Batting out of order
 

OBR I know the basics of the BOO rule, but have a slightly different situation. This has not happened to me, but wondering.

A25 should be the batter, but A30 (who is not in the game)comes to the plate. He does not tell the umpire that he is pinch-hitting for A25, just gets in the box and singles. At this point what can the defense do? Is anyone out?

TIA

Mike51,

That's an "unannounced sub". If the sub had eligibility to enter and had not earlier batted in a different spot in the order, it's perfectly legal.

JM

And, even if he was not eligible to enter, it's still a sub. Under OBR (per the OP), the hit stands, the original player is out of the game, and the illegal sub is removed from base, a legal sub is put in.

If A30 is legally in the game, in that spot in the order it's nothing. Simply record the substitution. A substitution is completed and the player is considered as having entered the game when the manager or is designee notifies the plate umpire of the substitution. If no such notification is made, the player shall be considered as having entered the game when:

1. If a pitcher; he takes his place on the pitcher's plate prior to delivering a pitch
2. If a batter; he takes his place in the batter's box
3. If a fielder; he reaches the position usually occupied by the fielder has has replaced, and play commences
4. If a runner; he takes the place of the runner he has replaced

J08,your mention of the pitcher reminds of a scenario I have seen every now and then at the youth level (which usually plays some sort of modified OBR). Between innings, one of the other fielders may step on the rubber and pitch a warm-up pitch as a "joke." Twice I have had an opposing coach argue that the "new" pitcher must now pitch to the first batter and the "replaced" pitcher is done.

Both times I told the coach that 1) the ball was never made live, and 2) it would count against the regular pitcher's warmup time/pitches, but that was it.

Neither argued it more than that, though if pushed I was going to say the rules do allow the pitcher to go to another position once per inning and return, and they just did that, in effect. That doesn't address any requirement to pitch to another batter though.

Just wondering if there was another way to handle that.

In LL rules, technically the coaches were correct. In OBR just taking a position on the rubber is enough. It's probably one of those things you "didn't see" though.

In OBR/LL there is no provision (as there is in FED) that the ball be live on an unannounced pitching substitution.

You shouldn't count it against the pitcher's 8 warm-ups. The real pitcher gets 8 pitches or one munute.

In most 12U youth ball a pitcher who leaves pitching cannot return to pitch.

According to one of Luciano's books, this part was added the year after (I think it was) Billy Martin protested a game. It was when the DH rule had just come in and the opponent's DH went out to catch the pitcher's warm-up throws while the regular catcher was getting his gear on. Billy wanted the DH to be officially in the game at that point.

OK, here's one for you. OBR...

The # 3 hitter Johnny is up to bat with a 1-1 count. He takes strike 2 and the defensive manager goes out to talk to his pitcher. After he's done with his trip, there's a new batter at the plate, the # 4 hitter Billy. Apparently, Johnny believed he had struck out. Billy takes a strike when the defensive manager now brings this to the attention of the home plate umpire.

Have fun with this one!

Johnny's out (strike out on the first one Billy watched). Billy's up 0-0 count.

Why was that hard? What'd I miss here?

I didn't say it was hard--or easy, for that matter. BTW, I didn't have this. One of the guys I assign actually had this. He called me with the details.

No one noticed when the umpire gave the count after the visit? The batter (Billy) didn't question it when the umpire rang him up on "strike one"? The umpire didn't notice it after noting who was the batter during the visit?

Anyway, I agree with MIB's answer.

Apparently a sleepy-headed umpire was working this game.

You send an umpire who could allow this to happen out to work games?

Uh, yes. Lower level game with a young umpire who is otherwise pretty good. I doubt this would happen in one of the college games I assign.

Oh.