Print Version
The 2023 SFLL playoffs will begin on May 6 and conclude with Championship Games on June 3, 4, and 5, 2023. Exact dates will vary by division and will be listed on the playoff schedules and brackets.
Please remind your players and parents and spectators to demonstrate proper behavior during the playoffs. Playoff games are more competitive, and we always want to follow the Coach and Parent Codes of Conduct that are posted at https://www.sfll.org/codeofconduct.
Remind parents to never yell at, criticize or even offer advice to an umpire (even in a polite manner). Comments should be directed to the coach or a league administrator after the game.
Enthusiastic cheering is encouraged. However, cheers should focus on encouraging your players and not deriding the opposition. Cheering should stop as soon as the pitcher starts their motion to the plate.
PLAYOFF COMMITTEE
Rookie Players Agent: James Nash (415-518-5144)
AA Players Agent: Howard Holderness (415-244-0344)
AAA Players Agent: Erin Cooney (415-509-1907)
Majors Players Agents: Bob Hillman (415-203-1611) and Sumner Estes (415-283-6889)
Juniors Players Agents: David Hammonds (415-671-7686) and Kyle MacDonald (415-516-9919)
Umpire-in-Chief: Brian Sauer (415-225-6618)
VP Players Agents: Josh Bagley (415-994-0535)
SFLL President: Katherine Gillespie (415-812-7099)
PLAYOFF FORMAT
The playoffs will be a two-stage format. The first stage will be pool play. The second stage will be a single elimination bracket.
FIRST STAGE – POOL PLAY
All teams will advance to pool play. The pools will be determined by the season standings as of April 24. The odd teams (i.e., finishing 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th) will be in Pool A and the even teams (i.e., finishing 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th) will be in Pool B. During pool play, each team will play every other team in their pool once. For pool play, home and away will be preset by the schedule. Pool Play games will be played between May 6, 2023 and May 26, 2023.
2023 Rookie Exception: The Rookie Division will have unbalanced pool play games. The Rookie Division teams will play only 5 games each in pool play. The Player Agent will be responsible for determining the match ups in pool play.
2023 Juniors Exception: The Juniors division will have a single pool of seven teams. Each team will play every other team once.
Ties
Ties are allowed in pool play. If teams within a pool are tied with the same record at the completion of pool play, then ties will be broken using the following criteria:
- Head-to-head record in pool play
- The number of runs allowed per inning for all pool play games (for shortened games count actual number of innings played). Lower is better.
- Coin flip as administered by the Player Agent
If there is a three-way tie, after one team is determined to be the tiebreaker winner using the tiebreakers, remaining ties will be broken by starting over at the first tiebreaker.
The top two teams from Pool A and the top two teams from Pool B will advance to the second stage.
SECOND STAGE – SINGLE ELIMINATION
The top two teams from Pool A and the top two teams from Pool B will advance to a single elimination bracket. There will be two semifinal games. The semifinal games will be played between May 30, 2023 and June 1, 2023, location TBD. The first semifinal game will feature the number one seed from Pool A and the number two seed from Pool B. The second semifinal game will feature the number one seed from Pool B and the number two seed from Pool A. The two winning teams from the semifinals will advance to the championship game.
2023 Juniors Exception: The top four teams will advance to a single elimination bracket. There will be two semifinal games. The first semifinal game will feature the number one and number four seed from pool play. The second semifinal game will feature the number two and number three seed from pool play. The two winning teams from the semifinals will advance to the championship game.
Throughout the single elimination bracket, the higher seed team (based on pool play results) will be the home team. If two identically seeded teams meet, then the home team will be determined by a coin flip conducted by the VP of Player Agents and observed by the Division’s Player Agent.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
The championship games will be scheduled as follows:
- Rookie: June 3, 2023 at Tepper
- AA Minors: June 3, 2023 at Tepper
- AAA Minors: June 4, 2023 at Tepper
- Majors: June 4, 2023 at Tepper
- Juniors: June 5, 2023 TBD
RULES
Coaches should be familiar with the Green Book, Local Rules, and these Playoff Rules. The Green Book and SFLL Local Rules apply UNLESS superseded by the Playoff Rules.
MANDATORY PLAY
In Majors and below, a player may not sit out consecutive innings or sit out a second inning before every other player has sat out once. No player can sit out three innings until every other player has sat out two, etc.
SHORT ON PLAYERS
A game may not be started nor continued with fewer than eight players on each team. A completed game will be deemed official if one or both teams have only 8 players. SFLL is eliminating the “automatic out in the 5-hole” rule. The team that is short on players may not borrow a player to fill a spot on the field, but rather must compete with their available players. Teams may wait up to 15 minutes for an 8th player who is running late. If both teams have fewer than 8 players during pool play, the game will be reported as a double forfeit.
ADULT PARTICIPATION
Teams are allowed only three (3) approved, background-checked coaches and/or adult volunteers in the dugout or acting as base coaches during a game. Umpires will be instructed to stop play if more than three adults are with the team. One adult must always be in the dugout when players are present.
