The Official Rules of Major League Baseball is a set of rules set forth by the MLB governing the playing of baseball games by professional teams of Major League Baseball

Baseball

Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

 and the leagues that are members of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues. It is also used by many amateur leagues, although in these cases, the monetary fines and other such stipulation are usually considered impractical and disregarded.

History

Starting with the Knickerbocker

Knickerbocker Rules

The Knickerbocker Rules are a set of baseball rules formalized by Alexander Cartwright in 1845. They are considered to be the basis for the rules of the modern game.-The rules:...

 Rules in 1845, and the National League Rules in 1877

1877 in baseball

-Champions:*National League: Boston Red Caps*International Association: London‚ Ontario‚ Canada Tecumsehs*League Alliance: Indianapolis Hoosiers & Lowell Ladies' Men *New England Association: Lowell Ladies' Men...

, the rules of baseball have evolved over time. The 2009 edition of the rulebook runs 224 pages.

Current rules committee

• Sandy Alderson
  Sandy Alderson
  Richard Lynn "Sandy" Alderson is the general manager of the New York Mets. He previously served as an executive with the Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres and the commissioner's office of Major League Baseball....
  
  , Chair
• Andy MacPhail
  Andy MacPhail
  Andy MacPhail is the former president of baseball operations for the Baltimore Orioles. He was the president/CEO of the National League Chicago Cubs from September 9, 1994 until October 1, 2006...
  
  
• John Schuerholz
  John Schuerholz
  John Schuerholz is the President of the Atlanta Braves of the National League. Before joining Atlanta, he spent twenty-two years with the Kansas City Royals organization, including nine as the club's General Manager. Among the teams he has built are the 1985 Royals and 1995 Braves, both world...
  
  
• Bob Beban
• John McHale, Jr.
• Bill Stoneman
  Bill Stoneman
  William Hambly Stoneman III is a consultant for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Major League Baseball. From 1999 to October 15, 2007, he served as the general manager of the Angels...
  
  
• Rod Carew
  Rod Carew
  Rodney Cline "Rod" Carew is a former Major League Baseball first baseman, second baseman and coach. He played from 1967 to 1985 for the Minnesota Twins and the California Angels and was elected to the All-Star game every season except his last. In 1991, Carew was inducted into the National...
  
  
• Terry Ryan
  Terry Ryan (baseball)
  Terry Ryan is the general manager for the Minnesota Twins. Ryan is known for using a low payroll and building up the minor league system to put up contending teams. He resigned as general manager of the Twins on October 1, 2007 but returned to the team as interim GM on November 7, 2011.-Early...
  
  
• Larry Young
• John Fernandez Veras

External links

• http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/foreword.jsp
• http://www.baseball-almanac.com/rulemenu.shtml