DP/FLEX: What is to purpose of having this option? I have asked a few members of my pool and no one seems to understand the rationale of this feature let alone the mechanics of how it works...
Sorry... By now I'm sure this has probably been asked before, but I couldn't find a previously thread.. If there is a previous thread, maybe someone could direct me to it... I would prefer to not retrace ground already covered... TIA

Just Curious,

Must not have looked very closely. There are over 20 different
Q's & A's on this subject.

However, go here: http://eteamz.active.com/softballumpires/ [Look under Handouts.]

This will give you everything you need for DP/FLEX. A powerful rule.

The purpose of the rule theoretically, is to put 9 hitters in the lineup. Arguably to allow pitchers to be single-minded. They get "paid to pitch" - don't get hung up on the word "paid". Since the rule is not limited to pitchers it provides several additional strategies for the lineup.

As for mechanics the best resource I have seen in at http://www.cactusumpires.com/pdf/lin...t-ASA-NFHS.ppt

The real reason for this albatross is to give coaches and umpires headaches.

Thanks tcannizzo
 

Thanks tcannizzo... This is exactly what I was looking for...
Thanks Glenn... I did look at the link that you suggested. But it didn't provide the answer I was looking for. Good link though and I have saved it for future reference.
Thanks Mike.... I concur... And now I understand why I concur.. :p

This is the DH rule, not the DP/FLEX rule.

DP/FLEX is considerably more powerful than DH. Among the things the rule allows that DH doesn't are:
<OL TYPE=1><LI>DP can play defense for any player.
<LI>FLEX can bat for the DP.
<LI>The player DP is playing defense for continues to bat (unless the player is the FLEX)
<LI>FLEX can play any defensive position (not just F1)</OL>
Without making any kind of value judgment (i.e. is the rule "good"), the rule is not that hard to understand so long as you remember a couple of things going in:
<OL TYPE=1><LI>DP and FLEX are positions, not players.
<LI>Nothing changes with the rules pertaining to batting order or substitutions or rentry
<LI>If DP is replacing FLEX on defense or FLEX is replacing DP on offence, the player being replaced has left the game
<LI>If FLEX bats it must be in the batting order position that DP occupies (so DP leaves the game)</OL>If you remember these relatively simple things, you can then figure out most any specific situation wrt DP/FLEX.