cmba-bylaws/docs/02-league-rules-and-policy.md

League Rules and Policy

Subjectivity

These rules, regulations, articles, and By-Laws may not be suspended, set aside, or added to under any circumstances, regardless of the will of the Managers. This provision nullifies the “If both managers agree” concept.

Budget

A budget for the next fiscal year shall be prepared by the Commissioner for presentation and approval of the Board. The budget shall conssit the annual Member dues, other income, and expected expenditures for the operating year. The board shall present the approved budget for information to league Members.

Rules and Competition Committee Meetings

The Rules and Competition Committee shall meet at the discretion of the Commissioner. These meetings must be held in person, except in extenuating circumstances by agreement between the Commissioner and the Committee.

Rules and Competition Committee

The Rules and Competition Committee, to be made up of the Commissioner and two (2) appointed franchise holders. An alternate member shall be appointed by the Commissioner if a committee member is unavailable or conflicted (i.e. the matter under consideration involves a player of the committee member’s team or the committee member), shall meet and take action concerning:

1. Official protests
2. Disciplinary matters referred to the committee pursuant to Standings And Postseason
3. Any decision of the Commissioner that has been officially appealed.

Additional roles supporting the league.

Webmaster, Umpire Assigner

Umpires

Umpires shall have the sole responsibility for the enforcement of all sections in Team Rosters Players And Eligibility of the By-Laws, except where specified.

Code of Conduct

Ethics

All League members, including officers, Managers, umpires, and players shall strive to be ethical, honorable, and truthful in all dealings concerning the League thereby promoting the League as a first class league of impeccable integrity.

Sportsmanship

All League members, including officers, Managers, umpires, and players are expected to behave in a sportsmanlike manner, promoting fair competitive play in a respectful atmosphere.

Definition; Amendments

These By-Laws shall stand as the official rules of the League. All League members shall abide by and are subject to, without exception, all rules and regulations as outlined in the Constitution and By-Laws as well as the authority of the League Commissioner, in accordance with Subjectivity

Amending the By-Laws

By-Laws may be amended, removed, or added by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the League members present at the time of the vote.

Membership

Standards

The following standards shall apply for consideration for membership by franchises in the League.

1. Quality of leadership within the franchise.
2. Good record of past performance in the following:
   1. Forfeits and punctuality at League games.
   2. Attitude and conduct of players and management.
   3. Financial responsibility.
   4. Ability of its players.

New franchises

The League Commissioner shall present, upon acceptable review of its qualifications, a new franchise to the members at large for consideration. New franchises are allowed to present a positive case for inclusion.

1. Acceptance shall be affirmed with a simple majority vote of members in attendance.

Annual Membership Dues

All League members shall pay annual membership dues, as determined by League budget. All League members must have all membership dues paid by a schedule set by the Commissioner and approved by the Board.

1. Penalty for late payment shall be ten dollars ($10.00) per week for no longer than five (5) weeks.
2. Members in violation of the above shall be placed on temporary suspension for a period of two (2) weeks.
3. Members who have not paid outstanding dues by the end of the two week suspension shall be placed on indefinite suspension until all dues are paid.

Fees and Fines

Fees

League fees may consist of, but are not limited to the following: Forfeit fee; Performance bond; Field fees; Prize Money Fund; Tournament fees; and any other costs incurred by the League.

Fines

The Commissioner may levy fines to any League Member franchise or player subject to Board oversight. Fines may be levied for violation of this Constitution and its By-Laws or conduct unbecoming of a representative of the League. Fines may not exceed fifty dollars ($50.00) for a single incident Fines must be paid in full by a date specified by the Commissioner. Member franchises or Member franchises consisting of rostered players with outstanding fines will be considered not in good standing as defined in classification.

Leave of Absence

Members in good standing may be granted a leave of absence and are entitled to all privileges as outlined in Classification of the Constitution.

1. Members in good standing on leave for more than two (2) years must reapply for membership.

Temporary Suspension

An League franchise may be placed on temporary suspension by the Commissioner and are subject to rules set forth in Classification; Standing.

Indefinite Suspension

An League franchise may be placed on indefinite suspension by the Commissioner and subject to rules set forth in Classification; Standing. Violations that may result in indefinite suspension are as follows:

1. Conduct detrimental to the objectives of the League.
2. Two (2) forfeits of a game in one season. A team that is indefinitely suspended two consecutive seasons for violation of this subsection shall not be permitted to reapply for reinstatement unless a change in management is presented to the league. The new management must be approved by the League Commissioner and ratified by a majority of the League members.
3. Tampering with players on the roster of another member franchise. Tampering shall be defined as the deliberate solicitation, without consent, by one League member of a player who has made at least an oral commitment to play for another League franchise.
4. Consumption of alcoholic beverages on or in close proximity to the playing fields as detailed in League Standings
5. Violation of any written policies set forth by the issuer of any permits for field use by the League.
6. Failure to comply with any of the stated codes of conduct as set forth in this document.

