Saskatoon Men's Baseball League

SASKATOON MEN’S BASEBALL LEAGUE

Amended: May, 2007

ARTICLE I: NAME AND OBJECTIVES

A. The name of this organization shall be the SASKATOON MEN’S BASEBALL LEAGUE (SMBL).

B. The objective of this league shall be to provide an opportunity for
players to enjoy the game of baseball in a league where sportsmanship
and fair play takes priority over competition. If participation is our
primary objective, then an opportunity for all team members to play, in
a non-abusive atmosphere is a necessity. This league philosophy
necessitates that each team manager be accountable for the behaviour of
his team, although the league reserves the right to take action to
enforce high standards of player conduct if team officials are
unwilling or unable to do so.

ARTICLE II: OFFICERS, THEIR ELECTION AND THEIR DUTIES

A. The Board of Directors for the SMBL shall be:

(1) the Executive,

(2) one voting delegate from each team in good standing.

B. The Executive of the SMBL shall consist of the following:

(1) the President,

(2) the Vice-President,

(3) the Secretary-Treasurer,

(4) the Past-President

C. The members of the Board of Directors shall have one vote at all
league meetings. Voting shall be by show of hands unless any member
requests a vote by secret ballot, in which case voting shall be by
secret ballot.

D. Each team shall have the right to send their executive members to
all league meetings. Any of these individual team executive members
shall have the right to make or second motions or resolutions. They
shall also have the right to participate in all discussions on any
motions or resolutions. However, only one team executive member shall
have the right to vote on any motions or resolutions.

E. Each team attending a league meeting shall designate to the presiding officer their voting delegate.

F. It shall be the duty of the Executive of the SMBL to carry out the
policies as established by the Board of Directors in accordance with
the league constitution and bylaws.

G. A quorum of the Board of Directors shall be two-thirds (2/3) of its members.

H. The league Executive shall have full power to deal with all matters
to ensure that the SMBL is administered according to its constitution
and bylaws, and also shall have full power to enforce any decision set
forth by the Board.

I. The President shall:

(1) attend and preside at all league meetings. If the President cannot attend, the Vice-President shall chair the meeting,

(2) ensure that all members of the Executive perform their duties,

(3) enforce Board, Executive and Committee decisions,

(4) preside and be a member of the league protest committee,

(5) preside and be a member of the suspensions and reinstatements committee,

(6) have the same rights as other Board members and vote on all motions or resolutions,

(7) be one of any two required to sign all cheques and ensure that
league funds are used only as directed by the constitution or the
bylaws of the Board,

(8) shall have second or casting vote.

J. The Vice-President shall:

(1) attend all league and executive meetings,

(2) in the absence of the President, perform all duties of the President,

(3) if the office of the President falls vacant, be acting President until a new President is elected,

(4) render assistance to any team or Board member as directed by the Board or Executive,

(5) be a member of the protest committee,

(6) be a member of the suspensions and reinstatements committee,

(7) be one of any two required to sign all cheques and ensure that
league funds are used only as directed by the constitution or the
bylaws of the Board.

K. The Secretary-Treasurer shall:

(1) receive all revenue, fees, performance bonds, and fines, keep a
record of each team’s payments and deposit promptly all money with a
bank or credit union,

(2) record all transactions in a manner acceptable to the Board, in accordance with good accounting practices,

(3) provide a yearly statement of revenue and expenditures,

(4) pay no money unless authorized by the President or the Board,

(5) keep full and accurate account of the proceedings of all league and Executive meetings,

(6) record all motions, with the mover’s and seconder’s names, in the minute book,

(7) be a member of the suspensions and reinstatements committee,

(8) be one of any two required to sign all cheques and ensure that
league funds are used only as directed by the constitution or the
bylaws of the Board.

L. The Past-President shall:

(1) exist such that each and every former President shall be entitled to stand for election,

(2) advise the President as may be required,

(3) be a member of the suspensions and reinstatements committee,

(4) have other such duties, responsibilities and powers as may, from time to time, be delegated by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIPS AND FRANCHISES

A. Memberships in the SMBL shall be composed of teams that are
acceptable to the Board by two-thirds (2/3) majority vote. The teams
shall abide and comply with the constitution and bylaws of the SMBL.

