OFFICIAL PREMIER LEAGUE WIFFLE® RULES
2022 Edition
League Officers:
- Commissioner: Adam Tanic
- General Manager: Kyle Loman
- Executive Producer: Greg Kelley
- Technical Director: Tom Gannon
- Brand Ambassador: Trench Picone
- Lead Umpire: Chad Phillips
Team Owners:
- Bombers: Alex Fernandez
- Night Owls: Nick DiVella
- Legends: Brad Ogden
- The Ones: Scottez Dobbins
- Sandvipers: Adam Tanic
- Snappers: Jesse Capps & Taylor Bryner
- Cajuns: Andrew Ledet
- Warbirds: Chris Warfield
- Vaderz: Sesaí Alarcón & Billy Santiwan
- Lightning: Chad Phillips
1.00 GENERAL
1.01 Minimum 6 players per team. Maximum 12 players on roster.
- If a team is unable to field 6 players due to extreme circumstances, the league office may grant an emergency authorization allowing a team to temporarily exceed the 12 player roster limit.
1.02 Teams may have 6 fielders maximum. Teams may have 6 – 12 batters in the lineup.
1.03 Teams may DH up to 6 players, and may add players to the bottom of the lineup throughout the game, but the lineup may not be shortened.
1.04 Fielders/pitchers may substitute freely even if they are not in the lineup. Once removed, batters may not re-enter the lineup, or be substituted to pinch-run.
- If a team bats out of order and it’s realized in the middle of the at bat, the correct player will go up and resume the at bat with the same count.
- If they realize after the player’s at bat is over, they are ruled out automatically.
1.05 Pitching changes and defensive substitutions cannot be made during an at-bat.
- Defenders may shift or change positions, but substitutions must be made in between batters.
1.06 All players must be at least 21 years of age.
1.07 Strike Zone is 24” x 28.5” and stands 10” off of the ground.
1.08 The distance from the pitcher’s rubber to the strike zone is 43.5 feet
1.09 Players on defense are not permitted to use gloves of any kind. Bare hands only.
1.10 Teams must wear matching, league approved uniforms.
2.00 GAME STRUCTURE
2.01 All games are 6 innings in length. In case of a tie after 6 complete innings, the game shall continue into extra innings until there is a winner.
- Extra innings count against a pitcher’s inning total (see rule 3.07)
2.02 Game balls are new, or like new, official Wiffle® balls. Any ball that becomes deformed, dirty, or scuffed, must be removed from play.
2.03 Only official Original Yellow Wiffle® Brand bats may be used.
- Grip tape may be added to the handle of the bat, and 12 inches of tape may be added to the barrel.
- The bat must fit through a 2” Schedule 40 PVC Tee.
- Bats may not weigh more than 10 oz.
- Both ends of the bat must not be taped, and the hole on the handle must remain uncovered.
- If it is determined that an illegal bat was used during a plate appearance, it will be ruled an automatic out.
2.04 A 10 run mercy rule applies after 3 complete innings.
2.05 If a team scores their 15th run, the game automatically ends in a mercy, even if they are the away team.
- EXCEPTION: To get a 15 run mercy, a team must also win by two.
2.06 If the game ends on a hit that scores multiple runs, all runners advance and the batter is credited with the appropriate hit (i.e. a walk-off triple with the bases loaded in a 0-0 game results in a 3-0 win).
3.00 GAME PLAY
3.01 At bats begin with an 0-1 count. Four balls for a walk, two additional strikes for a strikeout.
3.02 Pitchers may throw any speed, but can only get called strikes on pitches that read 55 mph or below on the Pocket Radar™, and hit the metal ꓘ zone (in the air).
3.03 A pitch that is not read by the Pocket Radar™ in a called strike situation will be ruled a no pitch unless the umpire (or players from both teams) make a ruling that the pitch was under 50 mph (strike) or over 60 mph (ball), and a strike or ball may be called.
3.04 The first foul tip by a batter into the ꓘ zone with two strikes (in the air), is “dropped by the catcher”. A second foul tip into the ꓘ zone with two strikes results in a strikeout.
3.05 A pitcher is ineligible to pitch for the remainder of the game after they walk 2 batters.
- The last eligible pitcher on a team has no walk limit.
- An intentional walk may be declared, no pitches needed.
- An intentional walk counts against the pitcher’s walk total.
- When a pitcher enters the game, they must face a minimum of 3 batters, or finish an inning.