Reinstatement

An indefinitely suspended franchise may be reinstated by the Commissioner upon the resolution of any outstanding violations and the satisfactory guarantee of no further violations.

Additional Fees

The Commissioner may request additional fees to cover any costs that exceed the amounts originally budgeted for by the League.

Fees to the Commissioner

In the event the Commissioner is a franchise holder, the Rules and Competition Committee may levy any and all appropriate fines for infractions of this Constitution and By-Laws by his franchise.

Outside Leagues

Teams may not play in leagues outside of the League, unless that league has a formal agreement with the League that its playing schedule does not conflict with regularly scheduled League games or playoffs.

Meetings and Voting

Per Annual Meeting, the League shall hold an annual meeting. In addition, per 4.2, the Commissioner may call additional meetings.

Voting Privileges

Each franchise with voting privileges as specified in Classification; Standing shall have one (1) vote at league meetings, regardless of the number of representatives the franchise has sent to the meeting.

Commissioner’s Role

The Commissioner shall chair the meeting. If the Commissioner is also a franchise holder, he must designate another person from his franchise to represent the team at league meetings. The Commissioner can only vote in the event of a tie vote among the members present at the meeting.

Voting Decisions

A 2/3 vote is necessary to:

1. Amend the Constitution, per Amending the Constitution
2. Amend the Bylaws, per Amending The By Laws
3. Remove an Officer.
4. Expel a team or player for violations of rules set forth in the Constitution or By-laws.

Any decision not listed above shall be decided by simple majority vote.

Attendance

All franchise members are expected to attend all league meetings. Failure of a franchise to send a representative to a meeting may result in a ten dollar ($10.00) fine. Those members present at any meeting shall constitute a quorum and all votes by this quorum are binding.

Teams and Managers

Recognition

Teams shall be formally recognized as existing as an entity from April 1 through August 31 of the current season. These dates shall serve as time periods as they pertain to all rules regarding rosters and team management.

Team Name

Teams new to the League, regardless of the makeup of the roster, shall not be allowed to use the name of any existing League team. Teams from other recognized leagues or leagues entering the League shall be allowed to use any team name provided it was the recognized existing name of the team prior to its membership in the League. Changes in team names shall not affect a team’s status in the League in any way provided the original recognized Manager is the entrant of the team.

Uniform

All players must be in uniform (bearing the team’s name as represented to the league) by the team’s first regular season game in order to be eligible to participate in games. Players may not obtain the jersey of another team member in order to obtain eligibility.

1. This deadline may be extended by the Commissioner at his discretion following a written petition by the team that shows a just and reasonable cause for extension, and evidence of a good faith effort to meet the deadline.
2. This rule applies to any players legally added to the roster after the stated deadline.
3. Uniforms shall consist of, but are not limited to, matching team caps and jerseys with assigned team uniform numbers.
4. Players must be dressed in proper baseball pants. These pants need not match the team’s uniform, however, the League encourages all players to wear matching pants. Sweatpants, shorts, jeans, or any other type of pants other than baseball pants are prohibited.

Manager

The Manager is that person who has been officially recognized as the entrant of a team into the League. The Manager has the ultimate responsibility for the team’s compliance with all by-laws as set forth in this Constitution. The Manager of a franchise is responsible for all actions of his players and coaches and may be fined up to fifty dollars ($50.00) for any violations of codes of conduct and league rules as set forth in this document, or any other actions deemed detrimental to the objectives and standards of the League.

1. Severe violations of league rules and codes of conduct may result in the suspension of the offending player or Manager for the balance of the season or possible permanent banishment from the league, if so ruled by the Commissioner.

Manager Changes

Management of the team may officially change from one person to another during the dates that team is formally recognized as an entity as specified in Recognition only with the written consent of the outgoing Manager, or rostered members of the team can show that the Manager has not been faithfully and/or competently fulfilling his requirements as outlined in this Constitution.

1. Management changes under this Section may only take place pending the outcome of a hearing, which shall take place at the earliest possible date between the League Commissioner, the Manager in question, and the parties seeking a change in management.
2. The Commissioner may ask other Managers to attend this hearing to serve in an advisory role.
3. Failure to appear at this hearing by either party involved shall automatically result in an outcome favorable to the party in attendance.
4. Teams with management conflicts of this nature may not play league games until the completion of this hearing and resolution of the conflict. Management changes outside of the dates that a team is formally recognized as an entity as specified in Recognition are beyond the control of the League and Commissioner and are not subject to any formal mechanisms of change as outlined in this Constitution. Resolution of any outstanding conflicts associated with such management changes are the sole responsibility of the parties involved.

