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The Baseball Ontario Rules Committee has permitted the presence of a First Aider in team dugouts, beginning in the 2019 season.

For full information regarding the rule, please look below

2019 OBA First Aider Rule

The following guidelines shall be used by HBUA umpires when dealing with First Aiders:

• First Aiders are not required to be listed on a team’s line-up card (if one is provided)
• First Aiders are not permitted to be in team uniform.
• First Aiders are only permitted to enter the playing field to tend to an injured player, coach, manager, or umpire. First Aiders are NOT permitted to enter the playing field for any other reason, including but not limited to:
  • Coaching a base
  • Warming up a pitcher, on the mound or in the bullpen
  • Disputing a call with an umpire
  • Restoring order during a bench-clearing situation
  • For violation of any of these provisions, the umpire-in-chief shall have the manager remove the team’s First Aider from the dugout and will file an Incident Report
• First Aiders are not permitted to dispute calls with the umpires from the dugout. The umpire shall warn the First Aider to stop immediately and if they continue, they shall be removed from the game.
• There is currently no limit on the number of First Aiders permitted on a team’s bench
• A game may be played with no First Aiders. A game may also be played if only one team has a First Aider on their bench.
  • When only one team has a First Aider(s), they are expected to attend to injured personnel from both teams, as well as the umpires.
  • In the event a singular First Aider refuses to attend to opposing personnel or an umpire, the umpire-in-chief shall file a report with the league, but the First Aider shall NOT be removed from the game.

The Baseball Ontario Rules Committee has made the following rule changes to the Baseball Ontario rules for the 2019 season:

• Amended P2.10 to permit a No-Pitch Intentional Walk
• Amended P7.3 to exclude teams from a tiebreaker if they have a forfeit loss during tournament play
• Amended Q2.3 g) to permit all runs to score on a game-ending home run in the Rookie Ball division, up to the 7 run per inning maximum
• Amended P2.9 b) to also allow a pinch-hitter to enter the game for the pitcher of record, with the pitcher of record being eligible to return to the mound under the re-entry rule, provided they return to pitch immediately upon the start of the next defensive inning
• Added P7.3 to clarify that the final score of any game ended by a game length rule will be the score at the time the game ends regardless of whether an inning was incomplete
• Amended P5 u) to update responsibility of Playoff Convenor to submit game reports
• Amended P6 n) to modify roster limits for Elimination Tournaments
• Added P3 j) to address umpires returning from an absence of one or more years
• Amended P2.5 c) to permit players below Pee Wee to wear a helmet without a chinstrap if the chinstrap cannot be attached due to the addition of a manufacturer installed face guard (C-Flap).
• Added p2.8 h) and i) to permit affiliations between Senior AAA and Junior teams
• Added P2.8 j) limiting the number of Junior or Midget call-ups to a Senior roster for Eliminations
• Added Appendix C to address draft for players when two (or more) teams are representing Ontario at the Senior Men’s Nationals

2019 OBA Rule Changes

1) Ball lodges in or against the umpire’s body, mask or paraphernalia

Time shall be called and all runners, including the batter if they have become a runner, are entitled to advance once base. Please note – the pitch still counts! The signal being given at the 0:50 mark of the video is to indicate to both dugouts that the catcher’s trip to the pitcher, due to the umpire’s injury, does not count against the team’s mound visit limit for that game. Recall, mound visit limits for players are NOT in place at the amateur level.

2) Fielder intentionally places ball inside of uniform

Time shall be called and all runners, including the batter-runner, are advanced one base from the base last occupied at the time the ball was placed inside the defender’s uniform. This runner would be awarded 3B.

The Official Playing Rules Committee made the following changes that will be in effect for the 2019 season:

• Amended Rule 4.03(e) to clarify Clubs’ rights regarding weather conditions.
• Amended Rule 4.04(a) to be consistent with Rule 4.03(e) concerning Clubs’ rights during weather situations.
• Added Rule 5.05(b)(2) Comment regarding a pitched ball touching jewelry worn by a batter.
• Amended Rule 5.06(c)(7) to clarify situations when a pitched ball lodges in or against the umpire’s body, mask, or paraphernalia.
• Amended Rule 5.06(c)(7) Comment regarding a player who intentionally places the baseball inside his uniform for the purpose of deceiving the runner(s).
• Amended Rule 5.09(b)(7) regarding a runner who is struck by a batted ball before it has gone through or by an infielder.
• Amended Rule 5.09(b)(7) (second paragraph) to clarify situations when a runner is struck by an Infield Fly.
• Amended Rule 5.10(l) Comment regarding trips to the mound (the final paragraph is new).
• Amended Rule 6.01(i)(1) regarding collisions with the catcher at home plate.
• Added a sentence at the end of Rule 6.01(i) stating that reference to “the catcher” in Rule 6.01(i) also applies to other players covering home plate.
• Amended Rule 7.03(a)(7) regarding forfeits when the team “fails to appear…” following the first game of a doubleheader to thirty minutes in order to agree with Rule 4.08(c).
• Amended Definitions of Terms (“TAG”) with a new sentence at the end of the definition regarding jewelry worn by a player.
• Amended Definitions of Terms (“TOUCH”) regarding jewelry worn by a player or umpire.

There were several other changes to the Official Rules that are relevant only to Major League and National Association (MiLB) play. Please note these rules do not apply to amateur baseball. As a reminder, Baseball Ontario / Baseball Canada use the Official Baseball Rules unless modified by the governing body. Therefore, all 2019 OBR changes are in effect immediately, unless otherwise stated by Baseball Ontario / Canada

2019 OBR Changes

Video examples of 2019 rule changes, as well as rule changes from Baseball Ontario, will be discussed in the coming days.