NFHS Courtesy Runner

[teebob21]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

I could see this potentially being used to a teams advantage.

Let's say there is a close game and in the bottom of the 6th inning pitcher A gets on base and CR-1 runs for her. In the top of the 7th, pitcher A is struggling so they decide to make a pitching change and the catcher and pitcher switch positions (yes a very annoying change in the middle of an inning). Now in the bottom of the inning, Pitcher B, who was the catcher gets on base and CR-1 runs for her. The team could in theory take substantial advantage of this by using the same CR for both positions.

I guess this is why there is a rule that states you can't make a change until that half inning. If there wasn't a rule like that teams could really take advantage of the CR rule. The coach could simply come out and say F1 and F2 are switching positions, then after the half inning switch them back.

I do think NFHS should require position changes to be notified to the umpires at least for the F1 and F2 positions. As I currently understand the rule, it is simply up to the umpire to remember who was last in the position (after the first half inning) for the purposes of the CR rule.

Don't have a rule book handy right now, but most rulesets with courtesy runners require the CR-1 to run for the player who last played the F1 position (with the exception of the top of the 1st inning). Logically extending that idea, in most rulesets, you can't make a defensive position change while on offense. (See also the Projected Subs thread.)