WEATHER EVENT FAQ

As outlined in the Baseball Alberta Air Quality Policy, when the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is at 10+, all Baseball Alberta games, practices, and outdoor events are to stop play and to be rescheduled if possible. 

Yes, they can within reason, this can be determined by the host as long as the umpires involved are willing or available to wait or come back at a different time. Hosts come up against some pressure by all teams involved to sometimes just make a decision. Often the visiting team does not understand the restrictions placed on their host from a municipality perspective. 

Communication is key and making sure that everyone is on board to being patient and understanding the restrictions placed on the hosts. We all understand the sacrifices that both host and visiting teams have to make. It is disappointing to hear that visiting teams complain when a host makes the tough decision to cancel. This is not something that is done on a whim. The host has the final decision and that should be respected and not challenged.

During a smoke event - The AQHI can vary from location to location and as such the host team/host minor baseball association/tournament committee that will be responsible for checking the AQHI reading one hour before the scheduled first pitch of a game. At this time, any cancellation/postponement is to be communicated to both participating teams and the umpires (Baseball Alberta Assignor or local Association assignor). 

During a rain event - If there is no rain one hour prior to the game you would continue your event and then it would be up to the umpires and/or host to decide if rain starts during a game, whether that field is playable or safe for the athletes or in any risk of damage to the facility to end that game. If there is rain prior to the game starting one hour before, it is up to the host to communicate whether they will try to postpone the game or if they have to cancel because their field has taken too much water. This may mean that you have already started traveling to your host site or may have arrived on site.  It certainly is an expensive inconvenience that no one other than mother nature is responsible for. Please do your best to be kind and understanding.

At the AQHI of 7 - 9, Baseball Alberta play is still permissible with modifications. This AQHI range is considered unhealthy for sensitive individuals and groups.  Players/Teams/Umpires may opt out of participation but must communicate with their respective coaches, OFM’s, and hosts. 

Teams and organizers should consider shortening warm-up and practice times, modifying activities, or moving indoors, especially for individuals with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions. This would include limiting innings at the pitcher and catcher positions, limit continuous sustained vigorous activity, etc. At-risk individuals, which includes players, coaches and officials, including those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, should not participate in outdoor baseball activities during High-Risk conditions. 

When a game is canceled between two nearby teams, this game (same game number, same home/away matchup) can be rescheduled to be hosted by the home team at their home field. These rescheduled games are the responsibility of the two teams and not the original host site. 13U AAA and above can then request umpires through the Umpire Request Form on the Baseball Alberta website. For 11UAA/13UAA, umpires can be requested through the home team’s own Association’s Umpire Coordinator. 

When AA teams are more than one hour away from each other, rescheduling a game might not be a reasonable option. Therefore, these games would be considered unplayed at the end of the round and teams would not be subject to disciplinary action. If teams are able/willing to travel more than one hour to play a weeknight game, they are more than welcome to reschedule these canceled games before the end of the current round. 

AAA teams are expected to make every reasonable effort to reschedule games and in the case where games cannot be rescheduled due to unreasonable travel requirements, games will go as unplayed on the scheduled and no points will be awarded. Baseball Alberta will review these games on a case by case basis. 

For clarification on what is deemed a complete game. This information is taken directly from the General Rules section of the Virtual Handbook.

• 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) if weather permits. However, three and a half (3-1/2) innings constitute a regulation game if the home team has more runs than the visiting team. If three and a half (3-1/2) innings have not been completed and the game is called due to weather or darkness, the game shall be restarted from the first inning at the next possible opportunity. If there is no opportunity to replay this game, it will simply be recorded as not having been played. If three and a half (3- 1/2) or more innings have been played and the game is tied, the game must be suspended from the point of stoppage and then re-started from that point at the next possible opportunity.

• 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) if time and weather permits. However, four and a half (4-1/2) innings constitute a regulation game if the home team has more runs than the visiting team. If four and a half (4-1/2) innings have not been completed and the game is called due to weather or darkness, the game shall be restarted from the first inning at the next possible opportunity. If there is no opportunity to replay this game, it will simply be recorded as not having been played. If four and a half (4-1/2) or more innings have been played and the game is tied, the game must be suspended from the point of stoppage and then re-started from that point at the next possible opportunity.

For Provincial Championships. This information is taken directly from the Provincial Championship Game Rules & Info section of the Virtual Handbook.

Games should only be suspended for weather if the field is unplayable or it is unsafe to play due to the conditions. If games must be suspended due to poor weather, the schedule will remain the same and start times will be pushed back.

If a game has already started and is delayed due to weather conditions, the game will be continued from the point of delay once the weather subsides.

If a game is delayed due to darkness, the game will continue first thing in the morning before any other games are played.

Umpires are provided the freedom within the Air Quality Policy to evaluate the current AQHI reading and determine if they have any associated health risks. We have requested the umpires who are at risk communicate this early in the process with their assignor and the host OFM. 

Hand-held monitoring devices are permitted for use by host associations. This policy recognizes the importance of empowering host associations and communities which are not serviced well by the Alberta Environment website. The handheld device must contribute to global measurement mapping; the use of handheld air quality monitoring devices, such as those compatible with platforms like the PurpleAir Map is permitted. Communication with the visiting association and officials regarding this is paramount. These maps must be able to display the Canadian AQHI index. 

The host team is expected to open a clear communication channel with the visiting team and umpiring assignor in regards to the upcoming air quality risks, especially when long distance travel is involved. All teams would have received a contact list as well as the umpire assignor for your area and should be able at minimum to email everyone involved. 

Please do your best to find a hotel that is flexible and will offer you a Friday at 4 pm cancellation. While Baseball Alberta and our host would not want to put you in harm's way, we understand the unpredictability of our weather and we do not expect our host to cancel by midweek in order to save the visiting teams the expense of their hotels. 

A general rule that we ask our hosts to follow is to inform teams by Friday AM if there are any unpredictable causes that have emerged that would put games in jeopardy for the weekend. Such as too much rain or a forest fire or umpire shortages.  If you book a hotel that requires 48 hours or more of cancellation time you do that at your own risk and that is not extra stress the host site should have to take on.