dp/flex ruling
 

Coach of defense wanted to put the DP in for the Flex(F1), and have the flex move to F7 and F7 to the bench. I know that the DP and Flex can both play defense at the same time but I thought only if DP is playing defense for player other than flex. I let the coach put DP in for flex but had him substitute for F7 thus Flex left the game. Fed rule 3.3.6(e) says that if the DP plays defense for the flex, the flex is considered to have left the game. I guess I need some clarification because I was told I screwed up.

If number 15 was F7 and
the FLEX was #33 playing elsewhere, this time F1 and
the DP was #8

Then what the coach wanted can be done, reported this way
- the DP is now playing F7 in place of #15 who is now batting only
- #8 and #33 switch positions on the field
- - - > #33 the FLEX to F7
- - - > #8 the new F7 to F1
No need for the DP to play defense for the FLEX in this case because the FLEX is already on defense and the DP can play defense for anyone else. Field postions don't matter to this rule.

Any 9 of the 10 players on the line-up card can play defense. The ONLY time there is any type of issue is if the Flex is not one of the 9 on the defense. At that point, the Flex has left the game because the DP is now on defense for the Flex.

Yes, you did. What he wanted to do was legal.

He was putting DP on defense for the player at F7, who now bats only, and then moving FLEX to play left field and the DP in to pitch.

A coach can move his defensive players around any way he wants, can't he? That is all he was doing. No subsitutions involved. No one has left the game.

Thanks for the insight. I know that players can play any position. I guess if the coach would have said he was putting DP in at F7 and then the DP and flex were switching, it would have made sense but for some reason I got hung up on the flex having to leave. How do you manage changes like these on your line up card?

Here is a link to a PowerPoint presentation that shows one way to manage your lineup card with the DP/FLEX.

http://www.cactusumpires.com/pdf/lin...t-ASA-NFHS.ppt

What the coach wanted to do was legal. The way he said it was completely illegal. He cannot "put the DP in for the FLEX" and have the FLEX remain on the field.

Clearly the coach didn't completely understand it and his confusion caused you to doubt your knowledge of the rule. Join the club! :)

As a coach, I've made substitutions like this frequently. I just tell the umpire, "We're just making some positional swaps. We're not doing any substituting." He nods his head and life goes on. No need to even get out the pen.

If he wants to know more than that ... he can ask.

We generally did this when the current pitcher started to struggle and we wanted to start warming up the relief pitcher who may have been the left-fielder. We just sent the DP out there to play left field and bring the original left-fielder in to start warming up. This is perfectly legal and there is no substituting provided the left-fielder wasn't the FLEX.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN