GENERAL RULES FOR ALL DIVISION
GENERAL RULES
Failure to follow Baseball Alberta rules may result in a fine, the amount of which will be determined based on the severity of the rules violation.
Games must be played until one team wins; ties are not allowed.
All games must be played and deemed complete to count the result. Teams may not play one game for double points or flip a coin to determine the winner.
League Play – Regulation/Suspended games as per Official Rules of Baseball.
11U: Games deemed complete if the home team is leading after 5 1/2 innings, or either team is leading after 6 complete innings, or game is complete based on the 11U Mercy Rule (10 run differential when the winning team has completed their 4th offensive inning/at bat).
13U, 15U, and 18U: Games deemed complete if the home team is leading after 6 1/2 innings, or either team is leading after 7 complete innings, or game is complete based on the Mercy Rule (10 run differential when the winning team has completed their 5th offensive inning/at bat).
Games not complete (due to weather/darkness) must be suspended from the point of stoppage and then re-started from that point at the next possible time.
Forfeits will result in the following scores:
11U: 6 – 0 score with the winning team being awarded the win, 15 offensive outs, and 18 defensive outs.
13U, 15U, and 18U: 7 – 0 score with the winning team being awarded the win, 18 offensive outs, and 21 defensive outs.
At the ‘AA’ Level, additional tiers beyond Tier IV may be utilized for Provincials if Baseball Alberta deems it necessary.
Any game (except 18U ‘AAA’/’AA’) where fewer than 9 players are at the diamond within 15 minutes past the designated start of the game will result in a 7-0 forfeit, unless determined to be a scheduling error or the team has communicated an acceptable situation to the host/home team. If 7 or 8 players are present, the game will still be played as an exhibition, and pitch counts will still count in daily/weekly totals. The opposing coach will have the option to loan that team a player(s) to play the game, but that player(s) may not pitch.
11U/13U/15U/18UA/18UAA - A courtesy runner may be used for catchers when they are on base with 2 outs in an inning for all regular-season league games except at 18U AAA and BAEL. The courtesy runner must be a player who is not already in the lineup, except during Unlimited Substitution where the player may be the “last out” of the offensive team. The courtesy runner rule is not permitted for use during any Provincial Championship.
**NEW FOR 2024** 18UAAA/BAEL - A courtesy runner will be permitted to replace the catcher and/or the pitcher on any base provided that there are two outs in the inning. The catcher and pitcher will be defined as the players who finished the previous defensive inning in those positions.
The courtesy runner must be a player from the bench who has not yet entered the official lineup for their team.
If a team no longer has any players on the bench who are eligible, they will not be permitted a courtesy runner.
A player may be a courtesy runner multiple times in the same game, provided they have not entered the official lineup in any offensive (pinch hitter/pinch runner) or defensive position
EXTRA INNING GAME PROCEDURE - 13U, 15U, 18U CATEGORIES*
If the game is tied at the completion of regulation (7 innings), the following procedures will be implemented during extra innings: Each team will begin the extra inning (and any subsequent necessary extra innings) with a base runner on first and second, no outs. (See example below to confirm who is on first and second) The batting order of the extra inning or any subsequent innings will be determined by how the previous inning ended. (See example below to confirm who is at bat) The traditional system of the visiting team hitting in the top of the inning and the home team hitting in the bottom of the inning will remain in effect until a winner is determined.
Example:
If the last regulation inning ends with the #6 hitter having the last plate appearance, then the extra inning begins with the #7 hitter at bat, and the #5 hitter at second base and the #6 hitter at first base. With the exception of beginning the inning with runners on first and second base with no one out, all other League Rules and Baseball Canada rules will remain in effect during extra innings required to determine a winner.
*This rule will be applied to all Baseball Alberta League Games and the Round Robin portion of the Provincial Championships.
FORCE PLAY SLIDE RULE
The intent of the force-play-slide rule is to ensure the safety of all players. This is a safety and an interference rule. Whether the defense could have completed the double play has no bearing on the applicability of this rule. This rule pertains to a force-play situation at any base, regardless of the number of outs.
A. On any force play, the runner must slide on the ground before the base and in a direct line between the two bases.
Exception:
A runner need not slide directly into a base as long as the runner slides or runs in a direction away from the fielder to avoid making contact or altering the play of the fielder. Interference shall not be called.
“On the ground” means either a head-first slide or a slide with one leg and buttock on the ground before the base.
“Directly into a base” means the runner’s entire body (feet, legs, trunk, and arms) must stay in a straight line between the bases.
B. Contact with a fielder is legal, and interference shall not be called if the runner makes a legal slide directly to the base and in the baseline extended.
Approved Ruling – If contact occurs on top of the base as a result of a “pop-up” slide, this contact is legal.
C. Actions by a runner are illegal, and interference shall be called if:
The runner slides or runs out of the base line in the direction of the fielder and alters the play of a fielder (with or without contact)
The runner uses a rolling or cross-body slide and either makes contact with or alters the play of a fielder
The runner’s raised leg makes contact higher than the fielder’s knee when in a standing position
The runner slashes or kicks the fielder with either leg
The runner illegally slides toward or contacts the fielder even if the fielder makes no attempt to throw to complete a play.
