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ARTICLE IX

SCHEDULING and RESCHEDULING

Section 9.1 Customized Scheduling

To make League participation attractive to a wide range of teams:

· League competition shall be structured according to both age and skill level wherever possible. This provides teams of widely differing skill levels with competitively balanced regular season play opportunities while also affording lower skilled teams with a realistic opportunity to participate in any of several nationally sanctioned Championship Tournaments through the League’s affiliations with various national sanctioning bodies.

· Team schedules shall be customized according to each team's availability and its home field availability, as well as its preferences for other factors such as doubleheaders. Consideration of travel distances is a factor in divisional placements as well as in determining weekday opponents and weekend opponents.

Section 9.2 Divisions

Teams qualify for NCTS berths based on regular season play and/or in special qualifying tournaments. Regular season standingts may be defined separately for teams of each age and skill level or they may be combined across teams of different ages and skill levels. When the latter approach is used, a strength-of-schedule factor shall be applied. NOTE: A game between two teams of different ages shall count only in the standings at the older age level. A separate standings is usually maintained for each sanctioned NCTS competition. The methodologies whereby regular division standings are determined shall be determined by the League Administrator.

Beginning 2009, ENYTB has shifted to what it calls FLEX scheduling. and important part of what makes FLEX scheduling work, is the existence of explicit strength-of-schedule factors for each team. This allows teams of different competition levels to appear in the same standings. It also allows teams to play different opponents and a different total number of games.

Following the close of League registrations each year, the League Administrator shall define all standings and methodologies thereto, and, based on team registration choices and possibly other factors, populate each standings with teams accordingly.

Section 9.3 Regular Season Game Totals

The League shall schedule teams to play as many regular season games as they request whenever possible. With FLEX scheduling, all league games count as tournament qualifying games if either team is registered for any NCTS berth competitions. When a non-FLEX standings methodology is employed, it is unlikely that all games played by a team will count as tournament qualifying games. By definition, non-tournament qualifying games do not count in any standings for NCTS berths but are included in the overall record of each team and reported in an overall standings for each age group.

RULE 4 MINIMUM GAMES REQUIRED TO WIN A COMPETITIVE TOURNAMENT BERTH With the exception of the June Madness tournament (no minimum) teams are required to play a minimum of six ENYTB games to be eligible for tournament play through ENYTB.

NOTE: Non-tournament qualifying games are league games and cannot be canceled w/o penalty, no different than tournament qualifying games, except as provided in section 9.10, rule 11. When a non-FLEX standings methodology is employed, the League Administrator shall define tournament qualifying and non-tournament qualifying games, consistent with the standings methodologies adopted in the regular and wildcard divisions in each age division. All games shall be clearly marked accordingly on the website. NOTE: Except for the Early-Bird progran at 13u/14u, the League does not schedule pre-season games but teams can use the various web tools for Pick-Up Games to assist in this process. When members schedule exhibition games with other league teams, those games should not be added to a team's online schedule as the League website does not distinguish between exhibition games and games that actually count.

RULE 4A Tie-breakers - The league shall determine tie-breakers from year to year, based on the divisional format adopted each year. To the extent possible, the first tie-breaker will be based on head-to-head play between or among the participants.

When a standings methodology is employed that creates non-tournament qualifying games, and two teams are “tournament qualifying” opponents and have extra games scheduled with each other, the extra games can be substituted for the tournament qualifying games when the latter are postponed or canceled. For example, two teams have a two game tournament qualifying requirement with each other but were scheduled to play each other three times. The first two times they play count as their tournament qualifying games. If game one or two between them was not played for any reason, the final scheduled game between them may be used to satisfy their two game tournament qualifying requirement. In order for the website to correctly count the played games in the standings, the un-played game must be rescheduled on either team’s online schedule to a date after the date on which the 2nd game was actually played

Section 9.4 Scheduling

The League Administrator shall draft a tentative League schedule satisfying each team’s various constraints whenever possible for such factors as: tournament qualifying requirements; requests for extra games; team and home field availability; and, doubleheader preferences. Schedules shall be available for all teams no later than approximately two weeks before their season is scheduled to begin.

