required at White River.**

12. Catchers mask and helmet, and protective cup: Any player warming up a pitcher must have on a helmet. This applies for both practices and games. Starting with the 9 yr old league, managers are to make sure a catcher has on a protective cup. If the catcher is not wearing a protective cup, they will be prevented from catching until they are wearing one.

13. All on deck batters will use the third base on deck circle when a right-handed hitter is batting, and they will use the first base on deck circle when a left-handed hitter is batting.

14. All players will be listed in the batting order at the start of the game and bat in turn throughout the game. If a player arrives after the start of the game, their name is to be added to the end of the batting order.

15. Free substitution on defense. However, each player will play at least two innings on defense unless prevented by injury or illness. If he/she does not, the player will start the next game in the field and play at least two innings on defense before being substituted for. Failure to do so can result in forfeiture.   No player should sit out a second time unless all players have sat out at least one inning.

16. Due to a possible shortage of players, teams will be allowed to play a game with only seven players. The team will be charged with only one automatic out, not two, for the vacant 8th & 9th spots.

17. When playing with seven players, a team may leave one infield position (other than the pitcher or catcher) open so the team may have two outfielders.

18. No team will be assessed an automatic out for vacant 10th or later batting position.

19. A line-up card must be turned in to the umpire 10 minutes before the game starts. All lineup changes are to be communicated directly to the home plate umpire by the team manager.

20. Delaying of the game by runners will not be tolerated. The runner will receive one warning by the umpire when a delay occurs. He will be called out if another infraction occurs.

21. Stalling- If in the opinion of the umpire, a team exhibits stalling tactics, the umpire will give the team a warning. If in the opinion of the umpire, the team exhibits further stalling, the umpire shall stop the game and award a forfeit to the other team.

22.

Please note that big barrel bats (anything above 2 1/4") will be allowed in ALL age groups.
* All bats MUST be stamped "USA Baseball" for ages 12 and under.
* Along with USA Baseball bats, BBCOR big barrel bats will be allowed at White River.  
* Again, all bats for ages 4-12 MUST have a "USA Baseball" stamp to be used in our league.
* There is a -8 "drop" limit on bats at White River only.

If a batter uses an illegal bat, the batter will be called out and all runners will return to their original base, and the head coach will be ejected for the remainder of the game.

These stamps on any bat are NOT allowed in ANY age group:

This stamp on big barrel bats IS allowed at White River Only:


These stamps on any bat ARE ALLOWED in ANY age group:

23. The batter must not throw the bat after hitting the ball. If, in the umpire's judgement, the batter has thrown the bat the batter will be called out and any baserunners return to their original base. 

24. Tie Breaker Order:  Winning Percentage, Head-To-Head, Head-To-Head Differential, Total Runs For, Total Runs Against, Total Runs Differential, Lowest Number of Forfeits, Coin Toss.
NOTE:  When a differential is involved, a maximum of 8 runs per game differential is used in the calculation.

25.  Between Inning Time Limit:  For ages 9 - 15, there will be a 1 ½ minute time limit between innings.  The umpires will have a stop watch to keep the time. Please have your pitcher and catcher ready to start warming up as soon as the other team’s at-bat is over.  A pitcher gets a maximum of 5 pitches to warmup unless it’s a new pitcher then they will be given the normal 8 pitches.
There are bullpens at each dugout at Kessler Park, use them to have your pitchers warmed up and ready to go.  Your catcher should have their gear on and ready to go when the inning is over.

26.  Courtesy runners:  A courtesy runner is required for a catcher that’s on-base once there are 2 outs in the inning.  A courtesy runner is recommended, but not required, for the pitcher on-base once there are 2 outs in the inning.  The courtesy runner is the last batted out.  This rule is implemented to help facilitate the time limit of 1 ½ minutes between innings.

27.  Slide at home plate.  All age groups:  if there is a play at the plate, the runner MUST SLIDE or will automatically be called out.  It is the umpires discretion to decide if there is a "play" at the plate.

28.  Metal cleats are NOT allowed in any age group at any ballpark.    

29.  Forfeits for ages 7 and up.  If a team does not have enough players at 5 minutes past game start time then that team will forfeit. 
The teams may still practice/scrimmage together if they wish, but the game will still be counted as a forfeit to the team with too few players.

30.  Intentional walks NOT allowed for ages 12 and under.  Coaches are NOT allowed to intentionally walk a batter by just having them go to 1st base in any age group 12 yrs old and younger.