Quote:
Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA
You do not worry about WHEN or WHERE they are going into the field or bat, they are in the game when you take the change.
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Absolutely correct.
This plays exactly into one of my peeves: we make/take substitutions, that's it. However, we have fostered a culture where we say: "15 will bat for 12" or "15 will pinch run for 12" or "15 is going to play right field for 4"*. All of these are just substitutions, nothing more, nothing less. What we as umpires need to care about on the line up card:
1. The batting order
2. Who is listed as DP/Flex (if used)
3. Who was the last players to pitch/catch for the purposes of CR's (if allowed by rules code) - And who was the CR, when and for whom.
4. Who is in the game and who has re-entry
*5. defensive positions if played under NCAA rules due to the definition of a proper line up card.
6. Also conferences, warnings, etc.
We need to use language properly. A coach may say "I don't have to tell you that 15 is back in the game, I told you that 12 was her pinch runner" or "I told you that 12 was pinch hitting for 15, I didn't say she was going into the field for 15." I admit, those situations are rather rare, but not totally impossible.
My biggest pet peeve about line up comes from umpires themselves. If you are one of those guys who, at the plate meeting, previews a line up card and says: "I see you have 15 (pointing to the DP) batting for 12 (pointing to the flex)" . . . NO NO NO NO. Just check the line up, count the players, and if there are 10 (or how many ever your rule code allows), make sure the DP and Flex are listed properly. The roles of the DP/Flex are not exclusive to the "hitting for" role.
Bottom line, if a coach wants to make an offensive substitution when its not the players turn at bat, I'll tell the coach of the implications, and them let the coach make that choice to either make the substitution now or later. That's not projected and very much allowed.