2019 Official Baseball Rules 2019 Official Baseball Rules

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2019 Official Baseball Rules 2019 Official Baseball Rules 3/26/2019 5:16 PM Page iOFFICIAL BASEBALL RULES2019 Edition

2019 Official Baseball Rules 2019 Official Baseball Rules 3/26/2019 5:16 PM Page iiOfficial Baseball Rules2019 EditionOFFICIAL PLAYING RULES COMMITTEESandy Alderson, ChairChris AntonettiSam BernabeJon DanielsJerry DipotoBrian GormanJohn MozeliakJohn SchuerholzJoe TorreAmateur Baseball Advisory MemberMike GaskiCommittee SecretaryPaul V. Mifsud, Jr.EditorTom LepperdCopyright 2019by the Office of the Commissioner of BaseballAll rights reserved.No part of the Official Baseball Rules may be reproduced ortransmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval systemnow known or to be invented, without permission in writing fromthe Office of the Commissioner of Baseball.The Major League Baseball silhouetted batter logo is aregistered trademark of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc.Cover photo by Bob Tringali/MLB Photos.ISBN 978-0-9961140-8-0Printed in the United States of America

2019 Official Baseball Rules 2019 Official Baseball Rules 3/26/2019 5:16 PM Page iiiOFFICIAL BASEBALL RULESRecodified, amended and adopted by the Professional Baseball PlayingRules Committee at New York, N.Y., December 21, 1949; amended at NewYork, N.Y., February 5, 1951; Tampa, Fla., March 14, 1951; Chicago, Ill.,March 3, 1952; New York, N.Y., November 4, 1953; New York, N.Y.,December 8, 1954; Chicago, Ill., November 20, 1956; Tampa, Fla., March30-31, 1961; Tampa, Fla., November 26, 1961; New York, N.Y., January 26,1963; San Diego, Calif., December 2, 1963; Houston, Tex., December 1,1964; Columbus, Ohio, November 28, 1966; Pittsburgh, Pa., December 1,1966; Mexico City, Mexico, November 27, 1967; San Francisco, Calif.,December 3, 1968; New York, N.Y., January 31, 1969; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.,December 1, 1969; Los Angeles, Calif., November 30, 1970; Phoenix, Ariz.,November 29, 1971; St. Petersburg, Fla., March 23, 1972; Honolulu, Hawaii,November 27, 1972; Houston, Tex., December 3 and 7, 1973; New Orleans,La., December 2, 1974; Hollywood, Fla., December 8, 1975; Los Angeles,Calif., December 6, 1976; Honolulu, Hawaii, December 5, 1977; Orlando,Fla., December 4, 1978; Toronto, Ontario, Canada, December 3, 1979;Dallas, Tex., December 8, 1980; Hollywood, Fla., December 7, 1981;Honolulu, Hawaii, December 5, 1982; Nashville, Tenn., December 5, 1983;New York, N.Y., January 8, 1985; New York, N.Y., March 27, 1986;Hollywood, Fla., December 9, 1986; New York, N.Y., November 23, 1987;New York, N.Y., January 26, 1989; Chicago, Ill., December 3, 1990; Miami,Fla., December 5, 1991; Louisville, Ky., December 4, 1992; Atlanta, Ga.,December 12, 1993; New York, N.Y., January 30, 1996; Mail vote, January2006; Teleconference, December 20, 2006; Teleconference, February 5,2008; Las Vegas, Nev., December 9, 2008; Teleconference, May 26, 2009;Teleconference, January 25, 2010; Lake Buena Vista, Fla., December 8,2010; Teleconference, February 16, 2011; Dallas, Tex., December 7, 2011;Nashville, Tenn., December 5, 2012; Orlando, Fla., December 11, 2013;Recodified, amended and adopted at San Diego, Calif., December 10, 2014;amended at Nashville, Tenn., December 9, 2015; Teleconference, January11, 2017; Lake Buena Vista, Fla., December 13, 2017; Mail vote, February2018; Las Vegas, Nev., December 12, 2018.iii

