Rookie Rules

BYLAWS (applicable to all divisions)

I. Uniforms and Team Equipment

Section 1. Official Uniforms. Dunham Baseball Organization (DBBO) will supply all registered and paid players a jersey, baseball cap and socks, to be worn for the season. Uniforms are not to be worn prior to the start of the season, or at any time except for a game after the season’s start. Uniforms issued by DBBO are to be worn for all sanctioned games. Uniforms issued by DBBO shall not be altered in any fashion. An exception may be made for the printing of sponsors names on the jersey as deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.

Section 2. Team Equipment. Head Coaches will be issued league-supplied equipment (i.e., catcher's gear) for use during the season, between Team Meetings and the first scheduled practices, as determined by the Equipment Manager on the Board of Directors of DBBO. After the close of the season, Head Coaches should return the equipment along with a team inventory checklist to the Equipment Manager or their appointed Board member representative on the day requested. This checklist must be complete and accurate. Failure to submit the checklist will result in loss of new equipment for the following season.

Section 3. Equipment Responsibility. Head Coaches and their designated Assistant Coaches are personally responsible for reporting broken or missing equipment needing replacement, and storing, inventorying and issuing all team equipment to players during the game for use.

Section 4. Baseballs. Baseballs will be Official League Baseballs. DBBO will supply each team with enough new game balls for the season.

II. Personal Equipment

Section 1. Cleats/Shoes. Plastic baseball cleats are allowed on Dunham Park's baseball diamonds. No metal spikes of any kind will be allowed in any division, except the Liberty and Liberty Pro Divisions who will follow rules set by the CSYBA. In addition, there may be instances where a game will be played at a location away from Dunham Park where cleats are not allowed. In those instances, the Commissioners will inform Head Coaches of the special restrictions which players must follow.

Section 2. Bats. All bats with a 1.15 BPF Stamp, a USA Stamp or a USSSA stamp are allowed. Wood bats are allowed as well. Senior, Liberty and Liberty Pro divisions will follow restrictions as provided by the Board of Directors and the CSYBA.

It is the responsibility of the Head Coach to ensure the bats used by players meet the requirements of the DBBO bat rules prior to every game. A batter is in violation of the rules when they step in to the batter’s box with an illegal bat. An illegal bat must be pointed out to the umpire prior to the first pitch to the next batter, or before all defensive players leave fair territory. Penalty: The batter is out. All outs recorded during the time at bat count. Runner(s) will not be allowed to advance on a batted ball. Two (2) infractions by the same team during a game will result in a forfeit by the offending team.

Section 3. Mitts. Pitchers may not use white or gray gloves. Catchers must use a catcher's glove (supplied by DBBO), except in the Rookie and Peewee Divisions, where a catcher can use their own fielding glove.

Section 4. Personal Protective Gear. Every catcher must wear a protective helmet. All boys MUST wear a jock style protective cup. Any coach who knowingly allows his catcher or other players to play without this equipment will automatically forfeit the game.

Section 5. Helmets. All batters and baserunners must wear a protective baseball batting helmet authorized by the DBBO while on the field of play. The batter-runner and all other runners will be called out immediately if, in the judgment of the umpire, said player intentionally lost his helmet. This applies to all divisions.

III. Conduct of Managers, Coaches, Players and Fans

Section 1. Umpire Interactions. Only Head Coaches may discuss a call with an umpire and only if the discussion is a question about a rules-related call. Any and all judgment calls are final.

Section 2. Conduct Responsibility. Head Coaches will be responsible for the conduct of their coaches, players and fans. Players who throw a tantrum and throw their bat, helmet or any equipment in a dangerous manner as determined by the umpire, will be ejected.

Section 3. Penalties for Ejections. Players ejected will have an out recorded in their position in the batting order. Umpires are authorized to throw violators out of a game and ask them to leave the park or subject their team to a forfeit. (Note: Players who have been ejected from a game may remain on the bench if not causing a disturbance).

Any manager, coach, player, or fan/spectator ejected from a game for disciplinary reasons must be reported by both Head Coaches to the Commissioner of that division within 24 hours. An incident report, including optional descriptions of the order of events and circumstances from involved parties (i.e., the umpire, a team manager or coach, the ejected person, etc.), will be sent to the Discipline Committee, which will assess the situation and report a recommended penalty to the Board of Directors. Previous conduct (positive or negative) may be considered in determining the penalties. The Board will consider the Discipline Committee's report and determine the ultimate consequence through discussion and vote. Penalties for any manager, coach, or player ejected from a game could include:

• 1st Ejection: Will include a warning and up to a 1 game suspension
• 2nd Ejection: Minimum 3 Game suspension
• 3rd Ejection: Subject to Board decision

Section 4. Discipline Committee. The Discipline Committee will be made up of one (1) team manager from each division from T-Ball through Senior. It shall be formed after the draft but before the first "official" practices of the season. The committee shall be "chaired" by the Vice President. Team managers may serve multiple seasons on the committee if they so choose. Commissioners will recruit volunteers to fill open slots each season.

