GREATER MICHIGAN APBA BASEBALL TOURNAMENT RULES – (Revision 21)
GENERAL RULES
2026 Theme: Any APBA issued MLB Team from 1955-2015 which did not participate in the World Season during that season
25 man max roster
The Basic Game will be used.
Dice will be provided (ONLY dice provided will be used).
Hand rolling is NOT permitted (Dice Shakers, Cups and / or Dice Towers must be used).
Only APBA Fielding Booklets © 2007 or newer will be used (These include K, R & ZZ Pitcher Control Ratings).
The Fielding Booklet of the defensive team will be the final authority for results of each roll for the offensive player.
The Designated Hitter (DH) will be used.
Pitchers may not pinch hit or pinch run.
Starting Pitchers who meet the 80 at-bats requirement, may hit for their team during the game that they start in place of the DH (IE: Babe Ruth, Don Newcombe, Earl Wilson, Shohei Ohtani, etc.).
Teams will be placed into divisions by a blind draw.
Round Robin play will be used.
Each team will play a minimum of 8 games (4 home and 4 away).
As much as possible, Round Robin games are to be played in order.
Divisional (and Home-Field advantage) Tie-Breakers will be as follows:
1. W-L Record (If the W-L Records are identical, proceed to 2.)
2. Head-to-Head play (If the teams split 2 games, or if multiple teams with the same record have not played each other, or multiple teams have different W-L totals against the teams with the same record absent of one team defeating all the other teams with the same W-L record, proceed to 3.)
3. Run Differential (If teams have the same run differential, proceed to 4.)
4. Most Runs Scored (If teams have the same runs scored, proceed to 5.)
5. Play a 1-game play-in game to see who makes the playoffs
8 teams will advance to the Playoffs (Elite Eight, Final Four, Best of 3 Finals).
Tie-Breakers will be used to determine home-field advantage.
There will also be a Single-Elimination Consolation Tournament for all those who do not advance to the Playoffs
All results are not subject to injuries, ejections and / or rainouts
Examples:
“Single; line drive hits pitcher; runner to 3rd; pitcher injured; unable to play next 7 games”
This would be changed to: “Single; line drive; runner to 3rd”
“Ball; pitcher dispute’s umpire’s decision and ejected for the remainder of the game”
This would be changed to: “Ball” (Roll Again)
All position players must have at least 80 at-bats (not plate appearances) to start.
This does not apply to starting Pitchers who are not batting during their start.
Position players with less than 80 at-bats may either (1) only “Pinch Hit” prior to the completion of 6 innings (2) enter and remain in the game after the completion of 6 innings.
EXTRA INNINGS AND PACE OF PLAY RULES
If the score is tied after 13 innings, a back-and-forth “Roll Off” Home Run Derby will be used to decide the winner.
A roll of 11, 33 or 66 will be designated as a Home Run.
Both teams will roll (one roll at a time back and forth) until there is a winner.
Examples: If the visiting team rolls a Home Run, the home team rolls for a chance to tie it up; if they do not, the visiting team is the winner. If the visiting team does not roll a Home Run, the home team gets a chance for a “Walk Off” Home Run.
Note: Any Home Runs in a “Roll Off” will count as runs scored and runs allowed for Tie-Breaker purposes.
Round Robin Divisional Play will begin no later than 9:15 AM. Managers MUST complete 6 games by 2:00 PM.
If managers in a division have not completed 6 games by 2:00 PM, all games begun after 2:00 PM are to be shortened, with the team leading after 7 innings to be declared the game winner. In the case of a tie after 7 innings, a “Roll Off” Home Run Derby (See above) will be used to determine the winner.
FIELDING RULES
Only total team fielding ratings with be used (Optional Fielding will not be used)
Any player who does not have a fielding rating for a given position, will be given the lowest fielding rating at that position, if placed in the game.
if a runner reaches Third Base, the Manager must declare whether they are playing their infield Deep (D) or Close (C).
If no specific declaration is made, the infield will be considered to be playing Deep (D).
BASE-RUNNING RULES
A manager must specifically declare whether or not a base-runner is “playing it safe.”
If the base-runner is “playing it safe,” the runner would advance only as far as the batter on a base hit.
Example: A runner on First Base is “playing it safe,” the batter doubles, the runner can only move to Third Base, and will not score no matter what the Fielding Booklet reads.
A base-runner who is “playing it safe”…
• is not subject to any “Caught Stealing” results
• advances on Passed Balls and Wild Pitches results
• is subject to “Pick Off” results
There is no limit to Hit-and Run and Sacrifice attempts.
PITCHING RULES
A 3-man starting rotation will be used throughout the entire tournament.
In Round Robin Divisional Play, the rotation shall be as follows…
Game # 1 (# 1 Starter)
Game # 2 (# 2 Starter)
Game # 3 (# 3 Starter)
Game # 4 (# 1 Starter)
Game # 5 (# 2 Starter)
Game # 6 (# 3 Starter)
Game # 7 (# 1 Starter)
Game # 8 (# 2 Starter)
In the playoffs, the rotation shall be as follows…
Elite Eight (# 1 Starter)
Final Four (# 2 Starter)
Tournament Finals (Best of 3), the rotation shall be as follows…
Game # 1 (# 1 Starter)
Game # 2 (# 2 Starter)
Game # 3 (# 3 Starter) – If necessary
All starting pitchers may start, but must have at least both 15 starts 75 innings pitched.
Pitchers designated only as Relievers with an asterisk (*) may not start.
Pitchers with Split Grades [Example: B (A*)] may start, provided that they meet the requirements of both 15 starts and and 75 innings pitched.
Starting pitchers must complete a minimum of 5 inning unless they have their grade reduced as noted (See Grade Reduction below)
Starting pitchers may complete a maximum of 10 innings before they must be relieved.
Pitchers will be graded through 10 innings; from the top of the 11th inning through the bottom of the 13th inning, all pitchers will be a Grade “D” with no letter control ratings (K, R, W, X, Y, Z, ZZ).
Regular APBA Basic Game Pitcher Grade Advancement & Reduction will be used.
Grade Advancement
If a D Pitcher pitches 5 Innings without allowing an earned run, they advance to a C
If a C Pitcher pitches 6 Innings without allowing an earned run, they advance to a B
If a B Pitcher pitches 7 Innings without allowing an earned run, they advance to a A
Pitchers advance one grade for each additional inning without allowing an earned run
Grade A, A&C and A&B Pitcher is not subject to Grade Advancement
Grade Reduction
Any pitcher that allows 5 earned runs in any 3 consecutive innings, is reduced by 1 letter grade.
If a pitcher remains in the game, his grade is reduced 1 additional letter if he allows an additional 5 earned runs over a separate 3 consecutive innings from his initial Grade Reduction.
Pitchers who are not part of the designated 3-man starting rotation, who are not designated only as relievers (with and asterisk *), may pitch in either (1) “Long Relief” but only in the event of a Grade Reduction of the previous pitcher, or (2) “Short Relief” but are subject to the innings restrictions for relievers (See Below).
Pitchers with Split Grades who are used as relievers, may pitch in “Long Relief” with the starting grade, or in “Short Relief” relief grade (with and asterisk *) with the innings restrictions (See Below).
Example: C (B*), Grade C in “Long Relief,” and Grade B* in “Short Relief” with innings restrictions.
Pitchers designated only as relievers (with and asterisk *) are limited to pitching…
• 2 innings or 6 total outs (1955-1986)
• 1 inning or 3 total outs (1987-2015)
Relievers will not be upgraded regardless of when they enter the game.