Articles

PHILOSOPHY

To promote amateur baseball as a non-profit organization. The Diamond Baseball League was formed to benefit athletes in Northeast Ohio. Team coaches and sponsors have been chosen by their ability to teach positive values to their players both on and off the field with the focal point being sportsmanship and amateur baseball.

LEAGUE DIRECTORS

The Diamond League board will control all league rules and the decision-making process. Majority vote by the board is needed to overturn a rule. The coaches committee may present any rule proposals to the board which the board must approve by majority vote.

New board members must be approved by a majority vote of the coaches. If the coaches approve, the current board must approve the new member by a majority vote

LEAGUE ENTRANCE

Teams must apply to enter the league by the August board meeting date, to which a majority of the board members must agree. The Diamond Baseball League is set up as an invitational league. All teams must reapply to enter the Diamond League for the following season.

Organization Rule: Organizations that participate in the Diamond League must apply their best team in that age group to the Diamond League. Any organization failing to do so will be suspended or expelled from the Diamond League. The Diamond League board will make that determination at the end of the season.

GENERAL RULES

1) The Diamond League board will decide on how many teams to accept into the Diamond League.

2)Each team will design their own schedule. Diamond league games take priority over all Independent (non-league) games. The only exceptions to this rule are the prepaid out of town tournaments.

3)Playing in the Diamond Baseball League excludes all teams from playing in another league. However, you may go to tournaments and play independent games.

4)A point system will determine the league champion. A team will receive two points for a win, one point for a tie and no points for a loss. The Diamond League champion must play 90% of their league games.

5)Forfeits will not be tolerated. Any team that forfeits 2 or more games will be dismissed from the Diamond League. If a game is forfeited, you must send another forfeit fee of $110 in to the league or risk being removed from the league.

6) Until the first pitch of the game, field maintenance determines whether the game will be cancelled. If there is no field maintenance, the home team will determine the playability of the field. The opposing coach, the league office, and the umpires must be notified on all cancellations. If there are any disputes, the Diamond League holds the option to determine the playability of the field and may rule a forfeit by the home team if the field is ruled playable.

--latest scheduled starting time is 6:00 unless it is a lighted field. A doubleheader on an unlighted field must start by 3:30 PM.

7)Any game called due to weather, darkness, or any other reason after 4 1/2 innings if home team is winning or if the game is tied, or 5 innings if the visitors are winning is over, with the team ahead winning the game. If the game is tied, each team will receive a tie in the standings.

-games that do not reach the 4 1/2 inning mark will start from the point at which the game was called at a later date.

8)If a game is halted in the middle of an inning after 5 innings of play, the game will revert back to the last whole inning played unless the home team has tied or taken the lead in the bottom half of the inning. If the home team has tied the score, the game ends in a tie. If the home team has taken the lead, the home team wins.

9)If a tie occurs in the standings, head to head competition will be the only tie breaker. If there are divisions, the second tiebreaker is the record within division.

10)All members will be provided with player contracts. Player contracts go into effect when signed, completed and received by a league official. Copies of player contracts are to be turned in at the January scheduling meeting. Once a player signs a Diamond League contract for a team for a given season, he is committed to that team for that season. Players can be released by the head coach of that team by submitting by email or fax to the Diamond League offices. Players released by a team until June 10th may be picked up by another Diamond League team. After June 10th, no player released by league teams can be picked up by another team in the Diamond League.

11) Each team must carry with them at all times the player contracts including birth certificates and a current picture of each player along with insurance papers. Only official league contracts will be honored by the league. Copies will be turned into the league president at any of the league meetings.

12)Team rosters will have a maximum of 20 players and a minimum of 13 players. The official Diamond League roster for each team is listed on the website. A player must sign the Diamond League contract and added to the roster before he is allowed to play in a Diamond League game. Failure to meet the minimum amount of players before your first game will result in a $50 fine plus $110 additional forfeit fee due to the league. The official Diamond League roster must contain at least 50% of its players from the same age group. Age cutoff is May 1st.

12a) A maximum of four players per team may be rostered on a team outside of the Diamond League.

13) Players from a lower age level in the Diamond League may be brought up only once to the Mickey Mantle age level, then back down only once to the original team. This can be done only with permission of both head coaches. Exception-- a player may be brought up an additional time to replace a player that is out with a season-ending injury. That player may not be brought back down for any league games.

14)The last day to add a player to a roster is June 30th of any given season except for injury. If a player incurs a season ending injury, that team can pick up a player after June 30th. However, the league must receive a doctor's note with the doctor's name and business phone number. No player released from league teams can be picked up by another team in our league once that original team plays a Diamond League game. After June 10th, no player released by another Diamond League team can be picked up by another team in the league.

15)A team/organization that picks up a Diamond League player(s) for an in-season tournament may not roster that player the following season. This only applies until the last day of the season.

16)All members of the Diamond League must practice a positive code of ethics and sportsmanship. Once a player verbally agrees to participate for one team, all other teams shall honor that player's decision.

17)Team rosters and a complete schedule, with Diamond League games highlighted is due at the spring meeting. Failure to turn in a complete roster and schedule will result in a $10 fine per day. Team rosters should include each player's name, address, uniform number, birthdate, school, year in school. A complete schedule with all league games must be turned in. Unscheduled league games will result in forfeit(s). That schedule is official. You cannot postpone or cancel a game unless both teams agree (except for weather conditions).