2019 Official Baseball Rules 2019 Official Baseball Rules 3/26/2019 5:16 PM Page ivFOREWORDThis code of rules governs the playing of baseball games by professionalteams of Major League Baseball and the leagues that are members of theNational Association of Professional Baseball Leagues.We recognize that many amateur and non-professional organizations playtheir games under professional rules and we are happy to make our rulesavailable as widely as possible. It is well to remember that specifications asto fields, equipment, etc., may be modified to meet the needs of each group.Money fines, long-term suspensions and similar penalties imposed by thiscode are not practicable for amateur groups, but officers and umpires of suchorganizations should insist on strict observance of all the rules governing theplaying of the game.Baseball not only has maintained its position as the National Game of theUnited States, but also has become an International Game being played inmore than 100 countries. The popularity of the game will grow only so longas its players, managers, coaches, umpires and administrative officersrespect the discipline of its code of rules.iv

2019 Official Baseball Rules 2019 Official Baseball Rules 3/26/2019 5:16 PM Page vIMPORTANT NOTES(1)The Playing Rules Committee, at its December 2014 meeting, voted toreorganize and recodify the Official Baseball Rules into a more logicaland organized manner. No wording or language was changed (otherthan the amendments made for that year); only the order and placement of the rules were modified. In this edition Comments to theOfficial Rules are highlighted in a shaded box rather than beingprinted in smaller typeface as had been the case in prior to 2015.(2)The Playing Rules Committee, at its December 1977 meeting, voted toincorporate the Notes/Case Book/Comments section directly into theOfficial Baseball Rules at the appropriate places. Basically, the CaseBook interprets or elaborates on the basic rules and in essence have thesame effect as rules when applied to particular sections for which theyare intended.This arrangement is designed to give quicker access to any written language pertaining to an Official Rule and does not require a reader torefer to different sections of the Official Baseball Rules book in considering the application of a particular rule.Case Book material in this edition are in shaded boxes and are labeledas “Comment.”v

2019 Official Baseball Rules 2019 Official Baseball Rules 3/26/2019 5:16 PM Page viSummary of Rule Changes for 2019The Official Playing Rules Committee made the following changes thatwill be in effect for the 2019 season: Amended Rule 4.03(e) to clarify Clubs’ rights regarding weather conditions. Amended Rule 4.04(a) to be consistent with Rule 4.03(e) concerningClubs’ rights during weather situations. Added Rule 5.05(b)(2) Comment regarding a pitched ball touching jewelry worn by a batter. Amended Rule 5.06(c)(7) to clarify situations when a pitched ball lodgesin or against the umpire’s body, mask, or paraphernalia. Amended Rule 5.06(c)(7) Comment regarding a player who intentionallyplaces the baseball inside his uniform for the purpose of deceiving therunner(s). Amended Rule 5.09(b)(7) regarding a runner who is struck by a battedball before it has gone through or by an infielder. Amended Rule 5.09(b)(7) (second paragraph) to clarify situations when arunner is struck by an Infield Fly. Amended Rule 5.10(g) only for National Association Leagues that requiresa starting pitcher, or any substitute pitcher, to face at least three batters (orretire the side) unless the pitcher is incapacitated. Amended Rule 5.10(l) Comment regarding trips to the mound (final paragraph is new). Amended Rule 5.10(m)(1) limiting the number of mound visits without apitching change to five per nine innings. Made several amendments to Rule 5.10(m)(2) regarding trips to themound: Additional language added to Rules 5.10(m)(2), 5.10(m)(2)(B),5.10(m)(2)(D), and established new Rules 5.10(m)(2)(E), (F), and (G).vi

