THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF STATE HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONS

2003 BASEBALL RULES CHANGES

Baseball Rules Committee Focuses on Base Running and the Appeal Process at its Annual Meeting

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (July 9, 2002) - Most of the rules changes made at the National Federation of State High School Associations Baseball Rules Committee meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana, on June 23-24 dealt with base running and the use of proper appeals.

The most important change was made to Rule 8-2 Penalty Articles 1-5, which explains when a coach or player can make an appeal on a missed base. In addition to the set rules on appeals, the rule change added that an appeal must be made before an intentional base is granted.

According to Elliot Hopkins, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the NFHS Baseball Rules Committee, this rule was added to prevent the defense from intentionally walking batters it does not want to face and then appealing a missed base. The rule change also prevents the defense from attempting a pick-off play and then appealing a missed base, as well as allowing the defense to appeal if the offense initiates a play, such as stealing a base. The rule also stipulates that a defensive coach can appeal only during a dead-ball situation.

"This change keeps the coaches from disrupting the umpires during a live ball," Hopkins said. "The umpires need to be intent on live-ball situations."

Another important rule change is an addition to Rule 3-1-1i. The change states that coaches may have in their possession in the coach's box, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or comparable electronic score-recording device, which shall be used for scorekeeping purposes only, in addition to a rules book and scorebook.

"The coaches now can keep track of how well their players and their opponents are doing, all in the palm of their hand," Hopkins said.

Two new rules were also added during the meeting. Rule 1-2-5 recommends that when the dugout area is extended, for any reason, it should be extended toward the outfield on a line parallel to the foul line. The extension of the dugout area shall be equally applied for both teams. This rule was added because dugout areas were being extended closer to the foul lines and home plate, causing liability concerns, and a competitive advantage for one team over the other.

The second new rule was Rule 2-29-6, which states that a defensive appeal of a runner failing to touch a base or tag up is not considered a play. This rule was added to clarify that an appeal does not constitute a play.

Five other rules changes were made, including:
        -- The last line of Rule 3-3-2 was revised to state that a coach who has been ejected can return to the playing area only if specifically requested to by an umpire.

        -- Rule 5-2-2b Exception was changed to explain that if a runner is on or beyond a succeeding base when the ball becomes dead, or advances and touches a succeeding base, he cannot return and will be called out upon a proper and successful appeal.

        -- Rule 8-2-5 was amended to state that if a runner who misses any base or leaves a base too early desires to return to touch the base, he must do so immediately. If the ball becomes dead, he cannot return to the missed base, and therefore is subject to being declared out upon a proper and successful appeal.

        -- The following was added to the end of Rule 8-4-2i: "... does not retouch his base before a fielder tags him out or holds the ball while touching such base after any situation. Umpire may also call him out at the end of playing action upon proper and successful appeal. Also, it is not necessary for runner to retouch his base after a foul tip."

        -- "... 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 he failed to touch a preceding base, or he continues and touches a succeeding base after the ball has become dead, and the defense initiates a proper and successful appeal," was added to the end of Rule 8-4-2q.

Three editorial changes were also made, with Rule 8-4-2f having the only major editorial changes. The committee added the words "does not" to correct a previously-omitted phrase. The rule now states: "... as a runner or retired runner, fails to execute a legal slide, or does not attempt to avoid the fielder or the play on a force play at any base."

The minor editorial changes dealt with Rule 2-19-1, which added the words "attempt to" to discern the outfielder's ability to attempt to make a catch, and the deletion of "c" from rule reference 6-2-2c, because there is no 6-2-2c exception.

"This was not a year of significant changes," Hopkins said. "We just did some cleaning up and some clarifying of the rules."

Baseball is the fourth-most popular sport for boys at the high school level with 450,513 participants during the 2000-01 season, according to the High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS. It also ranks third in school sponsorship with 14,791 schools offering the sport.

2003 Approved Baseball Rule Changes

Rules Reference
1-2-5 (new)     New Rule:  It is recommended that when the dugout area is extended, for any reason, it shall be extended toward the outfield on a line parallel to the foul line.  The extension of the dugout area shall be equally applied for both teams.Rationale:  Dugout areas are being extended closer to the foul lines and home plate causing concern over liability issues.  Also, this is providing greater opportunities for unsportsmanlike actions to occur.

2-29-6 (new)    A defensive appeal of a runner failing to touch a base or tag up is not a play.Rationale: To make the distinction that an appeal is not a play.

