Quote:
Originally posted by IRISHMAFIA
Tom,
I only dealt with the situation offered. I only suggested that it was conceivable the DEFO could bat for the DP and mistakenly batted where her name appeared instead of the slot filled by the DP.
Not saying that was the cause, but just a possibility. And, yes, I would probably force the offensive coach to tell me exactly what was happening to make sure there were no misconceptions on the umpire's part only to hear about it after making a ruling.
Now, if you want to change the scenario, an umpire can have a lot of fun and still get the outs  [/B]
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Actually, the DP was batting in the #3 slot in the batting order. The DEFO batted as if she was the #10 batter. So no argument could be made that the DEFO was batting in her "proper spot" in the line-up but simply failed to report.
This seems to happen a lot. I've seen it many times where a team lists 10 players on their line-up card (as instructed by the rules) intending for the last one to be the DEFO. The players see the line-up and just assume they are all to bat in that order. The coaches don't realize the players' misconception and don't catch the fact that the DEFO comes to bat after the #9 batter.
In my opinion, if the DEFO completes her turn at-bat, the next batter automatically is batting out of order the moment a pitch is thrown. The definition of batting out of order is failing to bat after the batter who precedes you in the line-up has completed their turn at bat.
Once the DEFO has completed her turn at bat and a pitch is thrown to the next batter - no matter how illegal her at-bat was - it is now a done deal.
I would call out B1 for failing to bat in the proper order and have B2 come to the plate. Additionally, since it is now known that an illegal batter had participated in the game, I would disqualify the DEFO.
I'm not completely confident that this would be correct however.
David Emerling
Memphis, TN