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Harry's Weekly Rules Review     After handing the lineup card to the umpire-in-chief, the home team manager realizes that he has mistakenly listed Jones as his DH. Jones is listed in no other position in the batting order. He tells the umpire-in-chief that he meant to have Mason bat in that position. What's the call? A. This is an obvious, correctable error. The umpire-in-chief will allow the manager to make the change to his lineup, and Jones will still be eligible as a substitute. B. This is an obvious, correctable error. The umpire-in-chief will allow the manager to make the change to his lineup, however, Jones will be substituted for, and is not eligible as a substitute during the game. C. This is not an obvious, correctable error. The umpire-in-chief will allow the manager to make the change to his lineup, however, Jones must be substituted for, and is not eligible as a substitute during the game. D. This is not an obvious, correctable error. The umpire-in-chief will not allow the manager to make the change to his lineup. Jones must bat at least once in the DH position before he is allowed to be substituted for. Give Us Your Thoughts on the Play A.     B.     C.     D. Explain   Name   Email   City and State   Last Week's Question: Use the following batting lineup to answer this week's question: Abel, Baker, Charles, Daniel, Edwards, Frank, George, Hooker, Irwin. No one on, no outs, no count. Baker is due up to start the inning, however, Daniel takes his place in the batter's box. The first pitch to Daniel is called a "ball". With the count 1-0, Daniel laces a base hit to right field. Charles, knowing that he is due up second in the lineup, takes his place in the batter's box. On the first pitch, Charles gets a base hit, moving Daniel to third base. As Edwards begins to take his place in the batter's box, the defensive manager exits the dugout and tells the umpire that the offense has been batting out of order. What's the call? A. When a pitch was thrown to Daniel, it legalized him in the batting order. This made Edwards the next proper batter. Charles should be called out for batting out of order, and Daniel should be returned to first base because his advance was due to Charles' base hit. The next proper batter is Edwards. B. When a pitch was thrown to Charles, it legalized Daniel in the batting order. This made Edwards the next proper batter. Edwards should be called "out" for failing to bat in order, and Daniel should be returned to first base because his advance was due to Charles' base hit. The next proper batter is Frank. C. When a pitch was thrown to Charles, it legalized Daniel in the batting order. This made Edwards the next proper batter. Charles should be called "out" for batting in Edward's place in the batting order, and Daniel should be returned to first base because his advance was due to Charles' base hit. The next proper batter is Frank. D. Since the batting out of order was not immediately corrected following Daniel's at-bat, this is a continuing violation. When the defense appeals the batting out of order, the initial proper batter, Baker, should be called "out". Any play that followed this violation are nullified. The next proper batter is Charles. Answer: B. Rule 6.07 describes what occurs when a member of the offensive team, already listed in the batting order, completes his the at-bat of another player's position in the batting order. If this violation is appealed by the defensive team to the plate umpire after he completes his time at bat (either by being put out, or after becoming a runner), the proper batter should be called out, and the next batter in the order following the proper batter is due up. Any bases run, runs scored, or outs made as a result of the improper batter becoming a runner should be nullified. If any of these as a result of something other than the improper batter becoming a runner, the play stands. If the violation is brought to the attention of the plate umpire by either team, before the improper batter completes his time at bat, then the proper batter should be directed to take his proper place in the batting order, and assume any count already assessed on the improper batter. The violation is nullified and the improper batter becomes legalized if, after an improper batter who bats out of order, completes his time at bat, and (1) either a pitch is thrown to the next batter up to bat. If the violation is nullified and the improper batter becomes legalized, the next proper batter shall be the player who's name follows the newly legalized batter in the lineup. If, at any time, the next proper batter due up, is on base when it is their turn to bat, their turn is skipped and the next player who's name follows the proper batter shall be the proper batter. The players already listed in a batting order can never switch positions in the order, and if a player does bat out of order at one point, that does not change their responsibility to bat in the original order once they come to bat again later in the game. The following describes the reasons for the answer of B.:   Baker was the original 'Proper Batter'. When Daniel bats in Baker's position, he becomes the 'Improper Batter'. After Daniel became a runner, and a pitch was delivered to Charles, Daniel became the 'Legalized, Improper Batter'. When Daniel's time at bat became legalized, Edwards became the next 'Proper Batter'. When Charles bats in Edwards' position, he becomes the 'Improper Batter'. After Charles became a runner, but before a pitch, play, or attempted play is made, the defense appeals that the offense is batting out of order. All play created by Charles becoming a runner (Daniel advancing to third and Charles reaching first) is nullified. The 'Proper Batter' (Edwards) is called out. The next batter who's name follows the 'Proper Batter' is the next proper batter. Frank is due up with one out, and Daniel on first base.

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