Section 5. Parent/League Contact Regarding Unfair Play. If a child is told to stay home from any game that is on the Official Schedule, or is asked or told to participate in action not in accordance with fair play and good sportsmanship, the parent(s) of the player is to contact one (1) of the Officers of the Board. Under no circumstance can a Head Coach suspend a player (formally or informally) without approval of the Board. If the Commissioner is involved, it will be brought to the Executive Board.

IV. Weather Cancellations, Other Forfeit Situations

Section 1. Weather Impacts. If the weather presents a potential safety hazard prior to the start of the game, the Board of Directors, led by the Commissioner of the division, will determine if a game will go on as scheduled, be cancelled or be delayed. The decision will be communicated through the Commissioner of the division to the Head Coaches and through the Umpire Coordinator to the umpire(s) assigned to the game(s). In case of hazardous weather or field conditions during a game, the decision of the umpire (or the Commissioner of the division) to suspend play will be final.

Section 2. Regulation Game. If the game must be called due to weather, darkness, time expiration or any other causes which make further play impossible, the following applies:

A. If after 3½ innings the Home Team is ahead, this constitutes a regulation game. If after 3½ innings the Home Team is behind, a full 4 innings must be played to constitute a regulation game.

B. Any game that is called before it becomes an official regulation game must be REPLAYED IN ITS ENTIRETY.

Section 3. The Umpire may declare a game forfeited in favor of the opposing team before play begins if:

A. A team fails to appear upon the field within five (5) minutes of the time appointed for the game to begin.

B. The team fails to field eight (8) eligible players.

C. An ineligible player is used during the course of the game.

D. If an ejected Coach/Fan does not exit the park.

V. Scores, standings and playoffs

Section 1. Official Scoring. Home team will keep the official score (digital apps such as GameCharger are allowed). Please verify scores with opposing team every half inning.

Section 2. Reporting Game Results. Winning Head Coach or their designee must report the final score of games to the dunhamboysbaseball@gmail.com email address (as well as their commissioner). Please include names of the pitchers and how many outs they pitched for, for BOTH teams, no later than 48 hours after the end of the game. Commissioners or an Officer of the Board will post the game results on the league web site no later than seven days after the completion of the game.

Section 3. Regular Season Standings. Standings will be determined by winning percentage. Ties will count as 0.5 wins. To determine seeding for the playoffs, ties in the regular season standings will by broken by the following.

■     Head to Head play

■     Runs allowed in head to head play

■     Runs allowed total in season

■     Runs scored total in season

■     Coin flip         

Section 4. Playoffs. All Dunham teams are eligible to participate in the end of season playoffs (see Section 5 below for one exception). The format will vary from season to season, to be determined by number of teams in the division by the Board of Directors, based on diamond availability when the regular season ends.

Section 5. Player Rating Sheets and Playoff Eligibility. All teams must submit their player rating sheets prior to the start of the end of year playoffs. Failure to do so will result in the team forfeiting their playoff game.

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DBBO will adhere to these rules for gameplay in the Rookie Division.

I. Game Details

Section 1. Setting Up the Field. Home team is responsible for setting up the bases, pitcher's mound and foul lines before the game and supplying two game balls to the umpire. For the Rookie division, the Pitcher's Mound should be set at 40 feet, and the Bases at 60 feet. The home team shall mark the halfway point (30 feet) between third base and home with chalk for all Rookie games.

Section 2. Home team should take the dugout on the 3rd base side of the diamond. All teams are asked to clean up their dugout and spectator areas throughout and especially after each game.  

II. Rosters and Playing Time

Section 1. Nine (9) players on the field, wearing complete uniforms. Each player must play a minimum of 3 innings or 9 outs in the field of a full 6-inning game (or 2 innings in the field of a 5½-inning game). All uniformed players must play the minimum amount of innings required if they arrived prior to the first pitch of the 3rd inning.