3-1-1i  Add to the rule:  have any object in his possession in the coach's box other than a rule book, scorebook, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or comparable electronic score-recording device which shall be used for scorekeeping purposes only;Rationale:  To allow a coach the flexibility to use a traditional scorebook or a comparable electronic device.

3-3-2   Revise last line:  He may return when requested by an umpire to attend to an ill or injured player.Rationale:  The committee felt it was not appropriate for an ejected coach to arbitrarily return to the playing area unless specifically requested by an umpire.

5-2-2b Exception        Change rule to:  A runner who is on or beyond a succeeding base when the ball became dead, or advances and touches a succeeding base after the ball became dead, may not return and shall be called out upon proper and successful appeal.Rationale:  Brings this ruling in alignment with appeal rule instituted in 2001.

8-2-5   Add to the rule:  If a runner who misses any base (including home plate) or leaves a base too early, desires to return to touch the base, he must do so immediately.  If the ball becomes dead and the runner is on or beyond a succeeding base, he cannot return to the missed base and, therefore, is subject to being declared out upon proper and successful appeal.Rationale:  Recommended in order to clean up affected rules from last year's rule change.

8-2 Penalty (Art. 1-5)  For failure to touch a base (advancing and returning), or failure to tag up as soon as the ball is touched on a caught fly ball, the runner may be called out if an appeal is made by the defensive team.  The defense may appeal during a live ball immediately following the play and before a pitch (legal or illegal), granting an intentional base on balls, or before the next play or attempted play. If the offensive team initiates a play before the next pitch, the defensive team does not lose the right to appeal.  A live ball appeal may be made by a defensive player with the ball in his possession by tagging the runner or touching the base that was missed or left too early.  A dead ball appeal may be made by a coach or any defensive player with or without the ball by verbally stating that the runner missed the base or left the base too early.  Appeals must be made (1) before the next legal or illegal pitch, (2) at the end of an inning, before the pitcher and all infielders have left fair territory, (3) before an intentional base on balls is granted, or (4) on the last play of the game, an appeal can be made until the umpires leave the field of play.  NOTE:  When a play by its very nature is imminent and is obvious to the offense, defense and umpire(s), no verbal appeal is necessary, e.g. runner attempting to retouch a base that was missed, or a failure to tag up and a throw has been made to that base or plate while a play is in progress.Rationale:  Prevents the defense from intentionally walking batters it does not want to face and then appealing a missed base.  Preventing the defense from making pick-off plays and then appealing a missed base.  Will allow defense to appeal if offense initiates a play (i.e. stealing a base).  A defensive coach shall verbally appeal only during a dead ball situation. 

8-4-2i  Add to the end of the rule:  does not retouch his base before a fielder tags him out or holds the ball while touching such base after any situation (8-2-1,2,3 and 4).  Umpire may also call him out at end of playing action upon proper and successful appeal.  Also, it is not necessary for runner to retouch his base after a foul tip (2-16-2); orRationale:  Recommended in order to clean up affected rules from last year's rule change.

8-4-2q  Add to the end of the rule:  ...is on or beyond a succeeding base when the ball is declared dead (5-2-2b exception) after having left a base too soon on a caught fly ball, or he failed to touch a preceding base, or he continues and touches a succeeding base after the ball has become dead, and the defense initiates a proper and successful appeal.Rationale:  Clarification that the runner is not automatically out at the end of all playing action unless defense makes proper appeal. 

Major Editorial Rule Changes

8-4-2f  f.  as a runner or retired runner, fails to execute a legal slide, or does not attempt to avoid the fielder or the play on a force play at any base; orRationale:  This is an editorial change in order to correct a previously omitted phrase.

Minor Editorial Rule Changes

2-19-1  Add to the rule:  ...(rule does not preclude outfielders from being allowed to attempt to make the catch)...Rationale:  This is an editorial change to discern the outfielder's ability to attempt to make a catch.

3-1-2 Note      Delete "c" from rule reference 6-2-2c.Rationale:  There is no 6-2-2c exception.

 

NFHS MEDIA CONTACT:  Bruce Howard or John Gillis, 317-972-6900

Bruce L. Howard, National Federation of State High School Associations,
Director of Publications and Communications, PO Box 690, Indianapolis, IN 46206; 317-822-5724 (phone), 317-822-5700 (fax), bhoward@nfhs.org (e-mail).