18)Each team must purchase their own insurance. Insurance applications will be distributed when they become available. The Diamond League must be named as an additional insured. A copy of this must be turned into the league at the spring meeting.

19)There are three mandatory coaches meetings (fall, winter and spring) Failure to attend will result in a $50 fine.

20)No league games will be scheduled by phone!!! All games will be scheduled at the annual coaches meeting.

21)All game fees will be divided evenly among participating teams. This includes umpire and baseballs. Any fee for a playing facility will be paid by the team renting that facility for the game. The team paying for use of the facility is the home team (including doubleheaders.)

22)All home games--league or non-league, must be scheduled through a Diamond League approved umpire association. Teams must notify the league on or before the spring coaches meeting of which umpire association is being used, the umpire-in chief of that association, and name, address and phone number of the association scheduler, and the umpire fees for each game. Only high school certified umpires are allowed.

23)Umpire fees of $55 per game are to be paid before the first pitch of a game. Umpire associations that are not contacted about cancellations and schedule changes will be owed the forfeit fee of $110 by the home team. If a game is cancelled at the field by the home team before the first pitch and umpires are present, they will be owed $12 apiece from the home team. If a game fails to complete three innings of play, each umpire will receive $30. It is mandatory that two umpires are scheduled for each game. If only one umpire is present, teams may begin play. If only one umpire completes the full game, he will receive $80. ($40 per team.)

Each umpire will be given a business card with the league umpire in chief's name and phone number before the start of the game.

24)The umpire is the league official for each game. Except for league rules, there will be no protests. All disagreements will be finalized on the field- with the final decision being made by the field umpires for that given game. Any protest of league rules must be communicated to the umpire at the point of the infraction and the league umpire in chief must be notified. Teams have 24 hours from the completion of a game to protest any unrostered player.

25) OHSAA High School Baseball rules will be followed with these exceptions: May 1st cutoff date. Teams have the option of using the additional hitter.

26)All Diamond League games will be played with a 10 run mercy rule after 5 innings.

27) All tobacco products are banned from the field of play. Possession of tobacco will result in ejection from the game.

28) Teams will have the opportunity to play in the AABC, COLT, CABA and/or NABF Tournaments. The Diamond League can send multiple teams to these tournaments.

29)Playing in the AABC, COLT or NABF Tournament also commits your team to play in the AABC, COLT or NABF National Tournaments if your team qualifies. Teams with possible conflicts need to finalize plans by spring meeting. Forfeiting games in the AABC, COLT or NABF will result in a suspension and a possible fine from the AABC, COLT or NABF League offices.

30)The winning team of a league contest will call the league offices at 440-951-9373. League standings will be kept by the league director receiving scores on a daily basis. Failure to call in a score that evening or if a late game the next morning will result in a $10 fine. Check the league website for standings and schedules. www.diamondleague.org

31)Teams need to call or email the league with any tournamaments won. They will be posted on the league website.

32)Equipment: Teams will be required to purchase 4 dozen game balls from the league for use in Diamond League contests. Teams should carry a medical kit to each game. Equipment must follow OHSAA standards. Bats must be BBCOR, wood or wood composite.

33) Diamond League lineup cards must be used for Diamond League games. Uniform number, name, and position must be listed on the lineup card. Teams are requested to list all substitutes and their numbers on the lineup card. A copy must be given to the umpire.

34) All personnel on field or in dugout must wear a team uniformed shirt. Failure to do so will result in ejection from the field of play. The coaches must wear a uniformed shirt or jacket and pants or shorts that are the team colors. It is recommended that coaches shirts and jackets have a readable uniform number. If a coach is ejected that does not have a uniform number that is readable by the umpire, the head coach of that team in addition to the coach that was ejected will be suspended for one game. Each team is allowed one scorekeeper in the dugout that need not have a numbered jersey.

35)Any player ejected from a league game must serve a one league game suspension. If the same player is ejected in a second league game, he must serve a three league game suspension. A third ejection by that same player will result in suspension for the season. That player will not be permitted at any league games. A coach ejected from a second league game will serve a one league game suspension. A third ejection will result in a two league game suspension. A fourth ejection will result in suspension for the season.

36)Any player initiating a fight shall receive a three game suspension. Any team personnel, including coaches, who leave their positions and participate in a fight shall be ejected and suspended for the team's next three league games. A second offense will result in suspension for the season. Exceptions to rule: if a player involved in a fight while remaining at their position on the field is judged to be acting in self-defense. If a player or coach leaves their position and makes contact with their own players/teammates in an attempt to prevent a fight.

37)Any conduct detrimental to the league will subject your team or individual participants (players/coaches) of the team to probation, suspension or possible dismissal from the league. In addition, failure to adhere to any rule will result in forfeit, team probation or possible dismissal from the league.

38)The league fees for the 2013 season are the following:

-$275 league fee (non-refundable)
-$110 forfeit fee (refundable)

39)League fees must be paid by the October coaches meeting. Failure to pay may result in losing entry or reentry into the league.

40)The league fee covers the championship team trophy, league tournament, league meetings, office supplies, postage, and tournament allowance for league champions.