StandStill Baseball Rules  

THE STRUCTURE AND RULES OF THE GAME

The game is played on an actual baseball field but in “StandStill Baseball” you only use half of the field. The team can opt to choose the left side of the field or the right side of the field as each hitter comes to bat. The game is normally played to the left side of the field, but for a left-handed batter it would be to their advantage to request a SWITCH by saying it out loud to the umpire when they come to bat. The umpire would then have to shout SWITCH loud enough for all to hear. When SWITCH is called, the fielders have 15 seconds to move to the opposite side of the field. If it takes longer than 15 seconds, a single is awarded to the offense or a runner moves forward from any base including scoring from third base.

Using half the field means that the batter has to hit the ball between second and third base lines (changes to first and second bases in the case of SWITCH). Whether it is on the ground or in the air, it has to be inside the second base line and third base line. If the ball goes to the right side of the second baseline it is an out whether on the ground or in the air if it’s the 2nd foul ball. If the ball goes to the left side of the third baseline it is an out whether on the ground or in the air if it’s the 2nd foul ball. If the ball is hit through the infield cleanly on the ground it’s a single. If the ball is missed by the outfielder, or bobbled it’s a double and it rolls to the fence (has to touch the fence) or one hops the fence it is a double. If the ball is hit to the fence in the air it’s a triple. A ball hit over the fence is a homerun or hits the top of the fence and bounces over the fence is a homerun.

The pitcher only throws 70 mph or less and can throw fastballs, curves, sliders and knuckles as well as move the ball inside, outside, high and low. That way the pitcher can have some kind of chance at making the batter pop up or foul out or hit an easy grounder. The pitcher’s job is to make the batter pop up or foul the ball to the right or left for an out.

The game will consist of six players on the field, a catcher, a pitcher, two infielders (3rd base and short stop) and a left fielder and a center fielder. The five fielders can take any formation they choose to defend a particular hitter. When the pitcher throws he can back off the mound as far back as he chooses after the pitch for safety and being able to field a ball coming back up the middle better.

The time limit for the game is one hour. At exactly one hour the umpire will call the game and the team that is ahead at that time is the winner. (Tie Rule is still being defined.)

Since there is a one-hour limit for the game the players must sprint on and off the field. Players have 30 seconds to hustle off the field. This will give the game more action since there is no base running. The players must make chatter during the game on and off the field and on the bench. There is nothing worse than a silent ball team during a game. Players can rag on the other team, but there is no cursing and no fighting.

Rules for All:

1. No arguing with the umpire, players or fans. Players arguing with the umpire or other players, fans, etc. waste time and puts their team at a disadvantage. Any protests should be dealt with after the game.

2. No fighting.

3. StandStill is played with a baseball, not a softball.

4. The game can be played on either side of the field. The batter has to yell SWITCH loud enough for the umpire to hear, and then the umpire has to yell loud enough for every player to hear. The defensive players cannot start to switch sides of the field until the umpire has yelled SWITCH.

Team Rules and Conduct:

1. Each team has its own players.

2. Each team has its own pitchers.

3. Each player on the team can and should be able to pitch.

4. Each team must have a manager and a coach. The manager or coach can coach the baselines. This way they can dispute a bad call on foul balls.

5. Only the manager or coach can dispute calls they feel are bad.

6. The umpire has the last word. His call is final, but he can change a call if he has obviously made the wrong call. Discretion goes to the umpire.

7. Each team has its own uniform and logo.

8. Teams must dress and act as professionals at all times.

9. The individual teams must wear the same uniform in every way including the cleat color. Players can play in rubber or metal cleats as long as they are the same color as the team.

10. No fans allowed in the dugouts or on the field unless approved by the league or team owners.

Rules for Players:

1. Minimum twelve players per team. Players should play every position including pitcher.

2. Coach and manager make substitute changes.

3. A replaced player cannot re-enter the same game but can play in subsequent games.

4. Only the six players who start the game can hit. Substitutions are allowed for injuries and emergencies only.

5. All players must be in the dugout if you are not batting, except the on-deck hitter (and the coach).

6. Because of the time constraints, the ball should be back in the pitcher’s hand with 20 seconds from the outfielders, 15 seconds from the infielders, or 15 seconds from the catcher.