B. Any team holding a franchise and not abiding and complying with the
constitution of the SMBL or a decision by the Board or the Executive
shall be subject to a fine as determined by the Board or automatically
forfeit its membership and franchise rights.

C. No club holding a franchise shall move said franchise for any of its
scheduled home (or playoff) games without such changes of location
granted by two-thirds (2/3) majority of the Board.

ARTICLE IV: AMENDMENTS

A. The articles and bylaws of the SMBL are always subordinate to the
official rules of baseball as amended by the Canadian Federation of
Amateur Baseball (CFAB) and supplied by Baseball Canada. Unless the
articles and bylaws are approved by two-thirds (2/3) majority vote.

B. No amendments shall be made to the SMBL constitution or bylaws except at meetings set forth in Article II(G).

C. All amendments to the SMBL constitution shall require a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the Board of Directors present.

D. All amendments to the SMBL bylaws shall require a simple majority of the Board of Directors present.

E. League constitution and bylaw amendments and / or additions shall be made only at the semi-annual league meetings.

F. Any amendments to the league constitution and bylaws must be given
by written notice one (1) week prior to the league meeting to all Board
of Directors.

SMBL BYLAWS

101. ANNUAL FEES

A. Annual fees for each team shall be determined at semi-annual meetings.

B. Annual fees shall be paid before first league game.

C. Each team shall pay a $100 performance bond.

102. REGULAR SEASON GAMES

A. All single games shall start at 6:30pm, or at a time determined by the League Scheduler for weekend games.

B. A team may use a substitute runner which will consist of the last
out (except the pitcher) for the catcher after 2 outs and the catcher
on base.

C. A team may, choose prior to the game, to enter its entire bench in the batting order, or just to bat 9 fielders.

D. Teams choosing to bat 9 players shall be subject to official rules
re: lineups. A designated hitter is allowed. NO UNLIMITED DEFENSIVE
SUBSTITUTIONS.

E. Free defensive substitutions are allowed if entire bench bats.
However no advantage to the batting order shall be obtained as a result
of these substitutions.

F. A minimum of 8 players is required for a team to begin a game. A
team playing a game with only 8 players shall have an automatic out
recorded each time this team’s ninth batter is due up to bat.

G. If a team is ahead by 10 or more runs after five innings (or 4 1/2
if home team is ahead) the game is over. (Regular Season and Playoffs).

H. In the event of a rain-shortened game, the game will be considered complete after 5 innings are played (or 4 1/2 if the home team is ahead).

I. It shall be the responsibility of the league to pay the fees of the umpires for all league and playoff games.

J. All teams shall be responsible for the conduct of their players, coaches, and managers.

K. Home team supplies the 3 new baseballs for the game.

L. Ties must be played until a winner is decided or until darkness sets in.

M. If any team wants to postpone a game they must give the other team
and the President a minimum of one week notice for said changes. If
less than one week’s notice, the opposing team and the scheduler
(President) must agree to the change or it is a default.

N. A lineup card shall be given to the umpire before the stat of the
game designating whether 9 players or all players on the bench are
hitting.

O. Home teams must finish their infield practice ten minutes prior to
game time. Visiting teams must finish their infield practice prior to
game time. Under no circumstances shall a game be delayed because of
infield practice.

P. Any team that cannot field a team at game time shall forfeit the
game. With a minimum of 8 players (see F). If player(s) are coming
late, that team must ask the plate umpire to get the other team’s
permission before the game is started. If they don’t get permission
from both parties or have not notified each of their intentions, the
players are not eligible to play.

103. PLAYOFFS

A. The top 10 teams make the playoffs. There will be a 1-game showdown between the 7th and 10th place teams and the 8th and 9th place teams. The two winners of those games will advance to a best-of-three playoff format. The 1st place team will play the lowest place team, the 2nd place team will play the next lowest team, 3rd will play 6th, and 4th will play 5th. Winners advance – all series are best-of-three. The schedule maker has the final say on the dates that the games will be played.

B. Should a tie occur among two or more teams at the end of the regular schedule the following shall apply to break the tie:

(1) The team with the most wins.

(2) The team with the most wins in games played amongst the teams involved.