BASE COACHES
We encourage the use of a player as one of your base coaches because it helps keep them involved in the game. However, at a coach’s discretion, two adult base coaches may be used provided they are both registered coaches and there is an approved third adult inside the dugout. NOTE: Coaches are NOT allowed on the field during live play, except within base-coach boxes (please use good judgment and stay within base coach’s area whether or not the boxes are chalked/lined) or when the umpire grants time after a coach requests permission.
ROOKIE, MINORS AA/AAA – RULE 5.07
SFLL plays using the 5-run rule per inning, batting though the order or 3 outs as the way to end a half inning. However, SFLL rules suspend the 5-run rule in the sixth inning only. If five or fewer innings are played, the 5-run limit would not be suspended in that game. The “through the order” rule applies throughout the entire game.
GAME TERMINATION: POOL PLAY
- SF Rec & Park/Fort Scott Fields: No new inning may start less than fifteen (15) minutes prior to the expiration of the field permit. No new inning may start after 8pm unless the game is being played on a lighted field. If the game is on a field that is not on a lighted field, there is a hard stop at sunset. If the conditions allow the teams to complete (not start) an inning after the permit expires, it can be allowed (although that runs the risk of being removed mid-inning). But - if there’s a baseball game or other activity waiting to occupy that space - you *must* vacate the field when your permit expires. Anytime an inning is not completed, the score reverts to the last completed inning.
- Treasure Island: If you’re on TI and there’s another game, you may finish the inning you started but please be sensitive to the time window you’re encroaching on. If there’s no next game, play may continue through six innings or until sunset or until the umpire deems play to be unsafe. Anytime an inning is not completed, the score reverts to the last completed inning.
Once the first pitch of a game has been thrown, the umpires have full and unilateral discretion to decide when a game must be terminated early because darkness, rain, or other field conditions make continued play unsafe. Anytime an inning is not complete, the score reverts to the last completed inning.
GAME TERMINATION: SINGLE ELIMINATION
- Rookie and Juniors: Single elimination games that take place on a SFRPD, FS or PG field will follow the Pool Play rules above.
- AA/AAA and Majors: All single elimination games for the teams that move on from pool play will be scheduled on Treasure Island. It is expected that games go the full 6 innings, so coaches should ensure that players are at the field and ready to play at the scheduled start time. In the event of a delay or unforeseen situation and six innings cannot be completed in the allotted time, the pool play rules will apply.
MERCY RULES
For all divisions Majors and below, the game ends if one team has a 15 run lead after 3 innings or a 10 run lead after 4 or 5 innings. SFLL suspends the 8 runs after 5 innings rule (Rule 4.00)
STEALING SIGNS
Sign stealing is not permitted in SFLL and penalties will be assessed to offending parties, potentially including ejection and suspension (see Rule 9.01(d)). Concerns about unsportsmanlike conduct of any kind should be directed to the division’s Player Agent and/or SFLL President.
PLAYER CONDUCT
Players are not allowed to disrupt the game with excessive cheering/chanting while a pitcher is delivering the pitch. Coaches are responsible for keeping players in check.
PROTESTS
If there is a valid protest pursuant to the Green Book, please immediately call the Player Agent for your division. The Player Agent has the authority to immediately resolve all valid protests. If the Player agent cannot be reached, please call the Chief Umpire Brian Sauer. If you cannot reach the Player Agent or the Chief Umpire, continue playing the game under protest.
POSTING RESULTS
All game results need to be entered into www.sfll.org on the same day the game is played – no exceptions. All game results must be entered accurately (pitch counts, runs, and innings) and confirmed by both coaches. All coaches should understand how to correctly report the pitch count when a pitcher crosses a day's rest threshold during the pitcher’s final batter. The coaches should confer at the completion of the game to confirm pitch counts to be recorded. There will be no changes to game results after they are entered into www.sfll.org.
PITCH COUNT AND DAYS REST
All coaches should review and understand Green Book Regulation VI regarding pitch count rules, days of rest requirements, and restrictions relating to a player pitching and catching in the same game. The Green Book Regulation VI will apply to all divisions during the playoffs, with the following exceptions:
- Rookie: A pitcher may pitch no more than six consecutive outs in a game. For example, if a pitcher records the final out of their first inning pitched, they will only be able to pitch two outs in their final inning (for a total of six consecutive outs). Green Book pitch count rules supersede the number of consecutive outs.
- AA: A pitcher may pitch no more than nine consecutive outs in a game. For example, if a pitcher records the final out of their first inning pitched, they will only be able to pitch two outs in their final inning (for a total of nine consecutive outs). Green Book pitch count rules supersede the number of consecutive outs.
- AAA: A pitcher may pitch no more than nine consecutive outs in a game. For example, if a pitcher records the final out of their first inning pitched, they will only be able to pitch two outs in their final inning (for a total of nine consecutive outs). Green Book pitch count rules supersede the number of consecutive outs.
- Majors: None
- Juniors: None