Short a Player
 

1. Can a coach come to the pre-game meeting with 9 eligible players on the line-up and then remove one of them to play the rest of the game with 8, without that player ever stepping on the field to play one pitch of offense or defense?

2. Does the umpire need to know the reason for the removal of the player?

Which rules set are you asking about?? The answer varies.

Sorry, FED

NFHS rules...

The player is in the game once the lineup is official, so stepping onto the field or up to bat has no bearing.

However, the game starts not at the end of the plate meeting, but when the umpire calls "Play ball" (4-1-5).

So, if the player is removed at the plate meeting, then the game is a forfeit (4-3-1f), but if the player is removed after the start of the game, they may continue with 8 players (4-3-1g).

If the coach is using a "player" who will not actually play to have a legal linup card to submit and start the game, I don't really have an issue with it, especially in light of the general intent of the NFHS rules to foster participation. You can't participate in a forfeited game!

I don't mean to derail the thread, but can anyone explain the logic behind the prohibition to start a game short-handed, while continuing to play a started game with less than 9 is allowed?

Oh, you want logic! :rolleyes:

Just the wording being generalized.

My guess is that the rulesmakers initially required nine players to start and finish a game, but as games went by and teams faced situations where one player became injured, rather than forfeiting the game outright, they created the shorthand rule to allow the game to continue with the lesser penalty of an out recorded each time the empty batting slot came up. For college play, there is no slack given; once a college team loses its ninth player, game over.

I think the intent of the rule is that they can control how many they have to start, but may not be able to control how many they have after starting due to, as Manny suggests, injury. Not foolproof logic because they SHOULD be prepared for the possibility, but small schools play Fed. NCAA -- 12 scholarships, should be able to field a full team at all times.

Even D-III?

Yeah. They're "academic" scholarships, donchaknow... ;)