[Manny A]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't understand the issue. I just umpired in a weekend "world series" tournament where the TD allowed teams to bat up to 11 players. When a head coach handed me his/her line-up card at the plate, and it showed 11 players in the batting order with no subs, I really couldn't care less who was playing defense except for the pitcher and catcher, since we also had a rule that allowed for "courtesy" runners (either the last batter who made an out, or a substitute not in the line-up). The opposing coach really didn't care, either.

During the game, EHs went in to play defense for starters, and then those starters came in to play defense for other starters. Why should that matter? As long as the batting order stayed the same, what difference did it make which nine players were actually playing defense at the time?

There was at times a team with, say, 14 players on the roster. The head coach would list 11 players in the batting order and 3 subs. When he/she wanted to enter one of those subs, he/she was required to announce the substitute's position in the batting order. Whether that sub came in as a new EH or a defensive position player, what difference did it make?

Maybe I'm not seeing the forest through the trees, but I don't see the big deal here.