Section 9.5 Home Games

Every effort shall be made to schedule each team an even number of home and away games except where the total number of games is odd and then the number of home games will not exceed the number of away games by more than one. Where possible, each head-to-head series will be scheduled on an even home and home basis but this will be a secondary consideration, depending on a variety of factors. In addition, if a team's home field availability is limited, it may have the majority of its games scheduled away.

1 Payment Of Umpires. Both teams shall split umpire fees equally at all regular season games.

2. Provision Of Game Balls. The team designated as the home team on the official league schedule shall provide all game balls except as provided in the ENYTB playing rules.

3. Scheduling Of Umpires. Under normal circumstances, the home team shall provide for the scheduling of umpires.

Exceptions:

· Home/Away Reversals - Due to field constraints, the roles of home and away may be reversed i.e, the traveling team may be designated as the home team and the non-traveling team may be designated as the away team. In such cases, the non-traveling team shall be responsible for field preparation and scheduling of umpires.

· Third Party Fields - When neither team is playing on its home field it shall be the responsibility of the designated home team to coordinate with the field owner, the scheduling of umpires. If the teams cancel the game without providing the field owner with timely notification and the umpires are not properly canceled, the designated home team shall be responsible for all umpire fees incurred.

Section 9.6 Reschedules - Grace Period

Following the official release of the tentative League Schedule, there is a two week window for teams 13U and up to contact each other and arrange necessary reschedules. This period is usually about one week for teams 12U and under.

RULE 5 Teams should try to accommodate all rescheduling requests during this "grace period", provided they are available to play on the date, based on its online team availability, and provided the reschedule would not result in an onerous number of games within a short period of time. There is no penalty for nor any limit on the number of scheduling changes a team can make during this grace period. The grace period shall end no later than the last Wednesday before Memorial Day Weekend or in the case of ages 12U and under, the Wednesday before the first scheduled game of the League season.

RULE 6 Once schedule changes are agreed to by both parties, a non-weather postponement and reschedule must be entered to the team's online schedule, which must be kept current at all times. The non-weather postponement request must be initiated online by the team making the request.

It is the responsibility of each teams to ensure that each game on its schedule is of the correct status (using DIY reschedule functions attached to each scheduled game) and once played, scored. Whenever two parties agree to a schedule change, using the DIY reschedule functions, the system automatically updates both teams' schedules and notifies all affected parties by email.

Section 9.7 Reschedules In-Season

Once the rescheduling grace period ends, schedules are considered final and teams are expected to adhere to them. One of the most important obligations each team has to the League is to make every reasonable effort to strictly adhere to its schedule once the season has begun. It is for this reason that the League goes to great lengths to provide each team with a schedule that is tailored to its specifications, including a grace period for reschedules prior to the beginning of the season.

RULE 7 The reschedule of any make-up game, including both weather related postponements and discretionary postponements, as well as the continuation of any suspended games shall be entered on the league's official website (not necessarily replayed) within seven calendar days of the date on which the game was previously scheduled to be played. All such reschedules shall require the concurrence of both managers involved.

Where such concurrence can not be reached on the reschedule of a weather postponement, the system will automatically record an impasse prior to the expiration of the 7 day limit for online updates. There is no penalty for an IMPASSE i.e., teams are NOT required to make up games postponed due to bad weather.

RULE 8 Any non-weather related postponement/reschedule request by a team after the grace period ends must be agreed to by the scheduled opponent, who is no longer under any obligation to accommodate the request. There is a limit as to how many such changes are allowed each team in a given season as well as a minimum advance notice period.

Section 9.8 Non-Playing Forfeitures

Any failure to show up to play a scheduled game on time with at least nine eligible players, regardless of length of advance notice, is a non-playing forfeit except as provided in section 9.10.

RULE 9 No game shall officially start without a minimum of nine league eligible players being present in uniform for both teams.

Any team with less than nine such players shall be provided 20 minutes after the scheduled start time to field a team of nine such players. At that point a non-playing forfeit is declared against the team unable to field a complete team unless there is a reasonable basis to expect that a sufficient number of players are on their way. Even under this circumstance, the game must start within 60 minutes of the original scheduled start time and there must be adequate time to play a complete game (7 innings). If the game begins under this circumstance and is not completed due to darkness, the game will be counted as a playing forfeit for the offending team. If the game is the first game of a doubleheader the 2nd game shall be rescheduled but the non-offending team, if scheduled as the away team, shall have the option to require the make‑up game to be played on its own home field.

