PA Fed DP/DEFO

[Steve M]

Pennsylvania was one of four states that experimented with the rule. I'm in Pa's district 4 and the experiment seemed to go pretty well. Those coaches who only do high school ball were afraid of the rule change and only warmed up to it late in the season. The coaches who also handle ASA ball loved the change and didtake advantage of it. In a district playoff game last week, one of the coaches was under the impression that it worked as the DH rule - she thought her DP was done for the game when she brought the Flex in to run. I had to explain in 30 seconds or less that her understanding was wrong, she would be able to bring her DP back if she wanted to. Didn't much matter for that game, they lost 4-0 in about 50 minutes.

The umpires who only work Fed ball had lots of fear at the beginning of the year. The ones in my chapter seemed to gain a fair understanding of it as the season progressed. It is helpful that mine is a small chapter and most of them also work ASA ball and several of us do college ball.

Steve M