Where can outfielders stand?

[Dabears17]

Its rules review time for our spring rec league. A question has come up about where outfielders are allowed to play. We are looking at Rule 4, Section 1. Since its rec, we play with 4 outfielders.

I know some local rule sets state something like 'Ten defensive players are allowed on the field (four outfielders). The four outfielders may be in any alignment providing they are all in the grass at the start of the play.'

Is there anything in pure ASA JO girls fastpitch which restrict where outfielders are suppose to be positioned?

The definition of outfielder in Rule 1 is 'A fielder who defends the area of the field that the left, left-center, right center, and right fielders normally play'.

 

[Ken Krause]

I am not sure, but I don't believe there is. I think you can pull them all into the infield if you so choose. Not necessarily a wise decision, but possible. The only restriction I know of is everyone except the catcher must start the play in fair territory.

 

[tcannizzo]

Ken's got it right. Here's one from about 10 years ago when I was still coaching - 12-U ASA.
Bottom 7th - 2-2 game (we are Vis). Bases loaded no outs.

Requested Time from PU. Got everyone into the circle including the outfielders and said "Ladies, we are building a fence." They had a puzzled look on their faces as we had never practiced anything like this.
Had all 7 fielders inside the baselines. F5-F7-F6-F8-F4-F9-F3. A fly ball to the OF would have meant ball game as run would have probably scored, especially against this team...lol
I have to admit, I didn't realize how imposing it looked once I got back to the dugout.
Next 2 batters struck out. Went back to normal defense and next batter hit a fly ball to F7 for the 3rd out.
Went to ITB, executed to go 3-2, but the home team got 2 runs and ball game, 4-3.

Point is this is totally allowed by ASA rules.

 

[MTR]

Its rules review time for our spring rec league. A question has come up about where outfielders are allowed to play. We are looking at Rule 4, Section 1. Since its rec, we play with 4 outfielders.

I know some local rule sets state something like 'Ten defensive players are allowed on the field (four outfielders). The four outfielders may be in any alignment providing they are all in the grass at the start of the play.'

Is there anything in pure ASA JO girls fastpitch which restrict where outfielders are suppose to be positioned?

The definition of outfielder in Rule 1 is 'A fielder who defends the area of the field that the left, left-center, right center, and right fielders normally play'.

According to the rules, you are not required to have outfielders, as defined. Same with infielders.

Only two defenders have any location restrictions, the catcher (in the catcher's box) and the pitcher (in contact with the pitcher's plate at time of the pitch). Otherwise, a defender can stand ANYWHERE as long as s/he is completely in fair territory prior to and at the time of the pitch.

 

[BretMan]

...(A) defender can stand ANYWHERE as long as s/he is completely in fair territory prior to and at the time of the pitch.

Great! I'm going to have two or three of my fielders stand between the pitching plate and home, directly in the batter's line of vision.

 

[MTR]

Great! I'm going to have two or three of my fielders stand between the pitching plate and home, directly in the batter's line of vision.

Okay, you got me in a moment of weakness. Let me amend that to anywhere other than in the batter's line of vision which is somewhat ambiguous since that could be just about anywhere

 

[Axe]

Most Rec leagues will have a local rule that requires outfielders to begin each pitch with their feet on the grass unless the infield is totally outsized for the age group.

 

[James Smith]

I think the OF with their feet on the grass is when you are allowed 4 outfielders, when you only have 3 you can do what ever want.

 

[Dabears17]

We don't have the 'OF must be with their feet on the grass or at least 20ft behind the base path at the start of the pitch' local rule.

ASA Rule 4, Section 1.C.3.c (Co-ed Slow Pitch) states 'They must have two males and two females in both the infield and outfield and one male and one female as pitcher and catcher'

How is outfield defined for that rule?

We did a big rewrite of our local rules to try to harmonize them with the ASA rules as much as possible 4 years ago, and this made it into our local rules 'If discovered using the wrong number of players in the outfield or infield and brought to the umpire’s attention by the offended team:'

It of course never came up until a 10u play off game last May where the defensive team moved one of the players into the infield in front of the short stop and the batter/runner got out. The offensive manager request the batter be awarded first base and all forced runners be advanced.

We somehow got the Co-Ed slow pitch rule into our rules.

 

[Ajaywill]

...ASA Rule 4, Section 1.C.3.c (Co-ed Slow Pitch) states 'They must have two males and two females in both the infield and outfield and one male and one female as pitcher and catcher'

How is outfield defined for that rule?...

You quoted it in your original post.....

The definition of outfielder in Rule 1 is 'A fielder who defends the area of the field that the left, left-center, right center, and right fielders normally play'.