Indiana ASA Umpires
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RULES in DETAIL
DP / FLEX RULE
Click on the Swinging Umpire to be taken to the IHSAA Power Point Presentation
of this Rule.
Please note the following details on the DP/FLEX rule as it pertains to:
FED / IHSAA (High School Ball), ASA (Summer/Travel Ball), NCAA (College, Division1 Ball)
# 1. The application of the Rule is exactly the same as far as the movement of players in and out of the game.
# 2. The Difference between the mentioned
organizations occurs in the REPORTING or UN-REPORTING of the Flex and DP
players into the BATTING ORDER.
FED / IHSAA, Rule 3-6, ART 12 (plus penalty) : Enter the contest unreported. "the umpire shall issue a team warning to the coach of the team involved and the next offender on that team shall be restricted to the dugout/bench for the remainder of the game.
ASA, Rule 4-6-B : IF a substitute enters the game without reporting, and after a pitch has been thrown (legal or illegal), or after a play has been made, the player will be disqualified when discovered. The use of an unreported substitute is handled as a protest by the offended team while the player is in the game. If the team manager or player in violation informs the umpire prior to the offended team's protest, there is no violation regardless of how long the player or players were legally in the game. All action prior to the discovery is legal. If the team in violation has no substitute to replace the player disqualified, it is treated the same as the shorthanded rule - the player disqualified, an out is declared, and the next batter bats.
NCAA is treated the same as ASA
Understanding the DP
/ FLEX Rule
Starting Lineup
With
DP/FLEX, you have 10 starters, not 9. Both the DP and the FLEX are starting
players. The DP/FLEX must be indicated on the starting lineup. Once the
starting lineup has been given to the umpire, these positions cannot be
added.
As
with any lineup, a substitute bats where the player she replaced was
batting.
DP/FLEX are joined at the hip with respect to the batting order. If both
players are in the game, the FLEX has number 10 in the batting order (i.e.
she does not bat). The only place in the batting order that either DP or the
FLEX can bat is the place the DP occupied at the beginning of the game.
In a normal substitution, one player leaves the game and one player enters
the game. However, swapping the DP/FLEX for each other is a "half
substitution" – that is, only one member of the pair officially
leaves the game or officially re-enters the game.
For example, if the DP comes in on defense for the FLEX, the FLEX has left
the game (the lineup goes from 10 to 9 players). If the FLEX re-enters on
defense (which she can, 1 time), and the DP returns to offense only, the
lineup goes back to 10 players. This move has not affected the DP’s
starter / substitution / re-entry status in any way.
Let’s take the reverse example: If the FLEX comes in on offense for the
DP, she is replacing the DP in the batting order (the lineup goes from 10 to
9). In this case, the DP is removed from the game, and the substitute
re-entry rules apply to the DP. If the DP re-enters, she will re-assume her
original position in the batting order, and the lineup will go from 9 to 10,
and the DP will have used up her re-entry rights. The FLEX will return to
playing defense only. This move has not affected the FLEX’s starter /
substitution / re-entry status in any way.
Either the DP or the FLEX can be substituted for in the usual ways by other
players, but the substitute takes on the position of the DP or FLEX
(depending on who she is substituting for).
As
with any lineup, defensive position swaps are not substitutions.
The DP starts at the defensive position of "F10" - benchwarmer.
This means you can swap the DP with any player other than the FLEX on
defense and no one has left the game; it is not a substitution.
The player removed from defense continues to bat in her normal place in the
batting order.
The FLEX can be moved from her starting defensive position to any other
defensive position (except for "F10" – benchwarmer), and she
remains the FLEX, and it is not a substitution.
Playing
Shorthanded with DP/FLEX
The
ASA rule is you can continue shorthanded with l fewer player that you
started the game with. If you start with DP/FLEX, while your starting lineup
was 10 players, only the offensive lineup counts for the shorthanded rule.
This means with DP/FLEX you need 8 players offensively to continue the game,
just as before.
IHSAA & ASA DP/FLEX Rule Cheat Sheets (as shown above) Are Available. These Sheets Are A Summary of The DP/FLEX Rule As It Pertains To Either Organization. They Are Laminated Sheets That Will Fit In A Back Pocket Or In Your ASA Line-Up Card Holder. They Are Great For A Quick Review Before The Game Or After The Game. They Can Be Yours For Penny's. If You Would Like To Have One Of These (please specify which organization you which to have sent), Please Send (Via US Mail) A Note With Your Name, E-Mail Address, Home Address and Two (2) $o.37 Cent Stamps (2 stamps per cheat sheet). I Will Provide The Return Envelope. Send These Items To:
PlfdBlue Cheat Sheet, 145 Trails End, Brownsburg, IN, 46112
