IMPORTANT: MLB rules shall apply to those areas not specifically addressed by MSBL rules.

The Denver MSBL was formed in 1988 to provide men age 25 and older competitive recreational baseball programs that emphasize fun, enjoyment, camaraderie and sportsmanship. Mature attitudes must prevail regardless of the competitive nature of the league. Above all, we are here to have fun and play the game we love. The responsibility of keeping this premise is equally borne by the Executive Board, team managers, players, umpires and fans.

a) All leagues are designed by age and are for those players of the minimum age by Dec. 31 in the year of play. For Denver MSBL 25+ teams, players must have attained the age of 25 no later than the last day of the year in the season they are playing. For Denver MSBL 35+ teams, players must have attained the age of 35 no later than the final day of the year in the season they are playing.

b) Players may "play down," that is players in the 35+ league are eligible to play in the 25+ league, but younger players may not "play up" in the older divisions. There are no exceptions.

c) Any intentional violation of this rule will result in the forfeiture of all games in which an ineligible player participated with commensurate losses placed on their record.

d) Managers are responsible for the proper application of this rule when placing any player onto the team roster. Opposing managers may challenge a player at any time by requesting, through the manager, the player's ID. If the player does not produce the ID, the challenging manager may file a protest under the league's protest protocol.

e) Ineligible players shall forfeit all payments and be ejected from the league. Responsible managers shall explain to the Executive Board the cause for the offense and face suspension or removal as manager.

a) Team commitments and non-refundable deposits in an amount to be determined by the Executive Board shall be given in check or money order -- absolutely no cash is to be provided or accepted at any time -- to the league Treasurer by March 17 before the beginning of each season. The remainder of the funds shall be paid in full by the final Saturday of March or the day prior to the start of the regular season.

a.1) Players shall submit their fees to their team manager, who shall be responsible for properly crediting each player and submitting the entire team fee to the league Treasurer.

a.2) Players who have not paid their individual fee to their manager, though the team fee may be paid, are subject to indefinite suspension at the discretion of the manager pending payment.

b) Team schedules and league baseballs shall not be provided to any team that fails to pay the entire League fee before the beginning of the season. Teams that have not paid their fee by the deadline are ineligible to play until the fee is paid.

c) Each registered team must have no fewer than 13 players on the roster to be eligible for league play.

c.1) If a team cannot fill out its roster and it's deemed to be in the best interests of the league, the President may assign players from the remaining free-agent pool following the draft.

d) Unlimited roster additions and deletions shall be provided weekly to the Jr. Vice President for Rosters and may occur throughout the season until six weeks before the final week. Players removed from any roster who have properly paid their fees may, at the discretion of the Executive Board, be placed on a different team.

e) Final rosters are due to the Jr. Vice President for Rosters and locked six weeks before the final regularly scheduled game of the season. Only players on the final roster shall be eligible for post-season play and subject to the rules of post-season eligibility.

e.1) Players must have played in four regular season games to be eligible for that team's post-season.

f) There is no discount for players wishing to play in two leagues, though they need only pay a single annual membership fee to the National MSBL.

g) Rosters must include each player's first name, last name and jersey number, shall be posted on the Internet statistics page used by the league. Failure to list any player on the website roster will cause that player to be ineligible for league play at the discretion of the Executive Board.

a) All players must sign a waiver of liability -- agreeing not to hold Denver MSBL, its officers, directors, employees and agents responsible for any injury, damage or loss resulting from participation in the Denver MSBL or its activities -- to be eligible to participate in any league activity or game. Waivers must be provided to the team manager before a player can participate.

a.1) Waivers must include each player's name, date of birth, mailing address, email, phone number, emergency contact and the name of the team for which they are committed to play.

a.2) Managers shall provide a copy of each player's signed waiver to the league President prior to participating in any game.

