Rules FAQ
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Frequently Asked Rules Questions - last updated 6/29/09:
What’s new?
Q: How does the 1/2009 Revision of the Official WAKA Rules affect the rules governing pitching and the strike zone?
Field Setup
Q: Is it permissible to physically mark the horizontal boundaries of the strike zone during a regulation game?
Pitching & Kicking
Q: Is a pitch that fails to bounce twice before reaching the plate considered a Ball regardless of what the kicker does?
Q: If the kicker stands completely still and is struck in the leg by a pitch, or if they are trying to get out of the way, does that count as a kick?
Q: If the kicker slaps a pitched ball away with their hand, is that a Foul?
Fielding
Q: What kinds of Foul Balls can be caught for an Out? May runners tag up on such Outs?
Q: Overthrows – if a fielder tries to catch a kicked ball but fails, deflecting the ball into foul territory, is that an “overthrow” that restricts the runners?
Q: Can a ball be fielded as fair when first touched by a fielder in the “shaded area” depicted in Diagram 2B?
Q: Can a ball be fielded as fair when first touched by a fielder in the kicking box?
Base Running
Q: When the ball is returned to the pitcher on the mound, what determines whether a runner off base may attempt to advance or must return to their last occupied base? Is there a “halfway” rule?
Q: Can a kicker who overruns first base be tagged out if they turn to the left?
Q: At what point may a runner “tag up” to advance on a caught ball?
Q: When a runner misses a base, or leaves base on a caught ball before it is first touched, and the play ends without the runner returning to retouch the base, or without the fielding team putting the runner out, should the fielding team "appeal" the play by holding the ball at the missed or vacated base once the play is concluded?
Encroachment
Q: How many encroachment warnings does a team get before free bases are awarded?
Q: Should these warnings or penalties be applied even when the ball is not kicked?
Q: Can a Catcher or Fielder that encroaches while a pitch is in progress correct themselves before the pitch reaches the kicker, and therefore avoid the warning or penalty?
Q: Can encroachment occur after the pitched ball passes the kicker, or after it is clear the kicker is not going to kick the pitch?
Q: Does the result of the play stand when these infractions are warned or penalized? Can the kicking team decline a penalty?
Q: Do all runners on base advance when a free base penalty is applied?
General Rules & Referee issues
Q: If the Head Ref isn’t sure of the correct final ruling for an unusual situation on the field, may the result of a game be determined retroactively once a correct ruling is found after the fact?
Q: How do I submit a suggestion for a new rule or a change to an existing rule?
Q: How do I obtain a clarification on the proper interpretation of a rule?
What’s new?
Q: How does the 1/2009 Revision of the Official WAKA Rules affect the rules governing pitching and the strike zone?
A: The biggest rule change this year is the introduction of the “two-bounce” rule. Any pitch that fails to bounce at least TWICE (or roll) before reaching the kicking box will be considered a Ball (12.02b).
Also of note:
- • The pitcher must now end their kicking motion with one foot on or directly behind the pitching strip – NOT off to either side of the mound (8.02).
- • The shape of the strike zone has now been defined as an irregular pentagon based on the shape of home plate (see Rule 1.02 and Diagram 4). Furthermore it has been clarified that any part of the ball need only touch any part of the strike zone in order to be a strike (11.02a), provided it also meets the criteria of the Bouncy rule explained in Rule 12.02.
- • This is not a change, but a nuance often missed: If a ball enters the kicking box as a strike but bounces up more than a foot high within the box (before reaching the kicker), that should be called a Ball (12.02d). [Back to top]
Field Setup
Q: Is it permissible to physically mark the horizontal boundaries of the strike zone during a regulation game?
A: Not with anything raised that could potentially interfere with play, such as cones. Cones should mark the BACK corners of the kicking box, but may not be placed near the plate or in the kicker’s way (1.02). [Back to top]
Pitching & Kicking
Q: Is a pitch that fails to bounce twice before reaching the plate considered a Ball regardless of what the kicker does?