Team Rosters; Players and Eligibility

Roster Deadline; Roster Size

Prior to June 1, each team has an “open roster.” League teams must submit a roster of their players to the Commissioner no later than June 1 of each year. Any team that does not submit its roster to the Commissioner by June 1 as required by this Roster Deadline; Roster Size and in accordance with the information requirements in Roster Information Requirements shall be deemed not in good standing. Consequences of not being in good standing are defined in Classification; Standing of the Constitution. This submitted roster plus any and all legal roster transactions per Roster Transactions, shall be considered official. Players not on a team’s official roster are ineligible for play, except where specifically noted in this Teams And Managers.
Each team’s roster must contain a minimum of sixteen (16) players and shall not exceed twenty-six (26) players, in each case, excluding non-playing Managers and coaches.

Roster Information Requirements

A team’s rosters as submitted to the Commissioner on or before June 1 shall contain the following information for each rostered player: name, age, bats/throws, position(s),uniform number, and face photo. Rosters shall be submitted in Excel or via Google sheets (or similar editable spreadsheet.)

Roster Transactions

Teams may add a total of five (5) players to the roster after the June 1 roster submission deadline. The total number of players on a team still may not exceed twenty-six (26). In order to add players between June 1 and July 1 but not exceed the 26 player limit, a team may drop players who were rostered on June 1. No players may be added after July 1, except as set forth below. After July 1, upon request to the Rules and Competition Committee, a team may add a player if (i) the team’s roster has fallen (or, upon the removal of players “missing in action” as described below, will fall) below the 16 player minimum and (ii) doing so will, in the good faith determination of the Rules and Competition Committee, prevent the team from forfeiting games. In order for a team to declare a player “missing in action” after July 1, (i) the player shall have (a) failed to appear at all of the team’s games occurring prior to such request or (b) suffered a season-ending injury after June 1 and (ii) the team must drop the player from its roster. A team may drop players at any time as long as the team’s roster does not fall below the 16 player minimum. Any and all roster changes shall be submitted to the Commissioner and satisfy the information requirements in Roster Information Requirements. Roster changes shall be effective as of the first pitch of the team’s first regularly scheduled game after the updated roster is submitted.

Alumni

If a team would otherwise be required to forfeit or technically forfeit a game after June 1 due to a lack of eligible players in attendance, the team can use one (but not more than one) of its former players (“alumni”) in that game. The team’s Manager shall inform the opposing team’s Manager and the Commissioner as soon as possible (and in no event later than the first pitch) of his team’s use of an alumni player and will provide to the opposing team’s Manager and the Commissioner with the alumni player’s name, age, bats/throws, position and uniform number. Alumni players are not eligible to play in the playoffs.

Eligible Players

Eligible players must be of at least eighteen (18) years of age by the date of the teams first +game. No player may play for more than one team in a season (either before or after June 1). A team that uses an ineligible player, per the rules in this Team Rosters Players And Eligibility, will be deemed to have forfeited any and all games in which the illegal player(s) participated.

Postseason Player Eligibility

Players must appear in at least five (5) games during the regular season in order to be eligible for postseason play. Upon request to the Rules and Competition Committee, exceptions may be made for players with long term injuries.

Player Responsibility for Team Fees

All players in the League are expected to pay their team fees. Players will not be allowed to switch teams within the League unless or until any and all debts are paid in full.

Free Agents

A player must inform the League Commissioner and his Manager no later than February 15 of the upcoming season if he wishes to leave his team and become a free agent. After this he is free to play for another team in the League. A Manager may waive this deadline for an individual player at the Manager’s discretion. If the player fails to notify as specified, that player shall be disqualified from playing on another League team for that season.

Protest and Forfeits

Timeframe and Reporting

All protests must be filed with the Commissioner within 48 hours of the alleged infraction and on the League supplied form. All requested information must be accurately reported. Any Manager who knowingly falsifies information on the protest form will be fined and suspended as determined by the Commissioner, and that Manager’s team will forfeit the game.

Ground for Protest

Protests may only be made on the grounds of a violation of a rule stated in this Constitution and its By-Laws or in violation of a stated Major League Baseball rule. Protests may not, under any circumstances, be based on the judgment of an umpire’s call. The protesting team’s Manager must notify the umpire of the protest at the time the violation occurred. Managers shall notify the league Commissioner at the earliest possible time after the game and provide umpire signature as proof of notification.

Ruling

Upon the filing of a protest with the Commissioner, the Commissioner shall call a meeting of the Rules and Competition Committee at the earliest possible date. Judgment regarding the merit of the protest shall be made after deliberation.

Notification

Teams that win games by forfeit must notify the Commissioner that very day.

