BYLAWS
| X- CBL Rules | Rules- Leaving Positions | |
| Rules- Throwing At Batter | ||
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Article I: Name & Purpose |
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Section A: This organization shall be
known as the Cranberry Baseball League, Inc. and shall be on an amateur
standing. The league is incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts. |
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Section B: The purpose of the league shall be to protect and stimulate competition among amateur baseball teams in Southeastern Massachusetts. |
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Section C: All
franchises and team members agree to abide by the by-laws of the Cranberry
Baseball League, Inc. [Back To Top] |
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Section A: The membership of this league
shall consist of duly elected and accepted baseball teams, each one of which
shall hold a franchise in the league. Any team holding a franchise in this
league shall retain and exercise its franchise without need for re-acceptance
to membership, providing that it has fulfilled all of its obligations to the
league. |
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Section B: Applications for new
franchises will be reviewed by the Membership Committee; the Membership Committee will report its findings and
recommendations with the Board of Directors.
A new
franchise may be elected to membership by achieving a 60% favorable majority
of the league members present and voting at a league meeting. Each
application for membership will be acted upon individually. New franchises
will be acted upon no later than the January meeting of the membership. |
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Section C: Membership
status may be revoked by a 70% majority of the franchises present and voting
at a league meeting. Any franchise whose membership is in jeopardy shall be
notified, in writing, by the President of the charges against them and be
given the opportunity to respond to the charges at a league meeting conducted
no earlier than seven days
from the date of written notification from the President. [Back To Top] |
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Section A: The President shall be elected by majority vote
annually at a fall meeting of the league. He/she is the chief executive
officer of the league and is responsible for its overall functioning and
security. |
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Section D: The Vice President shall be appointed by the President and will perform league duties as delegated by the President. |
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Section E: The Treasurer shall be appointed by the President and shall be responsible for keeping an account of all league revenue and expenditures. |
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Section F: The Social Media Director shall be appointed by the President. He/she shall manage the publicity of the league through Social Media and Print. |
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Section G: The role of the Umpire-In-Chief will be to assign umpires to league games and to assure the appropriate level of quality officiating in league games. The Umpire-In-Chief shall be appointed by the President. |
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Section H: The function of the Executive Committee will be to
conduct the monitoring of all league business. The executive committee will
consist of all league officers and one General Manager/Manager appointed by
the President to be the Team Representative. The Executive Committee is
chaired by the President. |
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Section I: The Board of Appeals shall rule on all game
protests and team player suspensions. The board will consist of a minimum of
two (2) league officers, chaired by the President. All rulings by the
Board of Appeals shall be final and binding. [Back To Top] |
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Section A: Each member club is entitled to one vote on all
matters brought to a vote at any league meeting at which it is represented. |
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Section B: The President, or in their absence his/her
designee, is entitled to vote if there is a tie vote among member clubs at a
league meeting. |
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Section C: Presence of 60% of the league's members shall be
sufficient for conducting business at a league meeting. |
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Section D: All matters brought to a vote at league meetings
shall be decided by a simple majority of members present and voting unless
otherwise specified in these bylaws. [Back To Top] |
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Section A: Annual dues of member franchises shall be
established by the Executive Committee prior to December 1 of each year. |
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Section B: Each member franchise shall submit its league dues
in full to the President before May 15th. Failure to do so will result in
forfeiture of membership. A new member must submit the sum of $500.00 to the
President at the time of being accepted as a league member. This sum will
be in addition to its annual dues and is non-refundable. If the franchise is
in default, the money will become the property of the Cranberry Baseball
League. [Back
To Top] |
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Section A: The regular season schedule of league games shall
be submitted by the President for approval at a league meeting prior to
March 15 of each year. Prior to March 15, member franchises must indicate to
the President the dates on which their home field is available, and their
desire to schedule home doubleheaders. After the schedule is approved, no
changes may be made without the approval of the President. |
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Section B: The starting time of weekday regular season games
shall be 6:00 p.m. Starting times for night, holiday, Saturday, and Sunday
games shall be set by the home team with the approval of the President. A
team unable to field nine players at the scheduled time may have an
additional 15 minutes before a forfeiture is awarded and an additional 45
minutes before the second game of a doubleheader is forfeited. [Back To Top] |
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Section A: No player shall be paid for his playing services by any team in the league. If said player is found guilty, he will be suspended for the rest of the season. The team will forfeit every game that the player was compensated for and participated in. Any player/manager that receives a stipend to manage the team must be met with the approval of the President. |
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Section B: The youth group team (American Legion, Babe Ruth,
CYO, etc.) will take priority when games for such players are to be played on
the same day. When a player has two games scheduled, he is ineligible to play
for the Cranberry League team. Penalty: Article X, Sections F-H. [Back To Top] |
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Section
C:
The
Rosters are considered “open” from opening day throughout the regular
season. Teams can add/drop at will as long as they do not exceed 25 players
for any one game. Playoff rosters are set for each series/round
when line up cards are exchanged for the opening game of a new series/round.
