HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL NFHS 2011 BASEBALL RULE CHANGES & POINTS OF EMPHASIS

AGENDA 2011 Rule Changes

LISTING OF SUBSTITUTES “…the name and shirt number of each eligible substitute must be listed. The umpire shall not accept the lineup card until all substitutes are listed. There is no penalty assessed. Key Points: – Coach is required to list all known substitutes. – If a player is not listed on the lineup card as a substitute and is presented in the game to substitute for another player, the UIC shall accept the substitution with no penalty. – The intent of the rule is help speed-up the substitution process by having known substitute names listed on the lineup card. – A player, whether listed or not, will be allowed to participate as a substitute.

RULE All hard and unyielding items (guards, casts, braces, splints, etc.) must be padded with a closed-cell, slow-recovery foam padding no less than ½” thick. Knee and ankle braces which are unaltered from the manufacturer’s original design/production do not require additional padding. Recommended by the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee.

FOUL TIP Definition: “A foul tip is a batted ball that goes directly to the catcher’s hands and is legally caught by the catcher. It is a strike and the ball is in play.” Now, if a batted ball goes directly to the catcher’s hands, rebounds and is caught by another infielder, the ball is dead and considered to be a foul ball. Only a catcher may catch a foul tip.

RULE Any player who exhibits signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion (such as loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion, or balance problems) shall be immediately removed from the game and shall not return to play until cleared by an appropriate health-care professional. With the concern for concussions in all sports, this rule section was expanded from concern of a player being unconscious to include players who may have possible concussions.

RULE 8-2-6L Last Time By: “If a runner correctly touches a base that was missed (either in advancing or returning), the last time he was by the base, that last touch corrects any previous base running infraction.” While NFHS Approved Rulings have enabled the “last time by” principle, this change provides rule book reference for coaches and umpires.

BATS RULE Rule through was rewritten to create a rule that kept the intent and spirit of the previous rule but, but more closely met advances in technology. This addition was made to better detail the bat construction and the requirements of each bat component (knob, handle, taper, barrel, end cap). The key rule changes focused on managing bat performance to maintain the important balance between offense and defense, minimize player risk, and provide the elements for an exciting game for players and spectators. There are three types of bats that are determined by the composition of their barrel: – Aluminum, – Composite (made of two or more materials), – Wood.

BATS For the 2011 season: – Through December 31, 2011, each aluminum bat shall meet the BESR performance standard and be labeled with a permanent certification mark. – Composite bats shall be ILLEGAL unless they meet the standards for the 2012 season or are listed on the NFHS website. Bats with composite handles and tapers are legal. The stricter language applies to the barrel of the bat. Non-wood bats specifications still require a bat to have a maximum length of 36”, a -3 or less weight to length differential, and a maximum diameter of 2 5/8”.

BATS Beginning January 1, 2012 all bats not made of a single piece of wood must: – Meet the Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) performance standard, – Be labeled with a permanent certification mark that is rectangular and a minimum of half inch no each side, located on the barrel in a contrasting color to the barrel, – Aluminum and composite bats shall additionally be labeled as approved tamper evident and be marked as to being aluminum or composite. These markings shall meet the requirements for the BBCOR certification mark.

BATS KEY POINTS Aluminum bats that are BESR certified and labeled as such are legal for play in the 2011 season. Any aluminum bat that meets the 2012 standard (BBCOR and appropriately labeled) is legal for play in the 2011 season. Any composite bat that meets the 2012 standard (BBCOR and appropriately labeled) is legal for play in the 2011 season. If a composite bat is not 2012 compliant (BBCOR and appropriately labeled), it is illegal for play in the 2011 season unless listed on the NFHS website. The BBCOR performance standard positions the performance of non-wood bats to the high end of wood bat performance.

BATS KEY POINTS Composite Bat BBCOR standard requires compliance with Accelerated Break In (ABI) testing; i.e., the bat remains within the performance limits throughout its life. Current composite bats exceed the top performance limit with use. Tamper evident technology is required to be able to detect bats that have been altered (rolled or shaved) to illegally improve performance beyond the accepted limits. This will enable officials to detect bats that have been tampered with or altered and create a higher risk to participants and an advantage to the offense that is illegal and not intended by rule.

BAT INFORMATION For up-to-date information on approved composite bats go to: NFHS.ORG

NFHS LIGHTENING GUIDELINES When thunder is heard, or a cloud-to-ground lightning bolt is seen, the thunderstorm is close enough to strike your location with lightning. SUSPEND PLAY AND TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY!! Thirty-minute rule then applies. Any thunder or lightning within the thirty- minutes starts the thirty-minutes over.