1. House League rules cannot be changed without OLMBA Executive approval.
2. All Coaches are responsible to their respective Division Convenors, the House League Director, and the OLMBA Executive.
3. Coaches are responsible for their respective teams and for participation in all House League functions.
4. Game starting times are set by the House League Director.
5. The home team coaching staff is responsible for laying out the diamond, and putting away all equipment after the game.
6. The home team coaching staff is responsible for providing all game baseballs. From Rookie to Peewee, one new ball and one good used ball should be provided. For Bantam, two new balls and two good used balls should be provided.
7. If Umpires are not available for a game, every effort should be made to obtain volunteer Umpires from spectators or from the respective Coaching staffs. If Umpire equipment is not available, the home plate Umpire will assume the position behind the pitcher’s mound.
8. The Umpire will review the ground rules with Coaches at home plate 5 minutes before the scheduled game time. The Umpire has control of the game at that point. In games with no Umpires, Coaches should meet 5 minutes before the scheduled game to review ground rules.
9. From Rally Cap through to Bantam, players are permitted to use their own aluminum baseball bats. Bantam players are also permitted to use their own wood/wood composite bats. Bats are to be approved by the OLMBA Equipment Manager.
10. a) Players in all Divisions must provide their own clearly-indicated NOSCAE-approved batting helmets with double ear flaps. Chin straps must be used with helmets in all Divisions below Bantam. Chin guards may not be used in lieu of a chin strap.
b) Batting helmets are mandatory while batting and running the bases during practices or games. The use of broken helmets is not permitted.
11. Catchers must use a decker (catcher’s glove) in Mosquito Division and above.
12. Players must wear long pants or will not be permitted to participate in practices or games.
13. Open-toed shoes are not permitted for games or practices. No hard-plastic cleats or metal cleats will be allowed in Mosquito Division and below. Molded rubber shoes (e.g., turf shoes) are acceptable. Footwear rules apply to players, Coaches, and Umpires.
14. a) For Rookie through Bantam, a game is automatically defaulted if less than seven players (eight for Bantam) are available to play. The game should still be played, and Coaches are encouraged to lend players to the team in default to balance team numbers. Such a game will be supported by Coaches, who will decide on an appropriate number of innings to be played. This only applies if the total number of players from both teams is 14 or greater; no game shall be played if there is a double default situation.
b) There is a 15-minute grace period at the beginning of the game for Divisions from Rookie and up to limit defaults. Game duration impacted in this regard is still measured from the originally-scheduled game time.
15. a) Call-ups are permitted at Rookie and above. Coaches must make Convenors aware of all call-ups prior to the game in which the call-up is to play.
b) If one or more call-ups are necessary, Coaches are encouraged to use as many different players as possible. Specific call-ups from younger Divisions can be called up a maximum of three times.
c) Players called up from younger Divisions are not allowed to pitch, with the exception of Bantam. At Bantam, call-up players may pitch one inning. Call-ups must also play a minimum of two innings defensively in addition to the one pitching inning, but they cannot play more innings than any other regular player, with exceptions considered for in-game injuries to regular players. A call-up must bat in continuous order within a team’s lineup. A call-up must be played and cannot be taken out of the game except for injury.
16. The Disciplinary Committee will consist of the Umpire in Chief, House League Director, Vice President, and one additional House League Committee member, to be appointed by the House League Director.
17. At the end of the game, both teams, including Coaches and assistant Coaches, must line up and shake hands. As a COVID-19 consideration, in lieu of shaking hands, cheers may be used.
18. Coaches will not argue with Umpires, nor question a judgment call. Coaches may ask their Division Convenor for a rule interpretation. Violation of this rule will result in immediate ejection. Further disciplinary action will be assessed by the Disciplinary Committee.
19. Offensive language and/or inappropriate equipment handling will not be tolerated. Players who engage in either are subject to ejection from a game. If a game is not Umpired, Coaches are responsible for monitoring this. If an ejection occurs, a subsequent one-game suspension is to be served, with possible follow-up discipline at the discretion of the Disciplinary Committee.
20. No fighting or charging the pitcher will be allowed, and either will result in immediate ejection from the game with possible further suspensions at the discretion of the Disciplinary Committee.
21. All ejections must be reported by the game Umpire to the Umpire-in-Chief, who in turn reports to the House League Director. If a player or Coach is ejected, they will have an automatic one-game suspension applied to the next scheduled Division game. A subsequent ejection is an automatic three-game suspension. A third ejection is ruled on by the Disciplinary Committee. Coaching or playing while under suspension incurs a further three-game suspension and possible action by the Disciplinary Committee.
An additional minimum two-game suspension will be assessed to any Coach who refuses to leave the field after an ejection. There will be an automatic review by the Disciplinary Committee for Coaches who refuse to leave the field after an ejection. These suspensions mean a player or Coach cannot be involved with the team in any capacity at Division games during the suspension. Any conversations with the Umpire after an ejection will constitute "refusing to leave the field." Suspended players and Coaches must serve their suspension before taking part in any OLMBA-sanctioned games (i.e., a House League suspension must be served before participating in a Select game and vice versa). Note that there is an exception in the OLMBA Constitution applying to end-of-season suspensions with games left in the other venue (Select or House League). Suspensions will be applied to any OLMBA-sanctioned games.
22. a) The use of tobacco/e-cigarette/vaping products by players and Coaches is prohibited. Use near the field or while Coaching will result in an ejection and suspension to be determined by the Disciplinary Committee. Use of these products by a spectator tied to either team must be addressed by Coaches if it can be safely and immediately communicated by either team scorekeeper to the Division Convenor.
b) Alcohol consumption by players or Coaches is prohibited by law in all parks and school properties. Use near the field or while Coaching will result in an ejection and suspension to be determined by the Disciplinary Committee. Alcohol consumption by a spectator tied to either team must be addressed by Coaches if it can be safely and immediately communicated by either team scorekeeper to the Division Convenor.
