Toronto Arts League Self Pitch Co Ed Softball - TAL

22 Posts

Rule 23: Every player who bats in the batting order must play at least three innings in the field during a seven-inning game, unless that is not mathematically possible.

There seems to be no specifics as to how we handle situations where this rule is violated.

For instance, it seems to make sense that using this rule, while we allow players to show up late and be added to the bottom of the line up, that using this rule no player can be added after the start of fourth inning (top of 4th for visiting team, and bottom of 4th for home.)

We also don't have a penalty for cases where this rule is found to be violated. Suppose at the end of the game we find out that team "A", for whatever reason (besides legitimate injury to a player) has neglected to give a player at least 3 innings in the field. What is the penalty for this?

Does the team forfeit the game? Lose all runs made and/or batted in by that player? The game does not count towards the players minimum game count (or maybe they player loses 2 games toward the minimum game count?) A combination of none/some/all of those penalties? Some other penalty?

There's also the issue of how we easily monitor players in the field every inning without making it unmanageable? We can create the "forms" to keep track easily enough, it's the process of getting the information to put in the forms every half inning .... I'd suggest that the batting teams 1st or 3rd base couch (who ever is couching closest to the other teams bench) be required to take the form with them to their base and check with any players in the opposition teams dugout as to the names of the players currently in the field. Make it the responsibility of each team to gather the other teams fielders information, and if they forget to gather that information, then it is assumed that there is no violation. Probably a good idea to have the teams not only confirm scores at the start of the 7th inning, but also to confirm that all players have met the 3 inning requirement, and those with only two innings will be in the field in the 7th inning (home team advantage would mean that if the home team doesn't need their half of the 7th, their half still counts towards the "minimum 3 innings" rule, and they can fill it out however they wish.)

Anyway, those are my comments and suggestions ... anyone else?