BASEBALL ONTARIO
RECOGNITION OF ALTERNATIVE BASEBALL PROGRAMS
FOR 2011 PLAYING SEASON

In order to allow for players to determine where they wish to participate in 2011, Baseball Ontario is announcing its recognition of alternative programs for the 2011 playing season.

For players (i.e., where whole teams are not playing in an alternative baseball program), Baseball Ontario recognizes the following organization(s):

PBLO franchises in good standing with the PBLO and complying with the agreement between Baseball Ontario and the PBLO (currently, those franchises include:  Team Ontario, Intercounty Terriers, Ottawa Nepean Canadians, London Badgers, Toronto Mets, Niagara Rebels, Ontario Blue Jays and the Oakville Royals, Windsor Selects.)

Ontario Senior Select Little League
National Capital Senior Baseball League
All Senior Men's Houseleague Programs
Little League

Other than at Senior, players who are involved with a recognized alternative baseball program may ONLY sign with the OBA Local Association that holds their current playing rights by virtue of residence or because the player played with that OBA Local Association in 2010. If the Local Association who holds the player's rights decides NOT to sign the player, the player may NOT sign with any other OBA team during the current playing season. This means that a player playing alternative baseball can sign with an OBA team for the 2011 season BUT the only team the player may sign with is the Local Association that holds the player's playing rights.

For OBA teams (i.e., where the entire team is playing as a team in an alternative program), if the OBA team has the approval of its Affiliated Association, it may play in any of the following alternative baseball programs:

OBA teams wishing to play in one of those alternative baseball programs must follow all rules applicable to OBA teams, including rostering and release requirements, and must comply with their obligations to their Affiliated Association and Baseball Ontario.

Teams wishing for Baseball Ontario to recognize any other alternative baseball program may request the Board of Directors to consider their request. Any such request must be made in writing, have the approval of the team's Affiliated Association and provide reasons why Baseball Ontario should recognize the alternative baseball program. Baseball Ontario's Board of Directors reserves the right to approve or reject any such request.

Anyone having any questions regarding these provisions may contact David Huctwith, 1st Vice President at david.huctwith@sympatico.ca

BASEBALL ONTARIO
STATEMENT WITH RESPECT TO PLAYING IN
INTERCOUNTY MAJOR LEAGUE

In order to provide a consistent and equal playing field for OBA teams across the province, Baseball Ontario is announcing pursuant to P1-9 of its Constitution the following with respect to players playing in the Intercounty Major League in 2010.

1. Players playing in the Intercounty Major League are not eligible to sign with Senior teams within the OBA. In other words, players can only play with one senior aged team in Ontario. 

2. Junior aged players playing for the OBA junior team in the same municipality that operates an Intercounty Major League franchise may play as call up with that particular Intercounty Major League team, but no other. For example, players playing on the Kitchener Junior team may play as call ups with the Kitchener Intercounty team only. Only one Junior team may have its players be used as call ups with an Intercounty team per Intercounty franchise. Junior teams whose players are to be used as call ups for an Intercounty team must notify OBA of such arrangement prior to any players being used as call ups.

3. If a Junior aged players playing for the OBA junior team in the same municipality that operates an Intercounty Major League franchise plays as a call up with the Intercounty Major League team then that player is ineligible to play as a call up with the OBA senior team in that municipality. For example, players playing on the Oshawa Junior team may play as call ups with the Oshawa Intercounty team OR the Oshawa Senior team but not both.

4. Junior players in municipalities that do not have an Intercounty Major League franchise are not eligible to play as call ups in the Intercounty Major League.

5. Players who play in the Intercounty Major League in violation of these rules will be deemed to be illegal players for OBA purposes.

Anyone having any questions regarding these provisions may contact David Huctwith, 1st Vice President at david.huctwith@sympatico.ca