FALL 2021 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS – NEW RULES

THIS IS OUR 58TH SEASON AND OUR 29TH YEAR OF OPERATION!

OPENING DAY is DECEMBER 12, 2021

PLAYERS – EACH PLAYER MUST REGISTER ONLINE TO BE ELIGIBLE TO PLAY – NO EXCEPTIONS.  REGISTRATION FEES – $260 PER PLAYER PER SEASON.  PLAYERS DO NOT NEED TO RE-REGISTER IF THEY HAVE DONE SO PREVIOUSLY AND THIER NAME APPEARS ON THE SFBL APPROVED PLAYERS LISTING AS POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.

TEAMS – AGE BRACKETS HAVE CHANGED TO 18+ DIVISION, 28+ DIVISION and 35+ DIVISION.  TEAMS MUST CARRY A MINIMUM 13 ROSTERED PLAYERS.  THERE IS ALSO A LIMIT OF 25 PLAYERS PER ROSTER.

SCHEDULE – THE SFBL WILL PUBLISH A ROLLING TWO WEEK SCHEDULE THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.  TEAMS ARE REQUIRED PLAY 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 “APPROVED PLAYERS LISTING” ON THE SFBL WEBSITE.  

APPROVED PLAYERS LIST – POSTED ONLINE – THE LEAGUE WILL PUBLISH AND MAINTAIN ONLINE AN ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF ALL APPROVED 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 APPROVED PLAYERS LIST AS 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 – UMPIRE FEES ARE $90 PER GAME.  Each team pays one umpire $90 in cash prior to the start of each 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. Tie-Breaker for Playoff Games. For all playoff and championship games that are tied after the time limit expired, the subsequent innings shall be played under Playoff Tie-breaker rules. Championship games have a 3 1/2 hour time limit, whereas all other playoff games have a three hour time limit. Each team will play their respective half innings starting with the bases loaded and one out. The last three batters from the previously completed inning shall serve as baserunners, with the last batter being placed at first, the second to last batter being placed at second and the third to last batter being placed at third. The game ends once a team ends any inning with the lead.
  2. Line-Up Card.  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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Automatic runner for the catcher each time he reaches base safely. Use last batted out in the batting order.
  6. 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).