CR for DP/Flex
 

Visiting team's Flex is listed as pitcher in the lineup. Before breaking up the pregame, visiting coach announces he's going to bat DP for the Flex.
DP gets on base, coach uses CR for DP.

It's a given that, since she was given a CR, the DP is going to have to face at least one batter (as pitcher) in the bottom of the 1st.

Question:
Whose responsibility is it to assure that DP comes out to pitch? The opposing coach? If Flex comes out to pitch instead, is she simply an unreported sub?

It is the intent of the rule that the DP bats for the FLEX. Did you mean to say that the coach inserts the DP on defense for the FLEX?

If that is the case and the DP (and now starting pitcher for the visitors) may have a CR in the top of the 1st. If the pitcher does not face the first batter (one pitch), it is an illegal substitute and can be discovered by either team or the umpires. (3-4; 8-9-2)

Sorry about that... of course she bats for Flex. I merely meant that, after DP gets on base, coach puts in CR...perhaps without forethought about the bottom of the inning.
At that point, (when CR goes in), it's our responsibility to make the coach aware that he will have to put DP in to pitch for at least a batter, no?
Guess that's just a courtesy on our part.

DP always bats for FLEX. If DP gets on base, CR is not allowed.
Do you mean the DP will replace the FLEX as pitcher?
Then yes, THAT PLAYER must pitch to start the bottom of the 1st.

It would be an appeal by the opposing team and yes, the ORIGINAL FLEX player pitching when the ORIGINAL DP PLAYER is required to is an unreported sub.

You indicated the flex was listed as the pitcher on the lineup. When the DP batted and got on base a CR should not have been allowed as the DP was not listed as the pitcher.

In FED, this can be discovered by either team or the umpires (3-4).

If the HC made the change at the pregame conference inserting the DP as pitcher, then a CR would be allowed and the DP (now the starting pitcher) would be required to pitch to the first batter in the bottom of the 1st.

If the coach did not inform you that the DP was going in on defense for the FLEX at the pregame conference, then you cannot allow a CR for the DP. It's too late. The HC had to make that known during the lineup exchange. Otherwise, what would prevent the HC from having a CR for F4 and then just trotting out F4 to face the first batter the next half-inning?

If, in fact, the coach was entering the DP on defense (and said so), then the DP must pitch to begin the bottom of the 1st.

However, the way I'm reading your second post, the coach did not state that he was entering DP as F1; the coach was apparently assuming that since the DP bats for F1, who is the FLEX, then (in his assumption) DP can have a CR. This should not have been allowed.

How did this transpire, exactly? Who told what to whom and when?

Cutting through the red herrings and assuming the coach, at the conference, told you that DP would pitch the first inning, the responsibility for ensuring she does so lies with the same people that have the responsibility for ensuring the person listed as pitcher on the lineup card pitches the first inning on any other lineup on any other day. With the same appeal possibilities if it doesn't happen that way.

The 2nd sentence of my OP has screwed this all up. Please try to ignore it.

At pregame, coach makes no reference to DP pitching for Flex.

Top of 1st:

Coach: "My DP just got on base. I want to put in a CR"

PU: "Can't do it, coach"
or
PU: "DP will then have to pitch to at least one batter, coach"

"Can't do it, coach."

Cant do it coach, your DP is not listed on the lineup card as the pitcher.

Agree. "Can't do that, coach." If the coach asks why, explain that the pitcher needs to earn her way on base to have a CR, and the DP is not the pitcher.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the coach shows the FLEX as the pitcher on the lineup card he/she turns in to the PU, I didn't think the coach could then announce a substitution of that pitcher (either by the DP or another player). The rule requires that in the top of the first inning, the pitcher listed in the lineup has to pitch to one batter.

So even if he/she tried to make that change during the conference, the PU should say, "Sorry, coach, but you can't do that."