Another fine mess...

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Tru_in_Blu

I did not realize that if we had allowed the pitcher to return to run the bases, that would have constituted a reentry for her. Can someone point to that rule reference?

I cannot find anything that would support this.

In the same tournament, we had a game end when the team's shorthanded batting slot came up, and a coach who argued that the DP replacing the FLEX did not count as a substitution.

The coach may be correct. The FLEX must use a re-entry (if available) to return to the game, but it is not a substitution. For that matter, just because the DP plays defense doesn't necessarily mean s/he replaced the FLEX, but if the FLEX doesn't go out on defense, s/he has left the game.

[Tru_in_Blu]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

The coach may be correct. The FLEX must use a re-entry (if available) to return to the game, but it is not a substitution. For that matter, just because the DP plays defense doesn't necessarily mean s/he replaced the FLEX, but if the FLEX doesn't go out on defense, s/he has left the game.

I probably didn't elaborate properly. Coach wanted to confirm that the DP could play anywhere on defense and I said that was correct. But then he wanted her to play defense for the Flex and I told him if that was the case that the Flex had left the game and if she came back in, it would require a reentry. I think I have the concept, but used the wrong terminology.

I usually think of the DP playing defense for someone other than the Flex as the player coming of the field as playing "bench". And at that point both DP and Flex are on the field on defense at the same time. I thought that's what he originally had in mind. Glad I clarified with him and he took a different path.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by Tru_in_Blu

I probably didn't elaborate properly. Coach wanted to confirm that the DP could play anywhere on defense and I said that was correct. But then he wanted her to play defense for the Flex and I told him if that was the case that the Flex had left the game and if she came back in, it would require a reentry. I think I have the concept, but used the wrong terminology.

I usually think of the DP playing defense for someone other than the Flex as the player coming of the field as playing "bench". And at that point both DP and Flex are on the field on defense at the same time. I thought that's what he originally had in mind. Glad I clarified with him and he took a different path.

I agree with both explanations, the first almost verbatim.