Red Sox/Blue Jays 6.10 Question
 

My second question in a week -- hope I'm not overstaying my welcome.

Was watching Red Sox v. Blue Jays tonight with friends. David Ortiz was the DH on the lineup card. He had back spasms and did not take his first at bat against the starting pitcher. Instead another player (Lowrie) took the on deck cicle and was announced as, and batted as, a pinch hitter. He played the rest of the game as the DH.

One of the people watching the game mentioned he thought the DH had to take an at bat and that sounded familiar. Looking at OBR 6.10(b), it says that the line up card DH must "come to bat" at least once unless the pitcher has changed. Does this mean actually take the batter's box, or is this merely a rule to ensure the DH cannot re-enter the game and must sit out if he doesn't take his first at bat -- that is he cannot be a substitute later?

If the former, what should the penalty have been? None is stated in the rule. Is it an out of order appeal play?

If the latter, does that mean a DH doesn't enter the game until he bats, even if he's on the lineup card? (I guess the only time this would matter is this: Jones on lineup card as DH. Before his first AB, opponent brings in a new pitcher. Can Smith now be DH and Jones pinch run or pinch hit later?). Just curiuos. Thanks.

This part of the rule was put in place becuase Earl Weaver used to list the next day's starting pitcher as the DH so that his options would be open when the DH spot came up in the order. This story gives all of the back ground..

How Earl Weaver changed the DH rule The J.G. Preston Experience

I don't know what the penalty would be, if any.

Rulesmaven: Don't worry, it's the slow season around here. We will usually talk about anything and everything from jock straps to jock itch around this time of year, just for something to do! :D

The guy was injured and you expect him to bat anyhow? What if he'd died before coming to bat?

Now can you answer your own first question?

Could a true maven have answered the question?

Rich... Rule 10.1.4.A: if a player dies during the game, he shall not be forced to bat or pitch.

"rulesmavenwannabe" was too long to register.

"Come to bat" is a weird phrase to have in the rules, and unlike most of the rules, there is usually a consequence -- for example OBR is very specific about the obligations of the line up card starting pitcher pitching to the first batter, and expressly includes language about injury, which 6.10 doesn't, which I thought made it worth a question. Usually where drafters include language in one rule but not parallel language in an analagous rule the omission is interpreted as deliberate.

But the Earl Weaver link explains things. Thanks.

That's the NCAA rule - OBR doesn't cover it :D

You'll find that baseball rules don't follow that logic. That's why there are so many case books, comments, approved rulings, etc.

I agree with you, Rich, but the whole thread is illogical as we are not dealing with a switch-a-roo, we are dealing with an injury. I would rule the same way as MLB did in this case. The game hasn't started, the player is now injured and will remain out for the game, put in a sub and let's get the game rolling. The OOF's trying to stick to the printed rule probably never ran into this in real life.