The Official Rules of the MLWB
Section 1: Equipment and Field Regulations
1. The Ball: Only official regulated wiffle balls are allowed. Scuffing of the ball is allowed taping the ball is not.
2. The Bat: Only the Junk Ball regulated wiffle ball bats are allowed. The bat handle may be tapped, but no tape is permitted on the barrel of the bat.
3. Bases: There will be four bases; each base will be 40 feet apart from each other.
4. Strike zone: There will be a strike zone placed behind Home plate. The strike zone will measure 19 inches wide, 31 inches tall, and stand 13 inches off the ground.
5. Far pitchers mound: The far pitchers mound will be 46 feet from the strike zone. The pitcher must have his foot on the rubber while throwing towards home plate.
5a. Short pitchers mound: the short pitchers mound will be 40 feet from the strike zone and has a set speed limit. (See section 5.4)
5b. Switching between mounds: Before the game starts you may select either mound to pitch from. You are allowed to switch once during a game, and may not switch back.
6. Team uniforms: Teams are required to wear matching uniforms. Contact the commissioner with any questions.
7. The Dud Zone: There will be a "zone" in front of home plate. This is a 17-foot radius from the strike zone. Any ball that lands or is fielded within the zone will be considered a foul ball.
8. Umpires: Calls (safe/out) will be made by players in the game. If an agreement cannot be made, a third party will be asked. If there still is no resolution, a redo will occur. Be honest.
Section 2: The Game
1. Length: The game will be 5 innings in length. If the score is still tied at the end of 5 innings, extra innings will be used to determine a winner. Three innings of play makes a game official.
2. Players: There must be at least 3 players to field a team for an official game. Any less will result in a forfeit.
3. Mercy: Only 6 runs are to be scored per inning. If a team hits a home run before reaching the 6 runs, all runs count. For example: With the runners on any base and 6 runs already scored, if the team hits a homerun, all the runs score. This would result in up to 9 runs scored.
4. Mercy a team: If a team is up by 10 or more runs following the 4th inning, the game is over.
5. Home Field Advantage Rule: In the 5th inning, and only in the 5th, the home team is allowed to score as many runs as possible. This means they are not restricted by the 6 runs per inning. They may score as many runs as possible to win.
6. Make-up Games: A team may not have more than 2 rescheduled games to make-up at any time. If a team has had to reschedule 2 games already and has not yet made them up than the next game the team cannot field a team will result in a forfeit, not a make-up. Games that have to be rescheduled due to bad weather do not count against a teams tally.
Section 3: Offense
1. Foul Out: This rule only applies when there are two strikes on the batter. If the batter foul tips the ball, and the ball hits the strike zone, the batter is out.
2. Crowding: No part of your body, including your arms, may extend over the strike zone. Warnings will be issued. If the problem persists, the pitch will be called an automatic strike.
3. Bunting: There is no bunting. The player may not square up to bunt. Players are allowed to slap at the ball.
4. Batting Out Of Order: Batting out of order results in an automatic out. The batter that missed his turn will be skipped in his next plate appearance.
5. Leading: There is no leading. Runners may advance only when the ball is put into play.
6. Ghost Runners: Ghost Runners cannot be forced out by touching their destination base before the runner reaches first base.
7. Stealing: The base runner has to be 2/3 of the way to either 2nd or 3rd. Stealing home is not allowed. This will be judged the same as (Section 1.8)
8. Designated Hitters: Teams with more than 5 players at the field may have designated hitters.
9. Dead Base Rule: If a player slides into a base, before he is pegged or thrown out, and the base dislodges than the runner is safe and the play is dead. Any other base runners that are running when the play becomes dead will be sent to the base they are closest to.
Section 4: Defense
1. Fielder: You are allowed a maximum of 5 fielders, 4 fielders and a pitcher, at any field.
2. Pegging: Pegging is allowed. The ball must hit the player. If the ball hits the ground first, the player is still out. If the ball touches the base before the runner reaches the base, the runner is out.
3. Gloves: There will only be two players allowed with gloves on the field at anytime. Any two-position players can wear the gloves. Batting gloves are also allowed.
4. Force Out Rule: This rule only applies when the bases are loaded. The fielding team may throw the ball and hit the strike zone. If the ball hits the strike zone before the player reaches home, the runner is out. The play is also automatically over. No runners may advance after the ball hits the strike zone.
Section 5: Pitching
1. Pitching Rotation: If a pitcher throws more than two innings in any game, he may not pitch the next one (1) game. If the pitcher throws two innings or less, he is allowed to throw in the next game.
1a. Rotation re-sets: Teams may reset their rotation at anytime before the all-star break.
2. Pitching Rubber: Pitchers must have one foot on the rubber when releasing the ball.
3. Balks: There are no balks.
4. Pitch Speed: Players may throw as hard or slow as they would like from the far mound. There is no speed limit on the far mound. A 30 MPH speed limit is set for pitchers throwing from the short mound.
5. Save Situations: Five runs constitutes a save situation.
6. Pickoffs: Pickoffs are allowed but cannot hit the runner unless he is off the base otherwise they will advance one base.
7. Re-entry: Once a pitcher is taken out of the game he may not re-enter to pitch in that game.
Section 6: Playoffs
1. Pitching Rotation: A teams pitching rotation will reset at the start of the playoffs. From that point on though, teams must follow the normal pitching rotation rules stated above in Section 5.1.
2. Format: The 1st round of the playoffs will be a best of 3 series. The championship round and World Series will be a best of 5 series.
3. Home Team: The home team in the World Series is determined by the All-Star game winner. Home field for the rest of the playoffs will be determined by higher seed.
4. Home Field: Excluding the first round, each team will choose a “home field” which they wish to play their home games on. The higher seeded team will be home in games 1,2, and 5.
Section 7: Amendments
1. Rules: All rules are subject to change at any time. New ones can be added without notice and the player is responsible to know all the rules and regulations of the MLWB
Walks/Strikeouts
1. Four balls equals a walk.
2. Three strikes equals a strikeout.