Section 2. Coaches cannot bench a player on defense for more than three consecutive outs (one half inning), no matter the player’s skillset or ability. For example, if a player does not play the field and sits on the bench in the first inning, that player MUST play a position on defense in the second inning. The only exceptions to this rule are injury or illness, or in the event that a player is ejected from the game.

Section 3. Each team will bat all players in a continuous order. 

Section 4. If a team can only field 8 players, then the 9th spot in the lineup is an automatic out each time it comes up during the game. If a team starts with 9 but a player leaves or is ejected, that player’s spot is an automatic out. Injury Exception: If a team has only 8 or 9 players and a player gets injured during the course of play and cannot continue, the team WILL NOT be charged an automatic out in that injured player’s spot in the batting order.

If a team bats 10 players or more and a player leaves, that player's empty spot in the lineup does not result in an out. HOWEVER, if a player is ejected, that player’s spot in the lineup still produces an automatic out regardless of the number of batters in a lineup.

III. Substitute Players (replacement players for teams)

Section 1. Commissioners will provide a "play up" list of players who request and are capable of playing in the division above their rostered/registered division. Substitute players may be used for the following purposes:

A. To absolutely prevent the non-weather related cancellation of regularly scheduled and makeup games (only if team is unable to have 9 players available because of injuries or absence of one or more players) in accordance with the rules of DBBO.

B. To add a 9th or 10th player to the roster (but not an 11th or 12th player).

Section 2. The player selected (from the division below) must have the consent of their parents and cannot have a scheduled game in their actual division at the same time as the substitute game (causing them to choose between games to attend). Their priority must be their rostered team's game.

Section 3. Usage of a Substitute

A. The player selected will be an official member of the team for that game. The player must be utilized during the game in accordance with the playing time rules of DBBO (see Rosters and Playing Time above). The player MUST have and wear a Dunham Baseball-issued jersey/uniform from the current season during the game.

B. The substitute player selected may not pitch or catch for the team for which he is substituting, and the substitute player must bat last in the batting order. If multiple substitutes are being used, they must bat at the end of the lineup in succession after all regular team members have batted. Failure to follow these rules will result in automatic forfeit.

C. If a substitute player is called up and the regular team member shows up, the substitute player must play a minimum of two (2) innings in that game. All other players must receive required playing time in accordance with DBBO's playing time rules.

D. No player may substitute for another team in the division in which they are registered and rostered. The substitute must be a call-up from the younger division.

IV. Pregame warm-ups

Pregame warm-up time is NOT guaranteed and games CANNOT be delayed in order for teams to warm up. Coaches need to have their teams ready to take the field at the scheduled game time and begin play. If warmup time is available (i.e., no game scheduled on the same diamond prior, or the game before finishes early), each team will be allowed 15 minutes of warm up time prior to the game provided they arrive early enough. The home team should be the first to warm up. Use good judgment and courtesy in order to get the game started on time. If there is not 30 minutes of practice time available, the available time will be split in half with each team receiving equal time on the diamond for warm-ups. Understand that pregame warm-up time on the diamond is rarely available.

V. The Game

Section 1. All games are six (6) innings. For a game to be an official game, the losing team must have had a chance to bat in the 4th inning.

Section 2. Three (3) outs or one (1) time through the batting order per inning. If a team bats through the entire order in any inning, the inning is over. This rule does not apply for the 6th inning.

Section 3. Game time starts from the moment the home team takes the field in the top of the 1st inning and the first warmup pitch is thrown, not first game pitch nor scheduled time. The umpire will note the start time and announce it to both coaches to record it in their scorebooks.

Section 4. No new inning may begin after the 1-hour-45-minute mark of the game, whether there is a game afterward or not. However, there is NO hard stop for any game (except in the event of a weather stoppage): Once an inning is started, it must be finished following standard baseball rules.

Playoff exception to time limit: Playoff games will be played in full, with no time restrictions (though Head Coaches and Umpires should always consider player safety if darkness becomes a threat to continuing to play). Slaughter/mercy rules (see below) still will be in effect.

Section 4. Slaughter/Mercy Rule. The slaughter/mercy rule will be 12 runs after 4 innings or 10 runs after 5 innings. Standard baseball inning rules apply (i.e., if the home team is winning by 12 or more in the top of the 4th, and the visiting team does not close the gap in their half of the 4th inning, the home team will not bat in the bottom of the 4th inning and the game will end with a home team slaughter rule victory.).

