2023 Rule Changes / Clarifications

Rule changes for 2023 MBL Season

Modification to NFHS 3-3-1-f: Any coach, player or spectator who confronts, abuses, or follows (while yelling at, berating, or using any negative critique or threatening language/ body language) an umpire outside the fenced area or otherwise demarked area of an individual baseball field will be suspended from their affiliated team’s games indefinitely. The umpire involved must complete an MBL Incident Report (and/or an Ejection Report, if applicable) as soon as possible after the incident, and no later than 10:00 AM the following day. Said suspension may be lifted after a hearing with the MBL Supplemental Discipline Committee/Board of Directors.

MBL Coach/Player Conduct: If a coach, player or spectator is ejected from a league or tournament game, they are suspended for the next MBL league/playoff game or MBT qualifying or state tournament game on the team’s schedule at the time of the ejection. If a coach, player or spectator is ejected from their team’s final game of an MBT qualifying/state tournament, they are suspended for the next MBL league/playoff game or MBT qualifying/state tournament game on the team’s schedule at the time of the ejection. If a coach, player or spectator is ejected from his/her team’s final game of the season and the game is an MBL league/playoff or MBT qualifying/state tournament, they are suspended for the first MBL league or MBT qualifying tournament game the following season.

MBL Coach/Player Conduct: If a spectator who has previously been warned by an umpire regarding unsportsmanlike or disruptive behavior during a game is subsequently ejected from said game, the head coach of that team is also ejected, and subject to suspension rules regarding coach/player ejections.


Clarifications

Player Registration/Eligibility
In the case where a rostered player will be absent from a game, a replacement player may be eligible to replace the rostered player. The spirit of this rule is to enable a game to be played and avoid forfeit or rescheduling. For example, if a team with 11 players has three players unable to play, the coach may coordinate a one-game waiver for up to three players - coordinated with the team association's travel director and the MBL Director. Replacement player(s) must be of equal or lower age AND equal or lower level, from their own community's travel program (or in-house program, in special cases). For example, a 12AA Blue team may waiver in a player from the 12AA White team, or a 13AAA team may waiver in a player from the 12AAA team. (This individual waiver process is the same as MBT.)

Time Limits
All 6-inn regulation games have a 2 hour time limit; all 7-inn regulation games have a 2 hour 15 min time limit. Time limits may be shorter due to a city ordinance or local rule. (For example, if a field has lights that must turn off at 10:00 PM, games on that field may have a 1 hour 45 minute time limit.)