1. DRAFT PROCEDURE
1.1. The team managers will draft players in turn.
1.2. The draft order will be randomly determined by the Series Commissioner. The order of picks shall alternate after every round i.e. the team with the last pick in the previous round will have the first pick in the next round and so on.
1.3. Each draft round comprises a single selection by each of the team managers.
2. FREE AGENTS
2.1. New players can register after the Draft. They will be available for selection as Free Agents.
2.2. The team managers will receive a list of available Free Agents 48 hours before their game and will be asked to make their picks.
2.3. The Draft procedure will continue to be applied when picking Free Agents.
3. PLAYER MOVEMENT REGULATIONS
3.1. Trades between teams are permitted at any point between the end of the Official Draft and the final game in the schedule.
3.2. The following trade-related restrictions apply:
3.2.1. Players cannot be released, or tendered as free agents.
3.2.2. The maximum number of players that can be traded for any single prospect is 3.
3.2.3. Any team that fails to appear on game day with 9 players will be forced to trade-up (swap a single player for multiple prospects) in order to fill their bench.
3.2.4. All trades must be announced to the League Commissioner within 2 hours of agreement and are subject to approval.
4. GAME RULES
The following rules shall apply to this competition:
4.1. Resolving Ties in Group Standings. In the event of two or more teams finishing in a tie, either by virtue of identical won-lost records or where teams have played an unequal number of games but the “Games Behind” difference between them equals zero, the tie would be broken by using the following criteria in the order given:
4.1.1. The head-to-head results between the tied teams should be used to establish placings;
4.1.2. If still level, then the team that has conceded the fewest runs in games between or among the tied teams is placed first, the team that has conceded the next fewest number of runs in those games is placed second, and so on;
4.1.3. If still level, then the number of runs per game conceded by the tied teams across the whole of the competition should be used to determine placings.
4.1.4. If still level, placings will be determined by a toss of a coin.
4.2. Reporting Final Scores. The two teams are each required to submit the final scores to the Commissioner within 48 hours.
4.3. Pitching Restrictions.
4.3.1. A player can appear as a pitcher in one, two or more games per day, but no player shall accumulate more than 3 innings (9 outs) as a pitcher over the course of the day. It is the responsibility of the opposing team to inform the umpire when a pitcher reaches the limit. Managers must inform opponents of the number of innings pitched by each of their pitchers during the day prior to the start of each game.
4.3.2. In the Postseason, the number of innings pitched by pitchers will be reset after their team plays their second series of the day.
4.4. Rolling substitutions. Rolling substitutions are not permitted.
4.5. Continuous Batting Lineup. Continuous batting lineup is permitted.
4.6. Mercy rule. No Mercy Rule will be in force.
4.7. Game Length/Format. The format and length (number of innings) will be as shown in the schedule.
4.8. Rules Applicable to Timed Games. If a game is designated as a “timed game”, at the start of the game the umpire will inform both managers the time at which the game will finish. Umpires will be the official timekeepers of all games. No new innings shall start within 10 minutes of the predefined game finish time. If the predefined game finish time is reached, the umpire will allow this inning to be completed. This inning will be treated as the final inning with all the implied conditions including: (i) the bottom of this final inning will be played only if the visitors are leading or the game is tied in the middle of this final inning; (ii) if the visitors are in the lead in the middle of this final inning, but the home team takes the lead in the bottom of the inning, the game will end as soon as the home team takes the lead and this will be the final play and the final score. If the score is level after completing this final inning, a count back to the last inning in which one of the teams was in the lead will be taken as the final game score. If still level, the game will be recorded as a tie.
4.9. Tied Games. For games which are not timed, if the game is tied after completion of the final inning, the teams will play one extra inning. If the score is level after completing this extra inning, a count back to the last inning in which one of the teams was in the lead will be taken as the final game score. If still level, the game will be recorded as a tie and each team will be awarded half a win and half a loss in the standings.
4.10. Disputes. Any disputes will be ruled on by the Commissioner, whose decision will be final.
4.11. Permitted bats. Only wooden bats are permitted. The Commissioner reserves the right to grant special dispensation to players who may struggle with a wooden bat and allow them to use an aluminium bat.
4.12. Designated Hitter Rule. Designated Hitter shall be allowed in accordance with MLB rules.
4.13. Special rules which apply to the “9th Inning-Games”.
4.13.1. During the “9th Inning-games” each game will last one inning only.
4.13.2. The game ends when 3 outs are recorded in the bottom of the inning or the home team takes the lead, whichever occurs first.
4.13.3. If 3 outs are recorded in the bottom of the inning and the game is tied, each team is awarded half a win and half a loss in the standings.
4.13.4. The batting order of each team remains unchanged for the duration of the day unless a substitution is made.
4.13.5. A substituted player cannot re-enter the same game, however that player can re-enter a subsequent game.
4.13.6. The batter who was next to bat upon completion of the previous game will be the first batter in the next game with the rest of the batting lineup coming up to bat in order.
5. FIELD SETUP / TAKEDOWN
5.1. All teams involved in the first games of the day on a particular diamond shall arrive at the report time to help with the setup of that diamond.
5.2. All teams who are involved in the final game(s) of the day will be responsible for repairing the field(s).
6. UMPIRES
The following criteria, in the order shown, will be used to determine who shall umpire a particular game
6.1. Officially assigned umpire, if available; or
6.2. A member of a team which is not involved in a game, if available; or
6.3. A member of the home team