[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by joemoore
Originally posted by PeteBooth

You left out the word "customary", because the manager can position his players any way he likes. Lineups become official after the umpire approves them. There is no penalty or limitation for changing positions, except for the pitcher.

So, a manager may well list all players as position 9 as described, and by extension, after listing the pitcher, listing the other positions is nothing more than courtesy. If you are correct in that listing players in proper position will affect strategy, then why would a manager ever list the non-pitchers in the correct position?

A manager may not list all players except F1 as position 9, especially in a Varsiry game. In Modified, ,Freshman and even JV, I would tend to agree with you because coaches do whatever they can to get the players in. Also, except for tournaments, standings are not kept at the Modified, Freshman or JV level.

However, in upper ball I do not know what manager would accept a line-up card that listed LJ as F1 and then the rest of the starting players as F9. A manager has the right to know what players are playing and where.

In upper ball, there are sometimes substitutions for defensive purposes only, and it can effect a steal situation, hit and run etc.

I guess the real answer is try it at the next varsity level game you do and see what the coaches response is.

Pete Booth