Umpire Payment

Forfeiting teams must pay, at the time of the forfeit, the full cost of the umpire(s), and shall be considered not in good standing as defined in Classification; Standing. Teams will be considered not in good standing until payment is made. In the event a team is unable to pay the umpire at the proper time, the team’s forfeit fee will be used to cover initial forfeits. The cost of additional forfeits will be paid by the team.

Forfeits

Should a team forfeit a game shall lose 2 points in the standings. Forfeiting teams must pay, at the time of the forfeit, the full cost of the umpire(s). Until payment is made, a forfeiting team shall be considered not in good standing as defined in Subsection. Should a team forfeit 2 games in a season they will be banned from playing games for the remainder of the season and playoffs and placed on indefinite suspension, not in good standing, as defined in Subsection of the constitution. Games that included or would have included this team shall be subject to the following:

1. All previous games played by the indefinitely suspended team shall count in the official standings.
2. All subsequent games shall be recorded as a loss for the suspended team and a win for the scheduled opponent.

Technical forfeit

A team subject to technical forfeit shall be awarded only one point for a victory. A team may receive 2 technical forfeits per season. After reaching this limit, subsequent technical forfeits shall be converted to forfeits, as defined in Equipment.

Standings and Postseason

Website

The Commissioner shall maintain a league website that includes all official scores and league standings. Additional pertinent information will be provided.

League Standings

The League shall use a point system to determine the standings. A team is awarded:

1. Two (2) points for a win (including a win against a team in technical forfeit)
2. One (1) point for a win while in technical forfeit (see Forfeits)
3. One (1) point for a tie game
4. Zero (0) points for a loss
5. Minus two (-2) points for a loss by forfeit (see Forfeits).

Standings Tie-breakers

In the event two teams finish the regular season in a tie for a position, the following tie-breaking procedure will take effect:

1. Record in head-to-head competition.
2. Record within the division (if applicable).
3. Least runs allowed for the season.
4. Coin toss, performed by the Commissioner with a witness.

Postseason Format

The postseason format shall be determined by annual vote.

Prizes and Awards

Playoff prizes and awards, if any, shall be determined by the membership of the league.

Playoff Umpire Selection

For the playoffs, each team will be granted the ability to exclude one (1) particular umpire from participating in said teams series. The name of this umpire shall be submitted to the chief umpire as soon as possible prior to the series. This umpire “veto” will be binding UNLESS the chief umpire cannot find any other umpire who can work any game in this series.

Completion of Playoff Games

All playoff games must be played to completion. If a playoff game is suspended for any reason, the game must be finished at a later date declared by the Commissioner. This game is declared suspended, and regardless of what inning or circumstance, the game will be continued from the point in the game when it was suspended. The “Slaughter Rule” is applicable for the playoffs (see Regulation Games).

Sportsmanship and Prohibited Conduct

All League members are expected to engage in a sportsmanlike and mutually respectful behavior. Any Manager or the chief umpire may request that the rules and competition committee review the specific actions of another player, coach, Manager or team. The rules and competition committee shall review, and in its discretion, determine the appropriate disciplinary action to be taken, if any. Disciplinary actions include a written warning, fines, temporary suspension, and banishment from the League. The committee should take under consideration repeat offenses. The Commissioner shall enforce any discipline determined by the committee.

Fighting

Fighting or any physical altercation shall not be tolerated in the League. Players cannot leave the bench or their positions during a fight for any reason; the Managers, the on-the-field coaches and umpire(s) shall be responsible for restoring order. Specific penalties for violations are listed below.

1. Any player who instigates or initiates an on-field fight shall be fined and suspended from league play for no less than one season
2. Any player or coach who participates in a fight shall be suspended for three games and fined $50.00.

Assault of an Umpire

Any player or coach who physically assaults an umpire will be permanently banished from the league. He may also be arrested if the umpire chooses to press charges.

Substances

1. Smoking: Smoking shall be prohibited in the dugout and on the playing field during the game.
2. Alcohol: Alcoholic beverages are prohibited on or in the close proximity of a team’s bench. Teams in violation of this rule will forfeit the game and be automatically fined and temporarily suspended. Offending players will be fined and suspended for two (2) weeks from the date of the infraction. A second violation of this rule shall result in the automatic expulsion of the team from the League. Managers are responsible for the enforcement of this rule and are accountable for any violations.
3. Additionally, all teams and players are subject to any and all additional laws, rules, or regulations regarding substances as stated by locality or the issuer of the field permit

Flagrant Collisions

A flagrant collision is defined as an intentional act to forcibly collide with a fielder. A player who is ejected for a flagrant collision will be suspended for three (3) games and fined $30. A second offense (not necessarily in the same season) will result in the player being suspended for the remainder of that season (including playoffs). A third offense will result in permanent banishment from the league.