NFHS Substitution

[harmbu]

Can anyone explain to me the logic behind the rule that states that you don't have to report your substitutes in a high school baseball game?

I have been told that it is possibly to keep a kid from being penalized for his coach's mistake. I don't buy that. If a coach isn't prepared enought to follow the rules, his entire team should be penalized.

Any help on this one would be appreciated.

[bob jenkins]

Originally posted by harmbu
Can anyone explain to me the logic behind the rule that states that you don't have to report your substitutes in a high school baseball game?

I have been told that it is possibly to keep a kid from being penalized for his coach's mistake. I don't buy that. If a coach isn't prepared enought to follow the rules, his entire team should be penalized.

Any help on this one would be appreciated.

You don't HAVE TO report your subs -- they're in the game when they take their position (specifics at 3-1-1), but it is a Point-Of-Emphasis this year to report them.

It's (roughly) the same in all rules codes.

[Gre144]

You don't even have to list them on your lineup card.

Greg

[Bfair]

You apparently were not around in the days when the Fed required the substitutes to report. If they did not, they were called out if discovered in the game. From memory, I believe the unreported sub was also ejected.

The Fed rule at the time was different than the others and resulted in lots of outs-------and lots of BS resultantly. The Fed then changed their rule back to agree with that of others. They still want you to report subs (as do other rules), they are just not going to penalize if you (or the player) forget to. They have thrown the burden on the opposing team to watch for illegal players. Now, the players can play baseball without having to worry about administrative duties---as simple as they may have been.

Believe me, you are in the better situation of the two.

Just my opinion,

Steve

[Carl Childress]

Originally posted by harmbu
Can anyone explain to me the logic behind the rule that states that you don't have to report your substitutes in a high school baseball game?

I have been told that it is possibly to keep a kid from being penalized for his coach's mistake. I don't buy that. If a coach isn't prepared enought to follow the rules, his entire team should be penalized.

Any help on this one would be appreciated.

Harmbu:

Whoever told you the "reason" for the change (1994) was just winging it. Here's the official reason, one that's only too plausible:

In certain circumstances, the rule that applied to detecting an unreported substitute, who happened to be batting out of order, were confusing. The new rule is the same as college and professional baseball rules. [my emphasis] Players are still required to report, but there is no penalty unless a player has no reentry eligibility.

Though the specifics changed periodically, for a time in FED (1979 - 1993) an unreported substitute was treated the same as an illegal substitute. Take a gander at those provisions now (2001); that should convince you that ease of administration was the reason behind the revision:

An illegal player on offense, whether as a batter or runner, shall be called out immediately and ejected upon discovery by an umpire or either team.
The penalty for illegal substitution shall supersede the penalty for batting out of order.
If the player should score a run, advance or cause a play to be made that allows another runner(s) to advance, discovery must be made by an umpire or either team before the first pitch to the next batter of either team. This would invalidate the action of the illegal offensive player. Any out(s) made on the play stands and all other runners return to the base(s) occupied at the time of the pitch.
In a game-ending situation, discovery must be made before all infielders leave the diamond (i.e., all infielders cross the foul lines).
An illegal player on defense shall be replaced immediately upon discovery by the umpire or either team. If an illegal player on defense is involved in a play, and the infraction is discovered by an umpire or either team prior to the first pitch to the next batter of either team, the team on offense has the option to let the play stand or to allow the batter to bat again.
Any player for whom an illegal player substitutes may re-enter only if he is eligible to do so under the re-entry rule (3-1-3). (FED 3-1-1)