PENALTY for 1-5
With less than two outs, the batter-runner, as well as the interfering runner, shall be declared out, and no other runner(s) shall advance.
With two outs, the interfering runner shall be declared out, and no other runner(s) shall advance.
If the runner’s slide or collision is flagrant, the runner shall be ejected from the contest.
Approved Ruling
If the bases are loaded with no outs, a double-play attempt is made, and interference is called, all other runners must return to their original bases.
Note:
On a force play, with a two-man umpiring system, if the plate umpire does not have a potential play at the plate, he should move toward the base to observe the runner going into second or third base. In this situation, the base umpire must follow the throw and may not see the true effect of the lead runner’s action.
EXTRA-HITTER (EH) RULE
League Play:
Applicable in ALL rounds (where unlimited substitution is not applicable) up to and including the Provincial Championships, except for the 18U AAA & BAEL Provincial Championships.
An Extra-Hitter (EH) may be placed on the lineup card (a 10th hitter in the batting order; can be placed anywhere in the batting order) as a way to get more athletes at-bats throughout the game. This rule is optional for both teams prior to each game and DOES NOT have to be used by both teams during a game.
A. This rule may be used in any Baseball Alberta League game that is not already hitting everyone on the lineup card.
B. Each team has the option to use an extra hitter (EH) and bat ten (10) players. The EH must be marked on the lineup at the start of the game and must be used for the entire game.
C. The EH may be interchanged with any other position during the game and can be changed multiple times (for example, the SS could become the EH, and the EH become the SS).
D. At the 15U AAA and 18U level a team may elect to use an EH and a DH. These rules are completely separate.
E. In the event that a player is injured or ejected and no substitute is available, the team may remove the EH from the lineup and proceed for the remainder of the game with a nine-player lineup. Any further loss of players would result in a forfeit.
PARTICIPATION RULE
Divisions Affected:
13U AA, 13U AAA, 15U AA, and 15U AAA.
Participation Rule – This rule will be applied during all rounds leading up to but not including Provincial Championships. All players who are listed on the official lineup card will play a defensive position for 3 of his team’s defensive outs and receive 1 plate appearance.
Exceptions:
A. Starting pitchers will not be subjected to this rule.
B. In rounds where the Designated Hitter is allowed, a Designated Hitter is not required to play a defensive position during 3 of his team’s defensive outs provided he receives 3 plate appearances through the course of the game.
C. When a team is scheduled to play 2 games in one day, the scheduled starting pitcher for the second game of the day is not subject to this participation rule during the first game. If this is the coach’s intention, he should make note of that to the umpire and opposing coach before the first game.
D. When a team is scheduled to play two games in one day, a coach may choose to have two players playing the same position play complete games. A player playing the second game of the day in this situation is not subject to the participation rule. However, these players cannot be substituted for except in case of injury or illness.
E. Any 13U pitcher who throws more than 64 pitches will not be subjected to this participation rule during a second game on the same day.
F. Any 15U pitcher who throws more than 74 pitches will not be subjected to this participation rule during the second game on the same day.
It is understood that circumstances will sometimes inhibit coaches from being able to adhere to this rule, e.g., 10 run mercy rule shortened games, rain-shortened games.
Score sheets will not be submitted to Baseball Alberta to determine coaches’ adherence to this participation rule. Baseball Alberta will rely on the professionalism and ethics of its coaches to adhere to this rule. Baseball Alberta encourages opposition coaches as well as outside observers to report cases of non-compliance.
Any coach or team who is found to have deliberately failed to comply with this rule will be subject to sanctions according to Baseball Alberta’s Discipline Policy.
LIMITED RE-ENTRY SUBSTITUTION EXAMPLES
Player A starts the game in right field and batting 3rd in the batting order. In the 4th inning, Player B replaces Player A in right field and is now hitting 3rd in the batting order. In the 6th inning, Player A re-enters the game in right field for Player B and returns to the 3rd spot in the batting order. Player B is no longer eligible to return to the game.
Player A starts the game at shortstop and batting 3rd in the batting order. In the 2nd inning, Player B replaces Player A in the batting order but is playing right field; Player C is now at shortstop. In the 5th inning, Player A re-enters the game and replaces Player B in the batting order and returns to playing shortstop. Player C moves to right field. Player B is no longer eligible to return to the game.
Player A starts the game as the pitcher and is batting 9th in the batting order. In the 4th inning, Player B comes into the game to pitch and replaces Player A in the batting order. In the 6th inning, Player A re-enters the game for Player B but moves to shortstop. Player C who was the shortstop is now pitching. Player A remains at 9th in the batting order and Player B is no longer eligible to return to the game.
Player A starts the game as a pitcher and is batting 9th in the batting order. Player C starts the game at shortstop and is batting 5th in the batting order. In the 4th inning, Player B come into the game to pitch; Player A moves from pitcher to shortstop; Player C is removed from the game. Player B has replaced Player C and is now batting 5th in the batting order, Player A remains batting 9th in the batting order. In the 6th inning, Player C re-enters the game for Player B to pitch; Player C is now batting 5th in the batting order; Player B is no longer eligible to return.