National Federation of State High
School Associations
2003 Baseball Rule Changes
RULE 1 PLAYERS, FIELD AND EQUIPMENT
1-1-5 - Beginning January 1, 2003, the catcher's helmet and mask combination shall meet the NOCSAE standard. Beginning January 1, 2003, any helmet or helmet and mask combination shall have full ear protection (dual ear flaps).
PLAY: Situation A
The Home team catcher takes his position behind the plate in the top of the first inning with a skull cap helmet and mask combination. Ruling: This is legal. Effective January 1, 2003, a catcher will be required to wear head protection with double ear flaps and meets the NOCSAE standard.
PLAY: Situation B
The Visiting team catcher has a hockey-style helmet. Ruling: This is legal. The hockey style helmet is legal, provided it meets the NOCSAE standard.
1-2-5 It is recommended that when the dugout area is extended, for any reason, it shall be extended toward the outfield on a line parallel to the foul line. The extension of the dugout area shall be equally applied for both teams.
Rationale: Dugout areas are being extended closer to the foul lines and home plate causing concern over liability issues. Also, this is providing greater opportunities for unsportsmanlike actions to occur.
PLAY: Situation A
The visiting team has twelve players and the home team has twenty players. The home team chalks a line to extend both dugouts equally toward the outfield. The extended dugouts/dead ball areas remain parallel to the foul line. Ruling: This is legal
PLAY: Situation B
Team A and B are playing at a neutral site. Team A has 22 players while team B has 14 players. The dugouts are not large enough to handle team A's size. Team A wants to extend the dead ball area with a chalk line. Ruling: This is allowed. Team A must extend there dugout toward the outfield and on a line parallel to the foul line. Team B may also extend their dugout similarly.
PLAY: Situation C
The home team has extended their dugout and it is much larger than the one provided for the visiting team. The visiting coach requests that his dugout be expanded as well. Ruling: This is allowed. However, the dugout can only be enlarged toward the outfield and parallel to the foul line. Each team is treated fairly to the extension of their dugout.
PLAY: Situation D
In constructing new dugouts, the home team extends both facilities equal distance down both foul lines toward the outfield. Ruling: This is appropriate.
1-3-5 Beginning January 1, 2003, all non-wood bats shall meet the Ball Exit Speed Ratio (BESR) performance standard, and such bats shall be labeled with a silk screen or other permanent certification mark.
PLAY: Situation A
2-29-6 A defensive appeal of a runner failing to touch a base or tag up is not a play.
Rationale: To make the distinction that an appeal is not a play.
PLAY: Situation A
B1 hits a ground ball to F5, who throws the ball into the dugout. B1 misses first base while advancing to second. The coach of the offensive team says an appeal cannot be honored because the act of throwing the ball into a dead ball area was a play. Ruling: An appeal can be made for the missed base by the defensive team. The throw by F5 was part of the initial play and did not end his team's right to appeal.
PLAY: Situation B
Following a base hit by B2, the visiting team wishes to appeal R1 missing third base as he advances to home. After all playing action is over, the pitcher throws the ball to the third baseman while claiming that R1 missed the base. F5 is not watching and the throw goes into a dead-ball area. Ruling: After B2 has been awarded two bases, the visiting team may now verbally appeal R1's missed base. Because an appeal is not a play, the visiting team retains it's ability to appeal the baserunning error.
RULE 3 SUBSTITUTING COACHING-BENCH AND FIELD CONDUCT-CHARGED CONFERENCES
3-3-1i A coach, player, substitute, attended or other bench personnel shall not: have any item in his possession in the coach's box other than a rule book , scorebook, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or comparable electronic score-recording device which shall be used for scorekeeping purposes only
Penalty: The umpire shall eject the offender from the game, unless the offense is judged to be a minor offense. The umpire may warn the offender and then eject him if he repeats the offense. The warning or ejection shall be made at the end of playing action. Failure to comply shall result in the game being forfeited. For coaches who violate the umpire may (1) restrict the offender to bench/dugout for the remainder of the game or (2) eject the offender. Any coach restricted to the bench shall be ejected for further misconduct. A coach may leave the bench/dugout to attend to a player who becomes ill or injured.