2) Each player is a member of the Denver MSBL and the National MSBL through Dec. 31 of each year provided they have paid the fee to their team manager. It is advised that all players obtain a receipt for all funds submitted. Payments in cash are discouraged.

a) All teams must have reasonable uniforms and be in full uniform by June 1st of each year. Uniforms shall be consistent with the standards of Major or Minor League Baseball. Jersey numbers must be easily visible. Team names can be duplicated in the league's different age groups but may not be duplicated in the same league.

b) All batters and runners must wear an approved batting helmet that includes a least one ear flap which, when the player is batting, faces the pitcher. The following players are "Grand-fathered" under this rule only and do not have to abide by the "flap" requirement of this rule, but must wear a helmet when batting or running the bases: Ron Beeks.

b.1) Cracked helmets shall not be worn and must be removed at the direction and discretion of the home plate umpire.

b.2) ALL base coaches MUST wear a batting helmet while attending the bases. This is mandated by National MSBL and our insurance carrier.

c) All catchers are required to wear complete catcher's equipment, including a protective "skull cap" and mask or a one-piece "goalie" mask when in the catcher's box.

e) Wood and wood-composite bats are required for all Denver MSBL games without exception.

f) ALL base coaches MUST wear a batting helmet while attending the bases. This is a requirement of National MSBL and our insurance carrier.

g) All child under 18 years of age MUST wear a batting helmet while in the dugout or any other portion of the playing field at all times. This is a requirement of National MSBL and our insurance carrier.

a) The Executive Board shall choose the official baseball to be used in league play prior to the start of each season.

b) Each team shall receive an allotment of baseballs prior to their first game and they are to be used for the entire season.

c) Each team shall furnish the home plate umpire three (3) new and unused official baseballs prior to each game. Additional official, unused baseballs shall be provided as needed, divided evenly among both teams, at the discretion of the home plate umpire.

c.1) If a team runs out of new baseballs, used ones may be allowed at the discretion of the home plate umpire and both managers.

a) The consumption and use of drugs, alcohol and smoking tobacco products on the baseball fields, in the dugouts or anywhere on the grounds of private fields -- campus, parking lots, etc. -- is strictly prohibited. This is a "zero tolerance" policy and will be enforced.

b) Anyone violating this policy is subject to suspension for a first offense and ejection from the league for a subsequent violation.

c) Any team or player whose intentional violation of this policy results in the loss of any field for Denver MSBL use shall be responsible for repaying all funds lost as a result.

a) All members of Denver MSBL are expected to conduct themselves in an adult manner, free from abuse, attack or threat. Every member of the league is expected to uphold the highest levels of sportsmanship.

b) The following offenses are subject to immediate ejection from a game and suspension or expulsion from all league play pending a review by the league President and Disciplinary Committee:

b.2) Verbally attacking, threatening or abusing an umpire, player or spectator before, during or after a game.

b.3) Managers and umpires MUST file a written report to the Executive Board within 48 hours of the incident.

c) Members of the league who refuse to abide by an umpire's decision shall be ejected and may be suspended from league play until review by the President and Disciplinary Committee.

d) All players and umpires shall keep in mind common rules of decency at the fields used by Denver MSBL.

e) Players and umpires who change clothing in parking lots or other areas of public display shall not do so in a manner that may be viewed as offensive or objectionable to any reasonable person.

f) Ejections: All players and managers ejected from a game shall immediately gather their belongings from the dugout and leave the playing facility and be out of sight and sound within five (5) minutes. Play will resume at the discretion of the home plate umpire.

f.1) Umpires shall file an ejection report with league officials detailing the reason and circumstances of the ejection.

f.2) Ejected players and managers are subject to league discipline for flagrant or malicious acts leading to an ejection.

f.3) Penalties for flagrant acts: First offense, one-game suspension; second offense, at least one-game suspension and $50 fine; third offense, ejection from league.

f.4) Players deemed to be habitually ejected may be fined or suspended additional games by the league Disciplinary Committee.

a) Games shall be scheduled at times and locations determined by the Executive Officers.

a.1) All games are limited to three hours, time to be kept by the home plate umpire or his designee.

a.1.A) Umpires shall give the official start time at the home plate meeting of the managers.

b) Managers may request schedule changes only with the agreement of the opposing team manager.

b.2) Managers must review season schedules and alert league officials promptly of any conflicts or problems. Otherwise schedules are deemed to be acceptable.

c) Teams with only seven (7) eligible players at game time shall have an additional 15 minutes to produce an eligible eighth player or risk forfeiture of the game.

c.1) Only two pool players may be used subject to the rules governing pool players to make nine (9).

c.1.A) Pool players must be removed from a game when a team has at least nine (9) eligible roster players.

c.1.B) If a team has two pool players and an eligible roster player shows up, the pool player batting lowest must be replaced in the game by the roster player.

c.2) Opposing managers and home plate umpires may, at their discretion and agreement, extend the 15-minute rule by an additional 15 minutes before declaring a forfeit.

