Below you will find the Basic Rules of Baseball. (For a more in-depth look at the official rule book of Major League Baseball, click the link.)

As with any sport, understanding cannot be achieved by reading a book or listening to a description on the radio, but rather can only be fully appreciated when either played and/or viewed with someone who knows the game.

So my suggestion, to anyone truly interested, is have a quick read over the following rules and then make time to go and play or watch the game in person. You will further understand the rules of baseball and how the game is played and also come to appreciate the subtleties that make it one of the most graceful of all field sports.

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BASEBALL IRELAND LEAGUE RULES

The Baseball Ireland League shall play by the IBAF rules found on Major League Baseball except with the exceptions and amendments below.

Rule 1.00 deals with Game Objectives
1.01 Baseball is a game between two teams of nine or ten players each, under direction of a manager, played on an enclosed field in accordance with these rules, under jurisdiction of one or more umpires
(b) Extra Players: The manager of a Baseball Ireland League team shall be allowed to submit a batting order of a maximum of 10 players. The players beyond the normal 9 shall be designated as "Extra Players." Such an Extra Player shall not be considered a "substitute" under rules 3.03. Their place in the batting order cannot be changed unless they are substituted for. In defence, the team shall only field nine players. The Extra Player shall be allowed to enter the game in a defensive position without (a) changing the batting order or (b) causing the player leaving the defensive position to be considered "substituted" as under rule 3.03. Extra players cannot become a true substitute, e.g. they cannot pinch run for a player. Any player not so designated on the batting order at the beginning of the game shall fall under rule 3.03 governing substitutes. Approved Ruling: As with any player, if an extra player is injured such that they cannot come to the plate for their turn to bat or a substituted for, they will be considered an automatic out.
The Extra Player rule allows the captains flexibility in getting their players more at bats in a game.

IBAF Rule 3.00 deals with Game Preliminaries
3.03 Amendment for substitutes: A player who is substituted for can only re-enter the game for the person who substituted in for him. This means that these players are linked, i.e. they cannot enter the game as a substitute for another player.
This change allows for a player who has left the game to re-enter the game for the same player that substituted for them, hence giving the team captain more flexibility in allocating game time.

IBAF Rule 4.00 deals with starting and ending games:
4.01 Amendment to Starting the game: The home manager shall provide his batting order to the scorekeeper and/or the Umpire in Chief at which point the batting orders are considered fixed and no changes can be made to it except under the rules. No duplicates will be provided to the other managers.
This change is procedural only and put it for completeness.

4.10 Amendment to Regulation Game:
(a) A regulation game consists of seven innings, not nine innings, unless extended because of a tie score, or shortened (1) because the home team needs none of its half of the seventh inning or only a fraction of it, or (2) because the umpire calls the game. All references in the euro rules to nine innings should be adapted to seven innings.
(c), (d, (e)) & (f) do not apply as Baseball Ireland will follow the optional rules specified in 4.11 (c) 3-6.

(g) Mercy Rule: After 5 completed innings, if one team is ahead by 15 runs or more, then the game shall be called and considered a complete game.
The changes here include changing from 9 innings to seven, and the definition of a complete game from 5 innings to 4. The Mercy Rule is also defined here.