Rationale: To allow a coach the flexibility to use a traditional scorebook or a comparable electronic device.
PLAY: Situation A
The third base coach is in the coach's box (a) using a radar gun; (b) using a video camera to tape the pitcher's move to first base; (c) in the coach's box with a personal digital assistant (PDA); (d) in the coach's box with a portable laptop computer; (e) using a cell phone. Ruling: Legal in (c); illegal in (a), (b), (d), (e).
3-3-2 A coach who is ejected shall leave the vicinity of the playing area immediately and is prohibited from further contact, direct or indirect, with the team during the remainder of the game. He may return when requested to attend to an ill or injured player.
Rationale: The committee felt it was not appropriate for an ejected coach to arbitrarily return to the playing area unless specifically requested by an umpire.
PLAY: Situation A
The coach has been ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct. Later in the game, his pitcher complains of a sore arm. The coach returns from the parking lot. Ruling: This is not allowed. The coach must be requested by the umpire before he can return.
PLAY: Situation B
After being ejected, Team A's coach (a) returns to the field to break up a fight; (b) returns to the field on his own to attend to an injured player; (c) returns on his own to check on a sick player; or (d) returns after being requested by the umpire to attend to an injured player. Ruling: Illegal in (a), (b) and (c). A coach must first be requested by an umpire before he can return to attend to an ill or injured player. It is legal in (d).
PLAY: Situation C
F4 is injured by R1's slide into second base. His coach who is also the team trainer, was ejected earlier in the game. He is sitting in the parking lot away from the game. Ruling: If the umpire believes that the injured player needs to be attended, he may request the ejected coach to return to the field. The coach cannot return unless requested by the umpire.
RULE 5 DEAD BALL SUSPENSION OF PLAY
5-2-2b When the ball becomes dead:
A runner may return to a base he left too soon on a caught fly ball or that was not touched during a live ball;
Exception: A runner who is on or beyond a succeeding base when the ball became dead, or advances and touches a succeeding base after the ball became dead, may not return and shall be called out upon proper and successful appeal (8-4-2a).
Rationale: Brings this ruling in alignment with appeal rule instituted in 2001.
PLAY: Situation C
R1 who is on second base, advances to home plate when B2 hits safely to right field. However, R1 misses third base in his advance to home plate. After time is called, (a) R1 attempts to return to third base or (b) F2 tags R1 with the ball. Ruling: In (a) and (b), When the ball becomes dead, R1 can no longer return to touch third base, because he touched a succeeding base (home). The umpire shall call R1 out as soon as time is called. (8-2-5 Penalty)
RULE 8 BASERUNNING
8-2-5 If a runner who misses any base (including home plate) or leaves a base too early, desires to return to touch the base, he must do so immediately. If the ball becomes dead and the runner is on or beyond a succeeding base, he cannot return to the missed base and therefore, is subject to being declared out upon proper appeal.
Rationale: Recommended in order to clean up affected rules from last year's rule change.
8-2 Penalty (Art. 1-5)
For failure to touch a base (advancing and returning), or failure to tag up as soon as the ball is touched on a caught fly ball, the runner may be called out if an appeal is made by the defensive team. The defense may appeal during a live ball immediately following the play and before a pitch (legal or illegal), granting an intentional base on balls, or before the next play or attempted play. If the offensive team initiates a play before the next pitch, the defensive team does not lose the right to appeal. A live-ball appeal may be made by a defensive player with the ball in his possession by tagging the runner or touching the base that was missed or left to early. A dead- ball appeal may be made by a coach or any defensive player with or without the ball by verbally stating that the runner missed the base or left the base too early. Appeals must be made (1) before the next legal or illegal pitch, (2) at the end of an inning, before the pitcher and all infielders have left fair territory, (3) before an intentional base on balls is granted, or (4) on the last play of the game, an appeal can be made until the umpires leave the field of play. NOTE: When a play by its very nature is imminent and is obvious to the offense, defense and umpire(s), no verbal appeal is necessary, e.g. runner attempting to retouch a base that was missed, or a failure to tag up and a throw has been made to that base or plate while a play is in progress.
