1. WELCOME 2012-13 Baseball Rules Presentation
Florida High School Athletic Association

2. Florida High School Athletic Association
Cristina Broska, Director of Athletics
or ext. 250
INTRODUCTION
My name is Cristina Broska, and I am the FHSAA Administrator for the sport of baseball.
If you ever have any questions, concerns, or comments, please don’t hesitate to send me an or give me a call at the office.
Florida High School Athletic Association

3. PLAYER AND COACH CONDUCT Florida High School Athletic Association
Fred E. Rozelle
Sportsmanship Award Winners
8A Centennial
7A Sebastian River
6A No Nominee
5A Lake Nona
4A Lincoln Park
3A Palmer Trinity
2A Canterbury
1A Cedar Key
MS Yulee Middle
Exemplary Sportsmanship: $3000 to each school
As a head coach, you need to meet with your athletes and their parents/guardians to review your expectations of positive sporting conduct.
The FHSAA Exceptional Sportsmanship Report Form (AT7) is located on the website.
Congratulations to each of the schools listed on your screen. Each of these schools received $3000 for winning their respective classification.
Coaches, please assist us in recognizing those schools who go above and beyond in the area of positive sporting conduct.
Florida High School Athletic Association

4. COACHES’ ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Section
Coach, School
Sec 1
Ronnie Gray (Suwannee), Vacancy for second spot
Sec 2
Eric Entrekin (Lake Brantley) and Tom LoSauro (Bishop McLaughlin)
Sec 3
Shawn French (Fort Myers) and Jasone DeWitt (Lake Wales)
Sec 4
Both spots vacant
FACA Representative – Wayne Yancey, Forest (Ocala)
On the screen is the list of the representatives for the FHSAA baseball advisory committee.
If you have any suggestions to make high school baseball better in Florida, please contact a member of the committee.
The next Baseball Coaches Advisory Meeting will be on June 3 at the FHSAA office in Gainesville.
Baseball Coaches Advisory Meeting
June 3, 2013 Meet in Gainesville at the FHSAA office.
Florida High School Athletic Association

5. HEALTH AND SAFETY REMINDERS Florida High School Athletic Association
Parental Permission (Bylaw 9.8)—EL3
Good for current school year only
New form beginning July 1, 2010
Medical Consent Form (Bylaw 9.7)—EL2
Good for 365 days as per Florida Statute
Both forms required before any participation in conditioning activities
The EL-3 form is the Parental Permission form, which is good for the current school year only.
The EL-2 form is the Pre-participation Physical Exam form, which is good for 365 days from when it was issued.
Both forms are needed for the health and safety of your student athletes and are required before any student can participate.
Florida High School Athletic Association

6. HEALTH AND SAFETY REMINDERS (cont.)
Physical Exams may be done by:
Licensed Physician
Licensed Physician Assistant
Dr. of Osteopathy
Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner
Chiropractic Physician
Florida State Statute 1006
The listed individuals may give pre-participation physical exams according to Florida State Statute 1006.
Florida High School Athletic Association

7. HEALTH AND SAFETY REMINDERS (cont.)
Inclement Weather Policy
FHSAA Handbook, Officials Guidebook and NFHS Baseball Rules Book
Communicable Disease Procedures
Review NFHS Baseball Rules Book page 77
Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs)
Mandatory at all state series sites beginning with district competition
Each year, the FHSAA reminds everyone of a few important health and safety protocols and procedures.
Please refer to the Inclement Weather Policy in the FHSAA handbook in the administrative procedures section for details.
Please review the Communicable Disease Procedures in the NFHS Baseball Rules Book on page 77.
Also, the presence of an Automated External Defibrillator or (AED) is mandatory at all state series sites beginning with district competition.
Please be sure to have access to one if you are going to be hosting a state series meet.
Florida High School Athletic Association

8. COACHES RESPONSIBILITIES
Game Contracts required for each regular season contest & tournament (Bylaw 8.4)
AT1 Form
Review the sanction policy!
Game contracts are required for your games. Please make sure they are filled out properly on C2C.
Florida High School Athletic Association

9. COACHES RESPONSIBILITIES Florida High School Athletic Association
Help us recruit for student-athletes to be the officials of the future
Student Officials Program
Coaches, we ask for you to help in order to recruit officials for the FHSAA in your sport.
You can find great officials in your fellow teachers, coaches, friends, parents and students.
We have a Student Officials Program whereby a high school student who is 16 years of age or older can officiate middle school and jr. high contests.
Please contact your local association on the student officials program.
Florida High School Athletic Association

