NCBL Procedures 2012

NCBL Voice Mail Number ---------> 613-226-9684

Pre-game Procedures

1)  Rainouts -  Except for Stadium games, Home Teams are responsible for assessing field conditions and, if necessary, cancelling the game at least 1.5 hours before game time by calling opposing team representative(s), the Ottawa Umpire in Chief, (or Jean-Francois Hebert for games in Quebec) and your team's players.  The NCBL voice mail should be called that evening to let us know the game was cancelled (if the reason for the cancellation was due to rain or unplayable field conditions, the City will credit the league for the cost of the field – each team will sign 4 blank rainout game sheets which I will use to obtain credit).  The Voice Mail is not the vehicle to inform teams and players if a game has been cancelled - players should call their coaches. Stadium:   Potential rainouts at the stadium will be decided jointly by the home team and the Commissioner because games that start but do not finish due to rain will not be credited.  Also, a $30 admin fee will be charged for games at the stadium that are not cancelled by 4:30 pm. 

2) Automatic Suspensions - Where an automatic ejection occurs (Bylaw 6.7), the ejected player or coach is automatically suspended for the next game without notification by the league.  If he participates in the next game he is an ineligible player. If a player or coach is suspended as a result of a disciplinary hearing, he is also ineligible for the duration of the suspension.  Any team using an ineligible player will, on appeal,  have that game designated as an automatic defaulted game (Bylaw 6.17 - follows 6.19 in the Bylaws) (see also Article 3.9 of the Constitution).

3) Lights –  NOTE: Lights are on timers, both for start and end times so if lights don’t come on, wait until after 8 pm and try again.

Sportsplex – The light switch is on the green box under the scoreboard.  Usually there is no lock on the flap covering the light switch so you can just turn them on without a key.  A key for the gate lock is on a combo lock on the fence beside the main gate. The combination was provided to all team reps at the Kick-off meeting in April. After entering the combo, you must press the lock in (shut) before pulling out to open. If the combo lock is missing and the field attendant is not around, go into the Sportsplex to the desk at the gym/squash courts (down the stairs and to the left).  They should be able to tell you where the attendant is or they have the key for the gates and the lights (if the light switch has a lock on it).  The attendant will come out at 11 pm to turn the lights off.

Fallowfield aka Faulkner field - There is a green button behind the 3rd base dugout.   If the lights don't go on when the button is pressed, wait until after 8 because the lights are on a timer, both for startup and for automatic shut off just after 11 pm.

McCarthy - The key activated light switch is on the back wall of the community centre (facing the field). There is an NCBL combo lock with a key attached to the green hydro box facing the wall.  The combo was provided to all team reps at the Kick-off meeting in April. After entering the combo, you must press the lock in (shut) before pulling out to open.  Use the key to turn on the lights and then return the combo to the green box and scramble the numbers after locking the lock.

Southgate - The key activated light switch is on the larger of the two green boxes just beside the driveway entering the parking lot. There is an NCBL combo lock with a key attached to the hydro lock of the doors on the side of that box.  The combo was provided to all team reps at the Kick-off meeting in April. After entering the combo, you must press the lock in (shut) before pulling out to open.  Use the key to turn on the lights and then return the combo to the smaller green hydro box and scramble the numbers after locking the lock.

Brewer - The green light control box is in centre field. There is an NCBL combo lock with the light key attached to the hydro lock on the door on the North side of the green box. The combo was provided to all team reps at the Kick-off meeting in April. Remember to press the lock in (shut) before pulling out to open.  The light key must then be inserted in the “on” key hole (right one I think) on the West side of the green box. After turning on the lights, lock the combo lock and key back to the regular lock on the door. Lights go off automatically at 11 pm.

Trillium – Lights at this park are completely on automatic timers, going on around 8 pm and off around 11 pm. However, if they don’t come on automatically, there is a button on the electrical room in the right field corner.  The button is under a metal flap on the side of the room facing the field.    

Kinsmen - The dugouts and the lights are controlled by a combination lock. The lock box for the lights is on the electrical box immediately back from behind home plate. The combination for the dugouts and for the lights was provided to all team reps at the Kick-off meeting in April. As with the NCBL locks, you must press in (shut) before pulling out the lock to open it.  Press the green button inside lock box to turn on the lights.  Relock the combo lock during the game so the soccer folks don't accidently turn the baseball lights out. Lights will go off automatically at 11 pm.

Heritage - The button for the lights at this park is on the side of the electrical box near the 1st base fence - there is no key required.  The key for the entrance gates in on a combiination lock which is located on the south side of the electrical box.  The combo was provided to all team reps at the Kick-off meeting in April. Remember to press the lock in (shut) before pulling out to open.  The Mavericks also have a set fo keys for gates. Lights go off automatically at 11 pm.

4) Rosters - Rosters must be submitted to the Registrar before the first game by emailing the Registrar; See Article 3.9 of the Constitution for age restrictions). Changes must be made at least one hour before game time (i.e. pulling someone out of the stands at game time and phoning in the change is not permitted). (Bylaw 2.12).  The email address to send your original rosters plus all changes is ncblrosters@rogers.com. Phoning in roster changes is not permitted.

