Knowing who is up to bat
 

The thread on projected substitution got me wondering. Do most of you usually have an idea who is up to bat? If the coach came up to me and said I want to bat 30 for 20 in the 5 spot, I'd have no idea if that was 9 spots away or due up. Should I be paying more attention to that?

If you ask the coach, "Is 30 up to bat now?" he says, "No", and you say, "Then when 30 is actually coming to the plate, that's when you can let me know of your change," then you won't have to worry about it. :cool:

Good grief!!

Really, I wasn't trying to make a case about the projected substitution discussion [I'll do that on the right thread]. It just seemed like a lot of people were suggesting they knew who was coming up to bat and I didn't want to ask on the more contentious thread.

Again, while this is a traditionally way of talking about substitutions, that is not correct. #30 is a SUBSTITUTE for #20, who happens to be in the 5th batting position. So to answer your question: why does it matter. Make the change, record it on your line up card. If a team commits an infraction, and it is brought to your attention*, then rule on it. Period.

*NFHS does have language that allows the umpire to discover unreported subs, etc. :o

No I do not as it is not my job to know.

I get that, but it ties in.

To answer your question without re-diving into the PS discussion...

If you believe as Mike, Atl, several others do, and accept any and all substitutions on the offense regardless of when they are due up ... then you don't care when they are due to bat that inning. You pull out the lineup card, cross off number 20 and write in 30. Done.

If you believe as me, Manny and several others do, then you ask exactly what Manny said you ask, and act accordingly.

My main point in the other thread is that regardless of which you believe to be correct, you can "prove" your way is correct via the rulebook, and you can avoid any issues with coaches, lineups, unreported subs, etc if you are self-consistent across the board on the way you're doing it.

SELF-consistent is only 1/2 the battle. :rolleyes:

I was thinking the same thing. They give me numbers, I write numbers down, not a clue who's up next, till mommy scorekeeper throws a fit. ;) .

Then I figure out who's up next. :)

Couldn't care less who is at bat unless the tie-breaker comes into play.

+1 to Irish. I will keep a semi track of the last out when I know the score is tied, but outside of that, I couldn't tell you who is batting next or has just hit.

WRT to who is batting next, I generally only pay attention to that on those situations where someone is batting but the inning ends without finishing that at bat - I'll make mental note of who that player was. (Especially at the younger ages). More often than not, SOMEONE is going to ask me if she is first up the next inning.

And the answer is, "the player scheduled after the last batter to complete his/her turn at bat the previous inning."

High school coach? I'm answering very much like that.

First timer unpaid volunteer coach? I'm probably just saying "#4, coach. If she didn't complete her at bat, she is the first one due up the next inning."

+1

As others have said, concentrate on the actually calling a game. It comes under the heading of having your priorities during a game. When you say you are an umpire, there several things that you are not - this is what we tell the new our new hs officials, although most of it applies to leagues too:

You are not a doctor/paramedic - Unless you are certified, of course. Otherwise, you stay the hell away from where the coaches are tending to the

Agree, but I do make a mental note of incomplete at bats at lower levels.

What about batters you suspect might have violated something?
To me, that is just looking for trouble, but how about the rest of you?