A: No. Just as with a pitch outside the strike zone, it is only a Ball if the kicker does not attempt to kick the ball. [Back to top]
Q: If the kicker stands completely still and is struck in the leg by a pitch, or if they are trying to get out of the way, does that count as a kick?
A: Yes – it is the kicker’s responsibility to evade a pitched ball that they do not wish to kick. However, the Head Ref has some discretion here, and should call a pitch a Ball if the Ref judges it to be a deliberate and unsportsmanlike throw at the kicker. [Back to top]
Q: If the kicker slaps a pitched ball away with their hand, is that a Foul?
A: As of the 1/2009 Rules, that is now an OUT (14.02e, 15.02c). [Back to top]
Fielding
Q: What kinds of Foul Balls can be caught for an Out? May runners tag up on such Outs?
A: All of them, except for when the ball touches a foreign object such as a batting cage or fence (13.02d). Other fouls, including kicks on or above the knee (13.02e), balls touched more than once by the kicker in the kicking box (13.02f), and balls kicked outside the kicking box (13.02g) MAY be caught for Outs, and runners may attempt to tag up and advance on them, provided the caught ball is not in the possession of the pitcher on the mound. [Back to top]
Q: Overthrows – if a fielder tries to catch a kicked ball but fails, deflecting the ball into foul territory, is that an “overthrow” that restricts the runners?
A: No – Rule 10.07a defines an overthrow as “a ball thrown, kicked, or deflected into foul territory while making a defensive play toward a player or base;” – therefore a misplayed catch of a ball directly off the kicker’s foot does not qualify, since it is not a defensive play towards a player or base. Similarly, an attempted defensive play that sails into center field does not restrict the runners either, since the ball has not entered foul territory. [Back to top]
Q: Can a ball be fielded as fair when first touched by a fielder in the “shaded area” depicted in Diagram 2B?
A: Yes. “The area directly forward the kicking box is fair territory” – Rule 1.01g. [Back to top]
Q: Can a ball be fielded as fair when first touched by a fielder in the kicking box?
A: No. The kicking box itself is foul territory in all respects, except that a kicked ball may roll or bounce through it without instantly becoming foul. [Back to top]
Base Running
Q: When the ball is returned to the pitcher on the mound, what determines whether a runner off base may attempt to advance or must return to their last occupied base? Is there a “halfway” rule?
A: There is not a “halfway” rule, nor any rule requiring that a runner be a certain distance from their next base in order to legally proceed. HOWEVER – as of the 1/2009 Rules, there is a requirement that in order to advance, the runner must be in “forward motion” at the time the pitcher receives the ball on the mound (15.01). Therefore, a runner who is running may keep running, but a runner who is stopped must go back. No longer may a runner pause a step off the base and attempt a late dash once the pitcher’s back is turned. Note that, as always, any subsequent attempted play that brings the ball off the mound or out of the pitcher’s possession WILL allow any runner to resume advancing at their own risk. [Back to top]
Q: Can a kicker who overruns first base be tagged out if they turn to the left?
A: An idle left turn that still brings them directly back to first base does NOT constitute an active attempt to advance per 10.06. However, even the slightest deliberate move towards second base would allow the runner to be tagged out. [Back to top]
Q: At what point may a runner “tag up” to advance on a caught ball?
A: The runner may tag up as of the moment the kicked ball is first touched by any fielder (10.05). [Back to top]
Q: When a runner misses a base, or leaves base on a caught ball before it is first touched, and the play ends without the runner returning to retouch the base, or without the fielding team putting the runner out, should the fielding team "appeal" the play by holding the ball at the missed or vacated base once the play is concluded?
A: No. After the play has concluded, any Ref that witnessed a runner miss a base or leave one prematurely may call the runner out at that time, without the formality of appeal. The out is considered to have occurred at the time the infraction occurred, so when that is the 3rd out it should nullify any runs scored subsequent to that point (see Rules 10.05 and 14.02f).
