Common Rules that Affect All Games

Pitch Count: All batters start with a count of 1 ball and 1 strike.

Home Runs: Home runs are limited in this league. Each team is allotted TWO home runs without penalty. All home runs hit over the fence that are higher than the allotted total of home runs is automatically counted as an "out". 

White Line:  League Joe does not use the white line in the outfield for any specific purpose.

Pinch Runners:  As a general rule, one runner per gender each inning.  Exceptions can be made for injury situations only!

Outfielders Cannot Throw Out a Runner Going to First Base:  At the point the outfielder touches the ball, they may not attempt to throw out a runner advancing to first base from the batter's box.  They may, however, throw to first base to check a runner who has rounded the base in an attempt to go to second base.

Female Walk Rule:  If a male batter is walked with a female batter coming up to bat, the female batter is given the option to choose an automatic walk or to hit as normal.  The male walked batter will automatically be awarded second base regardless if the female batter chooses to bat.  This should always be up to the discretion of the batters and coaches should not remove the bat from any player's hands who wishes to hit.

Automatic Walk Rule (aka the JoshK rule):  A pitcher may signal for an automatic walk only when the batter has reached the batter's box and signaled the umpire for a walk.  While recognized as a strategic play, automatic walks are highly discouraged during general seasonal play.  

No DH Rule: All players who are able to bat must also play at least one inning of defense in the field.  An exception to this rule may be made in the case a player does not wish to play defense for some reason (injury, fear, caution) so long as both coaches agree to the exception.  

Paid Players Rule: At all times, players who pay for and register appropriately for leagues must be given priority consideration for playing time over a substitute player. Paid players can sit a small amount of time for the purpose of defensive rotation, however no paid player should ever be placed in a situation where they receive considerably less playing time than an individual who paid and registered to play fully.

Common Courtesy Rules

In a recreational league, the safety of the players and the enjoy-ability of the game take the utmost priority. The following are common courtesy rules that are often judgement calls and will be enforced when necessary. While not technically against the rules of the game, all players are asked to be aware of and respect common field courtesy to help ensure all participants have fun.

Try to Avoid Hitting the Ball at the Pitcher
The pitcher is the most dangerous position on the field, and a mistimed swing can result in a serious injury. Try to avoid making line-drive contact with balls up the middle. If you need help adjusting your swing, please consult your coach. We have impleneted pitcher safety screens to asssit with this.  Any batted ball striking the pitching screen is considered a foul ball.

Avoid Unnecessary & Dangerous Throws
When playing outfield or fielding a ball that lands far away from the action on the field, take care and please do not force throws that are unlikely to result in an out. For example, a player receiving a ground ball in left field should not attempt to throw the runner out at first, even if that runner is slow or injured. The velocity required to throw from the outfield to the infield can result in a dangerous situation if your throw is inaccurate, or either the baseman or the base runner are not paying attention.