Babe Ruth League Inc. conducts tournaments at several levels of play for different age groups. For any age group in which one of these tournaments is conducted, the Madison Babe Ruth Baseball Association shall create a team or teams to represent the Madison Baseball Association in these tournaments by the following procedures.

Managers, coaches, and players must be selected from the league in which they participated in during that year. Players selected for the team must have participated in at least one-half of their regular season’s game.

The manager of the team shall be selected by popular vote from the managers of the league. Coaches may be selected either from the remaining managers of the league or the first assistant coaches of the league.

Managers shall vote for only one individual which shall represent the team from each of their leagues. If a league contains divisions, the vote shall be limited to the managers of each respective division. The manager selected shall be the individual with the majority of votes of the managers of each league.. If a tie vote occurs, a second round of voting shall be conducted with only those tied as candidates. If this second round fails to break the tie, then the tie will be broken by a blind draft.

Each manager votes for nine (9) players from the age group under consideration.

Votes are tallied and players are ranked according to number of votes. Players must receive at least 3 (or 2 if there are less than 5 coaches) votes from the managers votes to be included on the all star team.

If nine players are not selected, then a second round of voting is conducted. The second round is again open to any player not previously selected. Again, at least 3 (or 2 if there are less than 5 coaches) of the coaches voting must vote for a player in order for the player to make the team. If there are still not 9 players selected, then the list is reduced to those players receiving at least 2 votes and a 3^rd round done. This continues until a round where the 9^th player is selected. (In case of more than 9 players receiving the minimum number of votes, all those receiving the minimum number make the team. After the 9 are selected, the remaining players are selected from those players receiving at least one vote by the all star manager to complete a roster of 12-15 players.

For the 14 - 15 year old league, two separate elections are conducted with all coaches participating in each age group.

All players playing in at least 1/2 of the leagues games are eligible. Players not wishing to be participate in all stars will be exempted from the nominations if represented by a parent at the all star election meeting or if a written letter is received by the league commissioner signed by the parent indicating such. (In other words, word of mouth that a player is not in town for all stars is not sufficient).

1. Prep Leagues. Babe Ruth’s option for a Prep 13 League is adopted.

(Ref. Babe Ruth Rules & Regulations page 21 "Prep And Minor Leagues")

All players who's playing age is 13 will automatically be placed in the Prep 13 League unless a parental request is noted on the players registration form.

2. Playing out of age group. Babe Ruth’s option allowing a 15 year player to participate in a 16~18 League is adopted. (Ref. Babe Ruth Official notice letter dated December 15, 1998") (Requires waiver approval from Babe Ruth HQ). All players who's playing age is 15 will automatically be placed in the 14~15 League unless a parental request is noted on the players registration form.

3. Playing Age. At the end of the registration period indicated in the Madison Babe Ruth Baseball Calendar of Events, all player candidates shall be divided into the appropriate leagues by age. The birth charts provided in the appropriate Babe Ruth rule books determine Player candidate age. Players and player candidates may play up in an age group by parental request and according to Official Babe Ruth rules. Other rules governing player age draft eligibility may be specified in the Draft Procedures. The following chart specifies playing ages for each league.

1. Returning Team Status. DELETED 12/06/00 (All teams will be redrafted each year).

2. New Team Status. DELETED 12/06/00 ( All teams will be redrafted each year).

3. Team Player Count. Prior to the Draft, player candidates shall be projected for each league. The number of teams required for each league shall be determined by this count such that no team shall contain more than a maximum number players. The table below details minimum, maximum and optimum player counts for each league team. Player counts outside the optimum range should be avoided.

*Note: Official Babe Ruth Rules requires that the minimum player count for each league is 12 players. However, situations arise that may make it necessary or desirable to form teams with less than 12 players. (Requires waiver approval from Babe Ruth HQ)

4. Maximum Age Player Count. A 14~15 League team may not have more than 8 maximum age (15 year old) players. A 16~18 League team may not have more than 8 maximum age (18 year old) players.

6. Prep 13 League "swing players". Because there is no Babe Ruth league with a younger age group, the Prep 13 League will not utilize swing players.

