Article 5 – Rules of the Game Interpretation Guide
Detailed plain-language explanations of STLWEST gameplay rules, safety requirements, roster participation rules, timing procedures, forfeits, and weather-related game decisions.
Purpose of This Guide
Article 5 establishes the general rules of play for STLWEST baseball and softball games. These rules help ensure games are played safely, fairly, consistently, and with clear expectations for coaches, umpires, players, and associations.
Section 5.01 – Approved Baseballs and Softballs
Official Rule:
8U–18U will use a STLWEST approved baseball or softball.
Meaning:
All games must use equipment that meets STLWEST standards.
Practical Implications:
Teams and associations should verify that the correct approved ball is being used for the correct age division and sport.
Simplified Wording:
Use STLWEST-approved game balls only.
Governance Purpose:
Standardized balls help protect fairness, safety, and consistency across all parks.
Best Practice:
Keep approved game balls labeled and separated by baseball/softball and age division.
Bottom Line:
Official games must use approved STLWEST baseballs or softballs.
Section 5.02 – Home Team Determination
Official Rule:
A home team will be determined by the schedule.
Meaning:
The published STLWEST schedule controls which team is home.
Practical Implications:
Home team responsibilities are assigned based on the schedule, not by agreement at the field.
Simplified Wording:
The schedule decides the home team.
Governance Purpose:
Prevents confusion over dugouts, scorekeeping, field responsibilities, and home/visitor status.
Bottom Line:
The scheduled home team is the official home team.
Section 5.03 – Official Scorekeeper
Official Rule:
The home team scorekeeper shall be the official scorekeeper. The opposing team’s scorekeeper shall be immediately notified of withdrawals and additions to the batting order and all pitching changes. A forfeit shall be recorded with a score of 7-0.
Meaning:
The home team book is the official record of the game.
Practical Implications:
Lineup changes, batting order changes, and pitching changes must be communicated clearly and promptly.
Simplified Wording:
Home book is official, and changes must be shared.
Governance Purpose:
Provides one official record and prevents disputes about lineups, substitutions, pitching, and final score.
Best Practice:
Coaches should confirm score and lineup changes each inning, especially after pitching changes or player removals.
Bottom Line:
The home scorebook controls the official game record.
Section 5.04 – Forfeit Notification
Official Rule:
A manager who decides to forfeit before game time shall notify the appropriate STLWEST Commissioner, who shall notify the opposing manager. Managers are cautioned not to accept a forfeit unless duly notified by the appropriate STLWEST Commissioner.
Meaning:
A forfeit is not official just because one coach says it is. It must go through the proper STLWEST communication process.
Practical Implications:
Teams should not assume a game is forfeited unless the proper commissioner confirms it.
Simplified Wording:
Forfeits must be officially confirmed.
Governance Purpose:
Prevents miscommunication, no-shows, and disputes about whether a game was actually forfeited.
Best Practice:
Coaches should wait for official commissioner communication before telling families a game is canceled or forfeited.
Bottom Line:
Do not accept or announce a forfeit unless it comes through the proper STLWEST authority.
Section 5.05 – Minimum Players to Start and Continue
Official Rule:
If a team is unable to field eight players within fifteen minutes after the scheduled start time, they shall forfeit the game. A team may finish the game with any number of players. All teams must have a catcher behind the plate and a pitcher, regardless of number of players.
Meaning:
A team must have at least eight players to start, but may continue with fewer once the game has begun.
Practical Implications:
Teams short on players have a 15-minute grace period. However, even short-handed teams must still field a pitcher and catcher.
Simplified Wording:
Eight players are needed to start. Pitcher and catcher are always required.
Governance Purpose:
Balances fairness with keeping games playable when teams are short-handed.
Important Note:
No other defensive positions are required unless another rule specifically says otherwise.
Best Practice:
Coaches should communicate early if attendance is low and should arrive with enough time to verify player count.
Bottom Line:
Failure to field eight players within 15 minutes results in forfeit.
Section 5.06 – Official Start Time
Official Rule:
The official start time is established by the umpire after ground rules. Associations are encouraged to use field timers. If no official timer is available, coaches and umpire should synchronize watches and agree on the official start time. Games may not begin before the scheduled start time unless agreed upon by both managers.
Meaning:
The umpire establishes the official start time, and that time controls the game clock.
Practical Implications:
Time limits, inning cutoffs, and game completion decisions depend on the agreed official start time.
Simplified Wording:
Umpire sets the official game clock after ground rules.
Governance Purpose:
Prevents arguments about when the game clock started and when time expires.
Best Practice:
Umpire should announce the official start time out loud to both managers.
Bottom Line:
The official start time must be clear before play begins.
Section 5.07 – Field Curfews and Darkness
Official Rule:
Associations with field curfews must notify managers before the game. Tie games stopped by curfew are treated the same as games called due to rain or acts of God. Games called because of darkness are also treated the same way.
Meaning:
If a field has a curfew or darkness prevents continued play, STLWEST uses completed game rules to decide the outcome.
Practical Implications:
Coaches should know field curfews before the game begins.
Simplified Wording:
Curfew and darkness are handled like weather stoppages.
Governance Purpose:
Creates a consistent process for games that cannot continue for facility or safety reasons.
Best Practice:
Umpires should include curfew information during ground rules if applicable.
Bottom Line:
Curfew and darkness can stop a game, and completion rules determine the result.
