Rules

Reading Babe Ruth League games follow OBR rules with notable exceptions appropriate for recreational baseball, many of which are listed below.

Age Eligibility

RBRL is a 13-15 year old league, with age eligibility based on the Babe Ruth League age chart. Players considered to be “Babe Ruth 12 year olds” can also play if they are no longer eligible for Reading Little League, which uses a different age cutoff.

Approved Bats

All bats used in RBRL games must bear either a BBCOR or USA Baseball certification marks. Bats certified by USSSA are not permitted. Use of an illegal bat will result in an out with all runners returning. Continued use may result in removal or suspension of the player and/or coach.

Approved

Approved

✗

Not Approved

Call-Ups

If a team cannot field nine players for a game, the manager must seek call-ups from other teams. Call-up players must be league age 12 or 13, must bat at the bottom of the order, and may not pitch for the team they are called up to. Exceptions to the age restriction may be granted in rare cases where a team is unable to find a catcher.

The manager of the team receiving a call-up should provide a spare jersey and hat.

Uniforms

All players must wear their RBRL team uniform — team cap, team jersey, and baseball pants — to participate in a game. High school or other league uniforms are not permitted. A player without a complete uniform may not bat or take a position in the field.

Batting Order

RBRL uses a continuous batting order — all players present bat in rotation regardless of whether they are playing in the field. Defensive substitutions are free. Players arriving after the first pitch of the game are added to the bottom of the batting order.

Pitching Limits

RBRL uses an innings-based pitching limit system rather than a pitch count. A player may pitch a maximum of 9 innings per week, with the pitching week running Sunday through Saturday. A player is charged with a full inning for any inning in which they throw at least one pitch. If a player pitches 4 or more innings in a day, 2 full days of rest are required before they are eligible to pitch again.

Players in 9th grade or above who are members of a high school baseball team are limited to 6 innings per week and a maximum of 2 innings per appearance. This restriction remains in effect even after the high school season ends and is intended to ensure that league games are not decided solely by teams with the strongest high school pitchers.

Many coaches also refer to Pitch Smart guidelines from USA Baseball and MLB as a supplemental resource for protecting young arms.

Balks

Until Mother’s Day, a pitcher’s first balk of a game will result in a warning with runners placed at the umpire’s judgment. After Mother’s Day, balks are fully enforced.

Slide or Avoid

RBRL enforces a “slide or avoid” rule at all bases. A runner who initiates contact and does not slide or attempt to get around a fielder who has the ball and is waiting to make a tag may be called out.

At second base, a runner who does not slide and obstructs a fielder’s throw may be ruled out along with the batter-runner, resulting in an automatic double play.

Mercy Rule

A game is called when a team leads by 10 or more runs after 5 complete innings (4½ innings if the home team is ahead).

Playoff Seeding Tiebreakers

Regular-season standings determine playoff seeding within each division. Teams earn 2 points for a win, 1 for a tie, and 0 for a loss.

When two or more teams are tied on points, the following tiebreakers are applied in order:

If a tiebreaker separates one or more teams from the group, the remaining tied teams restart from step 1. This process repeats until all ties are resolved.