c.4) Teams causing a delayed start shall revert to the Visiting team should it have been the scheduled Home squad.

d) Teams must be ready to play on time when at least eight (8) eligible roster players have arrived.

d.1) Teams shall not play with fewer than eight (8) players on the field at any point in the game.

d.2) Umpires shall begin all games on time when both teams have an eligible number of players.

d.3) Teams with eight (8) players that lose a player during the game for any reason shall have 15 minutes to add a pool player or the contest shall be stopped and declared a forfeit regardless of the score or inning.

d.4) A team with eight (8) players shall leave the ninth batting position vacant and skipped without penalty.

d.5) The ninth (9) position must be filled by an eligible roster player when he arrives.

e) A team with nine (9) or more players that loses a player in the lineup for any reason shall add a substitute from the bench or a pool player. If one is unavailable, the batting position shall be skipped over without penalty.

e.1) The sole exception to this rule is for an ejected player. An ejected player's batting position shall be filled with a substitute or, if one is unavailable, the position shall be declared an out the first time the vacant spot is reached in the lineup. Thereafter it shall be passed over without penalty.

e.2) Pool players may not be added to fill the place of an ejected player unless the team lineup is reduced to seven (7) and then only to the bottom of the order.

f) Delayed start times shall not affect the three-hour time clock except for unforseen circumstances such as mechanical difficulties or weather.

f.1) Delayed starts from weather shall not affect the three-hour limit unless 15 minutes have expired when the clock shall begin to toll.

f.2) Delayed starts because of player shortage shall prevent the game clock from beginning on time.

g) All games tied after nine (9) innings may extend to extra innings but only to within 15 minutes of the next scheduled start time and within the three-hour time limit.

g.1) Tie games called as a result of darkness, curfew and time limit shall be scored as a tie.

g.3) Post-season games called because of darkness or curfew shall be resumed at the next available date.

h) MERCY RULE: Any team leading by 12 or more runs after seven (7) complete innings shall be declared the winner and the game concluded.

h.1) Teams may agree to end a game before the seventh inning if one team is behind by 15 runs in the 5th or 6th innings.

i) Umpires shall stop game clocks only for those games delayed because of injury, mechanical difficulties (lights) or other unforeseen occurrence other than weather or player shortage.

j) Rain Delays: Managers shall be responsible for determining whether a game shall be begin or called on account of poor weather. Once the game begins the discretion remains with the home plate umpire on delaying or calling a game.

j.1) Managers must check the Denver MSBL rainout line if the weather is threatening, actively raining or it had rained the night before to determine whether scheduled games have been postponed or relocated to a different field or time.

j.1.a) Games canceled on account of rain shall be rescheduled at the soonest possible date. Late-season cancelations shall only be rescheduled if the game is necessary to determine playoff seedings.

j.3) Games called by rain shall become official and not rescheduled if the Home team is ahead after 4-1/2 innings or the Visiting team is ahead after 5 innings.

k) Darkness: Games called on account of darkness, whether natural or by malfunction, shall be suspended and the game played on another date from the point it was stopped only if the outcome may alter the final standings or playoff positions.

k.1) All playoff games called for darkness shall resume at the earliest convenient time to both teams at the discretion of the league.

k.1.A) If the game cannot be rescheduled then a winner shall be declared based on the score of the previous fully-completed inning of an official game. If that score is a tie then the game is declared a tie.

l) Tie Games: Games that are tied after 9 innings or the 3-hour time limit has expired have two additional innings -- and a 20-minute limit -- to complete the game. If the score remains tied, the game is called a draw and logged a tie.

l.1) If the game is the last of the day -- i.e. another contest does not follow -- the game may be played to completion or until darkness is called at the discretion of the home plate umpire (not the managers).

l.1.A) If an extra inning begins and the game is halted due to darkness, the contest is suspended and shall be concluded at a different date for the remainder of that one inning only. If the game remains tied it shall be called a draw.

l.2) Teams playing a resumed game may only use players that appeared in the original contest or rostered players who were available at the game, who must be placed at the end of the lineup. If a team cannot field 8 players the opposing manager may accept a forfeit or allow a non-rostered player to fill in on the field, but not bat.

b) Subject to local field rules, the visiting team shall begin infield practice no later than 40 minutes prior to the official game time and limit the practice to 15 minutes. Infield practice is not guaranteed and teams may be asked to begin without it to keep game times on schedule.

