2.01 -- Affiliation. In its pursuit of its Mission, Goals, and Values, the Association organizes league play for the development of its youth. In the prosecution of that league play, the Association affiliates itself with various programs for the purposes of defining playing rules, ensuring solvency of the Association, insuring players and officials, and providing opportunities for sanctioned tournament play.
2.02 -- Presence at Opening Day Ceremonies. Any team not present for opening day ceremonies shall forfeit their first game and be assessed a $25.00 fine. This policy will be enforced by the league Commissioner.
2.03 -- Playing Expenses. YANEP is a non-profit Corporation that raises its funds through five primary means: sponsorships, registration fee, raffle ticket money, team project obligation, and concession revenues.
(a) Registration Fee. The registration fee for recreational league teams (all teams except for Dizzy Dean Competitive League teams) is a nominal fee charged to cover operating expenses not covered by other fund raising. The registration fee is $25.00 per player for recreational league players and is due on registration day. The registration fee for Dizzy Dean Competitive League teams is $1200 per team, $500 of which is due by January 1 with the remaining $700 due by March 1.
(b) Raffle Ticket Requirement. (Not applicable to Dizzy Dean Competitive League teams.) Players are given a booklet of 30 $1 raffle tickets on registration day to sell. The purpose of the raffle tickets is to allow families to raise funds to cover the cost of playing rather than necessarily incurring the cost personally. Raffle ticket stubs and money are due to the league Commissioner by April 21st. The Commissioner will turn money in to the Treasurer and the ticket stubs in to the Public Relations Director. No player shall be entitled or authorized to play in any game (regular or All Star) if said player has not satisfied the raffle ticket requirement by the deadline. This policy will be enforced by the league Commissioner. Members are encouraged to submit raffle ticket money as early as registration day.
(c) Team Project Obligation. (Not applicable to Dizzy Dean Competitive League teams.) Teams must raise $400.00 through a team fund-raising project by April 21st. Teams can sell advertising signs to sponsors to be posted on the fences of the playing fields and have $35.00 from the sale of each sign directed toward satisfaction of the team project money. No team may sell more than 15 signs. Any team that has not satisfied its team project obligation by the deadline shall not be entitled or authorized to play any regular season game or place players on any All Star team. This policy will be enforced by the league Commissioner. Members are encouraged to satisfy their $35 cash share of their Team Project Obligation as early as registration day.
(d) Uniform Expense. The Director of Player Selection and Equipment will request bids on uniform costs from local vendors. In making their bids, vendors are encouraged to include information on discounts available to YANEP members on other baseball and softball equipment. The Board of Directors will discuss bids and the confidence the Board has in the vendor s ability to meet the park s needs then vote to approve one or more of the vendors as the park s official uniform and/or equipment outfitter(s) for the season. This approval reflects the Board s sense that the uniform outfitter(s) will provide the park and its members the best value for its uniforms and personal equipment needs of its membership. Members are responsible for paying the cost of their players uniforms although teams are allowed to offset costs through fund-raising above the $400.00 team project obligation.
(e) Team Trophies. The park purchases trophies for each league champion at the end of the season. Most teams also purchase team participation trophies for their players. The cost of participation trophies will be borne by individual teams and their members.
(f) Equipment. The park purchases practice and league game balls for each team and issues them to team Managers through league Commissioners. The home team for each game is responsible for providing two game balls for the game (which the team retains after the game). The park also issues bats and other equipment to Recreational League teams. The park will only pay for equipment purchased or approved for purchase by the Director of Player Selection and Equipment. All park-issued equipment must be returned to the league Commissioner prior to All Star selection. (Correction: This paragraph is in error with regard to the park issuing bats. The park does not issue bats to teams, but does issue other equipment. Sorry for the error.)
2.05 -- Field Preparation and Post-game Clean-up. It will be the responsibility of the home team to have the playing field ready for play. It is the responsibility of the visiting team to insure that all equipment, including bases, are put away if their game is the last game of the evening. It shall be the responsibility of both teams to pick up the trash and garbage around the field at the end of the game. Teams with the final game of the evening have ultimate responsibility for the condition of their side of the playing field to include trash and garbage around the field, in the dugouts, and the bleachers as well as emptying trash cans into dumpsters. Teams failing to do this will forfeit, automatically, their next winning game. This policy will be enforced by the Park Duty Officer.
2.06 -- Concession Workers. Each team must provide 3 workers (age 18 or older) every time the team is scheduled to work the concession stand. If less than 3 workers report for duty, the team will forfeit its next winning game and be assessed a $25.00 fine. The Concessionaire will notify the league Commissioner of a team s failure to meet its obligation. The Commissioner will enforce this policy.
2.07 -- Designated Team Work Day. Any team whose workers do not clean/mow the field on their designated work day shall forfeit its next winning game and be assessed a $25.00 fine. The Director of Grounds will notify the league Commissioner of a team s failure to meet its obligation. The Commissioner will enforce this policy.
2.08 -- Scorers. It will be the responsibility of the home team to have an official scorer. The scorer shall maintain the score book and keep score at the designated area of their league. The official scorer is an official of the park and a direct representative of the President of the Park. As such, the scorer shall remain neutral in spite of his team affiliation. The scorer s responsibilities include:
(a) If the teams change sides before three are put out, the scorer shall immediately inform the umpire of the mistake.
(b) If the game is protested or play suspended, the scorer shall make note of the exact situation at the time of the protest or suspension, including the score, the number of outs, the position of any runners, and the ball and strike count on the batter.
(c) The scorer shall not make any decision conflicting with affiliated official playing rules, YANEP By-Laws or Rules and Regulations, or with an umpire s decision.
(d) The scorer shall not call the attention of the umpire or of any member of either team to the fact that a player is batting out of turn.
(e) The scorer shall record and keep the official time of the game and notify the umpire when the time limit has been met. The scorer shall also record innings pitched by each pitcher. A pitcher shall be charged with an inning pitched for any part of an inning (with the exception of Dizzy Dean teams which portion innings by "thirds of an inning.") The scorer shall also ensure both Managers and the head umpire sign the score book once the game is complete.
Note: Failure of the home team to provide a scorekeeper will result in the forfeiture of that game by the home team. This policy will be enforced by the league Commissioner.