Rule Help Needed @ Illegal Reentry

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by Buddogger
Player A is injured in field but remains in game (goes to catcher). Player A bats next inning and hits a clean single, hobbling to 1st base safely. Player A is immediately replaced on 1st base by Player B.

Question: can this be considered a legal "substitution" or must it be considered a "courtesy runner"

Speaking ASA.

Depends on the player. If it was a pitcher or catcher in the FP game, or Master or Seniors in SP, they are permited to have courtesy runners under certain rules. If this not the case, it must be a substitution.

The reentry of Player A is contingent upon the answer in our league as players removed for courtesy runners are ineligible for reentry.

Now you are talking about something completely different, league rules. Since I doubt most of us here participate in your league, you may be asking the wrong folks.

In this case, Player A came out to catch the next inning under the substitution reentry rule. I protested siting the courtesy runner rule.

The ump claimed that it was a legal substitution as a pinch-runner and subsequent reentry but I could find no mention of the term "pinch-runner" in the ASA rule book.

That's because in ASA, a substitution is a substitution. The position that substitution takes on the field are of zero consequence unless it is a person removed from the pitcher's position by rule. The sub must always be in a specific position in the batting order and cannot be in the game at the same time as the person for which they entered the game. IOW, unless in violation of a rule, ASA doesn't care whether it is as a pinch-runner, pinch-hitter, etc.

4.6.c does read that any player may be removed from the game during any dead ball.

If the substitution was legal under an interpretation of this rule then that does open some interesting possibilities in the use of "pinch-runners" for players. (e.g. I stock a bench of track stars).

Nothing new there, but you better make sure you understand all of the substitution and reentry rules before you end up with a bunch of runners who cannot play defense on the field.