c) As time allows, home teams have the right to infield practice the final 15 minutes before game time regardless of whether the visiting team has practiced or has received its own 15 minutes.

a) Managers must contact a league official and the opposing manager when they know they will be unable to field a team for a particular game.

b) Teams unable to play a scheduled game shall forfeit the game. Forfeits shall be scored 12-6 to maintain run differentials.

c) Teams that forfeit two (2) games at any point of the season because it could not field the minimum number of players shall be forced to add another player to their roster or face immediate suspension.

d) A team that forfeits at least two (2) games in a season for any other reason -- unsportsmanlike conduct, etc. -- shall be ejected from the league immediately and in not entitled to a refund of any team funds.

b) A team with only 10 eligible players in the dugout must place them all into the batting order.

b.1) A team may bat fewer than 10 players if the opposing team has only eight (8) or nine (9) players in its dugout.

b.2) A team that bats fewer than 10 players must add to their line up as the opposing team adds players, matching their number until the 10-player minimum is reached.

d) Batters may be added to the line up at any time during a game, but only at the bottom of the order.

e.1) Any batting positions may use two batters in each position, designated "A" and "B."

e.2) The two batters shall alternate at bats with "A" batting first and "B" batting the next time around.

e.3) Substitutions of any "A/B" is allowed, but once "A/B" positions are declared they may not be eliminated.

e.4) If one of the batters in an "A/B" setup is injured, ejected or otherwise leaves the game, the vacated spot shall be passed over without penalty. Thereafter the remaining player shall fill the position and bat normally.

a) Each team is allowed two (2) designated non-runners per game and may be named before or during the game.

b) Pitchers and catchers are allowed designated runners at any time at the discretion of the manager.

b.1) Only pitchers of record are allowed designated runners. A pitcher is the pitcher of record only when he has actively taken the mound and throws a pitch that counts.

b.2) Relieved pitchers remain the pitcher of record until their substitute takes the mound and throws a pitch that counts. At that time, the relieved pitcher is no longer allowed a designated runner unless he is named as one of the two (2) allotted non-runner slots.

c) Designated runners shall be the last recorded out in that inning. If there are no outs, the last recorded out from the previous inning shall be the designated runner.

c.1) A strikeout shall be considered a recorded out and eligible as a designated runner.

c.2) If the last recorded out is ineligible to run -- already on the bases, currently batting or on deck -- then the recorded out immediately prior to that shall be the designated runner.

c.3) If no outs are yet recorded in a game, or the eligible number of designated runners is exhausted, the designated runner shall be the last batter in the batting order.

c) Runners must slide directly to a base -- not to the sides of a base -- or fall away opposite the fielder in order to avoid a collision. Failure to do so shall, at the discretion of the umpire, result in the runner being called out and the batter called out.

e) Catchers may not stand up the line unless actively attempting to catch a thrown ball and must not block the base path.

e.1) Catchers must not block the plate with his body or foot, but may use his mitt only.

e.2) Catchers who illegally block the plate shall, at the discretion of the umpire, forfeit the play and the runner shall be called safe.

e.3) Runners must not lower their shoulder to collide with a catcher or use excessive force or risk being called out.

e.4) The umpire has the discretion to award a base to a runner who gives himself up to avoid a certain collision.

b.2) A pitcher who has been removed from a game a second time is ineligible to return to that position in that game.

c) Players, except pitchers, may be substituted defensively without affecting their offensive status in the line up.

d) Batters who are pinch-hit for may not return to the batting order but may continue to play defensive positions.

b) A pitcher who hits four (4) batters in a game must be removed and cannot re-enter the game in that position.

Runners shall move up a base, at the declaration of the umpire, if an infielder makes a fake tag at any base with the intent of making a runner slide.

