FALL 2020 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS – NEW RULES

THIS IS OUR 56TH SEASON AND OUR 28TH YEAR OF OPERATION!

OPENING DAY is DECEMBER 13, 2020 FOR SELECT TEAMS – HOLIDAY BREAK DECEMBER 20 – JANUARY 9, 2021.

NEW FALL 2020 SEASON OFFICIALLY OPENS SUNDAY JANUARY 10, 2021 AND WILL RUN THROUGH APRIL.

PLAYERS – EACH PLAYER MUST REGISTER ONLINE TO BE ELIGIBLE TO PLAY – NO EXCEPTIONS.  REGISTRATION FEES – $240 PER PLAYER PER SEASON.

TEAMS – TEAMS MUST CARRY A MINIMUM 14 ROSTERED PLAYERS.  THE SFBL WILL STRICTLY ENFORCE ROSTERS AND LIABILITY WAIVER FORMS. TEAMS IN VIOLATION WILL FORFEIT – NO EXCEPTIONS.

SCHEDULE – TEAMS ARE REQUIRED TO FIELD A TEAM FOR ANY SCHEDULED GAME POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.  TEAM SCHEDULE EXCEPTIONS WILL BE ACCOMMODATED AS ALWAYS WITH PRIOR TIMELY NOTICE AND LEAGUE APPROVAL.  IN ANY EVENT, THE NOTIFICATION DEADLINE OF GAME SCHEDULE ISSUES IS TUESDAY 5PM FOR THE SUBSEQUENT SCHEDULED GAME.  TEAMS INVOLVED WITH ANY SCHEDULE CHANGES WILL BE CONTACTED BY THE LEAGUE WITHOUT DELAY. 

FORFEITS –TEAMS UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE GAME SCHEDULE WILL RECEIVED AN AUTOMATIC FORFEIT.  TWO FORFEITS AND THE TEAM WILL FORFEIT THE REMAINDER OF THE SEASON WITH NO MONETARY REIMBURSEMENT.

ADDING PLAYERS – TEAMS ARE PERMITTED TO ADD PLAYERS TO THEIR ROSTERS AT ANY POINT IN THE SEASON, INCLUDING THE LAST GAME OF THE SEASON, PROVIDING, HOWEVER, THAT THE PLAYERS OFFICIALLY REGISTER WITH THE LEAGUE ONLINE AND THE PLAYERS’ NAMES APPEAR ON THE “ELIGIBLE PLAYERS LISTING” ON THE SFBL WEBSITE.  

ELIGIBLE PLAYERS LIST -POSTED ONLINE – THE LEAGUE WILL PUBLISH AND MAINTAIN ONLINE AN ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF ALL ELIGIBLE PLAYERS IN THE LEAGUE.  IF A PLAYER IS NOT ON THE LIST, HE CAN’T PLAY. PERIOD.

TEAM WAIVER FORM – Each team MUST submit a TEAM WAIVER FORM, which includes the signatures of every player on the official roster – NO EXCEPTIONS.  Team Waiver Form is available online.  Team waiver form submission deadline is after GAME 2.

PLAYOFF ELIGIBILITY – To qualify to play for any playoff game, a player must play a minimum of two (2) games during the regular season.

BORROWED PLAYERS – MUST BE CLEARED AND APPROVED by the League prior to any play.  Teams anticipating being short nine players for any particular ball game are requested to contact the League to arrange for borrowed players if possible.  Teams are prohibited from playing borrowed players once the team has nine players present and one reserve.  Borrowed players may pitch only with prior league approval.  IN ALL CASES, BORROWED PLAYERS MUST BE LISTED ON THE ELIGIBLE PLAYERS LIST POSTED ONLINE.

UNIFORMS – Uniform code to be enforced after GAME 2. Players out of uniform after the second game of the season will be prohibited from participating in any official league games unless prior approval from the League is arranged.

FIELDS – NO ALCOHOL – STRICTLY ENFORCED AT EVERY FIELD-TAKE IT OFF PREMISES! No warming up in front of the dugout.  Respect the fields as though they were your own.  Teams are prohibited from doing any maintenance work on any field and must contact the League Office if necessary, instead.

UMPIRES – NEW – UMPIRE FEES have been increased to $90 per game. Effective last season, teams are responsible for ALL regular season umpire fees, including makeup games. Also, the SFBL Umpire Evaluation Form is now available online.

DUGOUTS – Teams are required to clean up their DUGOUT after each game. VIOLATIONS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

NEW RULES (INTRODUCED FALL 2019 SEASON):

  1. In order to play in an official league game, the player’s name MUST appear on the official LINE UP CARD submitted prior to the start of any game, even if the player is not present at the beginning of the game. Games will NOT start until both official lineups have been submitted to the plate umpire.
  2. The SFBL has eliminated the minimum 10 batter rule. However, teams may still bat more than nine players but teams cannot shrink the lineup without incurring an out first time around in the batting order.
  3. Teams showing up to play with a minimum of 8 players may play an official game by borrowing a position player from the opposing team for defensive purposes only; however, the team batting with eight batters will receive an AUTOMATIC OUT EACH TIME that slot arrives in the batting order. The opposing team MUST provide the team short players with a position player throughout the game, again, for defensive purposes only.
  4. Automatic runner for the catcher each time he reaches base safely. Use last batted out in the batting order.
  5. Managers must notify the League on any injuries that occur during the game via an INJURY REPORT within 24 hours of any injury (an email with all relevant facts).
  6. Social distancing and all other protocols regarding the China Virus remain in force – please refer to the SFBL Virus Protocol published online.