NFHA 2011 Baseball Rules Changes

Rules Reference 

1-1-2           

Addition: the umpire shall now accept the lineup card until all substitutes are listed.  There is no penalty assessed.

Rationale:  Having all known substitutes listed will speed up substitution and player changes.  A coach will still be able to add a substitute to the game with no penalty.

1-3-2 through 5

Effective beginning the 2010-2011 school year, composite bats shall be illegal until meeting the standards of 1-3-2(e).  ART. 2… The bat shall have the following characteristics and components.

a. Each legal wood, aluminum, or composite bat shall:

1. Be one piece, multi-pieces and permanently assembled, or two pieces with interchangeable barrel construction.
2. Not have exposed rivets, pins, rough or sharp edges or any form of exterior fastener that would present a hazard                                   
3. Be free of rattles, dents, burrs, crack and sharp edges. Bats that are broken, altered or that deface the ball are illegal.  Materials inside the bat or treatments/devices used to alter the bat specifications and/or enhance performance are prohibited and render the bat illegal.

b. Each legal wood, aluminum or composite bat shall have the following components:

1.  Knob.  The bat knob shall protrude from the handle.  The knob may be molded, lathed, welded or permanently fastened.  Devices, attachments or wrappings are permitted except those that cause the knob to become flush with the handle.  A one-piece rubber knob and bat grip combination is illegal.
2.  Handle.  The bat handle is the area of the bat that begins at, but does not include, the knob and ends where the taper begins.
3. Barrel.  The barrel is that area intended for contact with the pitch.  The barrel shall be round, cylindrically symmetric and smooth.  The barrel may be aluminum, wood or composite (made of two or more materials).  The type of bat (wood, aluminum, or composite) shall be determined by the composition of the barrel.
4. Taper. The taper is an optional transition area which connects the narrower handle to the wider barrel portion of the bat.  Its length and material may vary but may not extend more than 18 inches from the base of the knob.
5. 5. End Cap.  The end cap is made of rubber, vinyl, plastic, or other             approved material.  It shall be firmly secure and permanently affixed to the end of the bat so that it cannot be removed by anyone other than the manufacturer, without damaging or destroying it.  By definition, a one-piece construction bat does not have an end cap.

c. Each bat not made of a single piece of wood shall:

1.  Have a safety grip made of cork, tape (no smooth, plastic tape) or commercially manufactured composite material.  The grip must extend a minimum of 10 inches, but not more that 18 inches, from the base of the knob.  Slippery tape or similar material shall be prohibited.  Resin, pine tar or any drying agent to enhance the hold are permitted only on the grip.  Molded grips are illegal.
2. 2. Be 2 5/8” or less in diameter at thickest part and 36 inches or less in length.
3. 3. Not weigh, numerically, more than three ounces than the length of the bat (e.g., a 33-inch-long bat cannot be less that 30 ounces).

d. Through December 31, 2011, each aluminum bat shall meet the Ball Exit-Speed Ratio (BESR) performance standard, and such bats shall be labeled with a silkscreen or other permanent certification mark.  No BESR label, sticker or decal will be accepted on any non-wood bat.

e. Beginning January 1, 2012, all bats not made of a single piece of wood shall meet the Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) performance standard, and such bats shall be labeled with a silkscreen or other permanent certification mark.  The certification mark shall be rectangular, a minimum of a half-inch on each side and located on the barrel of the bat in any contrasting color.  Aluminum and composite bats shall be labeled as approved tamper evident, and be marked as to being aluminum or composite.  This marking shall be silkscreen or other permanent certification mark, a minimum of one-half-inch on each side and located on the barrel of the bat in any contrasting color.

f. An aluminum bat meeting the standards of 1-3-2(e) is legal immediately.

g. A composite bat shall be illegal until meeting the standards of 1-3-2(e).  ART.3… A bat made of a single piece of wood may be roughened or wound with tape not more than 18 inches from the handle end of the bat.  No foreign substance may be added to the surface of the bat beyond 18 inches from the end of the handle.  Each bat made of a single piece of wood shall be:

             a. 2¾ inches or less in diameter at the thickest part

             b. 36 inches or less in length

ART.4… Only bats may be used in warming up (including weighed bats used for this purpose) at any location,  Only bats and items designed to remain part of the bat, such as weighed bats, batting donuts, and wind-resistant devices are legal at any location.

ART.5… Bats that are altered from the manufacturer’s original design and production, or that do not meet the rule specifications, are illegal (See 7-4-1a).  No foreign substance may be inserted into the bat.  Bats that are broken, cracked or dented or that deface the ball, i.e., tear the ball, shall be removed without penalty.  A bat that continually discolors the ball may be removed from the game with no penalty at the discretion of the umpire.

Rationale: Recent bat products have circumvented the intent and spirit of the current rule.  Improvements in science and technology now allow this change that will require bats to be within performance limits during the life of the bat.  In addition, this change will minimize the ability for the bat to be tampered with or altered.

1-5-8

Change: Hard and unyielding items (guards, casts, braces, splints, etc.) must be padded with a closed-cell, slow recovery foam padding no less than 1/2” thick.  Knee and ankle braces which are unaltered from the manufacturer’s original design/production do not require and additional padding.

Rationale: Rick minimization and clarification from the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee.

2-16-2           

Change:  Afoul tip is a batter 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.

Rationale: Clarification and ease of application for the umpires and coaches.

3-1-5

New: Any player who exhibits signs, simptoms 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.  (see NFHS Suggested Guidelines for Management of Concussions)

Rationale: Clarification from the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee.

8-2-61           

New: 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 and previous base running-infraction.

Rationale: Clarification of a commonly accepted practice.