2025 Rule Changes

[BigBlue4u]

Anyone with a line on the 2025 NFHS baseball rules changes?

[MadMax]

2 hours ago, BigBlue4u said:

Anyone with a line on the 2025 NFHS baseball rules changes?

-900 it involves sportsmanship. 

-100 it clarifies something other than FPSR.

EV it incorporates any of the Action Clock rules we trialed in AZ in 2024, including 6 defensive conferences. 

+200 it clarifies FPSR. 

+900 it codifies Balks as Live. 

… 

… 

Oh, and +1,000,000 it removes the “shall be navy” uniform rule. 😁

[BigBlue4u]

2 hours ago, MadMax said:

900 it involves sportsmanship. 

-100 it clarifies something other than FPSR.

EV it incorporates any of the Action Clock rules we trialed in AZ in 2024, including 6 defensive conferences. 

+200 it clarifies FPSR. 

+900 it codifies Balks as Live. 

MM  Thank you.

[The Man in Blue]

[wolfe_man]

It'll probably have something about sliding mitts not being worn properly (they don't belong in the back pocket, but on the hand).   

And shoes must be tied!  It's a tripping hazard and safety and all that. 

Side note: I had a great kid a few years back who was on the HS ROTC team and was a national qualifier (4th place I think) with the rifle - but for some reason he never tied his cleats.  Every game I had with that team during HS or travel, his shoes were untied.  I can still remember his name and he made every game a lot of fun - we'd joke about his shoes every time he saw me.  He was one of those kids that keeps you in the game and enjoying it!

 

[The Man in Blue]

[Jimurray]

15 hours ago, MadMax said:

 

+900 it codifies Balks as Live. 

 

and gives coach choice of balk or play. Based on my experience with amateur OBR umpire's comprehension of "when to call time" and "when to enforce, ignore, or acknowledge" this would be a good compromise however distasteful I would find it. 

[johnnyg08]

18 hours ago, wolfe_man said:

It'll probably have something about sliding mitts not being worn properly (they don't belong in the back pocket, but on the hand).   

 

I hope they leave the mitts alone. It slows the game down enough. Put the mitt in the back pocket. 

If a pitch hits the batter in the ass, send him to 1B. That pitch was awful. 

[johnnyg08]

17 hours ago, Jimurray said:

and gives coach choice of balk or play.

I think making a balk an option play would be worse than keeping it immediately dead. If it's going to be different, keep it different by not changing it. 

I wouldn't be opposed to a live ball balk...but it's no longer on my list. 

I'd love a FPSR diagram for 2B & 3B 

[wolfe_man]

Just now, johnnyg08 said:

I hope they leave the mitts alone. It slows the game down enough. Put the mitt in the back pocket. 

If a pitch hits the batter in the ass, send him to 1B. That pitch was awful. 

I was just kidding, but somewhat serious too, because they keep making a big deal out of the QB arm sleeves MUST be worn on the arm/wrist here in Ohio.  They're not allowed to be on the belt due to safety supposedly.

So I was having some fun with what else could they find that isn't being worn properly and thought of the oven sliding mitts.

[MadMax]

3 hours ago, wolfe_man said:

because they keep making a big deal… due to safety supposedly.

Because NFHS keeps conjoining us (umpires) into liability. And because the ramifications of a breach in liability were, or have been, so stressful and damaging, we have 2-3 generations of umpires taking the “legally and properly equipped” clause literal, in everything. 

Common sense doesn’t just go out the window; common sense wasn’t even in the damn house to begin with. 

I swear, half of NFHS’s rules that are demonstrably different than OBR, are different because NFHS is trying to prevent a lawsuit from cleaning them out. 
 

 

 

… and no, the “shall be navy” rule ain't one of them. 

[The Man in Blue]

4 hours ago, wolfe_man said:

I was just kidding, but somewhat serious too, because they keep making a big deal out of the QB arm sleeves MUST be worn on the arm/wrist here in Ohio.  They're not allowed to be on the belt due to safety supposedly.

So I was having some fun with what else could they find that isn't being worn properly and thought of the oven sliding mitts.

 

I may be wrong . . . but weren't we instructed for years that a ball brushing a batting glove sticking out of the back pocket was NOT an HBP since it was "loose" and "not being worn properly?"  The written rule states "a garment," but I was brought up treating equipment the same way.  That is why the mitt interpretation made no sense (that and the way it was written to point blame at the umpire for "allowing it").

BTW, anybody know what happened to @Senor Azul?  Haven't seen him in a long time and his history lessons would be great to have in this conversation.

EDIT TO ADD: For the sake of a tag, we do consider whatever the runner has poking out.  The difference is we do not allow him to benefit from the improperly worn equipment.

[834k3r]

3 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said:

BTW, anybody know what happened to @Senor Azul?  Haven't seen him in a long time and his history lessons would be great to have in this conversation.

I saw him post on another thread yesterday (or today?).

[NavyChiefBlue]

Very underwhelming rule changes. What's the purpose of the survey?

 

https://www.nfhs.org/articles/risk-minimization-and-sportsmanship-addressed-in-2025-baseball-rules-changes/#:~:text=The rules changes were accepted,the base of the knob.

