Omaha Adult Baseball League Rules

Written to close loopholes, and it says so

The rulebook's own disclaimer states the intent: to eliminate loopholes so that no team gets an unfair advantage, with the league reserving the right to settle anything unaddressed in the spirit of the game and with impartiality. Everything in it reads like it was written after an argument.

Courtesy runners are the clearest example. A team declares before the game who is eligible -- up to two, from any combination of the current pitcher, the current catcher, or two named players -- and if it declares nothing, only the active pitcher and catcher qualify. Named players cannot be changed for any reason, and lose eligibility permanently if they leave the game. The runner must be whoever is off base and furthest from batting again, and must come in as soon as the player reaches his furthest base and before the next pitch.

Pitchers come out after hitting four batters in a nine-inning game or three in a seven. Hitting one on purpose means automatic removal and at least a one-game suspension, more if it was at the head, neck or shoulder, and a season if it happens twice. Fielders may not decoy a throw or a catch: every runner advances a base, and a second decoy in the same game is an expulsion. Ties after three hours continue outright if no game follows, and go to the California rule -- a runner on second and one out to start each half-inning -- if one does. Ten runs after seven innings ends it, or fifteen after six.

A rulebook written this precisely is worth having on a phone at the field rather than in a browser tab at home. On a High Cheese league page it sits beside the fixture list players already open, current version only.