FORFEITED GAMES
Rules 7.03, 8.03(a)(6): The Crew Chief shall telephone the Office of the Commissioner when any game has been forfeited and follow such telephone report immediately with a detailed written report. Before declaring a game forfeited, the plate umpire shall consult with the Crew Chief and may only declare a game forfeited if the Crew Chief…
LINEUPS AND SUSPENDED GAMES
Rule 7.02(c): The Comment to Official Baseball Rule 7.02(c) states that if immediately prior to a game becoming suspended, a substitute pitcher has been put into the game but has not retired the side or pitched until the batter has been put out or has become a base runner, when the game is resumed such…
LINEUP CARDS FROM SUSPENDED GAMES
Rule 7.02(c): In a suspended game, the plate umpire must make notation on the lineup cards of the exact situation the moment play was suspended. Included should be the following information: Inning; score; outs; runners on base (by name); batter; count on the batter; defensive player due to bat first the next inning; number of…
WEATHER TAKING PRECEDENCE
Rule 7.02(a): The Note to Official Baseball Rule 7.02 states that weather and similar conditions shall take precedence in determining whether a called game shall be a suspended game. If a game is halted by weather, and subsequent light failure or an intervening curfew or time limit prevents its resumption, it shall not be a…
EJECTIONS AND SUSPENSIONS
Rule 6.04(d): A manager, player, coach or trainer who has been ejected from a game may not stand in the dugout runway. A manager who has been suspended shall take no part in the direction of his team during a game, either directly or indirectly.
REFERENCE CARDS
Rule 6.03(c)(7) Players are permitted to use reference cards during games so long as their use does not cause unnecessary delay to the game and there is no attempt made to alter the baseball using the card.
INSPECTION OF AN ILLEGAL BAT
Rule 6.03(a)(4): The following policies are in effect in regard to corked, improperly treated, and otherwise altered bats: First, Official Baseball Rules 3.02(a) through (d) and 6.03(a)(4) are in no way changed or affected by the policies set forth herein. These rules, which define the construction of the bat, the use of substances to improve…
BACKSWING (FOLLOW-THROUGH) HITS CATCHER
Rules 6.03(a)(3), 6.03(a)(4), 6.03(a)(3) and (4) Comments: If a batter strikes at a ball and misses and in the umpire’s judgment unintentionally hits the catcher or the ball in back of the batter on the follow-through or backswing while the batter is still in the batter’s box, it shall be called a strike only (no…
BATTER INTERFERES WITH CATCHER
Rules 6.03(a)(3), 6.01(a)(1): If the batter interferes with the catcher’s throw to retire a runner by stepping out of the batter’s box, the plate umpire shall call “Interference.” The batter is out and the ball is dead (provided the catcher’s initial throw does not retire the runner; see following paragraph). No player may advance on…
WARNINGS AFTER IMMEDIATE EJECTION OF PITCHER
Rule 6.02(c)(9): If the first instance of an intentional pitch being thrown at a batter in a game results in a pitcher being immediately ejected, the umpire shall issue a warning to both managers that subsequent violations in that game will result in ejection of the pitcher and manager. Each subsequent pitcher should be warned…