VI. Rookie Division Pitching Rules

Section 1. Coach Pitching. A coach will pitch the first 3 innings and a player will pitch the remaining 3 innings. Coaches shall have no more than 5 pitches for this portion of coach pitch. At the halfway point of the season, the Commissioner will inform the Coaches to switch the pitching rotation. The players will pitch the first 4 innings and the coach the last two. Coaches must pitch from the pitching rubber and overhand.

Once the ball is hit into play, the coach pitcher must immediately leave the field of play, without causing any interference. If a coach interferes, intentionally or accidentally, the player shall be called out, the play is dead and runners reset.

Section 2. Player Pitching Rules. A 7 year old (or younger) player must pitch at least one inning (three outs) of a game regardless of the amount of innings actually played (i.e., in a game shortened due to slaughter/mercy rule, winning team MUST still meet this requirement to qualify for the win). Not abiding by this rule will result in an automatic forfeit for the offending team, whether intentional or accidental, regardless of the actual final score of the game.

Section 3. Hit-By-Pitch (HBP) Limit: A player pitcher who hits 2 batters in one inning with a pitched ball requires the removal of the pitcher. If a player pitcher hits a batter, the batter gets first base automatically.

Section 4. Bases on Balls. In Rookie, there are no Bases on Balls (walks). If a player pitcher has recorded (4) balls to the batter, the batter's coach will come in and finish pitching to the batter. The batter will retain the strike count that the player pitcher had pitched and the batter had accumulated. A maximum of 3 pitches will be allowed by a coach. If the player does not reach base, and did not foul off the 3rd pitch, the batter will be called out. A player will not be out on an uncaught foul ball (common baseball foul ball rules shall apply), even if a foul ball is hit off the 3rd or later pitch. A player can foul off an unlimited number of pitches, except in those situations where a foul ball is caught by a defensive player.

VII. Rookie Defense: “Hands Up” Dead Ball Rules

Section 1. Once the baseball reaches the infield (dirt) and is controlled by an infielder who puts his hands up in the air with the ball in his hand or glove -- in fair territory (not in foul territory) -- the player signifies to the umpire that the play is dead. The umpire must call the play dead. Players cannot advance to the next base, except if the runner is more than halfway to the advancing base, that player will be allowed to advance in the umpire’s discretion. Additionally, once the infielder raises his hands with the ball in the air, he/she cannot tag a runner out or force out a runner, as the play has been called dead. The Umpire's decision on the player's intent ("did he/she raise their hands high enough?") is a judgment call that cannot be disputed.

Example: If a ball is hit, all players can advance as many bases as they want until the baseball reaches the infield and is controlled by an infield position player, raising his or her hands in the air while in the infield and in fair territory. Upon the player “killing the play” the umpire will call “Dead Ball” and all runners not more than halfway will have to return to the base they came from. Runners that are more than halfway will be granted the advancing base.

VIII. Additional Rules of the Game

Section 1. No Leadoffs and No Stealing Bases. No Balks.

Section 2. Courtesy Runners. Courtesy runners will be allowed for the pitcher and catcher scheduled to pitch in the next half-inning when there are two (2) outs, in order to keep the games on time. The courtesy runner must be the last batted out, and the Head Coach must announce the courtesy runner to the Umpire.

Section 3. Avoid Contact Rule. Runners must slide or otherwise attempt to avoid contact at any base where the defensive player has or is about to receive the ball to make a play. Runners do not have to slide if no play is being made at the base. If there is contact, and in the umpire’s judgment, the contact interfered with the fielder making the play, the runner shall be called out. The ball is dead and no other runners may advance. If there is contact away from the play, which in the umpire's judgment was deliberate or malicious, the runner, if at fault, shall be called out. At the umpire’s discretion, the runner may also be ejected from the game. If there is deliberate or malicious contact away from the play, which the umpire determined to be the fault of the fielder, the runner shall be awarded a minimum of one base. At the umpire’s discretion, additional bases may be awarded to the runner, and the fielder may be subject to ejection. If the umpire judges any contact to have been incidental and did not ultimately interfere with the play, no call shall be made.

Section 4. Sliding. No head-first sliding when advancing to a base in any division. No warnings will be issued, the player shall be called out. Safety is our primary concern here.

Section 5. No Bunting.

Section 6. No Infield Fly Rule.

Section 7. Dropped Third Strike. Advancing on a drop third strike in Rookie is not allowed.

Section 8. Thrown Bats. When the umpire has determined that a player has thrown a bat in a Rookie game, the individual player shall get a warning. Any subsequent thrown bat in the game by that player shall result in a dead play and the player being called out. As the play is dead, no runners may advance.

(Updated March 2026)