- New pitchers are allowed 8 warm up pitches, whereas returning pitchers or pitchers starting the next inning are allowed 3.
3.06 In a 3 game series, a different pitcher must start each game.
3.07 In a 3 game series, a pitcher may appear (throw a pitch) in up to 9 innings.
- Extra innings DO count towards a pitcher’s total.
- EXCEPTION: If a pitcher starts a game with 0 innings pitched, and throws every pitch, he may continue to pitch in that game if it goes beyond 9 innings.
3.08 There is no balk rule. The pitcher must have one foot on the rubber when delivering a pitch.
3.09 The batter may call time without appealing to an umpire before the pitcher begins their motion. This may be done verbally, or by raising a hand, and play is live when the batter acknowledges (looks at) the pitcher.
3.10 Pylons are placed by first and third base to determine fair / foul calls on ground balls. If a ground ball stays inside the pylon, it is considered a fair ball. Any batted ball that hits the pylon, regardless of its trajectory, is ruled a foul ball. If the ball is touched by a fielder before hitting the pylon, it is still a live ball.
3.11 A batted ball that hits a tree is a dead ball.
- If the ball hits a tree in foul territory it is ruled a foul ball.
- If the ball hits a tree in fair territory beyond the home run fence it is ruled a home run.
3.12 If a batter makes contact with the strike zone with his bat during a swing or check swing, it shall be ruled as a swing. Any ball put into play remains in play.
3.13 A hit by pitch is considered a ball unless it hits the batter’s hands. The batter’s hands are considered part of the bat whether they are swinging or not.
3.14 The batter is responsible for getting out of the way to avoid blocking a strike. The pitcher may appeal to an umpire if the batter blocks a strike (still must be under 55 mph). A strike, or a no-pitch may be called.
3.15 If a pitch that reads 65 mph or faster hits a batter in the head, the batter may choose to take a ball and continue the at-bat, or take their base (hit by pitch).
- A hit by pitch counts towards the pitcher’s walk total.
3.16 A hit is considered clean if:
- A batted ball lands in the outfield without being touched by a fielder.
- It is ruled an automatic single.
- On the line is considered the infield.
- If a ground ball goes through the infield without an infielder touching it.
- Infielders may move laterally into the outfield to make it a dirty single.
- Infielders may not turn their back and run straight into the outfield to make a single dirty (but they may still run into the outfield to attempt a force out).
- All runners in scoring position (second and third base) score.
3.17 A hit is considered dirty if:
- A fly ball is touched by a fielder before landing in the outfield.
- A ground ball is touched by an eligible infielder before it goes through the infield.
- Any fair ball stays in the infield without the fielders recording an out.
- All runners advance one base.
3.18 If a clean single is hit to the left of second base, a runner on first base advances to second base. If a clean single is hit to the right of second base, the runner advances from first to third.
- A clean single that lands in the outfield must land to the right of second base for the runner to advance from first to third.
- A ground ball clean single must cross on the right side of second base to advance a runner from first to third.
- Directly over the base is considered the left side.
3.19 A batted ball that reaches the outfield fence after it hits the ground, but isn’t touched by a fielder, is ruled a clean double.
- All runners score.
- If a fielder touches the ball before it reaches the outfield fence, it is ruled a dirty double.
- All runners advance two bases.
- A ground rule double is considered a dirty double even if it goes untouched.
3.20 If a batted ball hits the outfield fence on the fly, it is ruled a triple.
- Even if it is touched by a fielder (and knocked over the fence).
- All runners score.
3.21 If a batted ball goes over the outfield fence without touching the ground, it is a home run.
- If a ball hits off the wall in the air and goes over the fence, it is ruled a home run.
3.22 A batter may switch batters boxes in an at bat one time.
- A batter may not switch boxes after the pitcher has started their motion.
4.00 FIELDING/ADVANCING RUNNERS
4.01 Only infielders may record force outs on ground balls.
- In order to be an eligible infielder, a player must have at least one foot on or inside the infield line when the batter makes contact.
- Infielders may not be positioned closer to home plate than the pitcher (40ft).
- If an outfielder touches a ground ball, it is ruled an automatic single.
- They may not flip the ball to an infielder to attempt a force out.
4.02 To record a ground out at first base, an infielder must hit the backstop, ꓘ zone, or batter (if standing in front of the backstop), with the ball (in the air) within 5 seconds of the batter making contact.
- The batter is safe if the play takes exactly 5.00 seconds (tie goes to the “runner”).