2019 Official Baseball Rules 2019 Official Baseball Rules 3/26/2019 5:16 PM Page viiSummary of Rule Changes for 2019, continued Established new Rule 5.10(m)(4) regarding enforcement of mound visits. Amended Rule 6.01(i)(1) regarding collisions with the catcher at homeplate. Added a sentence at the end of Rule 6.01(i) stating that reference to “thecatcher” in Rule 6.01(i) also applies to other players covering home plate. Amended Rule 7.03(a)(7) regarding forfeits when the team “fails toappear ” following the first game of a doubleheader to thirty minutes inorder to agree with Rule 4.08(c). Amended Scoring Rule 9.01(a) in several places regarding the OfficialScorer. Amended Scoring Rule 9.01(c) regarding interaction between the OfficialScorer and various personnel. Amended Definitions of Terms (“TAG”) with a new sentence at the end ofthe definition regarding jewelry worn by a player. Amended Definitions of Terms (“TOUCH”) regarding jewelry worn by aplayer or umpire.Additional entries were also made to the Index.vii

2019 Official Baseball Rules 2019 Official Baseball Rules 3/26/2019 5:16 PM Page viiiTable of Contents2019 Official Baseball Rules1.00 – OBJECTIVES OF THE GAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12.00 – THE PLAYING FIELD2.012.022.032.042.05Layout of the Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Home Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Bases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Pitcher’s Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Benches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233443.00 – EQUIPMENT AND e Ball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5The Bat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Player Uniforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Catcher’s Mitt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7First Baseman’s Glove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Fielding Gloves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Pitcher’s Glove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Helmets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Undue Commercialization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Equipment on the Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104.00 – GAME e Duties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Field Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Exchange of Lineup Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Weather and Field Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Special Ground Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .No Fraternization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Doubleheaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .viii1112121415151515

2019 Official Baseball Rules 2019 Official Baseball Rules 3/26/2019 5:16 PM Page ix5.00 – PLAYING THE GAME5.01Starting the Game (“Play Ball!”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175.02Fielding Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175.03Base Coaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175.04Batting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(a) Batting Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .( b) The Batter’s Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(c) Completing Time at Bat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .When the Batter Becomes a Runner . . . . . . . . . .18181821215.06Running the Bases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(a) Occupying the Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .( b) Advancing Bases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(c) Dead Balls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .252525315.07Pitching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(a) Legal Pitching Delivery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(1) The Windup Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . .( 2) The Set Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .( b) Warm-Up Pitches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(c) Pitcher Delays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(d) Throwing to the Bases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(e) Effect of Removing Pivot FootFrom Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(f ) Ambidextrous Pitchers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .333333343535365.0536365.08How a Team Scores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375.09Making an Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39(a) Retiring the Batter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39(b) Retiring a Runner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43(c) Appeal Plays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48(d) Effect of Preceding Runner’sFailure to Touch a Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50(e) Retiring the Side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50ix

2019 Official Baseball Rules 2019 Official Baseball Rules 3/26/2019 5:16 PM Page x5.105.115.12Substitutions and Pitching Changes(Including Visits to the Mound ) . . . . . . . . . . . . 50Designated Hitter Rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Calling “Time” and Dead Balls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 616.00 – IMPROPER PLAY, ILLEGAL ACTION,AND MISCONDUCT6.016.026.036.04Interference, Obstruction, and CatcherCollisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(a) Batter or Runner Interference . . . . . . . . . . .( b) Fielder Right of Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(c) Catcher Interference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(d) Unintentional Interference . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(e) Spectator Interference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(f ) Coach and Umpire Interference . . . . . . . . .(g) Interference With Squeeze Play orSteal of Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(h) Obstruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .( i) Collisions at Home Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(j) Sliding to Bases onDouble Play Attempts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pitcher Illegal Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(a) Balks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .( b) Illegal Pitches With Bases Unoccupied . .(c) Pitching Prohibitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Batter Illegal Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(a) Batter Out for Illegal Action . . . . . . . . . . . .(b) Batting Out of Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Unsportsmanlike Conduct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .636366676869707070727374747777808081847.00 – ENDING THE GAME7.017.02Regulation Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87Suspended, Postponed, and Tie Games . . . . . . . . 88x

