Break out the casebooks

[jTheUmp]

Situation from last night's game:

top of the 5th, no outs, no runners on. I'm BU.

Last batter of the previous inning was Zed.

batting order for the inning is supposed to be:
Abel
Baker
Charlie
Don (DH-ing for Erik)
Freddy

Abel bats and hits a single. So far, so good.

Then
1) The coach for the visitors attempts to substitute Don for Baker, and put Erik in Don's spot in the order. Luckily the PU was on top of things and didn't allow it.

2) The home coach comes out and appeals that Abel was batting out of order, and that Zed was supposed to be the first batter of the inning. The appeal was denied... Abel was the proper batter.

Got me thinking... I know we got it right, but what would've happened if #1 hadn't been discovered until after a) Don stepped into the batter's box b) after Don had completed his turn at bat but before the timeline for a legal appeal was over, or c) after don completed his turn at bad and the timeline for a legal appeal had passed?

(and yes, I know the answers to my questions... I'm posing it for discussion and as a teaching point for the lurking newbies)

[umpjim]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

Situation from last night's game:

top of the 5th, no outs, no runners on. I'm BU.

Last batter of the previous inning was Zed.

batting order for the inning is supposed to be:
Abel
Baker
Charlie
Don (DH-ing for Erik)
Freddy

Abel bats and hits a single. So far, so good.

Then
1) The coach for the visitors attempts to substitute Don for Baker, and put Erik in Don's spot in the order. Luckily the PU was on top of things and didn't allow it.

2) The home coach comes out and appeals that Abel was batting out of order, and that Zed was supposed to be the first batter of the inning. The appeal was denied... Abel was the proper batter.

Got me thinking... I know we got it right, but what would've happened if #1 hadn't been discovered until after a) Don stepped into the batter's box b) after Don had completed his turn at bat but before the timeline for a legal appeal was over, or c) after don completed his turn at bad and the timeline for a legal appeal had passed?

(and yes, I know the answers to my questions... I'm posing it for discussion and as a teaching point for the lurking newbies)

If the substitution was announced and allowed and the defense then questioned it Don would be called out and restricted to the bench.
If the substitution was unannounced then most likely the defense would protest batting out of order. When the offense then tries to clear up the issue and tells you that that was a substitution you would have to treat it as an illegal substitution.