Please need a clear answer?

[Ruthlesschics]

My daughter plays on a 14u team.The coach isnt sure the answer.They play mostly ISA.....ok can you bring a outfielder in on the dirt to play rover(around 2nd base area)to give you a 5man situation.If all a girl does is pull the ball and cant hit back side and he wants to make that move would he be allowed to bring a outfielder in and play on the dirt with the other infielders?Thanks in advance...

 

[GunnerShotgun]

I have never seen it in fast pitch, I see it everyday in slow pitch. I have seen three outfielders in a baseball formation with a short fielder behind second in the grass (this would be for the younger ages that can play four outfielders).

You need an umpire to chime in with the exact rule.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

You can put the players anywhere that you want, as long as they are in fair territory (catcher excluded.)

 

[SoCalASABlue]

ASA Rule 6, Section 5 titled DEFENSIVE POSITIONING states "the pitcher shall not deliver a pitch unless all available defensive players are positioned in fair territory, except the catcher who must be in the catcher's box." It also states "a fielder shall not take a position in the batter's line of vision or, with deliberate unsportsmanlike intent, act in a manner to distract the batter."

Local league rules may require outfielders to play a certain distance behind the infield but ASA tournament rules appear to allow a manager to play 7 in the infield if he/she wants to - as long as three of them are identified on the lineup card as outfielders.

 

[JAD]

Gotta throw in my story.....we played a team 2 years ago at 12U who had a 32MPH pitcher. Their coach knew that we were going to pull every ball we hit, so he shifted his entire defense to the left side. The right fielder was in center and the 2B was behind the bag at 2nd. Only fielder on the right side was the first baseman. None of our girls could wait on the pitch long enough to hit it to right field, so everything went to the left.....lost 4-5 and I still chuckle about it. Several Major League baseball teams use to do the same thing every time Barry Bonds came to the plate (except they shifted to the right since he was a lefty).

PS - most rec leagues have a rule about outfielders playing with both feet in the grass, but that is just to prevent a coach from playing 8 infielders since 90% of the kids cannot hit the ball into the outfield at that age.

 

[IACoach]

I enjoy the games when you are in pool rounds and playing on official baseball fields. All the girls are in the infield and boy do they get confused on how deep they are (or are not)!

 

[PEPPERS]

PS - most rec leagues have a rule about outfielders playing with both feet in the grass, but that is just to prevent a coach from playing 8 infielders since 90% of the kids cannot hit the ball into the outfield at that age.

That is how the rec league is in our area, both feet of the outfielders must be in the grass.

 

[quincy]

That is how the rec league is in our area, both feet of the outfielders must be in the grass.

Thru 10U we allow 4 OFs, the in the grass rule applies so Team's do not cheat with the Rover. 12U back to 3 OFs and the Teams can place them anywhere they want.