Rules for Pitcher:

1. Distance from pitcher to batter can be the same as major leagues.

2. Pitcher must throw from rubber.

3. Pitcher can use any type of windup (short or long) but the ball has to be thrown like a baseball not a softball. Remember the longer the windup the more time you stay in the field. Short windups are less time consuming. The bigger the windup the more time advantage you give to the opposing team.

4. No pitches faster than 70mph.

5. Pitcher has to be an exceptional fielder and tremendously quick.

6. No quick pitching. Two fast pitches over 70 mph and batter gets a base.

7. Pitcher has 20 seconds to deliver the pitch to home plate or the batter receives a ball or if he/she already has a ball, he/she is given first base. If there’s a runner on base they get the forwarding base including home plate.

8. Pitcher can field ball anywhere in the infield and has to be ready to pitch within 20 seconds after fielding the ball or the next batter gets a one ball count. If the pitcher throws another ball after the given ball, the batter gets the base.

9. Pitcher can throw any pitch he/she wants as long as it’s thrown from a baseball pitcher’s delivery.

10. No doctoring the ball.

11. There is a balk for quick pitching.

Rules for Batter:

1. Must use wood bats.

2. Batters have to be in the batter’s box within 15 seconds.

3. Both feet must be in batter’s box when contact is made with the ball.

4. Two foul balls or foul tips make an out.

5. One strike without swinging is an out.

6. Two balls are a walk.

7. A pitch swung at and missed is an out if the catcher holds the ball. If the batter foul tips the ball and it’s dropped, the batter gets to swing again. If there’s a second tipped ball, the batter is out whether it’s caught or not. Foul tips are considered foul balls. If the first foul tip is caught by the catcher, the batter is out.

8. If the batter is hit by a pitch it is a walk but the batter has to legitimately try to get out of the way.

9. Every batter must wear a batting helmet.

10. Batter is allowed to crowd the plate.

11. Batter can switch sides at the plate as long as he/she calls “switch”. This can be used as a strategy by having the defensive players run back and forth to tire them out. This gives the batter a better chance to get a hit. Remember this strategy has to work or the batter has wasted a lot of time. This can also be used to keep the defensive team in the field. Example, if you are ahead in the game and there is only ten minutes left, switch is a good way to eat up some more time.

12. All batters can switch.

13. The batter has no time to argue calls in the field or at bat. If the batter does argue with the umpire about a call the batter is out.

14. Batters must immediately get out of the batter’s box after a hit or out so that the next batter can get his/her turn at bat. Time is of the essence. Batter has 10 seconds to get out of the box, then next batter has 10 seconds to get in.

15. Right-hand hitters must hit to the left side of the field; left-handed hitters must hit to the right side of the field unless they decide to switch hit.

Rules for Infielders and Outfielders:

1. A ground ball must be caught cleanly in the infield or outfield for it to be an out meaning that it cannot be dropped, bobbled, fumbled, kicked, juggled.

2. An infielder and outfielder can catch fly balls anywhere on the field.

3. A fly ball can be bobbled as long as the ball is caught before it hits the ground.

4. The defense cannot take for granted that a hitter will switch. You have to wait until the umpire calls switch or the defensive team will receive a penalty – the batter will be given a ball.

5. From the time the ball is touched by an infielder, they have 15 seconds, or outfielder, they have 20 seconds to get the ball back into the pitcher’s hand.

6. The players have 30 seconds to go on and off the field except for an injury.

Rules for the Catcher - Receiver:

1. The catcher can catch pop ups anywhere.

2. Catcher can talk to batter during the game. Batter does not have to respond, but he/she can. No fighting allowed.

3. The catcher has to catch the ball cleanly after the batter swings and misses, does not swing, or foul tips. If the catcher drops the ball on a foul tip, the batter gets one more chance.

4. Catcher should back up every throw back to the pitcher from the defensive players and hustle the ball back to the pitcher. This is imperative to the proper usage of time and the defense only has 20 seconds to get ball back to the pitcher before being penalized. Remember time is precious in StandStill Baseball.

