Quote:
Originally posted by tcannizzo
The purpose of the rule theoretically, is to put 9 hitters in the lineup. Arguably to allow pitchers to be single-minded.
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This is the DH rule, not the DP/FLEX rule.
DP/FLEX is considerably more powerful than DH. Among the things the rule allows that DH doesn't are:
- DP can play defense for any player.
- FLEX can bat for the DP.
- The player DP is playing defense for continues to bat (unless the player is the FLEX)
- FLEX can play any defensive position (not just F1)
Without making any kind of value judgment (i.e. is the rule "good"), the rule is not that hard to understand so long as you remember a couple of things going in:
- DP and FLEX are positions, not players.
- Nothing changes with the rules pertaining to batting order or substitutions or rentry
- If DP is replacing FLEX on defense or FLEX is replacing DP on offence, the player being replaced has left the game
- If FLEX bats it must be in the batting order position that DP occupies (so DP leaves the game)
If you remember these relatively simple things, you can then figure out most any specific situation wrt DP/FLEX.