Help! My crazy association has decided to go to Dixie instead of ASA this year. The season starts on Saturday, and I'm UIC!

Anyone else out there using Dixie?

I've printed the rulebook, and plan on reading it, but at first glance it's MUCH more poorly written than the ASA or Fed books. Anyone have a quick guide to the differences in the rules that I can hand out to my guys?

Our area is batting the roster at all levels, which eliminated DEFO/FLEX considerations (which I don't see in Dixie rules anyway)... but surely there are other significant differences.

The differences are too many to list. Here are a few though:

With Dixie there are pitching regulations on the number of innings a pitcher can pitch in a week depending on the age group.

Batting helmets must have a chin strap and face mask, both must be working and in good repair.

Catcher's helmets/masks must have the plastic throat protector even if it comes with an extended throat protector.

Slung bat is an automatic out.

Stealing is permitted in Ponytails, Belles and Debs only, but the time at which they may leave and the penalties for leaving early differ. Ponytails may only break contact with the bag when the ball reaches the plate. The penalty for them leaving early is the offended coach gets to decide what part of the play he wants to keep. Belles and Debs can leave on the release, and the penalty for leaving early is an out.

There are many other subtle differences that I am sure others may come along and add. I am sorry to hear of your league's decision. ASA fosters more growth, IMO, in the game than Dixie ever has or ever will. The only reason I continue to call Dixie is there are some small N. Texas communities who cling to the program, and I feel that these girls need decent officiation as well. I have found, over the past five years or so, that I work less and less Dixie every year.

Good luck.

That's an understatement. It is, without exception, the worst worded and configured rulebook I have ever encountered.

No such thing in Dixie rules. No DH, DP, EH or anything of the kind. Dixie is also quite strict about leagues only adopting local options to rules that they allow for in the rule book, and batting the entire roster at all levels of play is not one of those options. Therefore, if any state officials for Dixie get wind of this, you are liable to find that the league gets a slap on the wrist for not following the guidelines, as well as having their teams DQ from post season Dixie play.

What part of N.Texas, Skaht? This is Little Elm - northwest of Dallas.

I've printed all the age-specific rules on a card to hand out to my guys. The bat-slinging is good to know - easy to miss that one trying to read the rules quickly.

Looks like the "Everyone Bats" rule is in there for the younger girls:

Darlings/Angels - V-(D)

I'll have to ask if her inclusion of this rule at older levels was a typo on her part.

Thanks for the help!

Originally posted by mcrowder
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I've printed the rulebook, and plan on reading it, but at first glance it's MUCH more poorly written than the ASA or Fed books.
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They're worse than Federation rules? Do they come in a book form or just notebook paper? Typed or handwritten?

I know all books will have errors in them, but I do believe Federation has the best example of poorly written, absolutely never proof read prose I've seen.

JMO, doncha know.

Actually, NFHS has improved quite a bit in the readability department since they "reorganized" (meaning copied ASA) several rules.

The simplest to read rule book is USFA. Check it out, and you'll see that simple to read doesn't = good.

You beat me to that one Tom. Easy to read, but says
nothing.

Skahtboi says:

<B>Dixie is also quite strict about leagues only adopting local options to rules that they allow for in the rule book, and batting the entire roster at all levels of play is not one of those options. Therefore, if any state officials for Dixie get wind of this, you are liable to find that the league gets a slap on the wrist for not following the guidelines, as well as having their teams DQ from post season Dixie play.</B>

Maybe in Texas this is true, but not in central Alabama. Most of our local leagues bat the entire roster; however, it hurts them during tournament time because most of the managers are not clear on the substitution rules. I have sent e-mails to the National/State officers about homemade local rules but no changes have been made. We had one league that discontinues walks after a pitcher walks four batters in an inning. It is instituted to help strengthen their pitching corps (their belief not mine). This same league has three pages of homemade rules for the Sweetees (T-Ball) league including "The pitcher is not allowed to tag the B/R between home and first." It is an umpire's worst nightmare.

Some differences with Dixie rules include:

- No wiggling the bat to distract the pitcher.
- A new pitcher entering the game must pitch to one batter.
- Whether a pitcher pitches to one batter or the whole inning, it still counts as 1 inning pitched.
- Other than pitching substitutions, an illegal substitution becomes legal if not appealed before the first pitch.
- Ten batter rule in the younger ages.

I call high school ball in Little Elm. I am actually in Denison.

As for the everyone bats rule, it is there for the younger divisions only.

The Everyone Bats rule IS listed in this year's rules as a local option.

Let me know the next time you're calling ball at the Little Elm field - maybe I'll come meet you.

I don't have anymore assignments to Little Elm this year, but it is possible that there will be one with weather make-up games. If so, I will let you know.

The Local League Option is in the Dixie rulebook under 7:02 but Dixie failed to clarify some issues that may arise like a player injured on the bases or during her at bat. For example, a batter is hit by a pitch and unable to continue. Since everyone is in the lineup, who will take her place on the bases? Runner slides hard into second and twists her ankle. Who replaces her? The batter trips over the lip of the grass when exiting the batter's box on a passed ball and sprains her wrist. How do you resolve this under a continuous batting order scenario?

Well then, ignore what I said earlier. I have yet to even register with Dixie this year, so I haven't seen the rulebook yet.

Actually, it does specify. In the case of an injury (or even ejection - that surprised me), the batter is simply skipped in the lineup the next time around (no automatic out). In the case where the injured player is on a base - the defensive coach selects a player from the dugout to run for her.

<B>Actually, it does specify. In the case of an injury (or even ejection - that surprised me), the batter is simply skipped in the lineup the next time around (no automatic out). In the case where the injured player is on a base - the defensive coach selects a player from the dugout to run for her.</B>

I'm not talking about the next time at bat but the current at-bat. The other situation works fine in a normal situation when a continuous batting order is not used. What happens if the defensive coach selects the player on deck to run because she is the slowest?