1. The baseball coaches will meet on  Wednesday, March 22, 2016, 4:30 p.m., at Johnson H.S.

    

2. Baseball practice may start on Monday, March 28, 2016.

    

3. Coach or school athletic director is responsible for hiring the umpire for each home game. They must also forward, in a timely manner, the Independent Contractor voucher to the District Office so that umpires are paid. Coaches will NOT be paid for umpiring their own games.

    

4. Games will be played as scheduled. The team listed second on the schedule is the home team.

    

5. The teams will be divided into three divisions, utilizing the previous year's results as a guide.  For 2016 they are as follows:
   1. Red Division -- Capitol Hill, Highland Park, Murray, Ramsey
   2. White Division -- Battle Creek, Humboldt, Parkway, Washington
   3. Blue Division -- American Indian, Farnsworth, Hazel Park, Linwood Monroe

   From the regular season standings, teams will be eligible to participate in the playoffs.

    

6. City championship is awarded to Tier One Bracket playoff winner.

    

7. Each school's athletic director will make the necessary arrangements for permits for the use of the playgrounds for scheduled games.

    

8. If weather conditions, before 1:00 p.m., necessitate postponement of the game, the home team will notify all concerned, including umpire. If weather conditions are doubtful, a postponement determination will not be made until 1:00 p.m. It is impossible for the District Office to anticipate or know definitely the condition of the fields, so the home team coach must accept the responsibility to notify the District Office if a postponement is necessary. Postponed game dates will be set for make-up by the schools involved.

    

9. National Federation Baseball rules will be followed.  The bats used must conform to MYAS/Gopher State Performance Standards adopted in 2012.

    

10. Ground rules must be agreed upon with the umpire before the game starts. In case an agreement is not made, the decision of the umpire will be final.

     

11. The home team will furnish bases (if not supplied by playgrounds) and the necessary number of baseballs to complete the game. All balls will be returned to the home team.

     

12. All participating players must be in uniform. Each batter and base runner must wear a head protector.

     

13. Cleats, metal or rubber, are acceptable.

     

14. Requests to play non-conference games must be made through the Athletic Director.

     

15. The two coaches should do everything in their power to start the ball game on time and to keep it moving so as to retain the interest of the players and spectators.

     

16. The coach may act as a third base coach.

     

17. Five innings must be played whenever possible to constitute a game. The regulation game shall be seven innings. The ten-run rule is in effect after five innings have been completed.
    1. Any game called before five innings will be rescheduled on the next available date and will resume at the exact point it was called. The line-up, batting order and game situation shall be the same as it was at the time of the suspension.
    2. Any game that is called after it is a regulation game with a tie score, shall be a suspended game. A suspended game shall be continued from the point of suspension at a later time. The line-up, batting order and game situation shall be the same as it was at the time of suspension.

     

18. No inning will be allowed to start two hours after the first pitch.

     

19. A team's turn at bat is over if they bat the order before three outs are made and their lead is seven or more runs.

     

20. Protests on decisions involving judgment or because ground rules have not been agreed upon will not be accepted.

     

21. The results of the game should be called in by the HOME coach to Laura Ranum by phone (767-3490) or e-mail (laura.ranum@SPPS.org) for website posting.

     

22. Coaches shall prohibit their pitchers from pitching on an outside team during the junior high schedule.

     

23. Students and coaches are to travel on bonded carrier. Coaches must accompany students on the bus.

2016 MIDDLE SCHOOL BASEBALL PLAYOFFS

1. Six teams will qualify for the Tier One Bracket playoffs with the remaining six teams qualifying for the Tier Two Bracket playoffs.

    

2. The Tier One Bracket is formed from the four teams from the Red Division; top team from the White Division; and the top team from the Blue Division. All others are placed in the Tier Two Bracket.

    

3. Tie-Breakers to determine the above (regardless of three way tie or two way tie):
   1. Head-to-head;
   2. Least runs allowed in all games played head-to-head for teams tied;
   3. Coin flip

    

4. Tier One Bracket (all times TBA):
   1. Game 1 (Tuesday, May 24) -- Red3 @ Blue1
   2. Game 2 (Tuesday, May 24) -- Red4 @ White1 (note that Red1 and Red2 have byes)
   3. Game 3 (Thursday, May 26) -- Winner Game 1 @ Red2
   4. Game 4 (Thursday, May 26) -- Winner Game 2 @ Red1
   5. Game 5 (Wednesday, June 1) -- Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, at Johnson H.S.

    

5. Tier Two Bracket (all times TBA):
   1. Game 6 (Tuesday, May 24) -- White4 @ Blue3
   2. Game 7 (Tuesday, May 24) -- Blue4 @ White3 (note that White2 and Blue2 have byes)
   3. Game 8 (Wednesday, May 25) -- Winner Game 6 @ White2
   4. Game 9 (Wednesday, May 25) -- Winner Game 7 @ Blue2
   5. Game 10 (Thursday, May 26) -- Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 9 (higher seed hosts, in case of tie, best record)