4.11 The score of a regulation game is the total number of runs scored by each team at the moment the game ends.
(a) The game ends when the visiting team completes its half of the seventh (not ninth) inning if the home team is ahead.
(b) The game ends when the seventh (not ninth) inning is completed, if the visiting team is ahead.
(c) If the home team scores the winning run in its half of the seventh (not ninth) inning (or its half of an extra inning after a tie), the game ends immediately when the winning run is scored. EXCEPTION: If the last batter in a game hits a home run out of the playing field, the batter runner and all runners on base are permitted to score, in accordance with the base running rules, and the game ends when the batter runner touches home plate. The game ends immediately when the winning run is scored.
(d) A called game ends at the moment the umpire terminates play. EXCEPTION: If the game is called while an inning is in progress and before it is completed, the game becomes a SUSPENDED game in each of the following situations:
(1) The visiting team has scored one or more runs to tie the score and the home team has not scored;
(2) The visiting team has scored one or more runs to take the lead and the home team has not tied the score or retaken the lead. National Association Leagues may also adopt the following rules for suspended games in addition to 4.11 (d) (1) & (2) above. (If adopted by a National Association League, Rule 4.10 (c) (d) & (e) would not apply to their games.) Baseball Ireland Leagues will adopt the alternate rules 4.11 (d) 3-6
(3) The game has not become a regulation game (4 1/2 innings with the home team ahead, or 5 innings with the visiting club ahead or tied).
(4) Any regulation game tied at the point play is stopped because of weather, curfew or other reason.
(5) If a game is suspended before it becomes a regulation game, and is continued prior to another regularly scheduled game, the regularly scheduled game will be limited to seven innings.
(6) If a game is suspended after it is a regulation game, and is continued prior to another regularly scheduled game, the regularly scheduled game will be a nine inning game. EXCEPTION: The above sections (3), (4), (5) & (6) will not apply to the last scheduled game between the two teams during the championship season, or League Playoffs. Any suspended game not completed prior to the last scheduled game between the two teams during the championship season, will become a called game.

Summary of effect of taking optional rules
4.11 (d) 3-6: Rules 4.10 (c), (d) & (e) don't apply:
-any game called before a regulation game is a suspended game
-game called when the score is tied becomes suspended game
-game called off due to light, mechanical or darkness are always suspended even if already regulation game
-game called off due to curfew or time limit are suspended game even if already regulation
-regulation games called off due to weather during an uncompleted inning become suspended if the visiting team ties or takes the lead during their at bat of that inning.If the home team ahead, then it is a complete game and home team wins.

4.12 Suspended Games (Rescheduled Games)
rules (a) & (b) deal with definition of suspended games. Rule (c) deals with how they should be replayed.
(c) A suspended game shall be resumed and completed as follows:
(1) on the nearest date as mutually agreed upon between the two captains and the league commissioner
(2) the game can be called a complete game by mutual agreement of the captains and if the score is tied, the game shall be deemed a "tie game."
(3) in the event no such agreement can be made such that the game is not completed by the last scheduled game of the season, the league commissioner will specify a date for the completion of the game and if a team cannot field sufficient players as defined in 4.15 below, the game shall be deemed a walkover.

4.15 Amendment to forfeits: A game is considered a "walkover" when one team does not field the required number of players to start the game at the time the umpire calls play. See amendment to rule 4.17. A "walkover" will be called if a team cannot field sufficient players within 30 minutes of the scheduled time. If neither team can field a team, then the game will be rescheduled under the same rules as Suspended Games, 4.12(c).

4.17 Amendment to rule 4.17: A game shall be declared a "walkover" and not forfeited when a team is unable or refuses to place eight (8) players on the field. If the team has fewer than 9 players, the manager shall submit a batting order which has 1 space with "Unnamed" in the open position. This position shall be considered automatically OUT when that position comes to bat. Should a player arrive to fill this position, he shall be substituted for the unnamed player under rule 3.03.

MLB Rule 6 deals with the Batter
The Baseball Ireland League shall allow the Designated Hitter rule because our international competitions are played under that rule. The text of the rule can be found at: Major League Baseball

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BASIC RULES OF BASEBALL

The objective of each team is to win by scoring more runs than the opponent.

A RUN (or SCORE) is the score made by an offensive player who advances from batter to runner and touches first, second, third and home bases in that order. The order of the bases is in a counter-clockwise direction around the square from home to first, etc.

A BATTER is an offensive player who takes his position in the batter's box and attempts to hit a ball thrown to him by the pitcher. A PITCHER is the fielder designated to deliver the pitch to the batter. The pitcher pitches the ball to the batter and the batter attempts to hit the pitch and become a runner. The defense attempts to catch the ball after it is hit and put the batter and/or runners out.

A PITCH is a ball delivered to the batter by the pitcher.

The CATCHER is the fielder who takes his position back of the home base and catches the pitcher's pitch when the batter does not hit the pitch.

A RUNNER is an offensive player who is advancing toward, or touching, or returning to any base.

The winner of the game shall be that team which shall have scored, in accordance with these rules, the greater number of runs at the conclusion of a regulation game.

A regulation game consists of nine INNINGS, unless extended because of a tie score, or shortened (1) because the home team needs none of its half of the ninth inning or only a fraction of it.

