Courtesy runner question

[Lightning]

This happened in a high school game. There were ten players available for the home team, coach isn't using DP/Flex so the bench is one player.

Bottom of the fifth, home team's pitcher (#9) gets a hit. Coach asks for a courtesy runner for the pitcher. #50 (the bench player) gets put in as the runner for #9.

Bottom of the sixth, #13 (right fielder) is on second base and twists her ankle and can't continue. #50 gets subbed in for #13 on the bases and plays RF in the seventh.

After the game, DD asked me if that was legal, because she thought that once a CR was used, they were tied to the player they ran for. So was that a legal substitution? Can the courtesy runner come in the game for someone other than the person she ran for?

 

[tim_s]

yes

 

[canyonjoe]

They can do that but now lose the courtesy runner for the P (unless they had another player on the bench). Honestly I think the courtesy runner is nonsense and that softball should go to the DH if you want but until they do what the other team did is legal.

 

[The Man In Blue]

“Courtesy runner” is not a position. They are still eligible to enter for any player as an eligible sub. Once they enter as a sub, they can no longer courtesy run.

I have my issues with the CR, but I’ll go the opposite route from @canyonjoe and pitch a new idea: make it a position. You can keep the same eligibility as a sub, but designate your courtesy runners on your line up and then take away the choice. P or C gets on and you have a CR designated, they run. Period.

 

[eddieq]

CRs drive me nuts from a game management standpoint mostly becauseI do a lot of community games. Nobody has the same rules as what's actually written in the governing body's rules, and the wording is always awkward - "last batted out" or "last completed at bat not on base" or "any bench player not in the game". Mostly described as an effort to "keep the game moving" but we stop the game so we can put the CR on base and they can prepare their catcher for the next inning but wait - we don't know who the runner is supposed to be, they cannot find their helmet, or don't understand why they are going back out there or where they are supposed to go and the coach is yelling, "Jenny get your helmet on and go to second" but there are 3 Jenny's, two Jenna's and a "Jennifer please, that's what I named my daughter" on the team. Then once that's settled, we turn the inning and the catcher that we held up play to replace in order for her to get ready is still fumbling with her gear since the previous catcher was polar opposite in size and they cannot get it adjusted.

In theory, it's great the keep the game moving, in practice, it's why we have 2 hour time limits.

I need more coffee. Sorry for the explosion. Play ball!

 

[CoachCeetar]

The coaches are never paying attention either, or there just aren't enough coaches to be paying attention. I'm usually keeping score at first so I often notice, but me shouting this stuff across the diamond is rarely helpful.

imo the second the (limit-1) runs score in an inning, or the second out, the runner that scored or the out that was made should IMMEDIATELY replace the catcher (and/or pitcher) on the base paths. Take that batter, the one with a helmet on already on the field, and keep it moving. If the catcher's at the plate or on deck, just keep that player handy.

I guess at some point/higher levels you could really take advantage of that by not using the strictly speaking, last out, etc but really probably not.

At lower levels one of the coaches is often warming up the pitchers to start the next inning anyway, so in reality if you've taken more than like 15 seconds to courtesy run you've wasted time.

I feel like at some point kids would have the urgency to be paying attention/ready/hustling out there but from reading some of the threads here I think that might not kick in till like..35 maybe?

 

[YoungBuck]

This happened in a high school game. There were ten players available for the home team, coach isn't using DP/Flex so the bench is one player.

Bottom of the fifth, home team's pitcher (#9) gets a hit. Coach asks for a courtesy runner for the pitcher. #50 (the bench player) gets put in as the runner for #9.

Bottom of the sixth, #13 (right fielder) is on second base and twists her ankle and can't continue. #50 gets subbed in for #13 on the bases and plays RF in the seventh.

After the game, DD asked me if that was legal, because she thought that once a CR was used, they were tied to the player they ran for. So was that a legal substitution? Can the courtesy runner come in the game for someone other than the person she ran for?

Courtesy Runner... this is a rule that needs to go away.