There is a 25 player limit that applies to the series/round. [Back To Top] |
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Section A: Prior to the opening of the regular season, the
executive committee, with the approval of the league members, will design a
playoff format. |
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Section B: At a meeting called at the end of season's play by
the President, the President and the playoff managers shall arrange for
the scheduled playoff games of each competing
franchise. |
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Section D: The team with the highest league standing for the
year shall be the home team for the first and deciding games. [Back To Top] |
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Section A: Standings shall be determined by the awarding of two points for a win and one point for a tie. The President shall establish a procedure for the reporting of game scores. |
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Section B: All regular season games must be played.
Unless the President determines the game has no bearings and both teams
approve the game not to be played. The Umpire-in-Chief shall directly supervise the re-scheduling of any
postponements. [Back To Top] |
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Section A: The MLB rulebook shall govern the
playing of all league games except rules that are specific to the
Cranberry Baseball League as contained herein. |
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Section B: The home team manager may postpone a game because of inclement weather conditions. Within 48 hours of a postponement, the home team manager must offer the manager of the visiting team at least two possible make-up dates on which it does not have a league game scheduled. The visiting team manager must indicate his acceptance of one of these dates within 48 hours of notification. These games must be played within fourteen (14) days after the postponed date. If the home team cannot get a field, they should work with the visiting team to try and secure the visiting teams field within the same amount of time (14) days. In the event that the two teams cannot resolve a make-up game the home team should request assistance from the Commissioner. At that time a date and field will be assigned. If either team cannot field a team it will result in a forfeit. a) If a game is postponed in the final 2 weeks of the season all efforts should be made to play the game immediately. If a date cannot be settled on seek assistance from the commissioner. Games that are postponed within 24 hours of game time due to issues with permits for fields are subject to 1/2 payment to the umpires assigned as well as a $100 fine payable to the commissioner. Should the postponement/notification occur within 2 hours of game, the umpires will receive full pay. |
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Officials |
Section C: No league-sanctioned games may start with less
than one league-assigned umpire present. Only league-assigned umpires may be
used for scheduled games. League umpire assessments may not be used for
non-scheduled league games. [Back To Top] |
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Section D: Postponements for any other reason may be made
only with the approval of the President. Failure to obtain approval will
result in a forfeit by the team. The President may grant a waiver in the
case of extenuating circumstances. [Back To Top] |
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Section E: All regular season games shall be scheduled for
seven innings. An 10-Run Mercy Rule shall be in effect for Double
Header games.