10. UNSPORTING CONDUCT - Coaches Florida High School Athletic Association
Coach must miss the same number of games as players
Policy 30
School fine schedule in FHSAA Handbook
Public Criticism of officials and coaches is forbidden
NO alcohol and tobacco products
The FHSAA needs you to adhere to the principals of good sportsmanship and pay special attention to the fine schedule.
The FHSAA places responsibility on coaches and officials for the proper conduct of interscholastic athletics in the state of Florida.
Coaches, in the unlikely event you are ejected from a contest, you need to leave the facility without further disruption.
Also, please use the proper channels to report complaints about officials. Remember, coaches should not criticize officials and officials should not criticize coaches. You are setting an example for how your student-athletes will act.
Always remember that there are NO Alcohol and Tobacco Products allowed.
Florida High School Athletic Association

11. IMPORTANT BASEBALL DATES
Swimming and Diving
Date
First practice date (Week 29)
Jan. 14
Preseason Tournament (Week 32)
Feb. 4-9
First regular season playing date (Week 33)
Feb. 11
Last regular season playing date (Week 41)
April 13
District Tournaments (Week 43)
April 22-26
Regional Dates (Week 44-45)
May 1-2, 7, 10
FHSAA Finals (Week 46-47)
May 15-18, 20-23
Listed here are important baseball dates for the upcoming season.
Always remember to check the baseball page on the FHSAA website for the most up-to-date information.
Florida High School Athletic Association

12. FHSAA Specific Policies For Baseball
Florida High School Athletic Association

13. School’s Responsibilities to Officials
“Should” (common courtesies)
Secure dressing facility [Post-season MUST]
Provide private shower with hot water
Provide refreshments during halftime
MUSTS
Greet the officials upon arrival
Private, secure place to park
Provide security (pregame, halftime and postgame)
Provide location of principal or game admin.
Coaches must not enter officials dressing room
May lose privilege to host state series!
- School’s Responsibilities to officials appear on your screen. This information can be found in the FHSAA Handbook, each FHSAA sports Manual, and the Officials guide book.
- The School’s MUST provide security pre-game, halftime, and post-game for the officials.
- Your school could lose its privilege to host a state series contest if this is not followed.

14. Inclement Weather Policy
Officials must contact the principal or his/her designee
The safety and welfare of all is of paramount importance
A suspended contest shall resume from the point of interruption per rules of the sport by both FHSAA and NFHS rules
If a suspended contest is resumed following a delay, teams should be given a reasonable amount of time to stretch and warm-up
If there is a thunderstorm or electrical storm, officials have to contact the principal or his/her designee to see if the game should continue, be stopped, be postponed, etc. The safety and welfare of all is of great importance.
Officials must honor a request to stop a contest by either principal because of safety concerns.
A suspended contest shall resume from the point of interruption per both FHSAA policy and NFHS rules of the sport.
If a suspended contest is resumed, teams should be given a reasonable amount of time to stretch and warm-up

15. Game Management – Host schools should develop a game management plan
Game Management – Host schools should develop a game management plan. Game managers should meet with the referees prior to the game and discuss the following matters, which include but are not limited to: field conditions, unusual situations, security, end-of-game procedures, game fees and officials’ and team areas.

16. Sanctioning Invitational Tournaments Max of 8 teams
No forms if only FL schools participating
NFHS sanction if out of state schools participate
90 days before the event
No more than 1 (one) trip per school year out of FL beyond neighboring states
This slide is a reminder of the sanctioning rules the FHSAA has for baseball. Please read the information on this slide thoroughly. If you need additional clarification, please don’t hesitate to send me an or give me a call.

17. Individual Limitations
(Policy 6.1.3)
Coaches are reminded that players may only play (includes being in uniform) on one team per day.
A player may play for the varsity on Wednesday and play on the JV team on Thursday or vice versa. The athlete cannot play on JV and Varsity on the same day.
Coaches, please remember that a student-athlete may only play on one team per day.

18. 2013 NFHS Baseball Rules Changes
While the game of baseball is in great shape, we continue to work toward improving the game and hopefully putting young people in safe conditions and in situations that they are able to find success in some aspect of the game. Ultimately, our goal is for them to be safe, have fun and gain some valuable life lessons from participation.
Areas in this PowerPoint that are underlined designate that the text was newly added to the rules this year. Bold notations mean the language is either a title, heading or penalty. Deletions and modifications are aptly identified as well. Where appropriate, notes and comments will be found under some of the PowerPoint slides. Not every rule change or editorial change warrants an explanation over and above the stated rationale. Thank you again for your attendance, participation and dedication to interscholastic athletics. Have a fantastic baseball season!