Rationale: Prevents the defense from intentionally walking batters it does not want to face and then appealing a missed base. Preventing the defense from making pick-off plays and then appealing a missed base. Will allow defense to appeal if offense initiates a play (i.e. stealing a base). A defensive coach shall verbally appeal only during a dead-ball situation.
PLAY: Situation A
With R1 on first and no outs, B2 hits a long fly ball over the head of F8. R1 thinks the ball will fall in for a hit and attempts to advance to third. However, F8 makes the catch. F8 throws to first base, but the ball goes into dead-ball territory. R1, who is attempting to return to first base, is between second and third base when the ball becomes dead. Ruling: A runner may not return to a base that he left too soon on a caught fly ball if he was on or beyond a succeeding base when the ball became dead, or if he advances and touches a succeeding base after the ball became dead. Upon a proper appeal, R1 shall be called out. If no proper appeal is made by the defense, R1 will be awarded third base. (5-2-2b, 8-2-5)
PLAY: Situation B
With two outs, B3 misses first base on his way to second. With B4 up to bat, the defensive coach requests to him intentionally. The plate umpire grants the request. The coach then appeals B3's missed base for the third out. Ruling: The inning continues with B3 on second and B4 on first base. Once the request for the intentional base on balls to B4 was granted, the defense can no longer appeal B3's baserunning error.
PLAY: Situation C
With R1 on first and one out, B3 hits a single to right field. R1 misses second on his way to third base. At the end of playing action, (a) the defensive coach verbally appeals that R1 missed second base; (b) the defensive coach requests and is granted time and then verbally appeals that R1 missed second base. Ruling: In (a), a coach cannot appeal during a live ball. In (b), the umpire will call R1 out on the appeal.
PLAY: Situation D
R1 is on second base with one out. B3 hits a single to right field. R1 misses third base and continues on to touch home plate. The defensive coach is granted time to confer with his pitcher. With the ball back in play, B3 attempts to steal second base and the pitcher legally throws to second. Following this play, the pitcher throws the ball to third while appealing that R1 missed the base. Ruling: This is a legal appeal. The play made on B3's attempted steal of second was initiated by the offense and does not deny the defense the right to appeal R1 missing third base.
8-4-2i Any runner is out when he .. Add to the end of the rule
does not retouch his base before a fielder tags him out or holds the ball while touching such base after any situation (8-2-1,2,3 and 4). Umpire may also call him out at end of the playing action upon proper and successful appeal. Also, it is not necessary for runner to retouch his base after a foul tip (2-16-2).
Rationale: Recommended in order to clean up affected rules from last year's rule change.
8-4-2q Any runner is out when he .. Add to the end of the rule ..
Is on or beyond a succeeding base when the ball is declared dead (5-2-2b exception) after having left a base too soon on a caught fly ball, or he continues and touches a succeeding base after the ball has become dead, and the defense initiates a proper and successful appeal.
Rationale: Clarification that the runner is not automatically out at the end of all playing action unless defense makes proper appeal.
Major Editorial Rule Change
8-4-2f Any Runner is out when he . Add to the end of the rule .
As a runner or retired runner, fails to execute a legal slide, or does not attempt to avoid the fielders or the play on a force play at any base;
Rational: This is an editorial change in order to correct a previously omitted phrase.
Minor Editorial Rule Changes
2-19-1 Add to the rule ..
Section 19 Infield Fly
Art. 1 An infield fly is a fair fly (not including a line drive nor an attempted bunt) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, (rule does not preclude outfielders from being allowed to attempt to make the catch) and provide the hit is made before two are out and at a time when first and second bases or all bases are occupied.
Rational: This is an editorial change to discern the outfielder's ability to attempt to make a catch.
3-1-2 (Note)
Delete "c" from rule reference 6-2-2c
Rational: There is no 6-2-2c exception