High school rules

[nixxy311]

Quite honestly - I'm keeping stats for my kid to see how she's doing because I don't think any one even cares since it's not varsity

Today both teams played correctly with line-ups (no weird subs) but then it turned into a timed game. Luckily we won but it would have been nice to play a full 7 since the last few games we've been run ruled in the 5th :/

 

[The Man In Blue]

I can see special circumstances calling for certain games to played in a way to accommodate teams in need (low numbers, injuries), but if each has two full rosters, and a field without time restriction, why not play by the rules?

Cynical jaded umpire says: because they don’t know the rules.

I get told I am too rigid on these games. But my theory is this: this is where sloppy and bad habits form. This is where bad coaches flourish by accident. This is where bad umpires reinforce poor mechanics. Is it fair to these players for coaches and umpires to come out and half-@$$ it? No, it’s rude and disrespectful to the players and the game.

So while we may do “free substitution” to get players in (no, that doesn’t mean anarchy rules the line up card) and we may do something like 9 batters-per-inning limit, you are still going to give me a proper line up card and you are not going to hang around outside the dugout.

 

[Lambchops78]

In Ohio, in the SWBL anyhow, Jr High through Varsity play on different days, sometimes a JV will be on one field and JR high on another. All are playing full games...unless run rule applies. This might not be the case every where, but I would hate it to be Bush league...

 

[Cagman]

We play under the same rules we do Varsity. With the exception of it's a timed game. We play JV before Varsity and we start V at 5:30-5:45, so JV goes from 4-5:15 drop dead.

But the lineups, rules, subs, etc are all official. I agree that this game should be played the right way at all levels. I can't stand the timed games you see at every level, but I understand the need for fields, etc. I feel games at all levels should be played the correct way (maybe not necessarily 8U). I was at a TB 12U game a few weeks ago where the other coach came up to me and the ump in the 3rd-4th inning (after his team had batted around a few times and as winning about 12-2) and said he had another player on the way (this was about 7 PM and the final game of the day) and she would be the 10th player. I asked who is she subbing for and why wasn't she on your sub/reserve list? The umps got together and because they are a for-profit softball factory and are used to getting things their way, the umps allowed it.

I have never in my life a player inserted as a 10th batter out of the blue after batting around several times. And then a player got hurt and she went into the field. Still don't know who this girl was as she was not on the official lineup.

The exception we do have is a late arrival for a 9th player - you play with 8, but take an out for the 9th until she arrives.

 

[The Man In Blue]

NFHS and USA both allow you to add roster players at any point without penalty.

Making her the 10th batter? No dice in my book either.

 

[Cagman]

NFHS and USA both allow you to add roster players at any point without penalty.

Making her the 10th batter? No dice in my book either.

Thank you for information. This was a 12U TB game where it is common to bat 10, 11, etc and you can sub in the field any of the 10,11, 12 you have batting. But IMO, once the lineup is set (they had 9 with no reserves listed), they should bat 9 the whole game. Subs have to be used as subs the same way we do in HS. This is why most TB teams at that age only have 10 or 11 - at least they bat everyone. We did things a bit different this year and brought 12-14 girls cause we wanted to give every girl that wanted the experience to get the experience. I'm not a big fan of telling 12 yr old girls that they aren't good enough. I feel it's my job to make them better, even if it's only a small improvement.

I'd have been fine if they added her as a reserve, but IMO, she should have been on the lineup card as a reserve whether she was there or not.

I've just never seen a game where a team bats 9 for 3 ininngs, then bats 10 in the 4th inning.

I felt bad making an issue out of it, but damn, what the point of a lineup card then? Didn't help that we were losing. Now I'm getting upset again thinking about it, lol.

 

[The Man In Blue]

I agree with you wholeheartedly ... and it is a common discussion on boards like this one ... when do we ignore rules?

I’ll even go a little more lenient than you: if she got there in the second or third inning and they hadn’t made it through the line up ... eh, OK, stick her in at #10. But once you have batted around ... not so much.

On one hand, we are there for the kids and should do what we can to facilitate them playing. On the other hand ... why do we bother with any rules? If we aren’t going to bother with rules, why bother with umpires? (Or, more importantly, more umpires say “Why bother with the game any more? I’ve got better things to do.”)

I know lots of people think these little “administrative” things don’t matter, but they do.

I will also point out, coaches and fans are only eager to bend/break/ignore rules when it benefits their team. If it benefits the other team ... cue the moral outrage.