ineligible player

[Tru_in_Blu]

Thanx, Irish,

This league is pretty flexible in who can play in the game. Umpires do not get line up cards and teams are allowed to bat up to 16 players in a game. There is a lot of in/out substitution defensively. If late arriving players want to play, they're added to the bottom of the lineup. Substitutions are on the honor system between the teams and are rarely intentionally subverted.

But when playoffs start, teams are concerned about the ringers that seem to show up just for the playoffs. Either they're claimed to not be on the roster or haven't attended enough games during the regular season to be eligible for playoffs. Clearly, that is not (and cannot be) umpires' purview.

[Insane Blue]

Local league that I work does ID and Roster checks for every playoff game they are given a paper id bracelet to wear ( actually put on wrist by Park employee after verification) no bracelet no play. each level has its own color and they change for every night during playoffs.

If it a regular league night Irish hit the nail on the head.

[Tru_in_Blu]

Originally Posted by Insane Blue

Local league that I work does ID and Roster checks for every playoff game they are given a paper id bracelet to wear ( actually put on wrist by Park employee after verification) no bracelet no play. each level has its own color and they change for every night during playoffs.

That must be a high stakes league. What's the expense of paying a park employee and the cost of the equipment and materials to make bracelets?

What happens to late arriving players? Does the park employee have to hang around some complex all night?

[Insane Blue]

Originally Posted by Tru_in_Blu

That must be a high stakes league. What's the expense of paying a park employee and the cost of the equipment and materials to make bracelets?

What happens to late arriving players? Does the park employee have to hang around some complex all night?

The Parks have people on staff whenever there is a game or something going on. They are there with verified rosters and it does not cost them any extra to do this.

The Parks also provide all bats and balls to keep things on the up and up (no shaved or rolled bats).

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Tru_in_Blu

Thanx, Irish,

This league is pretty flexible in who can play in the game. Umpires do not get line up cards and teams are allowed to bat up to 16 players in a game. There is a lot of in/out substitution defensively. If late arriving players want to play, they're added to the bottom of the lineup. Substitutions are on the honor system between the teams and are rarely intentionally subverted.

LOL. How do you even determine eligibility after-the-fact if you do not receive a lineup card?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by EricH

LOL. How do you even determine eligibility after-the-fact if you do not receive a lineup card?

Again, eligibility is not an umpire issue.

[Tru_in_Blu]

Originally Posted by EricH

LOL. How do you even determine eligibility after-the-fact if you do not receive a lineup card?

[Sigh...] I/we do not determine eligibility. The leagues maintain rosters of their players from the start of the season and/or if additions are allowed during the season. If additions are allowed, there may be a cutoff for playoff eligibility, or a player must have appeared in "X" amount of games to be playoff eligible.

A player's name on a lineup card does not mean s/he's eligible per the leagues rules/bylaws.

In fact, the five recreational leagues I work don't have lineup cards. When we get to USA invitational tournaments or state tournaments, lineup cards are required.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Tru_in_Blu

[Sigh...] I/we do not determine eligibility. The leagues maintain rosters of their players from the start of the season and/or if additions are allowed during the season. If additions are allowed, there may be a cutoff for playoff eligibility, or a player must have appeared in "X" amount of games to be playoff eligible.

Sigh...

If you, the umpire, do not receive a lineup during the game, how does anyone determine eligibility after-the-fact? THAT was the question. You (the general "you") cannot prove who played and who did not.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by EricH

Sigh...

If you, the umpire, do not receive a lineup during the game, how does anyone determine eligibility after-the-fact? THAT was the question. You (the general "you") cannot prove who played and who did not.

Again, not the umpire's job. I totally agree that the umpire should always receive a line up, but we don't make the league rules.

TinB is correct, being on a line up card does not make a player eligible

[EricH]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

TinB is correct, being on a line up card does not make a player eligible

No. But it does tell you who played.

[Tru_in_Blu]

Originally Posted by EricH

No. But it does tell you who played.

It might. It tells you whose name was written down on the card.

The teams know most players in their respective leagues, with or without a lineup card. So if the lineup card says that Eric is playing first base but the other team knows it's really Dick, they might protest. And they do have their scorebooks even if the umpires don't have lineup cards.

[Dark_Helmet]

Originally Posted by EricH

Sigh...

If you, the umpire, do not receive a lineup during the game, how does anyone determine eligibility after-the-fact? THAT was the question. You (the general "you") cannot prove who played and who did not.

That is why city leagues in our area supply a scorekeeper who track eligibility, in/outs, and takes care of injuries (and the paperwork). This makes it easier to just umpire the game ON the field.