Section 5.08 – Helmets, Earflaps, and Facemasks
Official Rule:
Offensive players 18U and under must wear helmets with earflaps while the ball is live. If a player purposely removes or discards a helmet during live play, the result is delayed dead ball and the player is called out after play stops. Players who accidentally lose a helmet do not retrieve it until play is complete. Players warming up the active pitcher must wear facemasks.
Meaning:
Helmet and facemask rules are mandatory safety rules.
Practical Implications:
Umpires must distinguish between accidental helmet loss and intentional removal.
Simplified Wording:
Helmets stay on during live play. Facemasks are required when warming up pitchers.
Governance Purpose:
Protects players from head and facial injuries.
Important Note:
Accidentally losing a helmet is not treated the same as intentionally removing it.
Best Practice:
Coaches should check helmet fit and facemask availability before the game.
Bottom Line:
Safety equipment rules are mandatory and enforceable.
Section 5.09 – Minimum Defensive Play Requirement
Official Rule:
Each player must be permitted to play a minimum of two defensive innings in a five-inning game or three defensive innings in a seven-inning game. Penalty for violation is forfeit.
Meaning:
Every player must receive required defensive playing time.
Practical Implications:
Coaches must track defensive innings and cannot leave eligible players on the bench below the minimum requirement.
Simplified Wording:
Every player must play defense for the required minimum.
Governance Purpose:
Promotes participation, fairness, and player development.
Best Practice:
Coaches should use a written defensive rotation before the game begins.
Bottom Line:
Failure to meet minimum play requirements can result in forfeit.
Section 5.10 – Batting Entire Roster
Official Rule:
Teams must bat their entire roster of eligible players. Batting order may not change during the game, except injured players may be removed without penalty. Late players go to the bottom of the batting order. A player leaving early must be announced at ground rules. If not announced, that player’s spot becomes an out. Ejected players are outs. Injured or ill players unable to continue are not counted as outs.
Meaning:
STLWEST uses continuous batting order for all eligible players.
Practical Implications:
Coaches must keep the batting order consistent and communicate early departures before the game starts.
Simplified Wording:
Everyone bats, order stays the same, and late players bat last.
Governance Purpose:
Ensures participation and prevents lineup manipulation.
Important Note:
Injury/illness is handled differently than ejection or unannounced early departure.
Best Practice:
Coaches should announce planned early departures during ground rules and write them on the lineup card.
Bottom Line:
Continuous batting order is required and must be managed carefully.
Section 5.11 – Offensive and Defensive Coaches on the Field
Official Rule:
Only two offensive coaches are allowed on the field as first and third base coaches. There are zero defensive coaches allowed on the field outside the dugout.
Meaning:
Coaches may coach bases on offense, but defensive coaches must stay off the field.
Practical Implications:
Defensive coaches may not sit or stand on buckets outside the dugout.
Simplified Wording:
Two offensive base coaches allowed. No defensive coaches on the field.
Governance Purpose:
Keeps gameplay fair, safe, and uncluttered.
Bottom Line:
Defensive coaching must happen from the dugout.
Section 5.12 – Hit By Pitch Avoidance
Official Rule:
If no attempt is made to avoid being hit by a pitch, the batter will not be awarded first base unless it is ball four.
Meaning:
A batter must attempt to avoid being hit when possible.
Practical Implications:
The umpire must judge whether the batter made an effort to avoid the pitch.
Simplified Wording:
You cannot intentionally take a pitch to get first base.
Governance Purpose:
Prevents unsafe or unfair behavior by batters.
Bottom Line:
Hit by pitch does not automatically mean first base if the batter made no attempt to avoid it.
Section 5.13 – Sliding, Avoiding Contact, and Malicious Intent
Official Rule:
Whenever a tag play is evident, runners must slide or seek to avoid contact with the fielder. No slide to avoid contact results in the runner being out. Malicious intent results in the runner being out and ejected.
Meaning:
Players must avoid unnecessary contact when a tag play is happening.
Practical Implications:
Runners are not always required to slide, but they must either slide or avoid contact.
Simplified Wording:
Slide or avoid contact. Malicious contact means ejection.
Governance Purpose:
Protects player safety and discourages dangerous collisions.
Important Note:
Malicious contact overrides obstruction concerns.
Best Practice:
Coaches should teach players to slide early, avoid contact, and never initiate contact with intent.
Bottom Line:
Safety comes first on tag plays.
Section 5.14 – Courtesy Runner for Pitcher and Catcher
Official Rule:
The team at bat may use a courtesy runner for the pitcher and catcher of record from the previous time on defense. The courtesy runner must be the player who made the last out. If that player was the pitcher or catcher, use the next non-pitcher or catcher who made an out.
Meaning:
Courtesy runners are allowed to help speed up the game when the pitcher or catcher is on base.
Practical Implications:
The correct courtesy runner is not chosen randomly. It must follow the last-out rule.
Simplified Wording:
Pitchers and catchers may get courtesy runners, usually the last out.
Governance Purpose:
Helps keep games moving and allows catchers/pitchers to prepare defensively.
Best Practice:
Scorekeepers should track the last out clearly to avoid confusion.
Bottom Line:
Courtesy runners are allowed, but they must follow the correct last-out procedure.
Important Note: This is Part 1 of Article 5. The official STLWEST rulebook remains the controlling authority for all gameplay decisions.