Forfeit

[coach nick]

Can a little league baseball team forfeit a game already played in the books. A team won a playoff game last night that places them in the championship game. The next day two of their players  was disqualified for championship game. The coach decided to forfeit the playoff game that he won to place him in the championship. He did not want to play with out the disqualified players. Can he do that 

[SeeingEyeDog]

I don't have a citation for you. I just have my opinion on how I would rule if this landed on my desk as a league administrator...

I would not allow that forfeit and depending on the circumstances of the "ineligible/illegal players" consider a serious, serious suspension...potentially up to a one year suspension for the coach.

Of course, the rub here is...you can't really "force" a team to play a game if they don't want to play, can you? So, unless the parents revolt and take over control of the team, it's likely the remaining eligible players (families, really...) could decide to not play the game in solidarity to their "ineligible/illegal players". Hopefully, the cult of personality surrounding this coach is such that the families will choose to play this game with a legal roster of players. I'm guessing their two ineligible players constitute some formidable baseball talent which might explain why the coach "doesn't want to play without them".

I believe you need nine for a LL game, although there may be a modification to this for tournament play and or powers given to the District Administrator to adjudicate this as well...

Good luck and I hope the remaining players and their families choose to play. Baseball's a funny game. You never know how a game is going to go...

~Dawg

[JonnyCat]

1 hour ago, coach nick said:

Can a little league baseball team forfeit a game already played in the books. A team won a playoff game last night that places them in the championship game. The next day two of their players  was disqualified for championship game. The coach decided to forfeit the playoff game that he won to place him in the championship. He did not want to play with out the disqualified players. Can he do that 

Is this a regular season game, or a LL All Star Game? It makes a difference. Why were the kids disqualified?

If it's a regular season league game, then it's up to the local leagues board of directors to decide what to do. They a have a few options, but still must be in compliance with the LL operations manual.

If it is an All Star game, then only LL International in Williamsport Pennsylvania can make any determination regarding forfeits. It would not be up to anyone else to decide, only LL. 

In either situation, the coach does not get to decide to forfeit his last game. If those players were found to be ineligible in that previous game, and if it was an All Star game, then LL could decide to make it a forfeit, and place the loosing team of that game into the championship game. LL can pretty much decide anything they want, as the All Star tournament is their property.

Anyway, we need more information so we can help answer the question. 

[maven]

Sounds like a question for the league. It's not a baseball game-play rule.

[Coach Carl]

I'm assuming this is for the tournament as you say, "last night". 

Tournament Rule#5 (Forfeits):

No game may be forfeited or a team disqualified without the authorization of the Tournament Committee.  Violations which may result in forfeiture or disqualification must be reported immediately to the Regional Director before further play takes place which would involve a team or teams affected by such action.

So, as JonnyCat said, it's up to the committee.  

More context and details are needed to even begin to offer an opinion, but regardless, it's the commitee's decision.  Everyone here would just be hazarding a guess.

[beerguy55]

15 hours ago, JonnyCat said:

In either situation, the coach does not get to decide to forfeit his last game. If those players were found to be ineligible in that previous game, and if it was an All Star game, then LL could decide to make it a forfeit, and place the loosing team of that game into the championship game.

It sounds to me that's what the coach is trying to do, is to have the other team put forward in his team's place, so that there isn't either a forfeit (ie. they're not going to play, or be able to field a team) or a blow-out in the gold medal game.

As the team that just lost I'd certainly be asking why the players got DQ'd and why it doesn't apply to the game played the previous day?

As the other team in the gold medal game (at least any team I coach) I don't want to win by a forfeit.

In any case, you'd want the committee involved to find a proper resolution.   It could also factor to who got DQ'd...including the possibility that the team no longer has any pitchers.

What I really hate in any tournament is when a team advances, and then forfeits the next game - IMO we should be doing everything we can to advance the team that was beaten by the forfeited team?