7. 14~15 League "swing players". Prep 13 swing players will be utilized to complete the rosters of each 14~15 league team to the maximum player count of 15 players. Each Prep 13 team manager will nominate players from their team who poses the skills to participate in the 14~15 league. A blind draft will be used to place swing players on teams.

1. No team may have more than 1 swing player from the same lower age group team [Deleted].
2. Teams may only utilize swing players to ensure a player count of 10 players for any game.
3. A Prep 13 swing players' primary responsibility is to his Prep 13 league team.
4. A swing player may not be utilized if he has another game scheduled during the same time or later the same day.
5. A swing player may not be used as a pitcher.
6. A Swing player participates on the ‘borrowing team’ under the same participation rules as the other team members.

1. No team may have more than 2 swing players from the same lower age group team.
1. Teams may only utilize swing players to ensure a player count of 15 players for any game.
2. A 14~15 swing players' primary responsibility is to his 14~15 league team.
3. A swing player may not be utilized if he has another game scheduled during the same time or later the same day.
4. A swing player may not be used as a pitcher.
5. A Swing player participates on the ‘borrowing team’ under the same participation rules as the other team members.

2. Player Definition. The definition of players and player candidates are eligible children who have completed all required registration activities during the period of registration as indicated in the Madison Babe Ruth Baseball Calendar of Events, players being individuals already placed on a team and player candidates being individuals to be placed on a team. Other individuals desiring participation shall be placed on the player candidate waiting list.

3. League Status. Each player will be assigned a league status of one of the following categories:

1. New to League - A player that has never participated in the Madison Babe Ruth league and is not moving up from the Madison Baseball Dixie Youth league.
2. Returning Player - A player returning to the same league.
3. Moving Up - A player that has participated in a lower age group league of any Madison league.
4. Past Player - A player that has participated in Madison Babe Ruth Baseball league but not in the previous year.

5. Returning Team Players. DELETED 12/06/00

6. Siblings. Siblings of players placed on a team shall be automatically placed on the same team unless specifically requested by their parent or guardian to be treated separately.

All Managers may hold an option on TWO (2) player candidates. The optioned players are player candidates who the manager desires to pick for his team. If more than one manager selects the same player candidate as an optioned player, ties shall be broken by player candidate desires (if such can be determined), then by blind draft. A written note or verbal permission from a parent or legal guardian to a league official will constitute the desires of the player candidate. Optioned players are not required to tryout. Players participating on School Baseball Teams may be an option player. See Draft Procedure Policy for additional details

1. Registered Player List. Tryouts shall be held as indicated in the Madison Babe Ruth Baseball Calendar of Events. A player candidate draft list shall be given to all managers. This list shall contain all player candidates, assigning each a number and listing the individuals in alphabetical order. The list shall contain names and playing ages. Player candidates arriving at tryouts shall be assigned the number corresponding to their name on the player candidate list.

2. Tryout Activities. Tryouts shall require each player candidate to demonstrate basic skills relating to baseball while observed by league managers. Skills to be displayed include batting, fielding, throwing and running. A player candidate must participate in each scheduled tryout activity in order to be eligible for the player candidate draft. It is recommended that a pitching machine be used as much as possible during tryouts.

3. Tryout Participation. All player candidates are encouraged to participate in the league tryouts. A players participation in the league tryouts will determine his "draft status". Players that do not participate in tryouts will be placed in the "blind draft" ,except for OPTION PLAYERS AND SCHOOL BALL PLAYERS.

4. DELETED 12/06/00

1. Team Draft Representative. A player candidate draft shall be conducted for each league as specified in the Madison Babe Ruth Baseball Association Calendar of Events. Managers or their designee shall pick for their team during the draft. If a team has no representative at the draft, a Board member not associated with a team of the league shall assume representative of the team.

2. Player Draft Status. Draft Status must be determined for each player candidate.

1. Return Team - DELETED 12/06/00
2. School Team - Players not returning to a team who participate on a local School Baseball Team.
3. Tryout Draft - Players that have participated in and completed all activities scheduled in the draft.
4. Blind Draft - All players required to participate in the player draft but do not participate or complete all scheduled activities in the draft. Players with this draft status may not be drafted until all other player candidates have been selected.
5. Option Player - Players that have been selected by Team Managers as prescribed by this procedure for an option player do not have to participate in tryouts.

