Babe Ruth Rules
UpdatedWednesday March 20, 2019 byMYB.
Meridian Youth Baseball | Babe Ruth Rules
Follow the Babe Ruth Rule Book with the following exceptions:
Game Play
- League Age 13, 14, 15.
- League will provide home plate umpires.
- Home team will provide volunteer field umpires.
- Pitching rubber is 60’-6” from home plate.
- Bases are 90’-0” apart. o Leading off and Picking off is allowed.
- Stealing bases is allowed.
- Bunting is allowed but once a player shows bunt, they may not swing at the pitch.
Line Up
- Bat the entire lineup with free defensive substitution
- Each player must play a minimum of two defensive innings.
Time Limits
- No new inning after 2 hours of play.
- No drop dead on time.
- No minimum number of innings to make a complete game.
- Extra innings may be played after 7 innings and if 2 hours of play have not expired.
- Tie games will be played out if time remains under the time limit. Once the time limit is reached and a started inning is completed, if the game is still tied, it will be recorded as a tie.
- Mercy rule applies if after the 4th inning is completed, and a team is ahead by 15 or more runs, the game is over OR after the 5th inning is completed, and a team is ahead by 10 or more runs, the game is over.
Balks
- Balks will be called after the first week of games.
- In the first week, if a balk results in an out, the play will be negated and player that was put out will returned to their original location.
- However, if a balk results in an out but the batting team scores a run (such as on a 1st and 3rd double steal) the team may choose to take the run and the resulting out.
Pitching
- Pitch Counts Limits and Rest Requirements must be followed for league age.
- Manager must keep track on the league approved pitch count form.
Bats
- The non-wood bats may must have the USABaseball Bat marking OR BBCOR .50 marking.
- Wood bats are permitted.
- Bat barrel must be no greater than 2 5/8” diameter.
Scorebooks
- Home team will be considered the official book and will be responsible for writing official game start time given by the home plate umpire.
- Both teams will be responsible for keeping track of pitching records in their own scorebooks. If pitching records requested of a manager and they are not available, the team requesting them can deem your pitcher ineligible to pitch in that game.
Field Responsibilities
- No infield will be taken by either team prior to a game.
- No use of the pitcher’s mound on the main field will be allowed prior to the start of a game.
- Home team will prep the field before each game.
- Visiting team will put the field to bed after each game.