protes on DP/DEFO

[Dakota]

Originally posted by F.O.D. UIC
I am the UIC at Basehor Field of Dreams in Kansas, where we run 20 afa tourneys per year.
I am very familiar with the Defo/DP rule.

AFA is hanging tough (this year at least) with the DEFO name. Long live the AFA!

Originally posted by F.O.D. UIC
When they allowed you to bat for the DP in the 5th, this was an illegal substitution, since you were no longer the Defo. And, when you WERE the Defo, you were considered in the game, and are charged with a substitution when you are removed from the defensive field (which you did in the 5th inning, when G went in to pitch and you went to the bench). Therefore, you should have first been re-inserted into the 10th, non-batting position before being allowed to bat for the DP. Defo's are allowed free substitution for the DP's batting position, but when you went to the bench, the actual number of players that your team was playing with dropped to 9.

Part of the problem is that when trying to simplify the explanations, there are "sound-bite" style comments taken out of context and used as gospel. For example, "Defo's are allowed free substitution for the DP's batting position." I'll get back to that, but first...

While it is technically true that the reentry of the DEFO (FLEX) to bat in the 5th was illegal, an astute umpire would have handled the lineup card correctly during the discussion with the coach to make sure he knew the DEFO was reentering and was then batting for the DP, and that the DP had now left the game (so the line up during the conversation goes from 9 to 10 and back to 9). The end effect is the same, and is legal - DEFO reenters and bats for DP.

Then, in the 6th, when the DP returns to pitch, there should again be a conversation with the coach (since all line up changes involving DP/DEFO are to be given to the umpire), wherein the umpire informs the coach that his DP has reentered for his final reentry and the DEFO has left the game and is done. Once again, during the conversation, the lineup goes for 9 to 10 and back to 9.

Finally, when the team attempts to reenter the DEFO the second time, the umpire should have simply said, "you can't do that."

The true statement that "Defo's are allowed free substitution for the DP's batting position" can lead to vast misunderstanding. Some believe that the DEFO and DP may go back and forth in the batting position as many times as they want. The DEFO can, but the DP can't. Each time the DEFO bats for the DP, the DP has officially left the game. The DP can reenter, but only one time.

Also, using the word "substitution" in this context leads to confusion. It is not a substitution in the sense that the DEFO is not "entering" the game - the DEFO is already IN the game playing defense. It is, however, an exit from the game for the DP. Same thing if the DP plays defense for the DEFO. It is not an entry for the DP, but it is an exit for the DEFO.