NCBL Procedures 2007

NCBL Voice Mail Number ---------> 226-9684
 

Pre-game Procedures

1)  Rainouts -  Home Teams are responsible for assessing field conditions and, if necessary, cancelling the game at least 1.5 hours before game time by calling opposing team representative(s), Marcel Nicholas as Umpire in Chief, and your team's players.  The NCBL voice mail should be called that evening to let us know the game was cancelled.   The Voice Mail is not the vehicle to inform teams and players if a game has been cancelled - players should call their coaches.

2) Automatic Suspensions - Where an automatic ejection occurs (Bylaw 6.7), the ejected player or coach is automatically suspended for the next game without notification by the league.  If he participates in the next game he is an ineligible player. If a player or coach is suspended as a result of a disciplinary hearing, he is also ineligible for the duration of the suspension.  Any team using an ineligible player will, on appeal,  have that game designated as an automatic defaulted game (Bylaw 6.17 - follows 6.19 in the Bylaws) (see also Article 3.9 of the Constitution).

3) Lights –
Sportsplex - If the gates are all locked up and the field attendant is not around, go into the Sportsplex to the desk at the gym/squash courts (down the stairs and to the left).  They should be able to tell you where the attendant is or they have the key for the gates and the lights.  The attendant will come out at 11 pm to turn the lights off.

Fallowfield aka Faulkner field - There is a green button behind the 3rd base dugout.   If the lights don't go on when the button is pressed, wait until after 8 because the lights are on a timer, both for startup and for automatic shut off just after 11 pm.

McCarthy - The key activated light switch is on the back wall of the community centre. There is an NCBL combo lock with a key attached to the green hydro box facing the wall.  The combo was provided to all team reps in an email from the Commissioner in April. After entering the combo, you must press the lock in (shut) before pulling out to open.  Use the key to turn on the lights and then return the combo to the green box and scramble the numbers after locking the lock.

Southgate - The key activated light switch is on the larger of the two green boxes just beside the driveway entering the parking lot. There is an NCBL combo lock with a key attached to the smaller green hydro box.  The combo was provided to all team reps in an email from the Commissioner in April. After entering the combo, you must press the lock in (shut) before pulling out to open.  Use the key to turn on the lights and then return the combo to the smaller green hydro box and scramble the numbers after locking the lock.

Brewer - The green light control box is in centre field and, beginning in 2007, there is an NCBL combo lock with the light key attached to the regular lock that locks the door on the North side of the green box. The combo was provided to all team reps in an email from the Commissioner in April. Remember to press the lock in (shut) before pulling out to open.  The light key must then be inserted in the “on” key hole (right one I think) on the West side of the green box. After turning on the lights, lock the combo lock and key back to the regular lock on the door. Lights go off automatically at 11 pm.

Trillium -  Press green button on side of green electrical box at 1st base foul pole. Press red button to turn lights off.  Lights also go out automatically at 11:00 pm.

Kinsmen - The dugouts and the lights are controlled by a combination lock. The lock box for the lights is on the electrical box immediately back from behind home plate. The combination for the dugouts and for the lights was provided to all team reps in an email from the Commissioner in April. As with the NCBL locks, you must press in (shut) before pulling out the lock to open it.  Press the green button inside lock box to turn on the lights.  Relock the combo lock so the soccer folks don't accidently turn the baseball lights out. Lights will go off automatically at 11 pm.

Heritage - Both the Red Sox and Old Sox have keys for the lights. Lights go off automatically at 11 pm.

4) Rosters - Rosters must be submitted to the Registrar before the first game by emailing the Registrar; See Article 3.9 of the Constitution for age restrictions). Changes can be made the same way until midnight of June 30.  Changes must be made at least one hour before game time (i.e. pulling someone out of the stands at game time and phoning in the change is not permitted). (Bylaw 2.12).  The email address to send your original rosters plus all changes is rosters2007@rogers.com Phoning in roster changes is not permitted.

5) Schedules – The Commissioner is the official source for all schedules.  Postings on the website are not official but just for information purposes.
 
 

In-Game Procedures

1)  Umpires - Managers are responsible for the conduct of themselves and their teams. Discipline must be maintained and respect shown for the umpires and their decisions as well as for opposing teams.  Where rule interpretations are disputed the proper protest procedure must be used rather than intimidation tactics towards the umpires.  Complaints about calls or ejections must only be made through the Tier Presidents and, for escalation, to the NCBL Commissioner (by leaving a message on the NCBL voice mail number).  The Umpires-in-Chief must only be called by the Tier Presidents or Commissioner, not the Team Reps or players.

2) Minimum Players - In Tier 1, at least 9 players must always be available to start or continue a game.  In other Tiers, this minimum is 8 players with an automatic out for the 9th player.

3) Line-Ups – Line-ups handed to the umpire and opposing team at game time need not include all players present.  Any player on a team’s roster is eligible to enter a game as a substitute regardless of when he arrives or whether or not he was listed on the line-up sheet (Bylaw 2.12).  Note that the league is not handing out line-up sheets... official line-up cards are not necessary as any list will do - Suggestion:  buy receipt booklets with triplicate copies at Office Depot for about $5.

4) Playing Rules - Read the bylaws on the website for playing rules but please note that Bylaw 7.3 was changed in 2007 to remove the requirement to slide to avoid collisions in all tiers, not just tier 1. Also, please read the rule on the designated hitter (Bylaw 2.11). Please note the protest procedure in Bylaw 6.5. Remember that we now have a mercy rule of 10 runs after 5 innings.

5) Baseballs - Home team is responsible for providing 3 new baseballs at the start of each game and any required substitutes during the game. Both teams are asked to cooperate in retrieving balls hit out of the playing field.

6) Time Limits - Please note 2hr 15 minute time limit on games (Bylaw 2.3).
Double slots sometimes require 2 hour limits for the early slot.
 

Post-Game Procedures

1) Reporting Scores - Both teams must report the game score after the game by calling the NCBL voice mail number 226-9684.  Summaries of the previous night’s scores will be available the next morning in the greeting.  Team representatives do not have access to the password for the voice mail since the voice mail is through Bell and any accidental change of the password could result in extra charges to reset it.

2) Reporting Ejections - Both teams must report any ejections with the game scores.

3) Reporting Official Game Participants for Calculating Playoff Eligibility – The home team is the official scorer and is responsible for emailing to lineup@rogers.com the list of official participants (as per by-law 3.10 – at least 1 plate appearance or 1 defensive out for a player; or having pitched to at least one batter for a pitcher) from both teams. To avoid having to type the list of players, the list can be copied and pasted from the Roster Link on the NCBL website, to a new email. Then the players who had at least one plate appearance can be checked off, and any pitchers who faced at least one batter can be checked off as a pitcher. The email must then be sent at least 10 days following the game (48 hours for your final game before the playoffs) with copy to the visiting team ($25 fine will automatically result if deadline not met). If the visiting team disputes the list, it is up to the visiting team to discuss with the home team and resolve or escalate to the Tier President.

4) Umpire Complaints - Where rule interpretations are disputed the proper protest procedure must be used rather than intimidation tactics towards the umpires.  Complaints about calls or ejections must only be made through the Tier Presidents and, for escalation, to the NCBL Commissioner (by leaving a message on the NCBL voice mail number).  The Umpires-in-Chief must only be called by the Tier Presidents or Commissioner, not the Team Reps or players.

5) Statistics - Team statistics can be sent as often as desired by sending to the NCBL stats email:  ncbl@rogers.com.   The stats program can be obtained by requesting it through the same email address.

6) Issues - Please deal with the Tier Presidents first in regards to any issues in your tier.  If the issue cannot be resolved, the Commissioner will get involved.