- The throw may ricochet off a wall before hitting the backstop as long as it doesn’t go out of play.
- If a throw hits a video monitor mounted above the backstop, it is ruled out out of play.
- The foam at the top of the ꓘ zone is considered part of the middle section of the backstop.
- The foam at the bottom of the ꓘ zone, as well as any Wiffle® balls in the backstop area, are considered part of the ground.
- A ball that goes beyond the batter’s box is considered a dead ball.
- Infielders may not take more than one step and a crow hop towards the backstop before making a throw
- If an infielder runs to/steps on a base to record a force out, the step and crow hop reset.
4.03 Infielders may tag second base and/or third base within 5 seconds to record a force out when applicable.
- In order to retire a lead runner, a play must be made to the specific base (2nd base with a runner on first, 3rd base with runners on 1st and second).
- Once a base is tagged, an infielder must hit the middle section of the backstop, or the ꓘ zone in the air within 5 seconds to turn a double play.
- The poles are not considered part of the middle section.
- If a runner is forced, they will advance one base on a ground out to first (the backstop).
4.04 With the bases loaded, an infielder may hit the center panel of backstop or ꓘ zone (in the air) to record an out at home plate. If a base is tagged first and a double play is attempted, the fielder must hit the ꓘ zone to record the out at the plate (tagged by the “catcher”).
4.05 A runner that is not forced does not advance on a ground out unless a double play is attempted.
- With runners on first and third and nobody out, the runner from third base scores if the defense attempts a double play (advances on the throw), even if the throw home hits the ꓘ zone and the double play is successful.
- If they do not make the throw home, or they get the ground out at first base without tagging second, the runner stays at third base.
4.06 Runners on base are strictly placeholders (unless they are tagging up from third base).
- They must stay within 6 feet of the base they are occupying.
- Runners are also responsible for avoiding fielders attempting to make a play. If they interfere with a fielder making a play, they are out.
4.07 If a runner is on third base with less than 2 outs, they may tag up and attempt to score on a fly out / line out.
- If the runner steps over the commit line with any part of their foot, they are committed to going home.
- If a runner steps past the commit line (on the line is not committing to tagging up), goes back to third base, and there is no throw home before the next at-bat, the runner remains at third base.
- A runner may not cross the commit line after the pitcher has possession of the ball on the pitching mat. The play is dead at that time.
- If a fielder hits the backstop, the ꓘ zone, or the runner (if runner has crossed the commit line) before the runner touches home plate, the runner is out.
- This does not have to be in the air, and fielders may throw to a cutoff.
- The bottom foam is still considered part of the ground.
- A ball thrown out of play results in the runner being safe at home, and all other runners advance one base.
4.08 If a fielder throws or deflects a batted ball out of play (or into the outfield fence), the batter is awarded second base, and all runners advance two bases.
- If a batted ball goes out of play, after passing the first / third base pylons, without being touched by a fielder, it is ruled a clean single.
- If the ball goes out of play in the outfield corners (home run fence extended), it is ruled a double.
- When a fielder has possession of the ball, and there is no longer a play to be made, the play is dead.
- Throwing the ball to a spectator does not advance the runners.
- After the ball hits the wall for either a double or a triple, no additional bases will be awarded for a ball knocked out of play after touching a fielder, even if it goes over the outfield fence in the air.
4.09 If a pitch goes out of play (past the backstop), it is ruled a wild pitch.
- All runners advance one base.
- If a pitch bounces over the top of the backstop, runners do not advance.
- If a pitch bounces out of play to the sides of the backstop, it is a wild pitch and runners advance one base.
4.10 Infielders may not intentionally use their feet to stop the ball.
- If an infielder kicks the ball, or sticks their foot out to stop the ball, it is ruled a clean single.
- Runners in scoring position score.
- EXCEPTION: The pitcher may use their feet or legs when reacting to a ball hit back at them to knock down or deflect the ball.
4.11 Outfielders may use any part of their body to stop a ball WHILE ENGAGED IN A SLIDE.
- Outfielders MAY NOT intentionally use their feet (leg below the knee) to stop a ball if they are running or standing. If an outfielder kicks the ball, or sticks out their foot to stop a ball while upright, it is ruled a clean double.
- All runners score.
4.12 A baserunner hit directly by a batted ball in fair territory will be declared out. The batter will be awarded a single. Runners only advance if forced
Any rule not stated herein will refer to the official Major League Baseball rulebook.
