Press Release
South Miami, June 1, 2015
The new season brings a slew of exciting changes for the South Florida Baseball League. In particular, we have simplified the league and made it more exciting than ever. Effective the Spring 2015 Season, the SFBL has merged the Premier Division with the Senior Division and created an Open Division (ages 18+), which will feature 12 teams split into two brackets, American and National Divisions. The division will use an aluminum bat. Effective this season, the SFBL has formally adopted the COLLEGE BASEBALL BAT RULES for both OPEN AND MASTERS DIVISIONS.
This season, for each division, Open and Masters, the SFBL is awarding a championship trophy and a $1000 cash prize and championship tshirts to the championship teams. The SFBL is also awarding MVP and Baseball Beast trophies to our most heroic warriors. Finally, the SFBL will resume awarding special plaques in each division for the Cy Young Award, Batting Champion, Home Run Champion and Gold Glove Award. All awards are based on statistics with the exception of the Gold Glove Award, which will be awarded based on peer votes.
Special Note: The $1000 cash prize will only be payable to championship teams in good standing, meaning teams must be in full compliance with a published team roster, matching waiver form signatures, fully paid team fees and full team statistics in order to collect the incentive cash prize.
Open Division Playoffs:
All games, except championship games, are subject to 3 hour time limit, no ties permitted, suspended after 3.5 hours, mercy rule 10 run lead after seven innings in effect. Championship games do not have a time limit. All games are official after five complete innings if called due to rain.
The top six teams at the end of the season will compete in the playoffs for a $1,000 cash prize, championship trophy and championship tshirts.
Quarter-finals:
Number 1 seed in each bracket gets a BYE with an automatic entry into the semi-finals.
The Number 3 team (Visitors) plays the Number 2 team (Home team) with the winner advancing to the semi-finals in both divisions.
Semi-finals:
Winner of the quarterfinals (Visitors) plays the Number 1 seed (Home team) in both divisions.
Championship:
The winners of the semi-final games play a championship game with the team with the best overall record earning the home team designation. A coin flip will break a tie.
Masters Division Playoffs:
The SFBL has added another team, Boca Giants, to the Masters Division (ages 30+) to create a six team division. At the end of the season, the top four teams in the division will qualify to compete in the playoffs for a $1000 cash prize, championship trophy and championship tshirts.
The 30+ Masters Division teams must carry a roster of players turning 30 and older in the current year, with three exceptions. Masters Divisions teams are permitted to carry up to three players turning 27 and older in the current year, regardless of position played.
Semi-finals:
The Number 4 seed (Visitors) plays the Number 1 seed (Home team).
The Number 3 team (Visitors) plays the Number 2 team (Home team).
Championship:
The winners of the semi-final games play a championship game with the best overall record earning the home team designation. A coin flip will break a tie.