[wolfe_man]

Wow, I'm so glad they addressed the bat grip issue. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a bat go flying into the stands... oh wait yes I can - it's never happened in almost ten years. 

And then clarifying forfeiture rules so we can have a forfeit if a coach or player won't leave.

There are no words to describe how much better 2025 baseball is going to be! 

 

 

<<<The article is below for those who may not want to click the link.>>>

Risk Minimization and Sportsmanship Addressed in 2025 Baseball Rules Changes

By NFHS on June 26, 2024 nfhs news

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High school baseball players using non-wood bats will have greater flexibility in using substances to enhance their grip on the bat with a change that brings consistency to Rule 1-3-2.

This rule revision was one of two proposed by the NFHS Baseball Rules Committee after its annual rules meeting held June 2-4 at The Alexander hotel in Indianapolis. The rules changes were accepted by the NFHS Board of Directors and are effective with the 2025 season.

Rule 1-3-2c1 addresses allowable grips on non-wood bats and now includes clarification that resin, pine tar or another drying agent can be applied to the bat, not to exceed beyond 18 inches from the base of the knob. In addition to allowing players more grip control on their bats, it makes the standards the same as wood bats.

"For years, players using wood bats had the luxury of being allowed to use substances that ensure better grip,” said Elliot Hopkins, NFHS Director of Sports and liaison to the Baseball Rules Committee. “This rule change permits users of non-wood bats the same opportunity to protect others while maintaining a firm and solid grip of the baseball bat. Both styles of bats can now enjoy the ability to improve their grip and hold while not interfering with the ball-striking area of the bat.”

The other rules change relates to forfeited games. Rule 4-4-1 outlines the conditions that can result in a forfeit and item ‘c’ now includes the failure to remove an ejected coach or team personnel from the game as a reason an umpire may force a team to forfeit. Previously, only an ejected player was listed.

“Rule 4-4 is more about coaches maintaining proper decorum for their players and coaching staff,” Hopkins said. “If the emotional rigors of the game become overwhelming for students and coaches, this rule intends to bring the offending parties back to the center of the reason for education-based athletics.”

A complete listing of the baseball rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Baseball.”

[834k3r]

1 minute ago, wolfe_man said:

Wow, I'm so glad they addressed the bat grip issue. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a bat go flying into the stands... oh wait yes I can - it's never happened in almost ten years. 

And then clarifying forfeiture rules so we can have a forfeit if a coach or player won't leave.

There are no words to how much better 2025 baseball is going to be!

Seems to be another case of NFHS creating a battle to fight (see also:  eye black).

[BLWizzRanger]

I wonder what they did after the 10 minutes it took them to approve these?  They had the room reserved for another 8 hours...

[dumbdumb]

gee wiz,  here we go with another reason to carry a tape measure on the field other than for measuring out of baseline on tag attempts. i know some might want to use something else as a measuring device they are carrying, but that might not be a wise move to produce that device out in the public domain.

using the plate for the first accurate 17 inches is great, but do you really want to just guess at that extra inch, or be perfect with that tape measure.

[umpstu]

That's it? Why even have a rules change discussion if that's the only thing they accomplished? What a waste of time.

[Velho]

1 hour ago, wolfe_man said:

Rule 1-3-2c1 addresses allowable grips on non-wood bats and now includes clarification that resin, pine tar or another drying agent can be applied to the bat, not to exceed beyond 18 inches from the base of the knob. In addition to allowing players more grip control on their bats, it makes the standards the same as wood bats.

Pine tar on aluminum bats was illegal? So what's now the most ignored rule in NFHS?

[johnnyg08]

4 hours ago, NavyChiefBlue said:

Very underwhelming rule changes. What's the purpose of the survey?

 

https://www.nfhs.org/articles/risk-minimization-and-sportsmanship-addressed-in-2025-baseball-rules-changes/#:~:text=The rules changes were accepted,the base of the knob.

Disappointing to say the least. 

[johnnyg08]

On 6/27/2024 at 11:56 AM, umpstu said:

That's it? Why even have a rules change discussion if that's the only thing they accomplished? What a waste of time.

I feel bad for the folks around the country who put HOURS into these requests only to have two items that weren't really on anyone's radar be the 2025 changes. 

[Richvee]

On 6/27/2024 at 11:09 AM, BLWizzRanger said:

I wonder what they did after the 10 minutes it took them to approve these?  They had the room reserved for another 8 hours...

Spent a few more hours writing seven or eight 2025 rule interps about coaches that won't leave the field and non wood bats with 18 1/4" of pine tar. 

[BigBlue4u]

"I could change my call, Coach...But then we'd both be wrong" Every time I see this quote, I think of the perfect comeback: "But, coach, isn't that what we want?  Consistency?
 

[BigBlue4u]

On 6/12/2024 at 10:36 AM, Jimurray said:

and gives coach choice of balk or play. Based on my experience with amateur OBR umpire's comprehension of "when to call time" and "when to enforce, ignore, or acknowledge" this would be a good compromise however distasteful I would find it. 

Mad Max,

What is your cite for your balk information?  And, I can't seem to understand the +900 or -900 etc. information.

Thanks