19. Altering of Bats Rule 1-3-2 Note
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The altering of non-wood bats continues to be an important issue in high school baseball. It is the responsibility of players and coaches to ensure that bats are not altered.

20. Altering of Bats Rules 1-3-2 Note
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The NFHS has been advised that certain manufacturers consider alteration, modification and "doctoring" of their bats to be unlawful and subject to civil and, under certain circumstances, criminal action.

21. Legal Consequences Rule 1-3-2 Note
The NFHS is aware that bat altering is on the rise.
Bat manufacturers are also aware and extremely concerned about their products being misrepresented and altered.
It is extremely important that coaches express to their players and their parents the importance of not altering or modifying bats.
Rationale: Risk Minimization.
The NFHS is very concerned that altered bats will seriously injure an unsuspecting child. Athletics pose certain inherent risks that have to be managed by rules and regulations. Introducing altered bats into a game is cheating, dangerous and impossible to manage effectively. Your commitment to reducing these risks insures that all the participants are playing on a level field and have a fair opportunity to achieve success.

22. Electronic Monitoring Equipment Rule 3-3-1f
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It is illegal to use any video monitoring or replay equipment for coaching purposes during a game. That includes mobile devices that have video capabilities.

23. Electronic Equipment Rule 3-3-1f
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A coach or team member may use electronic equipment in the dugout as long as it is not used for video recording or replay. A tablet computer used for scorekeeping purposes only is permissible.

24. Video Usage Rule 3-3-1f
Smart phones and tablet computers effectively handle mundane tasks like keeping score, managing the line-up and tracking the progress and performance of both teams.
Using these devices for video recording and replaying the images are not permitted.
PENALTY: Coach shall be ejected.
Rationale: Prohibited use of video monitoring.
Technology has improved to the level that mobile devices can accurately video different aspects of a game and provide an unfair advantage to a coach by replaying the video footage in the dugout/bench during the contest. The penalty is the same as in previous years, the coach shall be ejected from the contest.

25. Equipment in Coaching Box Rule 3-3-1i
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A coach may not have any electronic equipment in the coaching box, even if intended to be used for scoring purposes only.

26. Electronic Equipment Rule 3-3-1i
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The only equipment that a coach may have and use in the coaching box is a stopwatch, a rules book (hard copy) and a scorebook (hard copy).

27. Coach’s Box Equipment Rule 3-3-1i
Permissible Equipment:
Stopwatch
Hard copy of the NFHS Baseball Rules book
Hard copy of a scorebook
Cellular phone (in pocket) for emergencies.
PENALTY: Umpire may restrict the offender to the bench/dugout for the remainder of the game or eject the offender.
Rationale: Clarification of permitted items in the coach’s box.
Too many items in the coach’s box could possibly draw the attention of the coach away from the game and the oversight of the students under his charge. Restriction of certain items creates a positive and focused environment for the players and officials. The penalty is the same as previous years, restriction to the bench/dugout or ejection.

28. Extra Warm-up Throws Rule 6-2-2c Exception
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When a pitcher is ejected from a game, his successor may be authorized to receive more than the standard eight warmup throws that he would get as a substitute.

29. Extra Warm-up Throws Rule 6-2-2c Exception
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When replacing a pitcher who was ejected, the substitute pitcher should be afforded the same warm-up criteria as he would if replacing an injured pitcher. Extra throws may be authorized by the umpire-in-chief.

30. Extra Warm up Throws Rule 6-2-2c Exception
If a pitcher is ejected, an incoming pitcher should be afforded the same warm up opportunity as he would if he was replacing an injured pitcher.
The umpire-in-chief may grant more pitchers to warm up the new pitcher’s arm.
Rationale: Clarification of the treatment of an incoming pitcher.

31. 2013 NFHS Points of Emphasis

32. Legal Pitching Positions
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The windup is one of two legal pitching positions. For the windup, the pitcher’s non-pivot foot shall be in any position on or behind a line extending through the front edge of the pitcher’s plate.

33. Legal Pitching Positions
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The set is the other legal pitching position. For the set position, a pitcher’s entire non-pivot foot must be in front of a line extending through the front edge of the pitcher’s plate and the entire pivot foot must be in contact with or in front of the pitching plate.

34. Illegal Pitching Position
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A number of pitchers are starting a pitch from this hybrid position. This position is illegal since it does not meet the criteria of either the windup or set position.

