[bkbjones]

1. What I am handed at the plate meeting is the starting lineup. It includes the batting order, numbers and positions, and (hopefully) lists available substitutes.

2. The DP/Flex is no more complicated than what an umpire makes it out to be. There are several good resources listed above for those who have a problem with it. Resources are good when it comes to helping folks understand a rule. Just because there are several resources available doesn't make a rule a bad rule.

3. Players 1-9 constitute the batting order. If there is a flex, players 1-10 constitute the starting lineup.

It's really pretty simple. They are two different entities. It's kind of like basepath and baseline. Two separate things. When you start mixing the two is when you get into trouble.