2019 Official Baseball Rules 2019 Official Baseball Rules 3/26/2019 5:16 PM Page xi7.037.04Forfeited Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92Protesting Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 938.00 – THE UMPIRE8.018.028.038.04Umpire Qualifications and Authority . . . . . . . . . .Appeal of Umpire Decisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Umpire Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Reporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95959899GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO UMPIRES . . . . . . . . . . . .1009.00 – THE OFFICIAL 9.129.139.149.159.169.179.189.199.20Official Scorer (General Rules) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102Official Scorer Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105Official Scorer Report (Additional Rules) . . . . 109Runs Batted In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111Base Hits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112Determining Value of Base Hits . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113Stolen Bases and Caught Stealing . . . . . . . . . . . 116Sacrifices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119Putouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120Assists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122Double and Triple Plays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123Wild Pitches and Passed Balls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128Base on Balls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129Strikeouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129Earned Runs and Runs Allowed . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130Winning and Losing Pitcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135Shutouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138Saves for Relief Pitchers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138xi

2019 Official Baseball Rules 2019 Official Baseball Rules 3/26/2019 5:16 PM Page xii9.219.229.23Determining Percentage Records . . . . . . . . . . . . 139Minimum Standards for IndividualChampionships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140Guidelines for Cumulative PerformanceRecords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142DEFINITIONS OF TERMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144APPENDICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1571 Diagram of the Playing Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1582 Layout at Home Plate, 1st, 2nd,and 3rd Bases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1593 Layout of Pitching Mound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1604 Dimensions of Fielder’s Glove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1615 The Strike Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163xii

2019 Official Baseball Rules 2019 Official Baseball Rules 3/26/2019 5:16 PM Page 1Rule 1.01 to 1.061.00 – OBJECTIVES OF THE GAME1.01 Baseball is a game between two teams of nine players each, underdirection of a manager, played on an enclosed field in accordance withthese rules, under jurisdiction of one or more umpires.1.02 The offensive team’s objective is to have its batter become a runner,and its runners advance.1.03 The defensive team’s objective is to prevent offensive players frombecoming runners, and to prevent their advance around the bases.1.04 When a batter becomes a runner and touches all bases legally heshall score one run for his team.1.05 The objective of each team is to win by scoring more runs than theopponent.1.06 The winner of the game shall be that team which shall have scored,in accordance with these rules, the greater number of runs at the conclusion of a regulation game.1

2019 Official Baseball Rules 2019 Official Baseball Rules 3/26/2019 5:16 PM Page 2Rule 2.012.00 – THE PLAYING FIELD2.01 Layout of the FieldThe field shall be laid out according to the instructions below, supplemented by the diagrams in Appendices 1, 2, and 3.The infield shall be a 90-foot square. The outfield shall be the areabetween two foul lines formed by extending two sides of thesquare, as in diagram in Appendix 1 (page 158). The distance fromhome base to the nearest fence, stand or other obstruction on fairterritory shall be 250 feet or more. A distance of 320 feet or morealong the foul lines, and 400 feet or more to center field is preferable. The infield shall be graded so that the base lines and homeplate are level. The pitcher’s plate shall be 10 inches above thelevel of home plate. The degree of slope from a point 6 inches infront of the pitcher’s plate to a point 6 feet toward home plate shallbe 1 inch to 1 foot, and such degree of slope shall be uniform. Theinfield and outfield, including the boundary lines, are fair territoryand all other area is foul territory.It is desirable that the line from home base through the pitcher’splate to second base shall run East-Northeast.It is rec

2018; Las Vegas, Nev., December 12, 2018. 2019 Official Baseball Rules_2019 Official Baseball Rules 3/26/2019 5:16 PM Page iii. iv FOREWORD This code of rules governs the playing of baseball games by professional teams of Major League Baseball and the leagues that are members of the

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