(3) The best runs for and against ratio in games among the teams involved.

(4) By a coin toss.

C. If a tie should occur in a playoff game the game shall be replayed in full.

104. PROTESTS

A. A team wishing to protest the results of a league or playoff game
shall forward a letter within twenty-four (24) hours after the game in
dispute to the league President. A $25.00 protest fee shall accompany
the letter. If protest is upheld the fee shall be returned.

B. The protest committee shall be comprised of the President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, and the Board of Directors.

105. SUSPENSION AND RE-INSTATEMENTS

A. The Executive shall be members of the suspensions and re-instatements committee.

B. Any team that violates the league constitution or bylaws, or refuses
to abide by a decision of the Board shall be suspended and thereafter
subject to fines and / or expulsion from the SMBL. (Failure to comply
with a decision of the Board shall result in the forfeiture of the
offending team’s performance bond and the teams’ permanent expulsion
from the league).

C. In accordance with league objectives any display of abusive
behaviour (verbal or physical) will not be tolerated. Such abuse
directed against umpires, opponents, or fans is grounds for immediate
ejection from the game. Umpires must report details of any such
ejection to a member of the suspensions and re-instatements committee
immediately following the completion of the game.

D. Any ejection of a participant from a game may result in a suspension
to be determined by the suspensions committee. The suspensions
committee shall have the power to suspend a player, coach, or manager
for more than one game.

E. Any player ejected from a game will receive an additional one game
suspension for his first ejection of the season. The second time a
player is ejected in the same season, he will receive an additional two
game suspension. A third ejection in the same season will result in an
additional five game suspension. Note: All additional games that a
player is suspended are to be served immediately following the game he
was ejected from. A fourth ejection will be ruled on by the Board of
Directors.

F. Should a player, coach or manager be suspended at or near the end of
the regular schedule or during the SMBL playoffs his suspension shall
carry over into the next season it there are not enough games in the
current year to fulfill his suspension.

G. The suspensions and re-instatement committee may ask the Board of Directors to help in their decision on suspensions.

H. The length of suspension can be appealed to the Board, with a $25
appeal fee, at the request of the team or player only if the length of
suspension is more than one (1) game. Appeal fee shall be returned if
appeal is upheld.

I. All fines shall be paid to the league Treasurer.

106. PLAYER REGISTRATION

A. All players shall be required to compete in six (6) league games
with the same team that he is playing with in the playoffs to be
eligible for the SMBL playoffs.

B. SMBL players are to be allowed to play a maximum of 2 games in the
SSBL or any other senior league. Any player registered in the SSBL or
any other senior league is not allowed to play in the SMBL. This
applies only to league play and not provincial playoffs.

C. Any player that leaves one team to play for another team in the SMBL
cannot play for the previous team again in the current year.

D. A player cannot move to another team when the team the player wants
to go to has 10 games or less remaining to play in the regular season.
Team receiving player is responsible to let Executive know of player
movement.

107. FINES WITHOUT APPEAL

A. Teams and / or members of the Board of Directors shall be automatically fined without opportunity for appeal in the following instances:

(1) Failure to field a team by game time without 7 days advance notice will result in a fine of $300.00.

(2) Failure to pay league fees in full before first league game results
in $75.00 fine + default of game. Fine and unpaid amount due next
league game. Failure to pay by 2nd game results in revoking of
franchise.

(3) Failure of the home team playing at the Diefenbaker, Stonebridge or Meadowgreen diamonds to
put the bases in the green lock box and lock it will
result in a $75.00 fine.

B. Fines will be paid to the league Secretary-Treasurer before the
team’s next league or playoff game or within seven (7) days from the
date of notification or whichever comes first.

C. Failure to pay fine(s) will result in forfeiture of the next league or playoff game.

D. The amount of the fine(s) shall be set between a minimum of $25.00
and a maximum of $150.00, unless other wise specified, at the
discretion of the League executive.

108. STATISTICS

A. Home team must supply an official scorer.

B. Both teams must keep accurate records of scores, rosters, etc. including last names of all players.

C. Winning team is responsible for notifying the www.smbl.ca website
administrators by text at 306-241-1167 and 306-209-6516. In the event of a tie, the home team is
to text in the results.