Okay, I went to the July 2015 Plays and Clarifications, and it says this:
Quote:
STARTING LINE-UP:
A. The first nine players listed will have their number and defensive position listed on the line-up card with the exception of the DP (if used), who will just be listed as “DP”. (i.e. Steve Roscia, #12 LF)
B. Those who will be listed next will be listed as “EP” (Extra Player), and will be governed by the Extra Player Rule. (Rule 4, Section 4 A-D). They will hit and will [be] eligible to play defense. Note* “Any nine can play defense when not using a flex or have dropped down from using a flex” and any eight can play defense when using a flex.
C. If the DP/Flex is used, the Flex will be listed LAST on the line-up card immediately following the final “EP”. All other provisions of the DP/Flex Rule, (Rule 4, Section 3 A-I), will be in effect.
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Seems pretty straightforward to me, now that I've read that. The lineup given to the PU at the plate conference must list nine defensive players (or eight defensive players and the DP if the DP/FLEX option is being used) in the first nine slots in the order, followed by any EPs that the coach wants to add to the order (and, at the very end, the FLEX as the ninth defensive player if the option is exercised). There is no "sprinkling" of the EPs in the batting order at the start of the game.
After the lineups are made official, who cares what happens then? There is no requirement to announce defensive position changes amongst the starters, and when an EP comes in on defense for someone in the starting nine, that's not considered a substitution because of this little tidbit in the Plays and Clarifications.
Quote:
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D. The only players that are allowed to be a substitute, (i.e. pitch run, pitch hit), for anyone in the starting line-up are those players who are not listed in the starting line-up but listed as substitutes on that same line-up card. The Re-Entry and Substitution Rules will apply. (Rule 6, Section 5 A-C – Re-entry) and (Rule 4, Section 6 A-F – Substitutes and Illegal Player)
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So if right after the plate conference, the coach wants to put a starting EP into center field, and make the starting center fielder an EP, no harm, no foul.