I. THE FIELD

1. The field will be a level surface. The angle created by the foul lines at the tip of home plate will be ninety (90) degrees.

2. The infield will be a forty-five (45) foot square. home plate and three (3) bases will be placed in normal baseball fashion. A fair play line will be drawn in front of home plate; the line will intersect each foul line at twelve (12) feet creating a "fair play triangle".

3. The outfield foul poles will be no less than eighty (80) feet and no more than ninety (90) feet from home plate in both left and right field. The center field wall will be no less than ninety (90) feet and no more than one hundred ten (110) feet from home plate. Homerun fences will be used.

4. The pitching distance is forty-five (45) feet from the rubber to home plate (back point) and forty-eight (48) feet to the strike zone target.

II. EQUIPMENT

1. The official ball of Fast Plastic will be the white, baseball size, 2004 model (No. 1149044) Wiffle^®Ball. Each team will bring their own supply. A ball will be declared illegal for use if it has a crack greater than one-quarter (1/4) inch and will be removed from the game. Each pitcher will keep possession of his ball. Only one (1) ball will be allowed on the field during a game. The ball may be lightly scuffed or sanded but no foreign matter can be added to the ball.

2. The bat must be rounded on all sides, cannot exceed thirty-eight (38) inches in length, two and one-half (2 1/2) inches in diameter, or have tape, etc. eighteen (18) inches from the handle end. Fast Plastic reserves the right to inspect and declare a bat illegal for use.

3. The strike zone target will be twenty-three (23) inches wide by twenty-seven (27) inches high/long and will stand thirteen (13) inches off the ground. The target will be three (3) feet behind the back point of home plate.

4. If batter's boxes are used, they will be no less than three (3) feet wide and four (4) feet long and no more than four (4) feet wide and six (6) feet long and placed ten (10) inches on either side of home plate.

7. Baseball gloves/mitts are not allowed. Only batters may wear batting gloves.

8. Uniforms are encouraged but not required at the Regional level. Matching shirts and hats are required during the National Championship Tournament.

III. TEAMS

1. Teams consist between two (2) and five (5) players. Roster changes may be made up to the first pitch of the regional tournaments.

2. A maximum of three (3) players may take the field for defense but a team may choose to bat a maximum of five (5) players. The pitcher and all fielders must bat. If a starting player unable to continue playing and his team does not have a non-starter to take his place, his turn at bat will be considered an out. The batting order will not change during the game. Batting out of order will result in an out (standard MLB rule).

3. All starting players may change positions at any time defensively, however once a player is substituted by a non-starter, the starter is out of the game and cannot re-enter. (Also see Section V, Rule 3.)

4. Teams may play in more than one (1) region.

5. Players may play on only one (1) team per region.

6. Players may play on only one (1) team in the Fast Plastic Open and the National Championship Tournament.

7. Players should consult their Regional Director for playoff eligibility requirements.

8. Only players who are eligible for their regional playoffs are eligible for the National Championship Tournament.

IV. THE GAME

1. Six (6) innings equal a normal game. A ten (10) run "mercy rule" is in effect after any complete inning.

2. Each team receives three (3) outs per inning.

3. Four (4) balls equals a walk. Three (3) strikes equal an out. Fouls are unlimited unless a foul tip with two (2) strikes hits the strike zone target. This will result in an out.

4. There are no restrictions with pitching speeds. A pitcher can throw as fast or slow as he likes.

5. There is no physical base running. All runners will be imaginary/ghost. There is no stealing.

6. Fair and foul balls adhere to standard baseball rules unless otherwise stated.

7. All ground balls must reach the fair play line. If a batted ball does not cross the fair play line it will be ruled a foul ball. Infielders may NOT record ground ball outs until the ball passes the fair play line.

8. A ground ball fielded before landing past the infield line is an out. Juggling and/or deflecting is still an out if the ball is fielded before hitting the ground.

9. If a batted ball is dropped by a fielder and the ball falls on the ground, it will be ruled a hit.

10. Any fair ball that lands past the infield line will be ruled single; or a double if the ball continues to roll and either comes in contact with or rolls past the fence.

11. A ball hitting a base is an automatic single; or a double should the ball continue on and either touch or roll past the outfield fence. (Also see Section VII, Rule 1)

12. A ground ball that comes to a complete stop in the infield is ruled an infield single.

13. A fly ball hitting the wall first and then caught by a fielder before hitting the ground is a double.

14. A fly ball hitting the wall first then the ground is a triple.

15. A fly ball hitting a fielder, who is not within six feet of the wall, and continuing over the wall is ruled a double.

16. With a runner on third and/or second base and less than two (2) outs a team may try and advance the runners on a fly ball. When the ball is in the air the offensive team can yell, "TAG" to activate the runner(s). (Also see Section VII, Rule 2)

17. A maximum of three (3) extra innings will be allowed. If the game is still tied, the team with the most total bases (Section IV, Rule 18) will be declared the winner. If the total bases are tied at the end of the 9^th inning, the game will continue until one (1) team is ahead by runs or total bases after a complete inning.

18. During the course of the game each team will keep track of their total bases. Total bases are determined by the outcome of the batter’s plate appearance. Homerun = 4 bases; Triple = 3 bases; Double = 2 bases; Single and Walk = 1 base. The batter does not earn a base when he reaches via a fielder’s choice. There are no errors.

V. THE PITCHER

1. A pitcher will get ten (10) warm-up pitches before the start of the game once he takes the mound and seven (7) between innings. A relief pitcher will receive seven (7) warm-up pitches unless he has previously pitched during the game. If a relief pitcher comes into the game due to a result of an injury to the active pitcher, a reasonable amount of time will be allowed for the relief pitcher to warm-up.