35. Illegal Pitching Motion
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Going to the mouth while in contact with the pitcher’s plate is an illegal pitch with no one on base or a balk with runners on base, not because the pitcher goes to his mouth, but because the action simulates the start of the pitching motion.

36. Legal/Illegal Pitching Position
Rules governing the pitcher’s position on the pitcher’s plate and movement have remained constant over the last several decades.
Modified and hybrid positions have become popular at higher levels of baseball.
These creative pitcher’s stances might be appropriate at the advanced levels but not for the age and skill level of a typical high school pitcher.
Umpires must be aware of the position of the non-pivot foot.

37. Pace of Play
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A pitcher has 20 seconds to pitch or make or attempt a play (including a legal feint) after receiving the ball. By enforcing this and other pace of play rules, the game will be played at the proper speed without either team gaining an unfair advantage.

38. Pace of Play
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A returning pitcher has 60 seconds to complete his five warm-up throws (timed from the third out of the previous inning). Teams should hustle on and off the field once the third out is made.

39. Pace of Play
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The batter must remain in the box during his time at bat unless one of the eight exceptions in Rule is met. Keeping the batter in the box dramatically increases the game’s pace of play.

40. Pace of Game Play
The committee identified these areas in need of improvements that detract from what otherwise is an exciting and enjoyable game:
Handling offensive and defensive charged conferences in a timely manner.
Speeding up the time between innings and during pitching changes.
Umpires diligently counting the number of warm-up pitches.
The batter’s box rule (the batter must generally keep one foot in the box during an at-bat). Unless it meets one of the eight exceptions:

41. Pace of Game Play (Batter’s box rule exceptions)
The batter swings at the pitch.
The batter is forced out of the box by the pitch.
The batter attempts a “drag bunt.”
The pitcher or catcher feints or attempts a play at any base.
The pitcher leaves the dirt area of the pitching mound or takes a position more than five feet from the pitcher’s plate after receiving the ball.
A member of either team requests and is granted “Time.”
The catcher leaves the catcher’s box to adjust his equipment or give defensive signals.
The catcher does not catch the pitched ball.

42. Compliant Bats
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The head coach of each team is required to verify to the umpire-in-chief that his team's equipment is properly equipped in accordance with NFHS rules, prior to the start of each game.

43. Compliant Bats
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There are several ways bats can be altered illegally, including through the use of bat warming devices. Even though a bat meets the rules, once it has been altered, it is an illegal bat.

44. Compliant Bats
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Removing the end cap off a bat makes it an illegal altered bat, with or without doing anything to the inside of the bat, such as inserting tennis balls or shaving the inside wall of the bat.

45. Compliant Bats
Altering bats by such methods as rolling, shaving the bat wall, flattening or otherwise manipulating the bat from its original manufactured condition is a federal offense.
Not only is it illegal but it can cause injury or worse to a young person.
The NFHS is committed to eliminating altered bats from interscholastic baseball.

46. Risk Minimization
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Loose equipment on the field is a safety issue. Umpires and coaches must be diligent to ensure that there is no loose equipment in live-ball territory during a game.

47. Risk Minimization
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Umpires must be aware when inclement weather is in the area. Play must be stopped at the first sound of thunder or the first sight of lightning for a minimum of 30 minutes.

48. Risk Minimization
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When the bullpen is on the playing field, teams will use a player to “protect” the players warming up from batted balls. The protector is required to have a glove. A NOCSAE- approved helmet is recommended, but not required.

49. Risk Minimization
High school baseball reports some of the lowest injuries than other NFHS sports.
Dedicated coaches and officials are the key to such success.
Attention should be given to the following:
Loose equipment,
Weather conditions,
The role of the “protector”.

50. Good Sporting Behavior
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Each game is an opportunity for coaches, umpires and players to model respectful behavior. The positive values that are learned will serve players long after their baseball experience has concluded.

51. Good Sporting Behavior
Coaches and Umpires must work together.
Each contest is another opportunity for coaches and umpires to teach not only baseball skills, but also model respectful behavior as well as professional relationships.
Game situations typically provide a coach the opportunity to identify a “teachable moment” to reinforce good sporting behavior.

52. Florida High School Athletic Association
BASEBALL CONTACTS
Cristina Broska, Director of Athletics, Baseball
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Justin Harrison, Associate Executive Director
ext
Jana Horton, Officials Registrar
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For more the most up-to-date information, please visit
For more Baseball information, including an FAQ page, visit
Florida High School Athletic Association

53. Florida High School Athletic Association
Thank You!
Florida High School Athletic Association