In the event a game can not be played because the umpires failed to show on time the neither team will be penalized. Games must be played if only one umpire is present.

Section 9.9 Penalties For Non-Playing Forfeitures

RULE 10 Non-playing forfeitures must be reported to the League within 48 hours.

The League Administrator shall keep a record of each team’s non-playing forfeitures. The penalty for non-playing forfeit losses shall be as follows:

· The score of all non-playing forfeits shall be 7-0 (for tie-breaker purposes).

· The forfeiting team is responsible for paying all unavoidable umpire fees due to late notification. The opponent receiving the non-playing forfeit, if he scheduled the umpires, is responsible for canceling the umpires immediately upon notification. Any failure to do so would result in the forfeiting team not having to pay the avoidable portion of any umpire fees charged.

· What constitutes late notification for determining the unavoidable umpire fees shall depend in part on the customary practices of the applicable umpire organization. Some organizations allow cancellations with as little as two hours notice while others require as much as 7 days notice. In no case shall the forfeiting team be responsible to pay any umpire fees if notification was provided at least one week in advance.

· Any non-playing forfeit shall be fined a fee of $75. If the game(s) were non-local, the offending team shall pay an additional $75 penalty.

· One non-playing forfeit may result in immediate suspension of all league privileges for the remainder of teh current season. A non-playing forfeit by a 2nd team from the same club may result in the indefinite suspension from league participation, of the entire club.

The forfeiting team is responsible for paying all applicable fines and umpire fees within 72 hours of notification of assessment. Failure to make all payments in a timely manner may result in the club and all its teams being permanently banned from league play.

NOTE: When a team shows up on time with nine or more players and a forfeit is declared, this is a playing forfeit. The losing team in a playing forfeit is not penalized other than a loss in the standings.

Section 9.10 Monsoon Safety-Valve

In years where there are a large number of mid and late season rain outs, this rule is designed to prevent teams from having to play an inordinate number of games during the last two weeks of the regular season. To invoke the “safety-valve” rule a team must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the league President that it would present an undue burden to play all its remaining scheduled games.

RULE 11 When non-FLEX standings methodologies are employed, a team may cancel non-tournament qualifying games, also referred to as ”extra games” in the last two (2) weeks of the season without penalty, in order to make-up tournament qualifying games that would have a bearing on the outcome of divisional competitions for berths in post-season tournaments. Teams need the permission of their league rep or the league President prior to cancelling any game for this reason. Any team requesting such a cancellation shall be required to demonstrate to the satisfaction of its league rep or the league President that it would present an undue burden to play all its remaining scheduled games.

A 72 hour notice shall be required for all such cancellations under this provision. Essential games include all tournament qualifying games that could reasonably affect the final standings. This would include games that one or both teams need to play to reach its required minimum of qualified games for post-season eligibility.

Section 9.11 REPORTING SCORES

RULE 12 It shall be the duty of each manager or his appointee to report the score of all his team’s games with other League teams on the League website preferably within 24 hours of the time the game was completed but most assuredly within 7 days of the date the game was played. Any game remaining un-scored for seven days after the date for which the game was scheduled to be played shall be locked-down as a "PASSED" game. Neither team shall receive any standings points for a passed game and a fine of $75 shall apply to both teams.

It is important that standings on the League website be kept accurate and current. League reps shall be responsible for ensuring compliance. To the extent possible, the league's official website will assist in this task.

Section 9.12 PROTESTS

The standing Competition Committee shall have complete authority in disposition of all protests.

RULE 13 All protests must be submitted in writing, accompanied by a fee of $50.00, to the President, within 24 hours of the termination of the game upon which the protest is filed, as shown by post-mark on such protest.

The specific baseball rule or League rule allegedly violated and upon which the protest is based must be cited. All protests of an official’s judgment will be denied. The chief umpire shall sign and provide his phone number on the score book of the protesting team and mark the point in the game when the alleged infraction occurred.

In the event the protest is denied, the fee shall be deposited in the League treasury. If the protest is allowed, the fee shall be returned.