5. The catcher has to really hustle. The catcher has 15 seconds from the time he/she touches or catches the ball to get it back in the hands of the pitcher.

Rules for Relays:

1. Relays must be thrown quick and direct – no throwing pop-ups, no bounces, no tossing the ball unless defensive players are too close to each other. Reminder: outfielders have 20 seconds and infielders have 15 seconds after they touch or catch the ball to get it back into the pitcher’s hands. Relays are one of the most important parts of StandStill. If the throws are slow and sloppy the game looks bad and sloppy and shows no pride or professionalism.

Rules about Strikes and Balls:

1. Batter must swing at strikes.

2. The batter does not call pitches.

3. If the batter does not swing at a called strike, the batter is out.

4. If the pitcher throws two balls in a row, the batter receives a walk.

5. If the batter fouls two pitches, the batter is out. If the first foul tip is caught, he/she is out.

6. A foul tip is considered a foul ball.

7. Any pitch swung at and completely missed by batter is an out.

8. A speed gun is essential to the game.

9. A foul ball is any ball hit outside of the third base or the center line. The line itself is considered foul territory so if the ball hits a part of either line, third or center, it is considered a foul ball.

10. If the pitcher throws the ball two times in a row over the speed limit, the runner gets the base. If the first pitch is too fast and it’s a strike, it’s considered a no pitch.

11. If the first foul ball is caught in the air, the batter is out. A defensive player should not cross the line unless he/she is sure they will catch the foul ball because if they miss it the batter gets a single or the runner gets the forwarding base.

Length of Game:

1. The game is one hour.

2. The game is over as soon as the timekeeper or the umpire yells, “Game over”.

Umpiring:

1. Umpires are officials. They are not part of a team.

2. Four umpires, one behind home plate and two on the infield foul lines and one in the outfield.  

3. The home plate umpire calls strikes and balls and is the head umpire.

4. The third base umpire only calls plays made by the third baseman, the second base umpire calls only the second base plays and the outfield umpire calls the outfield plays.  

5. The umpires cannot stand back and make a call. They have to be on top of the play or as close to it as possible so they can make the proper call. For instance, foul balls, pop flies, clean pick-up of ground balls, etc. They have to yell their calls loud enough for all to hear.

6. The umpire can call a “no pitch” if the speed guns shows the pitch was over 70 mph. If the second pitch is too fast also, the runner is allowed a base.

Scoring:

1. Three singles score a run.

2. Double and single score a run.

3. Two doubles score a run.

4. A triple and a single score a run.

5. A triple and a double score a run.

6. Two triples score a run.

7. A home run scores everyone.

8. Four walks score a run.

Hits:

1. A single is any ground ball that is cleanly hit through the infield in fair territory or any ground ball bobbled by the third baseman or shortstop. Cleanly means untouched by any defensive players. Also any fly ball that one-hops in front of the outfielders that is caught cleanly by the outfield before it hits the fence is a single. If the clean fly ball hits the ground and rolls or bounces to the fence it’s ruled a double.

2. A double is a ball hit cleanly to the fence that rolls or hops that has not been touched by the outfielders. If a ground ball is bobbled by the outfielder it becomes a double.

3. A triple is any ball in fair territory that hits the fence on the fly.

4. A home run is any ball hit over the fence in fair territory. If ball hits the top of the fence and bounces over it’s ruled a home run.

5. There is no advancement on fly outs. Example, if there is a man on base and there are less than two outs and the batter hits a long fly ball, the runner stays where he or she is.

Time Outs:

1. If a player is hurt.

2. If there is some kind of distraction.

3. When umpires need to consult with each other about a bad or unsure call.

4. Changing pitchers and players.

Penalties:

Teams can be penalized for the following:

1. Excessive cursing

2. Fighting

3. Cheating

4. Lack of hustle – no one wants to see a team with no spirit

5. Drinking alcohol

6. Insulting fans

7. Reminder: Throwing the bat, cursing, and arguing is a one run penalty awarded to the team in the field.

What Constitutes A Protest:

1. Cheating by players

2. Cheating by umpire(s)

3. A blatant bad call

4. Physical fighting

5. Excessive lateness by players or teams

The rules of StandStill Baseball are complete for now, but new rules are being defined with every new game.