TOURNAMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS
17-20 DECEMBER 2016

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1. Scope
The Tournament Committee is the ultimate authority for the Rules and Regulations concerning all games conducted in tournament under the
auspices of Hong Kong Baseball Association.

2. Game Rules

2.1 All games shall be played in accordance with the current Official Rules of Baseball.

2.2 All games will consist of 9 innings. 3 completed innings shall constitute a regulation game. Tie game is allowed during the single round robin game, subject to clause 2.4. Due to the tight game schedule, 150 minutes shall be set for not starting a new inning, subject to clause 2.3.

2.3 Run Difference Rule (Mercy Rule)

2.3.1 If a team is losing by 15 or more runs after having batted at least in 5 innings, the game is ended at that point.

2.3.2 If a team is losing by 10 or more runs after having batted at least in 7 innings, the game is ended at that point.

2.4 Suspended Games

In case a game is stopped because of weather, curfew or other reason, the Tournament Committee has the absolute authority to make the decision on whether it shall be ruled a complete game or not. 

2.5 Protective Equipment

Double Ear-flap helmet is mandatory for the hitter, base-runners and it is also mandatory that base coaches wear the skull caps.

2.6 Bat: Only wooden bats are allowed.

2.7 Champion Game
Time limit will not be applied, Run Difference Rule and Extra-Inning Rule will be applied WBSC Tie Break Rule will be applied.


3. Pre-Game Practice

3.1 In view of the tight game schedule, fielding practice before start of the game is not guaranteed.

3.2 If the game is held at Sai Tso Wan Baseball Field, cages are designated for both teams batting practice 60 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the game. 

3.3 If the game is held at Lion Rock Park Field, pre-game practice is allowed for both teams only at designated area 60 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the game. 

4. Dugout

4.1 At all the games the home team will be located at 3rd base dugout and the visiting team in the 1st base dugout.

4.2 Only credentialed personnel (staff, interpreters, team manager, uniformed players, uniformed coaches) will be allowed to stay in the dugout. 

4.3 All equipment not in use must be kept inside the dugout during games. No equipment shall be left lying on the field, either in fair or foul territory.

4.4 Only one batter is allowed in the on-deck area at a time. Batter in the on-deck area must wear a helmet at all times.


5. Speed-up Rules

5.1 The need to speed up the play of games must be constantly stressed to the umpires and coaches, and the following rules must be constantly enforced in an effort to keep the game moving quickly.

5.2 The 12-second rule for the pitcher must be enforced at all time during the game (without runners on base). A “Ball” will be called for a violation of this rule.

5.3 The hitter shall be required to remain in the batter’s box unless he makes a request for “Time” and the umpire feels that the request is reasonable. Only then shall the umpire grant time out. 

5.4 The pitcher shall be allowed 5 warm-up pitches within one minute between innings (8 warm-up pitches for new pitcher) and the Home plate Umpire shall ensure that the pitches are thrown without undue delay. Teams shall be directed to have a catcher ready to warm up the pitcher as soon as an inning is completed. 

5.5 When a batter hits a home run, members of his team shall not be allowed to contact the hitter until he has passed the home plate. Failure to observe this rule will result in a warning to the team and if it occurs again, the Team Manager shall be rejected from the game.

5.6 Coach shall be allowed 3 free trips to the mound during the game to talk with the pitcher (a free trip is one in which the pitcher is not removed from the mound). These meetings shall be limited to 30 seconds from the moment the umpire calls “Time”. After the third free trip, each subsequent trip to the mound must result in the removal of the pitcher from the game. Two trips to the mound in the same inning to the same pitcher must result in the removal of the pitcher from the game.

5.7 Teams are allowed a maximum of 3 offensive meetings per game. An offensive meeting shall be charged any time a coach delays the game for any length of time to talk with an offensive player, whether it is the hitter, a base runner or an on-deck batter going to the plate, or to another coach. 

No offensive trip will be charged if the offense discusses strategy during a delay for which they are not responsible (e.g. trip to the mound, injury, player change, etc.) providing they cause no further delay.


6. Determination of Finishing Order

6.1 The ranking of the teams shall be determined according to the wins/loses record of all the games played. Win = 2 points; Draw = 1 point; Loss = 0 point.

6.2 All ties after the round robin shall be settled in the order of the following list. That is, if criteria (1) does not break the tie, then it is no longer considered the criteria capable of breaking the tie, and the next criteria (2) will be used. This logic continues through the list, in order, until the tie is broken:

(1) The team that won the game(s) between the teams tied shall be given the higher position.
(2) The team that has the best Team's Quality Balance (TQB) in games between the teams tied.
(3) The team that has the best Earned Runs Team's Quality Balance (ER-TQB) in games between the teams tied.
(4) Highest batting average in games between the teams tied.
(5) A coin flip.

Please refer to Appendix A for the six examples of the application of the Tie Breaker Criteria.


7. Protests

7.1 When a protest is made by a Team Manager over a suspected misapplication or misinterpretation of Official Baseball Rules and / or Tournament Rules and Regulations, it shall be made to the Home plate umpire according to the Official Baseball Rules. When such a protest is made, the Home plate umpire shall stop the game, inform the Team Manager of the opposite team, the Technical Commissioner(s) assigned to work that game, and the audience that a protest has been filed. The protest shall be submitted in written form within 10 minutes after it was announced to the Head Umpire, indicating the number(s) of the Baseball Rule(s) / Tournament Rule(s) involved accompanied with US$100 or HK$780 in cash to the Technical Commissioner(s) assigned to the game who must immediately take a decision. Once the decision is made, the game shall be resumed without further delay.

7.2 If such protest occurs on a game-ending play, a desire to submit a protest must be announced by the manager or the team delegate before the umpires leave the field. After consultation with umpires, a decision will be taken immediately by the Technical Commissioner(s) before the game is concluded. The opposing team must wait for the decision before they leave the playing field. Any decision of the Technical Commissioner(s) regarding the playing rules is final and is not subject to appeal.

8. General

In the case of any matters not specifically covered by these Regulations, the Tournament Director, the Technical Commission and the Organizing Committee shall have the absolute power to decide thereon and to jointly agree on any matters arising from the games.

In the absence of mutual agreement, the final decision shall be made by the Tournament Director.


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