DP Flex question from NFHS strategy sheet

[coachbob]

Can someone elaborate a bit on the strategy below? How are the re-entries charged? does the DP come back in as DP to pitch for flex who then comes out of game? or? Trying to see advantage. thanks for your help.

4. Objective: Create maximum flexibility for a great athlete who will stay in the game as either a pitcher or field player.
a. Matchup: List your great athlete as the DP and the starting pitcher as the FLEX player.
b. Typical sequence: At the pregame meeting, as soon as the lineups are accepted, enter your DP to play any defensive position other than pitch – the FLEX is your pitcher and the player replaced on defense continues to hit. As the game progresses, it appears the great player may be needed to pitch so remove her from the game to warm-up and enter a sub to hit in the DP spot – the player who has been hitting only, now returns to play both. When the great player is warmed up, re-enter her to pitch. As the game progresses, if you want to save her arm, re-enter the FLEX player to pitch.

 

[smddad]

Pat Murphy uses this strategy. I have to leave for a tournament right now. If it's not answered by the time I get back, I will elaborate more on this. I will say that if you learn this rule front to back, it can be used in some very creative ways to help your team.

 

[coachbob]

If I'm not mistaken, the dp re-enters as dp and flex comes out bringing lineup down to 9. if and when flex comes back, she re-enters as flex/pitcher, back to 10, dp takes fielding duty as in start of game and other fielder bats-only.

Trying to see advantage over straight sub for "great player" while she warms up. What is advantage of making her DP if she is always going to take some defensive position?

 

[coachbob]

looking forward to it. thanks

 

[JDBerry]

If you have a 1) good hitter/good pitcher-player and a 2) good pitcher/not good hitter.
When you fill out your lineup you start 2) as Flex as #10 in the batting order but she's pitching and not hitting.
You put 1) in the batting order where you need her to hit but she doesn't play defense.
When the game starts, you replace a fielder with 1) and that fielder is no longer on defense but is still in the batting order.
You can then put 1) in as pitcher, put the defender who was only batting in, in their original lineup defensive position.
If need be, you can then put 2) back in to pitch.


am I close?

 

[JDBerry]

DP can go in and out on defense without it being a sub until she replaces Flex. That other non pitching position player is not subbing when she comes in to her original fielding spot. Does this make sense?

it's not really a sub when she goes in for Flex. the lineup just gets reduced from 10 to 9. But I think the Flex can re-enter the game once per game and then take the lineup back to 10. I think that is the jist of this idea.

 

[JDBerry]

Not sure what 'she' means. but when the DP plays defense for the Flex that is defined in the rules as a Sub.

If not that "she" is meant, it's not a Sub when the replacement is defense-only for any defensive player on the field.

"she" is DP, sorry. I don't consider it a substitution. the lineup is just reduced to 9. regardless if rules says "substitution" or not, we don't treat it as a substitution/it's not listed as a substitution. we are just removing one player from the lineup

 

[JDBerry]

Not sure what 'she' means, but I admit to being confused, now.
(See rule 2.57 definitions).

Flex coming back in when removed just on defense (for the original defensive player), I guess is a Sub and reentry. But you could just keep moving the Flex around without taking her out, I guess. The game is only 7 innings and benches less than 15, so not sure you need all this extra confusion.

yeah, I just thought about something with all of this. When the DP goes in to pitch, why not put the Flex out on defense and retain the original batting order. If you need to put Flex back on the mound, then there was no substitutions. Flex just never gets to hit.

The defender who is sitting actually just becomes a DH

 

[smddad]

Situation: You have a starting pitcher who can hit the ball, but your relief pitchers cannot hit their way out of a paper bag.

You pair up your starting pitcher (DP) with your relief pitcher or another player you don't intend to play (flex).

At the plate meeting you give the lineup card. After it's accepted you tell the PU that you are entering your DP in to pitch. Then if your pitcher tires, you can take her from the pitching and bring in a relief pitcher, with the re-enter rules, and she goes back in to the flex position. This way your starting pitcher, who can hit the ball, is still in the DP position and is hitting for the flex (new pitcher).

You do it this way because in order to use the DP/Flex you have to start out with it. Remember that you can remove the flex and bring it back later in the game. However, you cannot implement a DP/Flex when you give the standard bat 9 play 9 lineup.

Hopefully this is clear as mud.

 

[JDBerry]

JD:
DP for Flex on defense is a substitution for reentry purposes, and you must announce it or it will at least cause a 15 minute delay in the game if the ump notices or the other coach does and is not sure what to do. Or the ump may call unreported sub and be irritated at you. (I have no idea the penalty but maybe warning and then coach stuck in the dugout.).

Those DP FLex discussions are awful when it's either 20 below or 90 degrees out.

It is easy I also imagine to forget how many times the DP and Flex have subbed for each other with some of the other moves going on.

Oh yeah, I'm with you there. I was trying to follow along with what the OP's post was about and what it was trying to accomplish re: sub rules from the technical standpoint.

It still feels like the way it was presented is more complicated than necessary