23. When a player who reaches base safely is to play the catcher position in the following half-inning, they shall be substituted with a pinch runner (last out in the batting order). This applies only when the second out is made.
24. For Rookie and above, no player shall sit on the bench two or more innings in one game until every player has sat at least one inning on the bench. Similarly, no player shall sit on the bench for three innings in one game until every player has sat on the bench for two innings, etc.
For Mosquito and above, pitchers are an exception to this rule. However, by the end of the game, a pitcher cannot have played more than one inning more than anyone else on the team. If a conflict arises, it must be dealt with prior to the start of the inning. The game should not be delayed. All violations will be dealt with by the Disciplinary Committee and failure to comply will result in any or all of:
a) 1-game suspension for the Coach of record.
b) Multiple game suspension for the Coach of record.
c) Forfeiture of the game.
d) Disciplinary Committee interview with the Coach of record.
25. A player that arrives after the start of the game who is in the batting order for the game, may bat in their position as long as their turn at-bat has not yet occurred. Otherwise, they will be placed at the bottom of the batting order.
26. No new inning can start after 1 hour and 45 minutes from the scheduled game start time in all Divisions, up to and including Peewee. In Bantam, no new inning can start after 2 hours from the scheduled game start time. NOTE: Clarington SouthWest is an exception to this rule for 2022. A new inning starts when the last out in the previous inning has been made. The Umpire’s watch is the official game time. For Divisions without Umpires, Coaches will collectively enforce this rule.
27. If the Umpire stops a game during an inning due to time limitations, the score will revert back to the score at the end of the last completed inning.
A game is considered official after the completion of:
a.) Rookie – 1.5 innings if the home team is ahead, or visitors are ahead by 7+ runs, otherwise 2 innings
b.) Mosquito, Peewee, Bantam – 2.5 innings if the home team is ahead, or visitors are ahead by 7+ runs, otherwise 3 innings
A game is over when it is a complete game regardless of whether time is still available to play. A game is considered complete after the completion of:
a.) Rookie - 4 innings
b.) Mosquito - 5 innings
c.) Peewee - 7 innings
d.) Bantam - 7 innings
28. Rookie, PeeWee and Bantam Divisions have a mercy rule of six runs per inning, and Mosquito has a mercy rule of four runs per inning.
29. The home team Coach will notify their respective Convenor in the event of a rained-out game. The Convenor will arrange for the date and location for the makeup game, if a game is possible, will arrange for Umpires, as required, and will notify Coaches. If the home team Coach does not notify the Convenor of a rainout, then no rainout will be scheduled.
30. For Minor Rookie and above, each team must provide a scorer for each game.
31. To determine Division standings for Divisions that keep score, two points are awarded for a win, one for a tie, and no points for a loss. Note that SportsEngine's auto-generated standings table may not accurately reflect standings, and final standings are ultimately determined using these criteria by the House League Director.
32. For Divisions with playoffs (Rookie and above), Division standings will be used to determine playoff matches. The House League Committee will communicate appropriate tiebreakers and may include consideration of the head-to-head record, run differential/number of played innings, and may also involve a play-in.
33. In the event that a Division with playoffs ends the regular season with teams having played a different total number of games, this will be factored into the tiebreaker to determine playoff matches.
34. If there is a tie at the end of a regular-season game, it will remain a tie.
35. Game protests must be communicated to the Convenor no later than noon the following day during regular season play and within 2 hours after tournament or playoff games.
36. Any person warming up a pitcher on or near the playing field before or during a game or practice must wear a catcher’s mask equipped with proper throat protection, and a jock/jill.
37. With the exception of medical ID bracelets, no visible jewelry shall be worn during practices or games.
38. If any Baseball Ontario Umpire assigned to a game observes thunder and/or lightning, the Home Plate Umpire will immediately pause the game. In Divisions that do not have an assigned Baseball Ontario Umpire, either Coach is required to pause the game if they observe thunder and/or lightning, in line with our weather policy.
39. Base Coaches (whether Coaches, players, or parents) do not have to wear protective helmets unless they are under the age of 18. Anyone under the age of 18 must wear a helmet while Coaching 1st or 3rd base.
40. Runners are instructed to slide or to avoid making contact with a fielder. A player who maliciously runs into another player is to be declared out (unless they have scored prior to committing the infraction) and is to be automatically ejected (whether or not they have been declared out).
Malicious contact is to be penalized whether committed by an offensive or defensive player. Contact shall be considered malicious if:
a) the contact is the result of intentional excessive force, and/or
b) there is intent to injure or sufficient disregard for the likely injury of another.
The Umpire (and in Divisions with no Umpire, Coaches’ collective judgment) shall determine whether contact was avoidable or unavoidable – for example, whether a runner was attempting to reach the base/plate, or attempting to dislodge the ball from a fielder. If the runner could have a) avoided the fielder and reached the base or b) attempted to dislodge the ball, the runner is out even if the fielder loses possession of the ball.
The ball is dead and all other runners shall return to the last base legally occupied by them at the time of the contact.
41. Batting will be in a continuous order throughout the game.
42. If a player is hurt or leaves, the batting order is still continuous, and the spot vacated by the player will not result in an out.
43. If a pitcher (Mosquito and up) hits 3 batters in a game, they must be removed from the mound immediately and cannot pitch in the game again. They can continue to play the game at any other position unless other infractions prevent this from occurring.