5) Schedules – The Commissioner is the official source for all schedules.  Postings on the website are not official but just for information purposes.

In-Game Procedures

1)  Umpires - Managers are responsible for the conduct of themselves and their teams. Discipline must be maintained and respect shown for the umpires and their decisions as well as for opposing teams.  Where rule interpretations are disputed, the proper protest procedure must be used rather than intimidation tactics towards the umpires.  Complaints about calls or ejections must only be made through the Tier Presidents and, for escalation, to the NCBL Operational Committee.  NOTE: The Umpires-in-Chief must only be called by the Tier Presidents, NCBL Operational Committee or Commissioner, not the Team Reps or players.

2) Minimum Players - In Tier 1, at least 9 players must always be available to start or continue a game.  In other Tiers, this minimum is 8 players with an automatic out for the 9th player.

3) Line-Ups – Line-up cards must be handed to the umpire and opposing team at game time but need not include all players present.  Any player on a team’s roster is eligible to enter a game as a substitute regardless of when he arrives or whether or not he was listed on the line-up card (Bylaw 2.12).  

4) Playing Rules – Read the bylaws on the website for playing rules but please note that Bylaw 7.3a) was changed in 2010 to require base runners to avoid collisions by sliding, or going over, under or around the catcher in all tiers. In 2011, this was further changed to give the umpire discretion as to whether or not the player is to be ejected. If, in the umpire’s judgment, there was intent to cause a collision, the player is OUT and is to be ejected;  if there was no intent, the player is OUT but there need not be an ejection).  Also, please read the rule on the designated hitter (Bylaw 2.11). Please note the protest procedure in Bylaw 6.5. Remember that we have a mercy rule of 10 runs after 5 innings, although it does not a apply in the playoffs.

5) Baseballs - Home team is responsible for providing 3 new baseballs at the start of each game and any required substitutes during the game. Both teams are asked to cooperate in retrieving balls hit out of the playing field.

6) Time Limits - Please note 2hr 15 minute time limit on games (Bylaw 2.3).
Double slots require 2 hour limits for the early slot unless there is no game in the late slot, either by our league or other leagues. Games at the Stadium are scheduled to start at 6:00 PM with no new inning to start after 8:00 pm... Weekend games and games under the lights can have no new inning to start after 2 hours from scheduled start time.      

Post-Game Procedures

1)  Tarps at the Sportspslex – Both teams must replace the tarps after games at the Sportsplex, unless other teams have arrived for a later game.  A city employee maintains this field on a daily basis and any tarps not replaced are reported immediately to the permit allocations staff. Our permits may be in jeopardy if tarps are replaced.  Tarps at Faulkner are not mandatory.

2) Reporting Scores - Both teams must report the game score after the game by calling the NCBL voice mail number 226-9684.  Summaries of the previous night’s scores will be available the next morning in the greeting.  Team representatives do not have access to the password for the voice mail since the voice mail is through Bell and any accidental change of the password could result in extra charges to reset it.

3) Reporting Ejections - Both teams and both umpires must complete ejection forms for all ejections and submit them through the NCBL website.

4) Reporting Umpire No-shows – Both teams must report umpire no-shows to the league voice mail number. Both teams and the umpire who worked alone (if he umpired from behind the plate) will then be credited with $15.00 each for playing the game with only one umpire.

5) Reporting Official Game Participants for Calculating Playoff Eligibility – The home team is the official scorer and is responsible for emailing to lineup@rogers.com the list of official participants (as per by-law 3.10 – at least 1 plate appearance or 1 defensive out for a player; or having pitched to at least one batter for a pitcher) from both teams. To avoid having to type the list of players, the list can be copied and pasted from the Roster Link on the NCBL website, to a new email. Then the players who had at least one plate appearance can be checked off, and any pitchers who faced at least one batter can be checked off as a pitcher. The email must then be sent at least 10 days following the game (48 hours for your final game before the playoffs) with copy to the visiting team ($25 fine will automatically result if deadline not met). If the visiting team disputes the list, it is up to the visiting team to discuss with the home team and resolve or escalate to the Tier President.

6) Umpire Rating System and Complaints – All teams must complete an umpire rating form for all games for both umpires. Deadlines and fines for submitting umpire rating forms are the same as for 5) above. Where rule interpretations are disputed the proper protest procedure must be used rather than intimidation tactics towards the umpires.  Complaints about calls or ejections must only be made through the Tier Presidents and, for escalation, to the NCBL Operations Committee.  The Umpires-in-Chief must only be called by the Tier Presidents, NCBL Operations Committee or Commissioner, not the Team Reps or players.

7) Statistics - Team statistics can be sent as often as desired by sending to the NCBL stats email:  ncbl@rogers.com.   The stats program can be also be requested through the same email address.

7) Issues - Please deal with the Tier Presidents first in regards to any issues in your tier. Only the Tier President has the authority to postpone a game once the games are scheduled by the Commissioner.  If the issue cannot be resolved, the Commissioner will get involved.