Definition & Purpose
The Taxi Pool is, simply, a pool (or sub-group) of PSSBL members who wish to be contacted from time to time to play for teams requesting additional players for a particular game.
The purposes of the Taxi Pool are: a) to ensure that no game is ever forfeited due to a lack of available players on a team, and b) to provide an opportunity for the League’s members to play in extra games.
Qualifications
The Taxi Pool is open for sign up from the time a season’s registration begins until July 15th. All registered and paid members, who have signed the League’s liability waiver, are eligible to sign up regardless of ability, experience, or the like (refer to Player’s Rights policy). The League requests that you sign up only if you are likely to be available when called upon, and you wish to participate over and above your regular PSSBL team schedule. A member not in good standing with the League is not eligible the Taxi Pool duty.
Cost & Dues
A member who has registered and paid for a full season’s dues for a team is eligible to also participate in the Taxi Pool in the same season by requesting this upon registration for the season, or by modifying his account prior to July 15th. No additional dues are assessed for this privilege.
A member, who has registered but has not paid for a team roster spot, and only wishes to participate in the Taxi Pool for a season, is eligible to do so. The dues for this privilege are currently $50. Taxi Pool dues are subject to annual review.
Administration
The Taxi Pool is maintained and governed by the PSSBL Board for the benefit of the PSSBL, and management for the Taxi Pool currently is the responsibility of the League Player Agent. All questions should be directed to playeragent@pssbl.com.
Restrictions & Limitations
Registration for the Taxi Pool is not a guarantee that you will be called upon to play during a particular season. However, every attempt will be made to ensure that Taxi Pool names will be distributed in a deliberate and equitable fashion through the Taxi Pool Contact List.
As stated in the PSSBL Rules (Section: Other, paragraph 5), a Taxi Pool player may not pitch and will not be eligible to play in the Playoffs.
A Taxi Pool player will not become a roster add-on for a team, unless approved by the League Player Agent and the Divisional Commissioner, and only after paying the appropriate pro-rated League dues. This means that, without approval, a Taxi Pool player may not play for the same team more than once in a season (Catchers excepted).
A Taxi Pool player may only play for a team in a division in which he is age-eligible. Examples: a 30-year old will not be offered to Sierra, Teton, or Smoky division teams, but may be offered to all other divisions; a 40-year old will not be offered to Smoky division teams, but may be offered to all other divisions.
Player’s Responsibilities
You will not be required to wear a team uniform or colors, unless you choose to do so. You must attempt to wear baseball attire, bring your own equipment, and to have footwear appropriate for the field conditions.
You must provide an accurate profile with any and all means of contact. The more points of contact you provide, the easier it will be to find you.
You must follow all PSSBL rules of play and conduct, and all field-specific rules. If you do not, you will be removed from the Taxi Pool.
You must be responsible to inform the League when you will not be available to play as a Taxi Pool player for extended periods of time (one week or longer) due to vacations, injuries, or any other circumstances.) If you fail to inform the League of extended periods of unavailability, you may be removed from the Taxi Pool for the duration of the current season.
Catchers
Players who can play the Catcher position are most in demand when vacations or injuries take their toll during the season. Taxi Pool players must designate in their profile if they are willing and able to play this position. Those who can catch will likely be called more often than those who cannot. Catcher is the only position that can specifically be requested by a manager accessing the Taxi Pool.
Timing of Requests
As stated in the Guidelines for General Managers, Taxi Pool Player Requests should be made at least 48 hours in advance. To increase the chances of finding an available player, GM’s should try to plan their team’s roster for games a week or more ahead of time.
The League strongly urges managers to bring out more than 9 players for every game. Traffic, car problems, injuries, or any unexpected event could occur at the last moment, reducing the number of players who show up for your team. There could also be injuries during the game. Try to plan on a minimum of a solid 10-11 players. Ultimately, a GM knows what is best for his team.
Making Taxi Pool Player Requests
GMs or other team managers should contact the League’s Player Agent via the League’s website. The PSSBL has designed software to handle these requests as described (see: How it Works, below) herein. If the software tool is not available or functional, managers should contact the Player Agent directly via e-mail and/or telephone. If the Player Agent is unavailable, managers can contact the League President and/or respective Division Commissioner.
The GM will submit a Taxi Pool Player Request and receive a Taxi Pool Contact List as described herein below. If the request is for a Catcher position player, this information must be noted.
How it Works for Players
As a Taxi Pool player, your name and contact information will be part of a short list (the Taxi Pool Contact List) randomly accessed when a team’s GM initiates a player request. The GM will contact members on the list to see if they are available for a specific game date/field/time. If you are contacted, and are the first to confirm for that specific game, you will be responsible to play.
If you only wish to play a specific position, or have other limitations, you should mention that to the manager prior to committing to play. If you do not think you can compete at that team’s expected level of play, you may choose to defer the request to play. The League does not wish to force you to play in a situation where you may be in over your head.
Members whose team has another game the same day will be filtered out of the random list. Priority will be given to those members who have not already played at least once in the season as Taxi Pool players. The more games a member plays as a Taxi Pool player, the less likely his name will be issued again (Catchers excepted).
How it Works for Managers
When initiating a Taxi Pool Player Request, you will be asked to specify a particular game from your team’s upcoming schedule. Upon making a Taxi Pool Player Request, the League’s Player Agent, or the PSSBL software tool, will randomly issue you a Taxi Pool Contact List of 5 age-eligible Taxi Pool members, along with their contact information. The list will be specific to the time and date of your game. You are responsible to contact each name on the list. If someone from the list confirms their availability and willingness for the game slot you are seeking to fill, then you should accept them and give them all the information they will require to come to your game.
If you request a new list, you will be asked to report the results of your contacts with those on the previous list first. A record will be maintained of all lists requested and distributed.
We will attempt to give you solid lists. As previously stated, you should not run into game day conflicts such as, “I already play the same day.” We will also attempt to remove players from the Taxi Pool as they become unavailable due to injuries, vacations, or other circumstances. We want your time spent contacting the members on the list to be productive.
You must report Taxi Pool players who participated for your team in a game. This will be through the Reporting tools available to managers on the League’s web-site. Alternatively, you can e-mail the PSSBL Player Agent with that information.
You must be prepared to show the issued Taxi Pool Contact List to the opposing GM at the time of line-up exchange for a game, or at any time during the game. You are responsible to utilize the Taxi Pool as it is meant to be used, and to never abuse the system.
Ineligible Players
If a team allows a player to take the field who has not been contacted according to the procedures and system described herein for making a Taxi Pool Player Request and obtaining a Taxi Pool Contact List, said player is ineligible to play.
Here are the penalties, as taken from the League Rules: If an ineligible player is used in a game, the offending team will forfeit the game (even if not protested by the opposing team) AND a 2-game suspension will be imposed for both the GM and the ineligible player. A $25 fine will also be assessed the GM. Note that the ineligible player’s suspension cannot commence until he/she has remedied the cause of the ineligible status.
Divisions may also impose other disciplinary or punitive measures above and beyond what is called for in the Rules of the PSSBL.
