Whitby Men’s Slo-Pitch League

League Rules

As Amended March 5, 2025

The rules as laid down by the Executive Committee apply to all members with no exceptions and will be enforced by the Executive Committee.

  1. NSA Canada rules will apply unless superseded by the following rules.  NSA Rule Book: http://www.nsacanada.ca/rules/about.php
  1. A roster of all team members must be submitted to the Executive Committee before the first game of the playing season. The roster must include the name, address, phone number and signature of each returning player. Completed New Player Registration Forms must be submitted for each for each new player. Games will be defaulted by a team fielding any players with incomplete registrations and/or unpaid fees.
  1. In order to avoid forfeiture of a game, a team must start the game with no less than 9 players, of which 6 must be registered players from that team. A team with 6 to 9 players may pick up registered player(s) from any other team within the current season to a maximum of 10 players. A team with 9 players may pick up a registered player from any other team within the current season or have the opposing team supply a catcher to a maximum of 10 players. Only one player may be from the opposing team. One player must play catcher and the other can play any position other than pitcher. Both must bat at the bottom of the batting order. The player from the opposing team must play catcher and will not be included in the batting order or be considered an automatic out when it would have been his turn at bat. If any registered team member arrives before the completion of the game, he can be added to the bottom of the batting order and will not replace any pickups currently playing. Other Team must supply a catcher to make ten (10).  If a catcher is provided by the opposing team, that catcher will only return the ball to the pitcher. The catcher will not participate in the play of the ball, and one of the infielders will have to cover home plate.
  1. After team rosters have been established for the season any additional players required must be obtained through the Draft List held by the Draft Committee.
  1. All registered players present for a game must be entered in the line-up and play both offensively and defensively. A team shall consist of a maximum of ten players on defense at one time. While only ten (10) players constitute a full defense, all players entered in the line-up must take a regular turn at bat. In the event a player is removed from the game due to injury or ejection and there is a roster player available who has not previously been in the game, the new player may replace that player and be added to the bottom of the batting order.  All players must play at least two full innings defensively except for those players replaced in the previous sentence; the penalty for violation of this rule is forfeiture of the game. No substitutions allowed.
  1. Players who started the season on the team roster and paid full league fees are eligible for the playoffs regardless of the number of games played. Players who join a team in midseason must play at least 50% of the remaining games for their team and no players can be added to rosters after August 15th.  The Executive Committee may approve specific cases of absenteeism, which will override the general requirement.
  1. The winning team is responsible for posting the score on the website, who will keep this record on hand for reference. In the event of a tie game the home team shall report the score.  Each team must have a competent scorekeeper. The home team is responsible for keeping the official score of the game.
  1. The Statistics and Media Committee shall be responsible for the rescheduling of rained out games and games cancelled due to lighting failure. The home team shall advice the Committee at which time a date will be selected. The Committee will be responsible for advising the teams of the rescheduled date.
  1. The home team has the responsibility to set out the diamond including the placement of mats and bases.  The distance between bases is 65'.
  1. No metal or plastic spikes are permitted during the game, either on offense or defense. Non-metal soccer cleats are acceptable.
  1. No body contact is allowed. The umpire will resolve any disputes, which arise during a game. If the contact is considered to be deliberate, the umpire shall eject the player from the game. If any altercation arises during a game, the umpire may, at his/her discretion, eject any or all participants in the altercation. In any event, the umpire shall submit a written report on any such incident to the League Executive. The report will be reviewed by the Discipline Committee, which will decide what further action, if any, is required. As part of their review, the Discipline Committee may require representations to be made by the players involved before making a decision.

The following guidelines will be used when issuing suspensions:

Verbal abuse of official, teammate, opposing player, or fan:

1st Offence - minimum one game suspension + review of Discipline Committee

2nd Offence - minimum three games suspension + review of Discipline Committee

3rd Offence - minimum five games suspension + review of Discipline Committee

 

 Physical abuse of official, teammate, opposing player, or fan:

1st Offence - minimum five games suspension + review of Discipline Committee

2nd Offence – indefinite suspension pending review of Discipline Committee

Reports for all ejections/suspensions will be retained by the League indefinitely and referenced by the Discipline Committee for any future altercations of similar nature or involving the same player(s).  If 5+ years have passed between offenses by the same player, the committee may, at their discretion, decide not to enforce the automatic additional games suspension, considering the severity and time elapsed between offences.

Player(s) cannot play for any other team until their suspension(s) have been served.

  1. For each game, the home team will supply a new ball and 2 used balls. League approved 52 core (Hot Dot) balls will be used.
  1. Courtesy runner, a team may use a maximum of five (5) courtesy runners per game. The courtesy runner must be a roster player and cannot have previously been used as a courtesy runner during this game. The courtesy runner must be announced to the umpire at home plate before he takes his place on the base. If the courtesy runner is due up to bat the team may substitute with another courtesy runner.  However, if this cannot be implemented (e.g. all five courtesy runners have been utilized) the courtesy runner due up is out but remains on base and the next batter in the line-up is due up.
  1. Carded Slo-Pitch Ontario, Slo-Pitch National or National Slo-Pitch Athletics Enterprise umpires will officiate every game for the League.  For Playoffs – 2 umpires will be used in all elimination games.
  1. Games will be 1 hour and 25 minutes.  If the home team has not completed their own at bats when curfew has been called, they have the option of leaving the score as-is, or reverting back to the last complete inning.  