3. Draft Protest. In the event that it is perceived that any of the drafting rules have not been followed, a manager, commissioner or board member may petition to have the draft declared in default and a new draft held. The petition must be made within 48 hours following the conclusion of the draft, must be in writing and provide a description of the alleged violation. The BOD shall rule on the petition by a quorum majority vote within 24 hours or receiving the petition and if necessary, re-schedule the draft. If no petition is received within the 48 hour period, the draft shall be declared binding.

1. Late Registration. At any time following the draft, the Board may at its discretion to move individuals from player candidate waiting list to the player candidate list. Individuals so moved shall be assigned to teams by blind draft. The following procedures shall be followed in this effort. A determination shall be made by the board as to the number of individuals to be so moved. Individuals moved shall be in order of registration. All individuals registering during a single calendar day shall be registered by time of registration. See the Registration Policy for additional guidance in handling late registration.

2. Transfer Players. After the player draft players may not be traded between teams. If during the season, circumstances develop which jeopardize a team’s existence because of a lack of players, players may be permanently transferred from other teams to the team in need, at the League Commissioner’s discretion. Players may not be permanently moved among teams for any other reason. Temporary player substitutions shall be in accordance with the Madison Babe Ruth Baseball Association Local Playing Rules and Regulations.

1. The league official responsible for conducting the draft (usually the commissioner) will call the draft to order and verify the total number of teams needed for each League / Division. He will then determine the representative of each team. The team manager, designee or selected Board member will be identified as representative for each required team.

2. The league official shall then conduct among the team representatives, a blind draw. The blind draw identifies for each team a draft sequence number and will determine the beginning sequence for selection of players among the team representatives.

3. Managers Children. Children of Managers are automatically placed on the managers team. If a team manager does not have a child associated with the league, no other player may be used as a substitute.

4. Option player. Each team will be allowed two (2) option players. To be considered an option player, the manager must provide written permission or verbal conformation to a league official from the parent or guardian of the players optioned. However, the combination of the managers child and the two option players must not total more than two of the older age, (15 yrs,), players. If a Team Manager has not received permission to option players prior to the draft, they will select two option players before the first round of draft. The option players will be selected one at a time according to the Team Manager’s draft number and as indicated by the draft sequence below. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF OPTION PLAYERS IS TO EQUAL OUT THE PITCHING TALENT AND OBTAIN ASSISTANT COACH SUPPORT. Rules governing option player selection can be found in the MBRBA Team Selection Policy; Section 4 – Optioned Player.

5. Order of selection for round one will be the draft sequence numbers; 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,...

Round two; 8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1

Round three; 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Round four 8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1

Round five; 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

And so on.

6. The reverse sequence described above will continue through each round of the draft.

7. Teams shall continue selecting until the player candidate list is exhausted. A team may not decline to select a candidate when it is that teams' turn to select except as noted below for under aged player candidates. Any player candidate whose age is less than the nominal age for the league and who has been included on the player candidate draft list may be passed over by any or all managers. If all managers refuse to select an under age player candidate, that individual shall be moved to the league of the appropriate age group.

8. Teams shall continue selecting until the player candidate list (only players at tryouts) is exhausted. The draft will then continue in draft sequence as a blind draft (the player candidates who were not at tryouts) until the player candidate list is exhausted.

9. Trading Players. After the final draft round, players may be traded between teams. Only the manager or his designee may initiate a player trade. Both team managers must consent to player trades between teams. Rules governing maximum number of players per age group must still be observed. A team my not trade players to reduce the teams player count. All player trades must be reported to the League Commissioner and the agent responsible for the draft. All player trades must be done at the draft.
10. The above procedure will be used for player selection unless:

1. The coaches of a league (prep 13 or 14-15 or 16-18) unamimously agree on an alternate proposal AND
2. The board approves the proposed change by 2/3 vote prior to the draft