Official Rules of The Ponce de Leon League

Honoring our rich history, our league continues to play by the same rules which our legendary founder adopted over five centuries ago. More than 300 years before the advent of baseball, Ponce de Leon wanted to ensure that men of all ages enjoy the eventual pasttime of a new nation. Ahead of his time, Ponce devised these Official Baseball Rules to ensure safety and keep all players actively engaged:

1. Players must be at least 36 years old to pitch.
2. All teams shall use a continuous batting order which shall continue into successive games. Hence, the batter on deck at the end of one game shall be the lead-off hitter at the next game. This rule shall not apply during league playoffs.
3. All players must wear a helmet while batting and running the bases. Base coaches are encouraged to wear batting helmets.
4. The last player to make an out shall serve as the pinch runner for the catcher with two outs and in all other pinch-running situations.
5. Except in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings, an inning ends after three outs or when six runs are scored, whichever comes first.
6. A pitcher must be removed and may not return to the mound during a game in which he hits four batters.
7. A pitcher must be removed and may not return to the mound during a game in which he is responsible for walking or for hitting a combined total of five batters in a single inning.
8. No player may pitch more than five innings per game. Any appearance on the mound for part of an inning shall count as an inning pitched for purposes of this rule.
9. To ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to play, all players must rotate defensively as needed. No player may sit out for more than one consecutive inning unless that player chooses to do so.
10. Runners advancing to a base must either slide or avoid a fielder who has the ball or is about to receive it. Should the umpire determine that a runner intentionally collided with a fielder to dislodge the ball, the runner shall be called out and ejected from the game. This is a No Collision Rule, not a Must-Slide Rule.
11. A fielder may not fake a tag on an incoming runner and must have possession of the ball when making a tag. If the umpire finds a violation, the umpire shall award all runners, including the batter putting the ball into play, an additional base.
12. Only players are allowed in the team dugout or on the bench. No children, spouses, friends, or pets.
13. Injured players who come to bat must run the bases. If a player is injured while running, he must either continue playing or be replaced by a pinch runner. In the latter situation, as provided in the safety rules of Major League Baseball, the injured player may not return for the remainder of the game.
14. Each team may designate up to two batters who may opt for a designated runner, provided that the team advises the home plate umpire accordingly prior to the start of the game. The last player making an out shall serve as the designated runner, who shall replace his teammate at the conclusion of a play in which the batter has safely reached base.
15. If a defensive player is injured during play, he may be replaced, but will not bat in his team’s next offensive inning.
16. During the playoffs, teams with fewer than eight players forfeit the game. In playoff games, a team with eight players must play with eight. The ninth batting spot will be an automatic out each time it comes up. If a team starts with more than eight players but later drops to eight due to injury or early departures, those missing spots become automatic outs.
17. Players must wear either league-issued uniforms or, at the Commissioner's discretion, approved team uniforms.
18. Players who are ejected from one game may not play in the next game. Players ejected twice in one season shall be suspended for the remainder of that season.
19. No intentional walks are permitted during games.
20. Only wood bats are permitted during games.
21. Unless specified above, or otherwise impracticable, the league shall adhere to the rules and regulations of Major League Baseball. Although players are encouraged to avoid undue delay, and umpires have discretion to intervene as needed to avoid excessive delays, the league shall not use a pitch clock. Nor shall pitchers be limited to two disengagements from the pitching rubber (pickoff attempt or stepping off) per plate appearance.
22. As Ponce games are scheduled for three hours, the number of innings played depend upon the pace of the game. Unless both teams and umpires agree, new innings shall not commence after two hours and fifty minutes of play. An inning which has commenced within two hours and fifty minutes shall be played to conclusion under the same rules which pertain to the ninth inning of a regulation baseball game.

And last but not least, as few dugouts have a fountain of any kind, Ponce players are strongly encouraged to bring their own supply of water.