Note that any runner leaving a base before a pitched ball is kicked is immediately out (see Rules 10.03 and 14.02g). [Back to top]
Encroachment
Q: How many encroachment warnings does a team get before free bases are awarded?
A: There are THREE types of free-base penalties, for which warnings are first given:
- • Pitcher Position Infraction (in which the pitcher fails to begin the pitching motion within the mound, or fails to end their pitching motion directly behind the pitching strip – e.g., off to one side of the mound) – see Rule 8.02.
- • Fielder Encroachment (in which any fielder crosses the 1st-3rd diagonal before the pitched ball reaches the kicker) – see Rule 8.03.
- • Catcher Encroachment (in which the catcher moves in front of the kicker, or moves outside the kicking box, before the pitched ball reaches the kicker) – see Rule 8.04.
Each team gets one warning for each type of infraction. After a team has been warned once, all subsequent infractions of that rule by that team will result in a free base to the kicker. [Back to top]
Q: Should these warnings or penalties be applied even when the ball is not kicked?
A: Yes. [Back to top]
Q: Can a Catcher or Fielder that encroaches while a pitch is in progress correct themselves before the pitch reaches the kicker, and therefore avoid the warning or penalty?
A: No. Encroaching at any point during the pitch is considered an infraction. [Back to top]
Q: Can encroachment occur after the pitched ball passes the kicker, or after it is clear the kicker is not going to kick the pitch?
A: No. [Back to top]
Q: Does the result of the play stand when these infractions are warned or penalized? Can the kicking team decline a penalty?
A: On plays where a WARNING is issued, the result of the ensuing play STANDS, unless the Ref judges there to be unsportsmanlike conduct on the play. Note that a Warning may also be given when no ensuing play occurs. On plays where a FREE BASE PENALTY is applied, the free base is awarded in lieu of a play. Refs should immediately indicate an infraction has occurred and play should stop. Any play that does ensue should be NULLIFIED and a free base awarded instead. A team may NOT decline the penalty in favor of the result of a nullified play. [Back to op]
Q: Do all runners on base advance when a free base penalty is applied?
A: No, runners on base only advance if forced forward by the process of the kicker advancing to first base. [Back to top]
General Rules & Referee issues
Q: If the Head Ref isn’t sure of the correct final ruling for an unusual situation on the field, may the result of a game be determined retroactively once a correct ruling is found after the fact?
A: NO. The Head Ref must make a final ruling to the best of their ability and judgment (3.07), and the result on the field will be final. [Back to top]
Q: How do I submit a suggestion for a new rule or a change to an existing rule?
A: To be considered by WAKA, all rules submissions are required to follow the specific format described below.
Visit the Contact Us page, select the “Rules Questions” category, and compose a message that includes all of the following information:
- State the current rule as it is written and the rule number. If it is a proposed new rule, please let us know where in the rules you think this new rule should go.
- Draft a suggested rewrite of the rule (or, if it is a new rule, draft the wording of the proposed new rule).
- State how the rewrite or new rule will affect any other current rules and which rules it will effect. Draft the new language for the rules that will be affected if your proposed change is implemented.
- Provide detailed reasoning behind the rewrite of the rule or the proposed new rule. Let us know why you think this change/addition should be implemented.
Submissions that do not follow this format or fail to include all the required information will NOT be considered by the WAKA Rules Committee. An updated edition of the official Rules is produced annually, so please be patient! [Back to top]
Q: How do I obtain a clarification on the proper interpretation of a rule?
A: Players and Referees are encouraged to consult with their division Rules Chair to ensure consistent application of the rules. In the event of controversy or confusion, the Rules Chair should write in to WAKA on behalf of the division, by visiting the Contact Us page and selecting the “Rules Questions” category. (Please remember that all rulings on the field will stand, even if they are later found to be in error.)
This Rules FAQ page will be updated to address common issues as WAKA becomes aware of them. Please check back to see the latest changes before writing in! [Back to top]