2. A pitcher must start his wind-up from the pitching rubber. The pitcher must have at least one (1) foot touching the rubber when he releases the ball. If a ball is pitched in violation of this rule, the pitch will be ruled a "no pitch". Repeated violations may result in the pitcher being removed from the pitcher's position for the remainder of the game.

3. A pitcher entering the game must face one complete batter before being replaced.

5. A pitcher may not wear any type of distracting jewelry or clothing.

6. There are NO balks.

VI. THE BATTER

1. The batter may NOT intentionally move into the path of a pitch. If he does, he will be called for batter's interference, and the pitch will be called a strike. A warning must be given first and a "no pitch" will result. The warning remains with that particular batter for the remainder of the game.

2. A batter must move out of the way of a fielder’s double play attempt. If the batter is standing in front of the backstop and/or the strike zone target and is hit by a fielders throw while the ball is in the air, a double play will be recorded. (Also see Section VII, Rule 6.)

3. A hit batsman results in a ball only unless the batter is hit in the head. A headshot will result in the batter awarded first base.(Also see Section VI, Rule 4)

4. The hand's of the batter are considered part of the bat ONLY if the batter is swinging.

5. The batter will NOT touch foul balls until they come to a complete stop. If the batter does touch a moving foul ball and the ball is determined to have a chance of rolling into fair territory the batter will be ruled out.

6. The batter may Sacrifice Bunt in order to advance baserunners. Under no circumstances will a sacrifice score a runner. The batter must square himself to the pitcher and slide his top hand up the barrel of the bat. A check swing is NOT a sacrifice bunt.

Any ground ball that is bunted and comes to a complete stop on or inside the Fair Play Triangle will result in the lead advancing runner being out. Any ground ball that travels further than the Fair Play Triangle and comes to a complete stop prior to being touched by a defensive player will result in all eligible baserunners advancing one base and the batter will be out. A ground ball which is fielded cleanly by an infielder prior to coming to a complete stop is eligible for a double play as described in Section VII, Rules 6 - 8.

VII. BASE RUNNERS AND FIELDERS

1. Base runners move as follows: One base on a single, three bases on a double and triple. With two outs all runners advance one extra base on a clean (untouched) hit through the infield. An infield hit and a ball hitting a base does not get the two out extra base.

3. All fielders must start in fair territory.

4. A fielder will not line up in any manner that may distract a batter.

5. Only infielders may record ground ball outs. To be considered an infielder, the player must be completely inside the infield (not on the line), prior to and during the pitcher’s windup and delivery.

6. A ground ball double play is recorded by an infielder first fielding the ball who then throws the ball and hits the strike zone target.

In order to complete a double play, the infielders must handle the ball cleanly (not juggled or deflected) and throw the ball, hitting the strike zone target in the air. The infielders have three (3) seconds and one (1) step to make the throw after the catch.

The successful double play will result in the out at second base and first base except when the bases are loaded. If the bases are loaded the outs will be recorded at home plate and first base. If the fielder misses the target one out will result (second base or home plate if bases loaded). If the fielder juggles or deflects the ball but it is caught before falling to the ground an out will be recorded at first base. (See also Section VII, Rule 7 and Section VI, Rule 2 for additional information regarding double plays.)

7. If a double play situation exists and the infielder fields a ground ball cleanly but chooses not to attempt a double play, the lead "forced" runner will be out.   All non-forced runners will hold their base.   If an infield double play is attempted in any way, all non forced runners will advance one base unless the result of the play ends the inning.

8. A player may NOT intentionally allow a fly ball or line drive to land in order to create a double play situation. The result of a player intentionally allowing a ball to land will be as follows: 1. If fielded cleanly the lead "forced" runner will be out; 2. If fielded but juggled or deflected the batter will be out at first base; or 3. All will be safe if the fielder completely drops his attempt to pick up the ball.

9. There is NO infield fly rule as defined by MLB.

VIII. WHO MAKES THE CALL

1. Fair and foul calls will be the responsibility of the batter.

2. Singles, doubles and triples will be made by the fielder closest to the ball.

3. Check swings will be the responsibility of the pitcher.

4. Foul balls off the batter's hands will be the responsibility of the batter.

5. Batter's interference will be the responsibility of the pitcher.

6. Determining the timeliness of the "TAG" call will be the responsibility of the defense.

7. Whether a thrown ball hits the backstop/strike zone target for double plays (tags and infield) will be the offensive team's responsibility. It is also the offensive team's call on the timeliness of the double play attempt.

8.Legal pitch determination will be the offensive team's responsibility.

10. Consult your Director for calls not mentioned herein.

11. Keeping and reporting the official score will be the home team's responsibility.

IX. GENERAL RULES

1. Tournaments will be round robin with a single elimination playoff.

2. A coin toss will decide the Home team during the round robin format. The higher seeded team will be the Home team during the playoff rounds.

3. There is no refund on tournament fees once a team is registered.

4. Forfeiting games is not allowed; teams must play all of their scheduled games. Any forfeiture may result in the team being disqualified from the tournament.

5. All teams and players will respect and adhere to the rules of Fast Plastic. All players will conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike fashion. Taunting, berating or other type of disrespecful conduct towards opponents and/or league officials will not be tolerated. Any violations may result in an ejection from the game and/or tournament. Fast Plastic reserves the right to refuse entry of any player or team.

6. Formal protests must be lodged to the Tournament Director and only prior to the next pitch. Judgment calls cannot be protested. All decisions made by the Director will be final.

7. Rules not stated herein, will follow the rules of Major League Baseball.

8. The Tournament Director is in complete charge of the tournament.