Incorrect Courtesy Runner Question

Hypothetical situation. ASA rules.

1st inning - Catcher gets on (walk, hit, whatever). Time is called, and the coach asks for a courtesy runner (we'll say uniform #1). Play continues.

3rd inning - Catcher gets on again. Time is called, and the coach asks for a courtesy runner, but a DIFFERENT player is used (we'll say uniform #5).

> If the defensive coach notices this before the next pitch is thrown, and calls time/approaches the home plate umpire about the situation, what is the result/outcome?

> And would this be the same penalty if ONE courtesy runner is used for both P and C (which IS against the rules)?

Your situation 1, as long as they are players that have not yet been used in the game you can use as many different courtesy runners for the pitcher and catcher as you want. If you have 5 players that havent been used in the game, the coach could use all 5 of them for the catcher in different innings. But, they are all locked to the catcher and the catcher is the only player they can courtesy run for.

Situation 2, the umpire should prevent this from happening by checking their lineup when the courtesy runner is put into the game, but nevertheless the coach is still responsible. If the same courtesy runner is used for both the pitcher and catcher, or a player that has already been used in the game enters as a courtesy runner etc, that player becomes an illegal runner. If brought to the umpires attention, that player is disqualified and is replaced by a legal player.

That clears up a misconception I had then. I thought once A player (let's say #1 in my above example) became a CR for either the P or C, ONLY #1 could be the CR for that player for the remainder of the game (and no other players), so once that player (#1) entered the game for someone else as a substitute, that made me assume that the P or C could no longer have a CR at that point since "nobody else" could be a CR for her. That clears things up. Muchas gracias.

Another clarification, the courtesy runner is for the position, not the player. If #12 is the catcher and #1 courtesy runs for them, then #1 can run for any player that happens to play the position of catcher.

I understand. And in that instance, #1 can ONLY run for the position of catcher because that was the original position ran for when first used as a CR.

If #7 was the pitcher, and #8 ran for her initially as a CR, then #8 can be the CR for ANY pitcher that enters the game, so long as #8 is not entered in the game from the bench. But once a CR goes from being a substitute to being in the lineup for a position, she cannot be a CR any longer, right?

Correct, once a player has been used in the lineup they can no longer be a courtesy runner.

gdc03120 said:

If #7 was the pitcher, and #8 ran for her initially as a CR, then #8 can be the CR for ANY pitcher that enters the game, so long as #8 is not entered in the game from the bench. But once a CR goes from being a substitute to being in the lineup for a position, she cannot be a CR any longer, right?

Click to expand...

How does this relate to the "last out" CR?
Can the "last out" CR be the same for pitcher and catcher?

Usa has never had a last out courtesy runner rule, it has always been the courtesy runner must be a player who has not yet been in the game. Now, there has been a rule change for next year for pool play when a team is batting the lineup where I believe they will allow the last out to be a courtesy runner. I will have to go back and read the new rule changes to verify the wording. When the rule makes the last out the courtesy runner then yes, the same player could run for both the pitcher and catcher if somehow that condition arose.

Correction on the new USA rule. If I'm reading it correctly, in pool play any team member can be used as a courtesy runner for either the pitcher or catcher.