If the score is tied after nine completed INNINGS play shall continue until (1) the visiting team has scored more total runs than the home team at the end of a completed inning, or (2) the home team scores the winning run in an uncompleted inning.

• An INNING is that portion of a game within which the teams alternate on offense and defense and in which there are three OUTS for each team. Each team's time at bat is a half-inning.
  • An OUT is one of the three required retirements of an offensive team during its time at bat.

HOW A TEAM SCORES

One run shall be scored each time a runner legally advances to and touches first, second, third and home base before three men are put out to end the inning.
EXCEPTION: A run is not scored if the runner advances to home base during a play in which the third out is made (1) by the batter-runner before he touches first base; (2) by any runner being forced out; or (3) by a preceding runner who is declared out because he failed to touch one of the bases.

HOW THE GAME IS PLAYED

The players of the home team shall take their defensive positions, the first batter of the visiting team shall take his position in the batter's box, the umpire shall call "Play" and the game shall start.

When the ball is put in play at the start of, or during a game, all fielders other than the catcher shall be on fair territory.

The batting order shall be followed throughout the game unless a player is substituted for another. In that case the substitute shall take the place of the replaced player in the batting order.

• Each player of the offensive team shall bat in the order that his name appears in his team's batting order.
• The first batter in each inning after the first inning shall be the player whose name follows that of the last player who legally completed his time at bat in the preceding inning.

1. His fair or foul FLY BALL is legally caught by a fielder (catch);
   • A FLY BALL is a batted ball that goes high in the air in-flight straight from the bat without first touching the ground.
   • A CATCH is the act of a fielder in getting secure possession in his hand or glove of a ball in flight and firmly holding it; providing he does not use his cap, protector, pocket or any other part of his uniform in getting possession.
2. After he hits a fair ball, he or first base is tagged before he touches first base;
   • A TAG is the action of a fielder in touching a base with his body while holding the ball securely and firmly in his hand or glove; or touching a runner with the ball, or with his hand or glove holding the ball, while holding the ball securely and firmly in his hand or glove.
3. A third strike is legally caught by the catcher;
   
   • A STRIKE is a legal pitch when so called by the umpire, which -
     1. Is struck at by the batter and is missed;
        
     2. Is not struck at, but any part of the ball passes through any part of the STRIKE ZONE;
        • The STRIKE ZONE is that area over home plate the upper limit of which is a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants, and the lower level is a line at the top of the knees. The Strike Zone shall be determined from the batter's stance as the batter is prepared to swing at a pitched ball.

1. Four "balls" have been called by the umpire;
   • A BALL is a pitch which does not enter the strike zone in flight and is not struck at by the batter.
   • A BASE ON BALLS is an award of first base granted to a batter who, during his time at bat, receives four pitches outside the strike zone.
2. He is touched by a pitched ball which he is not attempting to hit unless (1) The ball is in the strike zone when it touches the batter, or (2) The batter makes no attempt to avoid being touched by the ball;

1. He hits a FAIR BALL;
   • A FAIR BALL is a batted ball that settles on fair ground between home and first base, or between home and third base, or that is on or over fair territory when bounding to the outfield past first or third base, or that touches first, second or third base, or that first falls on fair territory on or beyond first base or third base, or that, while on or over fair territory touches the person of an umpire or player, or that, while over fair territory, passes out of the playing field in flight.
   • A fair fly shall be judged according to the relative position of the ball and the foul line, including the foul pole, and not as to whether the fielder is on fair or foul territory at the time he touches the ball.
   • If a fly ball lands in the infield between home and first base, or home and third base, and then bounces to foul territory without touching a player or umpire and before passing first or third base, it is a foul ball; or if the ball settles on foul territory or is touched by a player on foul territory, it is a foul ball. If a fly ball lands on or beyond first or third base and then bounces to foul territory, it is a fair hit.
   • FAIR TERRITORY is that part of the playing field within, and including the first base and third base lines, from home base to the bottom of the playing field fence and perpendicularly upwards. All foul lines are in fair territory.