Under the mercy rule, the game will end and a win will be awarded when the
home team is ahead by at least 10 runs after 4 1/2 innings or behind by at
least 10 runs after 5 complete innings. If the visiting team expands to the
lead to 10 or
more runs in the top half of any inning from the 5th inning and after, the
home team must bat in the bottom half of the inning. Teams should attempt to play beyond seven innings
in the event of a tie unless halted by darkness, curfew, or inclement
weather. Playoff games shall be played the prescribed number of innings. If
interrupted by weather or darkness, they shall be completed from the point of
interruption on the next scheduled playoff date, if so directed by the
President. The team trailing in score at the time of suspension may elect
to waive this provision and accept the score as it stands. [Back To Top] |
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Section F: A team which forfeits a game shall pay to the
President a fine of $50.00 as well as all umpire fees and any additional
expenses incurred by the home team (lights, field) in full for games that are
forfeited. Payment must be made before the team's next scheduled game or
within 48 hours of originally scheduled game. Fines must be in the hands of
the President at that time; failure to do so will result in successive
forfeits until all fines are paid. |
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Section G: A team will be suspended from further league play
if it has forfeited games on two separate dates during a season. Its
remaining scheduled games shall be recorded as forfeits and its membership in
the league shall be revoked. The balance of fees and umpire assessment, if
any, shall become the property of the Cranberry Baseball League. Said team
may re-apply for membership the following year and if accepted must pay a
$500.00 fee. |
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Section H: The President shall award a forfeit for the use
of ineligible players. [Back To Top] |
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Section J: LANGUAGE: Players must refrain from using
vile and profane language. In general, it is expected that players will be
under control and not use obscenities. It is further expected that the
manager will control the language used by their teams. The standard for the
League is that if, in the umpire's judgment, inappropriate language
can be heard by a fan in the stands, that player will be ejected. If the
player does not leave the field immediately or if he persists in using foul
language, the manager will also be ejected. If the situation continues to
persist, the umpire will forfeit the game to the other team. [Back To Top] |
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Section K: FIGHTING &
PHYSICAL ABUSE OF OFFICIALS: Any physical confrontation with opposing
players or officials- including pushing, shoving, striking with arms, hands,
legs, feet or equipment or attempt to make such physical contact- will result
in the following penalties:
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Section M: INTENTIONALLY THROWING AT A BATTER: If a
pitcher is ejected for intentionally throwing at a batter, he shall be
suspended for the team's next four games, beginning with the 2nd game of a
doubleheader if appropriate. If a warning to the teams had been previously
given, then the manager shall be ejected as well and be suspended for one
game, beginning with the 2nd game of a doubleheader if appropriate. |
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Section N: VERBAL ABUSE/BENCH JOCKEYING: Game
personnel will not use language that reflects negatively on opposing players,
coaches, umpires or spectators. The umpire will issue one warning and if the
abuse continues, will eject the offending personnel. If the abuse does not
subside or if it cannot be ascertained who the offending individual is, the
manager shall be ejected.
All other
ejection rules will be enforced.
[Back To Top] |
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Section O: Games are to be protested in accordance with
Official Rule 4.19.[Go To Rule] No
later than 24 hours following the game, the manager of the protesting
team must submit in writing to the President the reason for the
protest. The President shall respond to the protest within 72
hours of its receipt. If the protest is upheld, the money will be returned. [Back To Top] |
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Section P; A designated hitter may be used in accordance with
Official Rule 6.10.[Go
To Rule] [Back
To Top] |
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Section Q: Visiting teams may have use of the field 15
minutes before the start of twilight games. All practice on the field shall
end five minutes before scheduled start of a game. There shall be no practice
time allotted between games of a doubleheader. Teams shall be ready to
present lineup cards to the umpires and to review ground rule five minutes
before the scheduled start of each game. [Back To Top] |
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Section A: All players, coaches and managers shall be in proper,
complete team uniform. |
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Section B: The home team is responsible for supplying all
balls necessary to complete a game. Only one brand of ball will be used
during the course of the season. |
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Section C: All batters, base runners, and catchers must wear protective helmets. The batter's helmet shall have an ear flap on the side facing the pitcher. Base coaches are not required to wear helmets. This overrides the MLB rule 1.16 (e). |
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Section D: Wooden bats that meet the specifications of the
American League Rules will be used. [Go To Rule] The
use of aluminum bats, laminate bats, or composite bats is prohibited. |
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Section A: These by-laws will be effective when approved by a
majority of the league's members present and voting at a league meeting. |
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Section B: These by-laws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3)
majority of quorum of league members present and voting at a league meeting. |
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In the event of a tie for a
position in the standings, tiebreakers will be: