Little League softball substitutions

[UmpireErnie]

Hi! Looking for a Little League Softball rules expert. LL softball has a wild substitution rule 3.03.

Please tell me if these are true statements.

1. A starter may be substituted for prior to playing six outs and completing a time at bat since she can return later to complete her playing requirements.

2. Only a starter may reenter the game. A substitute who leaves the game is done unless she returns under the injury exception listed in 3.03 Note2.

3. When a starter leaves the game, she may not reenter until the player she replaces has plays six defensive outs and completed one time at bat.

4. When a starter reenters the game, she may do so in any spot in the batting order.

5. If a team players do not all complete their playing requirements, the game still stands. The team must get those players the rest of their required playing time for the game they were shorted in plus all of their required playing time for the next game at the start of the next game.

Thanks in advance for your input.

[Az.Ump]

[QUOTE=UmpireErnie]Hi! Looking for a Little League Softball rules expert. LL softball has a wild substitution rule 3.03.

Please tell me if these are true statements.

1. A starter may be substituted for prior to playing six outs and completing a time at bat since she can return later to complete her playing requirements.

Yes

2. Only a starter may reenter the game. A substitute who leaves the game is done unless she returns under the injury exception listed in 3.03 Note2.

Yes (regular season only)

3. When a starter leaves the game, she may not reenter until the player she replaces has plays six defensive outs and completed one time at bat.

Yes (Tournament has less MPR)

4. When a starter reenters the game, she may do so in any spot in the batting order.

Yes (regular season only)

5. If a team players do not all complete their playing requirements, the game still stands. The team must get those players the rest of their required playing time for the game they were shorted in plus all of their required playing time for the next game at the start of the next game.

Yes (This should be reported to the BOD for proper actoin aginst the manager)


Paul

[UmpireErnie]

Thanks, Paul.

To take it just a bit further, let’s see if I am applying these rules correctly. Assume regular season here I haven’t even read tournament rules yet!

Play 1: Starter9 who started in the ninth spot in the lineup is replaced at the beginning of the second inning by Sub1. Starter9 has played three defensive outs and has not yet batted at the time of the substitution.

Ruling: Legal. Although Starter9 has not yet played six outs and had one at bat, she is a starter and will be able to and is required to return to the game later to finish her playing requirements.

Play 2: Continuing from above, in the third inning the manager reports that Starter9 will reenter and replace Starter1 in the first spot in the order. Starter1 has played six outs and had one at bat. At this point Sub1 has played three outs and had no at bats.

Ruling: Although Starter9 needs to come back into the game to finish her playing requirements, she cannot do so until the player she replaced (Sub1) has played six outs and completed one at bat. It does not matter that Sub1 is not the player being removed at this time. The Umpire should not allow the substitution.

Play 3: Continuing same game, at the start of the fifth inning the manager reports that now Starter9 will reenter and replace Starter1 in the first spot in the order. Starter1 has played nine outs and batted twice, and Sub1 has played six outs and batted once.

Ruling: Legal. Since Sub1 who had earlier replaced Starter9 has played six outs and had one at bat Starter9 is now eligible to reenter the game anywhere in the order.

How did I do?

Ernie

[BlitzkriegBob]

Originally Posted by UmpireErnie

Ruling: Although Starter9 needs to come back into the game to finish her playing requirements, she cannot do so until the player she replaced (Sub1) has played six outs and completed one at bat. It does not matter that Sub1 is not the player being removed at this time. The Umpire should not allow the substitution.

The only thing I notice that is not 100% correct is your wording here. Rather than reading "she cannot do so until the player she replaced (Sub1)" it should read "she cannot do so until the player who replaced her (Sub1)"

Also, as a side note concerning #5 in your OP, if there is a shortened game, then minimum play rules do not apply. Therefore, if Sub1 enters the game in the third inning of a shortened game (e.g. run rule or weather) and plays six defensive outs but does not get to bat, there is no penalty.

[UmpireErnie]

Thanks Bob

"she cannot do so until the player who replaced her (Sub1)"

Yes, that is the wording that I was thinking even though it was not what I was typing!

I probably seem like I am beating a dead horse but LL sub rules are sooooo different that I don’t trust myself. Being able to have a batter come back in a different spot in the order seems especially wild.

Ernie

[CecilOne]

If "especially wild" equals ridiculous.

[Mountaineer]

Originally Posted by BlitzkriegBob

Therefore, if Sub1 enters the game in the third inning of a shortened game (e.g. run rule or weather) and plays six defensive outs but does not get to bat, there is no penalty.

Might want to check that - I think that weather has nothing to do with mp requirements. I am positive that a run-shortened game has nothing to do with mp. Curfew however DOES negate the mp. I could be wrong . . . but think I'm right.

[UmpireErnie]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

Might want to check that - I think that weather has nothing to do with mp requirements. I am positive that a run-shortened game has nothing to do with mp. Curfew however DOES negate the mp. I could be wrong . . . but think I'm right.

LL Softball Regulation IV (i) Note 2: “There is no exception to this rule unless the game is shortened for any reason at which time the Local League may elect not to impose a penalty on the manager/coach.”

This seems to indicate that if a player does not get her minimum playing time because of a shortened game that the league can waive any disciplinary action against the manager/coach but that the player who did not get her playing time still has to start the next game and play the rest of the time she missed in this game plus her six outs and one at bat for the next game before she can be removed from the next game.

This would make sense. You can’t expect the coach to predict that they will score a bunch of runs or that it is going to rain so the game might only go four innings instead of six.