Situation -

game starts with 10 in the batting order,
it later drops to 9,
and then later it drops to 8.

a) is a 10 man batting order permitted?
b) if so, and it later drops to 9 - is that vacated spot an automatic out when it comes up; or, is it just skipped over?
c) are they permitted to later continue play with only 8?

No one in this league has a definite answer.....

I've done some research on the National Adult Baseball Association for you, Rog-et, my friend.

They use the Official Baseball Rules with local modifications. The answers to your questions can only come from your local league's governing body. They decide whether to use EA's (extra hitters) or allow play with 8. It is different from league to league.

Pretty much all the NABA home office does is help leagues get set up, and run national tournaments. They don't get involved with petty things like the rules.

Sorry I couldn't help you any better than that.

If the team starts with ten...it must bat ten. If one drops out, then that spot becomes an out. They can do this all the way down to 8 players. Can't go below that.

If they add on to the order, then drop one out, that is an out.

I do NABA, so know this.

NABA
 

I also officiate NABA. While the basic rules are OBR, the use of an EH and DH are optional within our league. If they bat 10 and subsequently drop to 9 or 8, the simply continue the batting order with whichever players remain; there is no "out" for a vacant spot.

They also have the option of using rotational batting, where everyone who shows up, bats. If someone needs to leave the game, that spot simply remains vacant as well.

Ours is a "pay to play" league (not sponsored), so they try to get as much play time in for the oldsters as possible. We also have courtesy runners (the last person who made an out) for any three players in the lineup.

Pretty loose with those rules.

Jerry

You see, I've gone to about a half dozen local NABA league web sites. They all employ different options. One league allowed play to begin with 8, another allowed only continuation with 8. Another allowed the Extra Hitter, another did not. Yet another league had a rule allowing more than 10 batters, based on the attending roster of the teams. If one side has 12 and the other side 13 then they both can bat 12 - that kind of thing.

Those rules might be applicable in your local NABA league. I'm just not so sure that they are applicable everywhere.

and the "local" rules saga continues. No one in the local league has a clue; which, is of no great surprise!
Most of the teams are very obliging, and let the umpire's make the decisions. Just try and be consistent and the same for both teams is all that they really request.

Jim:

Any idea how /where an umpire could obtain that reference manual?????
Thanks!!!

Wow, if you drop below, it is a forfeit. How can I get those games...easy money, just bait someone into cussing or arguing and toss 'em in the first inning. Forfeit. Let's go home. I guy get's injured - forfeit. How many full games get played?

Seriously, if you bat 12, and you field 9, are you allowed to send up a batter out of order? If so, when #12 leaves, couldn't the team hide that fact and when it was his turn to bat, just send up the next guy and let the BOO rule decide whether you skip or take an out?

One game was worse, there were 16 players on the bench originally, but 10 listed on the batting order; and, then players started disappearing!
This could present some interesting conflict.....

Jim : "Thanks"!!!!!