Games cannot exceed their scheduled end time regardless of how many minutes have been played. Games scheduled to start at 5:00 p.m. must end at 6:25 p.m.,

6:30 p.m. games at 7:55 p.m.,

8:00 p.m. games at 9:25 p.m. and

9:30 p.m. games at 10:55 p.m.

If the game has reached the time limit and there hasn’t been 5 innings of play (or 4 1/2 innings of play, if home team is ahead) completed, the game will be considered a complete game.  If there were delays encountered in the game due to rain, lights, etc… and there hasn’t been 5 innings of play (or 4 1/2 innings of play, if home team is ahead) completed then the game will be replayed.

If the game is reaching end of scheduled time and the visiting team has taken the lead, they can inform the umpire that they are declaring their remaining outs as automatic.

  1. If after fifteen (15) minutes past the starting time, a legal team cannot be fielded; the game shall be defaulted. 
  1. In the event that you are aware you will not be able to field a team, notify the Executive Committee at least 24 hours prior to the game. The Executive Committee will notify the opposing team representative after the 24 hour deadline has passed.  This will be considered a cancelled game, still a 7-0 loss, with no financial penalty to the team, which cancels.  If the subsequent game is rained out or cancelled for any other reason the game will be rescheduled.
  1. Each team is allowed a maximum of one default game (less than 24 hours notice) with no financial penalty. Subsequent default games will cost the defaulting team $40 per default, payable to the Whitby Men’s Slo-Pitch League. All owed money must be paid prior to the playoffs; otherwise the team will not be permitted to play in the playoff championship tournament.  Doubleheaders that are defaulted will be treated as 2 games.  Team Reps will be emailed after each default whether the defaulted game(s) were subject to penalty or enough notice given.  Details will be provided when the penalty payment is due and payment method.
  1. Alcoholic beverages will not be consumed before, during, or after any games on park premises.
  1. Offensive and defensive players will obey the following:

Commitment Line - A line in foul territory drawn 21 feet from the back of home plate and perpendicular to the third base line. When a runner crosses this line by touching the ground beyond the line but does not reach home plate, he shall be called out when a defensive player in contact with home plate legally holds the ball. Runners, who have not crossed the line or who cross the line but must tag up on a caught fly ball, may return to third base with liability to be put out.

Safe Line - A line drawn in foul territory starting at the top left-hand corner of home plate perpendicular to the third base line. A runner attempting to reach home must do so by touching the ground in foul territory on or beyond the SAFE LINE. Sliding into home plate is not allowed. The runner is out if he touches home plate or the mat whether or not a play is being made. A runner is not out if the plate is touched in an attempt to avoid a collision.

Tagging the runner between the Commitment Line and the Safe Line is not allowed. 

  1. Any jewelry is acceptable.
  1. Home run rule: The league has a 2-plus home run rule. This means once a team has hit 2 home runs they cannot hit another until the opposing team hits one.  If the opposing team has not hit one and the team with the home runs hits a ball over the fence it will be considered an out. All runners will not advance.

Balls deflected over the fence by a fielder is considered a 4-base award and not a home run and therefore would not count toward the home run total.

Inside-the-park home runs will not count toward the home run total in the application of the 2-plus rule.

Inside-the-park home runs do not count toward the individual player’s season home run total.

A ball hit over the fence as an out will not count toward the individual player’s season home run total.

Homeruns Hit by Pick-up Players will not count towards the individual's HR Totals, nor will they be applied to any team’s HR Totals.

The hitter of a legitimate home run will immediately retrieve the ball without the need to touch any bases. Any baserunners shall return to the dugout without the need to touch any bases.

  1. Team bats must comply to the USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association) & ASA (American Softball Association) standards and must appear on the legal bat list as posted on their website the “Legal Bats” http://www.wmspl.com/Documents/Misc/WMSPL_ApprovedBats.pdf link on the WMSPL website. Standard NSA rules apply to players using illegal bats. 
  1. A trapper can be worn by any in-field player.
  1. Equipment: Minimum uniform shall be similar coloured shirts.  Caps, if worn, may be worn however the player decides.
  1. Mercy Rule: Up by more than 18 runs at the end of 2.5 or 3 innings. Trailing team’s discretion to end game and score submitted as-is.  The maximum number of runs in each of the first four innings by each team shall be 6 runs. Thereafter each inning is an open inning.

27.   Strike Mat / Home Plate: A 2 feet by 3 feet board.

A strike is a legally pitched ball that makes contact with the board, any pitched ball swung at and missed by the batter, or a batted ball that is ruled foul. A ball is a legally pitched ball that lands outside the strike board and not swung at by the batter or an illegally pitched ball that the batter does not swing at. Home plate, covered by the board is considered a strike. 

  1. The arc of a legal pitch:

The ball must be delivered with an arc and reach a height between six (6) and twelve (12) feet from the ground.  

  1. Pitcher’s Box:

Is defined as, a two (2) foot wide x fifteen (15) foot long area including the pitcher’s plate that starts 50 feet from the back of home plate.