1. He is tagged, when the ball is alive, while off his base.
   EXCEPTION: A batter-runner cannot be tagged out after overrunning or oversliding first base if he returns immediately to the base;
   • A TAG is the action of a fielder in touching a base with his body while holding the ball securely and firmly in his hand or glove; or touching a runner with the ball, or with his hand or glove holding the ball, while holding the ball securely and firmly in his hand or glove.
2. He fails to retouch his base after a fair or foul fly ball is legally caught before he, or his base, is tagged by a fielder. He shall not be called out for failure to retouch his base after the first following pitch, or any play or attempted play. This is an appeal play;
3. He fails to reach the next base before a fielder tags him or the base, after he has been forced to advance by reason of the batter becoming a runner. However, if a following runner is put out on a force play, the force is removed and the runner must be tagged to be put out. The force is removed as soon as the runner touches the base to which he is forced to advance, and if he overslides or overruns the base, the runner must be tagged to be put out. However, if the forced runner, after touching the next base, retreats for any reason towards the base he had last occupied, the force play is reinstated, and he can again be put out if the defense tags the base to which he is forced;
   EXAMPLE of when a runner is forced to run:
   When the batter hits a fair ball he must run to first base. If a runner is on first base, that runner is forced to run to second. If a runner is on second and no runner is on first, the runner at second is NOT forced to run when the batter hits a fair ball, because first base is vacant.
4. He is touched by a fair ball in fair territory before the ball has touched or passed an infielder. The ball is dead and no runner may score, nor runners advance, except runners forced to advance.
5. He passes a preceding runner before such runner is out;
6. He fails to return at once to first base after overrunning or oversliding that base. If he attempts to run to second he is out when tagged. If, after overrunning or oversliding first base he starts toward the dugout, or toward his position, and fails to return to first base at once, he is out, on appeal, when he or the base is tagged;
7. In running or sliding for home base, he fails to touch home base and makes no attempt to return to the base, when a fielder holds the ball in his hand, while touching home base, and appeals to the umpire for the decision.

ADDITIONAL DEFINITIONS & INFORMATION

The BATTER'S BOX is the area within which the batter shall stand during his time at bat.
The BATTERY is the pitcher and catcher.

A DEAD BALL is a ball out of play because of a legally created temporary suspension of play.

The DEFENSE (or DEFENSIVE) is the team, or any player of the team, in the field.

A FORCE PLAY is a play in which a runner legally loses his right to occupy a base by reason of the batter becoming a runner.

A GROUND BALL is a batted ball that rolls or bounces close to the ground.

An INFIELDER is a fielder who occupies a position in the infield.

IN FLIGHT describes a batted, thrown, or pitched ball which has not yet touched the ground or some object other than a fielder.

OFFENSE is the team, or any player of the team, at bat.

An OUTFIELDER is a fielder who occupies a position in the outfield, which is the area of the playing field most distant from home base.

"SAFE" is a declaration by the umpire that a runner is entitled to the base for which he was trying.
After the ball is dead, play shall be resumed when the pitcher takes his place on the pitcher's plate with a new ball or the same ball in his possession and the plate umpire calls "Play." The plate umpire shall call "Play" as soon as the pitcher takes his place on his plate with the ball in his possession.

1. The Windup Position.
   • The pitcher shall stand facing the batter, his entire pivot foot on, or in front of and touching and not off the end of the pitcher's plate, and the other foot free. From this position any natural movement associated with his delivery of the ball to the batter commits him to the pitch without interruption or alteration. He shall not raise either foot from the ground, except that in his actual delivery of the ball to the batter, he may take one step backward, and one step forward with his free foot.
2. The Set Position.
   • Set Position shall be indicated by the pitcher when he stands facing the batter with his entire pivot foot on, or in front of, and in contact with, and not off the end of the pitcher's plate, and his other foot in front of the pitcher's plate, holding the ball in both hands in front of his body and coming to a complete stop. From such Set Position he may deliver the ball to the batter, throw to a base or step backward off the pitcher's plate with his pivot foot. Before assuming Set Position, the pitcher may elect to make any natural preliminary motion such as that known as "the stretch." But if he so elects, he shall come to Set Position before delivering the ball to the batter. After assuming Set Position, any natural motion associated with his delivery of the ball to the batter commits him to the pitch without alteration or interruption.