What is Federation Baseball?

by Richard B. Siegel

Similar to those three non-participating states, most of the amateur baseball world plays the game using the professional rule book with several modifications to allow for the age and ability of the players. I'm not a spokesman for the NF, but as I see it, the philosophy of the NFHS is to promote education, participation, sportsmanship, safety and to speed up the game. Therefore, they started from scratch and wrote their own rule book to achieve those objectives. To the casual observer, a high school baseball game played under NF rules would appear no different from a game played by OBR. However, as an umpire, you might be interested to know that many of the rules are quite different.

If you have never umpired in a high school game you might be interested in some of the differences in the rules between the NF and OBR. This article is not meant to be a compressive index of the many rules differences, but I have tried to present a listing of the more interesting and major differences.

• A double first base is permitted, optionally.

• At their option, a state may choose whether protests are permitted.

• The length of a bat is limited to 36" and 2 ¾" in diameter. However, there is also a weight requirement to be a legal bat: A bat shall not weigh, numerically, more than five ounces less than the length of the bat (e.g., a 35-inch-long bat cannot be less than 30 ounces). A batter is declared out if the batter enters the batter's box with an illegal bat.

• There are two options that the NF allows beyond those in Pro rules. If a batter hits the ball with what is then discovered to be an illegal bat, he can still be declared out. However, the defense can decline that penalty, and choose to take the results of any play that may have occurred on that hit. The other option comes from the use of an illegal glove. If a fielder handles a live ball with what is then discovered to be an illegal glove, the ball is declared dead, then the batter and all runners are awarded two bases. But, similar to before, the offense can decline that award and choose to take the results of the hit and the resulting play.

• The NF allows any fielder to use any kind of glove or mitt at any position. Although, a pitcher's glove or mitt may not be white, gray or multicolored.

• An intentional base on balls may be given by the defensive team by having its catcher or coach request the umpire to award the batter first base. This may be done before pitching to the batter or on any ball and strike count. The ball shall be declared dead before making the award.

• Obstruction is always a delayed dead ball in NF rules. When obstruction occurs, the ball becomes dead at the end of playing action, and the umpire has authority to determine which base or bases shall be awarded the runners according to the rule violated.

• A fake tag, which is the act of a defensive player without the ball simulating a tag actually on an offensive player, is always considered obstruction. A base is always awarded for a fake tag. Furthermore, for this infraction like many others in NF rules, the umpire must issue a team warning. Another member of that team who commits the same infraction must be ejected.

• Another infraction in the NF that requires an umpire to give a team warning is deliberately removing one's batting helmet in live ball territory while ball is alive. Any subsequent players on that team to violate that rule are ejected.

• A designated hitter is permitted. However, the DH may bat for any defensive player, not just the pitcher.

• Jumping, hurdling, and leaping are all legal attempts to avoid a fielder as long as the fielder is lying on the ground. Diving over a fielder is illegal. The runner is out, the ball remains alive unless interference occurs.

• A major differences is the elimination of the defensive appeal on a runner who misses a base or leaves to soon on a caught fly ball. In the NF, if an umpire sees such a base running infraction, he is required to call the runner out. Any runner is out when he is on or beyond a succeeding base when the ball is declared dead after having left a base too soon on a caught fly ball, or having failed to touch a preceding base, or the runner continues and touches a succeeding base after the ball has become dead.

• When on defense, a team may be granted not more than three charged conferences during an entire seven-inning game, without penalty, to permit coaches to confer with a defensive player. In an extra inning game, each team shall be permitted one charged conference each extra inning while on defense without penalty. The number of charged conferences permitted is not cumulative. Once a team has used its initial three charged conferences in seven innings or less, or its one conference in an extra inning, another conference will require the pitcher to be removed as pitcher.

• When on offense, each team may be granted not more than one charged conference per inning to permit the coach to confer with base runners, the batter, the on-deck batter or other offensive team personnel. The umpire shall deny any subsequent offensive team requests for a conference.

• Similar to the OBR, a game shall be forfeited if a team is unable to provide at least nine players to start the game. However, a team that started with nine may continue to play with eight players. An out will be called each time that missing ninth player's spot in the batting order comes to bat. If a team cannot provide eight players to finish the game, the game will be forfeited. A team playing with fewer than nine players may not return to nine players.

• Another major difference is the enforcement of the a balk. All balks under NF rules causes the ball to become dead immediately. If a balk is called and the pitch is still thrown, even if the ball is hit for a home run or it touches the batter, it is dead. The runners are awarded one base, and the batter must continue his at bat with the same count.

• The pitching regulations begin when the pitcher intentionally contacts the pitching plate. Therefore, whether the hands are together or not, any turning of the shoulders to check runners while in contact with the pitcher's plate is a balk.

• The NF limits the allowable movements by a pitcher from the windup position. Once a pitcher contacts the rubber in the windup position, he may only disengage his pivot foot and step back or deliver a pitch. He may not throw to a base. Once he begins any movement, he may only deliver to the plate in a continuous and uninterrupted motion. Any pause in the pitchers motion, once he begins the delivery is a balk.

• The batter must keep at least one foot in the batter's box throughout his time at bat. However, a batter may leave the batter's box when any of the following occurs:
  1. The batter swings at a pitch.
  2. The batter is forced out of the box by the pitch.
  3. The batter attempts a "drag bunt."
  4. The defensive team feints or attempts a play at any base.
  5. The pitcher leaves the dirt area of the pitching mound or takes a position more than five feet from the pitcher's plate after receiving the ball.
  6. A member of either team requests and is granted "time."
  7. The catcher leaves catcher's box to adjust his equipment or give defensive signals.
  8. The catcher does not catcher the pitched ball.
  If the batter leaves the batter's box and none of the above exceptions apply, the plate umpire shall charge a strike to the batter. The pitcher need not pitch, and the ball remains alive.

• Courtesy runners are permitted. At any time the team at bat may use courtesy runners for the pitcher and/or the catcher. The same runner may not be used for both positions. Neither the pitcher nor the catcher are required to leave the game under such circumstances.

An extensive list of State Athletic Associations and other groups can be found at : http://www.nfshsa.org/states.htm