USA Softball Curtesy Runner Rule

[WKimble]

12U - Over the weekend an opposing team used a curtesy runner for someone other than Pitcher/Catcher. After questioning the substitution, I was told "Free Substitution Rule" which I only thought was for defense. This was a USA Softball sanctioned tournament which our group doesn't play a lot of. I cant find clear direction in the USA rulebook. Was this substitution/runner legal?

 

[ang2bmd]

If the runner was a bench player not in the batting line up then it would have been a pinch runner which would be a legal substitute. If the runner was in the batting line up then you got hosed. Free substitute is a house rule that is usually specified as free defensive substitute. If it was not specified you were hosed by the tournament director by poor wording, if it was then hosed by umpires not understanding....either way probably hosed

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[canyonjoe]

A lot of tournaments use that for pool play but it's not a rule in any sanction that I can think of. In bracket play most revert to real rules.

 

[Strike2]

"Free substitution" is a house rule that allows coaches to move players in and out of the lineup without worrying about reentry limits. Courtesy runners are only for the pitcher and catcher.

If the substitute runner wasn't in the batting lineup at the time, she's not a "courtesy runner", but putting her in to pinch-run for someone is legit. If she was in the batting lineup, it's not.

In USSSA, a team batting everyone can use the Last Completed at Bat to run for the pitcher or catcher, but nobody else. Similar house rules can exist in USA Softball tournaments, but the USA rulebook addresses the standard courtesy runner rules in Rule 8 Sec 10.

If it was illegal but didn't have a pivotal impact on the game/tournament, I'd address the confusion to the UIC/TD afterwards. If it was a situation where the bracket game is close and they're illegally switching a three-toed sloth with a jackrabbit, it's protest time.

 

[Cougars]

In USSSA, a team batting everyone can use the Last Completed at Bat to run for the pitcher or catcher, but nobody else.

We play one or two USSSA tournaments a year, and they have always used "last batted out" as the courtesy runner. I don't know if that is some kind of regional "Chicagoland" thing that has evolved? Played in Florida last week and it was the first time we used "last completed at bat". I like it better, but there was a little confusion sometimes when a runner scored during the at bat of a player to be run for.

 

[The Man In Blue]

So ... USA's courtesy runner rule is a mess, IMO. On the other hand, they did overly simplify it. While they did basically throw their hands in the air and say "screw it" by allowing ANYBODY to be a courtesy runner*, the rule still only applies to the pitcher and the catcher.

@ang2bmd gave a great reply. You are looking at house rules, not USA rules. If they just said "free substitution" then it was legal. Shady, but legal. This is why tournaments should not institute house rules. They never think through the applications

*Essentially, in pool play ANYBODY can be a courtesy runner. The only limitations are the same person cannot run for the pitcher AND the catcher in the same game. IF a courtesy runner is on base (as a CR) when their turn at bat comes up, they are OUT as a baserunner. This only applies in POOL PLAY.

 

[HunterMO]

We play one or two USSSA tournaments a year, and they have always used "last batted out" as the courtesy runner. I don't know if that is some kind of regional "Chicagoland" thing that has evolved? Played in Florida last week and it was the first time we used "last completed at bat". I like it better, but there was a little confusion sometimes when a runner scored during the at bat of a player to be run for.

DD's team plays in a league under USA rules. It's always been explained to us as "last out" for courtesy runners.

We did have one situation in a USSSA tournament where our catcher struck out at the plate, then our pitcher was up and got on base. Due to not wanting to run our catcher we didn't use our "last out" and went with what was essentially the "last available(?)". It caused a quick moment of confusion, but all sides ultimately were okay with it since no one wanted to be forced to run their pitchers/catchers if it came up again.

We've never used a pinch runner (despite my asking the HC to do so in certain situations) so I'm no help there.

 

[The Man In Blue]

We play one or two USSSA tournaments a year, and they have always used "last batted out" as the courtesy runner. I don't know if that is some kind of regional "Chicagoland" thing that has evolved? Played in Florida last week and it was the first time we used "last completed at bat". I like it better, but there was a little confusion sometimes when a runner scored during the at bat of a player to be run for.

Last batted out is a colloquialism that is technically incorrect. It is LAST COMPLETED AT BAT but then there are some "roll up" (my term) rules ... you skip pitchers and catchers, you skip anybody on base, you skip anybody who already CRed for the other position (pitcher/catcher). Then it goes to the Speaker-of-the-House. (Sorry, poli-sci joke.)

Last batted out is incorrect, as a runner who scored SHOULD be included in that courtesy runner line-of-succession.

EDIT TO ADD: The USSSA section on LCAB ...