Violators shall be warned on a first offense and ejected from the game for a subsequent offense.

b) Teams may use up to two (2) pool players who shall be placed only in the eighth and ninth positions of the lineup.

b.1) An eligible roster player who shows up after a pool player has been inserted to the lineup must replace the pool player batting lowest in the order.

d) Individuals may only be used three (3) times as a pool player by the same team in a season.

f) All pool players must comply with the age requirements of the league they are playing.

a) The Executive Board each year shall designate an Internet website where game statistics shall be kept and compiled for the season.

b) All managers or their designee shall be responsible for posting game and player statistics for their team onto the website within a reasonable time after each game is complete.

c) Managers shall post no fewer than the following statistics for each player: at bats, hits, innings pitched.

d) Managers unable to post statistical information shall notify the Executive Board who shall make accommodation to have the statistics posted in a timely manner.

e) Failure to post team statistics before the next played game shall result in a warning. A second infraction shall result in loss of home-field designation for the next appropriate game.

f) Teams may not participate in the post season until their regular season game statistics have been properly posted or updated.

g) Team statistics are subject to verification from time to time as deemed necessary by the Executive Board.

g.1) Verification shall be via the team's game book and that of an opposing team as needed.

a) Players who have participated professionally in either the major or minor leagues are subject to the following limitations before

a) Umpires must be paid in cash by team managers before the game begins. Each umpire shall be paid $60 at the home plate meeting.

a.1) Managers must have umps sign the payment sheet. Home team pays the home plate umpire when both umps are present.

b) If only one ump is prepared at game time, he shall be paid $60 ($30 from each team) and the remainder of his compensation to be provided at the bottom of the 4th inning and calculated as follows:

b.1) $5 for each 1/2 inning he has umpired alone. A portion of an inning begins with the first pitch. Compensation shall follow as described in Sec. e below.

b.2) The home team shall compensate the umpire for the odd portion of a payment. (i.e., the ump works alone through bottom of the third for $25, each team pays $10 and the home team covers the odd extra $5).

c) If the second umpire arrives late, his compensation shall be reduced by $5 for each 1/2 inning he is late, the amount to be credited to the first umpire. A portion of an inning shall begin at the first pitch.

c.1) An umpire is deemed ready when he is on the field and prepared to participate in the game, not when he is changing at the parking lot or walking toward the field.

d) Umpires who arrive after the first pitch of the bottom of the 4th inning shall not work the game or be paid.

f) The visiting team shall compensate a late umpire for the odd portion of a payment (i.e., the ump arrives by the bottom of the 2nd for $45, each team to pay him $20 and the visiting team to cover the odd extra $5)

g) Teams unable to pay an umpire at the beginning of a game must do so by the 4th inning or the contest will be stopped and they will forfeit the game. A team that forfeits for not paying an umpire shall be suspended from all future games until the unpaid umpire from the forfeited game is compensated.

h) In the event of a forfeit, each umpire shall be paid $20 as a show-up fee, the total amount to be borne by the forfeiting squad immediately.

h.1) If the forfeiting team is unable or unwilling to pay the umpires, the league shall bear the expense, to be reimbursed immediately by the forfeiting team.

h.2) A forfeiting team that does not pay they umpire fees at the field shall be suspended from all future games until such time as the fee is reimbursed.

a) Playoffs and year-end tournaments shall begin following the Labor Day weekend at the earliest possible date.

b) All playoffs shall be in a double-elimination bracket modeled after those in use by the NCAA.

1) Games shall follow the 3-hour time limits established in Sec. 8 of these rules and employed

c) All final and semi-final playoff games shall be a 9-inning contest and shall be played to completion and a winner declared.

Games suspended due to darkness or malfunction shall be resumed at the next available date.

d) Umpires shall be compensated the regular season amount of $60 per game and under the same conditions as outlined

1) Umpires shall be compensated an additional $20 for each set of three completed extra innings.

A) If a suspended game goes into extra innings or is already an extra-inning contest at the resumption of play,

umpires shall not receive extra-inning pay outlined in Sec. 21.a.1 until six completed innings occur.

2) First place teams shall be seeded highest based on points, followed by the remaider of the division in the order

3) The American League leader has the option to "move up" into the National League tournament.

A) If the team moves up, its seeding shall be based on head-to-head records with teams in that bracket.

B) The lowest seed of the National League bracket may "move down" into the American League bracket

if the league president deems it necessary for competitive and scheduling purposes, but only if the first-place

4) The team with the highest seed shall be the home team in any scheduled post-season game.

f) Only rostered players who appeared in a minimum of four (4) regular season games on a single team are eligible to play

2) NO player added to a roster after the cut-off date shall appear on that team's post-season roster.

4) Teams found to violate any rule within this subsection shall immediately forfeit the game and be subject to

g) All other regular season MSBL rules shall apply to post-season games unless superceded by a rule in this section.