Submission for quote of the year, 2006

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by blu_bawls

Does the ASA or USSSA have a section in their rule books about line up cards?

ASA 4-1-A(1), which says in part,

A starting player shall be official when the line-up is inspected and approved by the plate umpire and team manager at the pre-game meeting.

ASA 7-2-A

The batting order ... must be delivered before the game by the manager or captain to the plate umpire.

ASA 7-2-B

The batting order delivered to the umpire must be followed throughout the game, unless a player is replaced by:
1. A substitute ... or
2. ... FLEX bats for DP ...

ASA 5-6-A

The manager or team representative of the team making the substitution shall notify the plate umpire at the time the substitute enters. The plate umpire shall then report the change to the scorer.

ASA 8-10-G

A courtesy runner must be reported to the plate umpire.

The aggregate of all of these makes the umpire's line-up card just a smidge more important than a mere copy. It is the original (where originally submitted by the team manager; where changes are originally made by the plate umpire). The score book is the copy. Especially in the 99% of the games that do not have an impartial official scorekeeper.