Why aren't subs allowed for injured batters?

[Momo'sDad]

In today's game, I was informed by the umpire that the batter would be declared out if she was unable to continue her at-bat after being hit. It was one of those weird plays where the batter was hit, but the umpire claims that she had turned around towards the dugout with the bat in one hand before 'dead ball' was called.

I did not lobby for the base when the batter got hit, because by that moment, the umpire had already determined she was going to call a strike. What I wanted, however, was to be allowed to substitute another player in to finish the at-bat.

After almost 2 minutes of pleading my case and trying to get another batter into the box, I conceded the argument and told my batter she had to get back up there and at least attempt to bunt.

She fouled off 3 bunt attempts (for which I'm also seeking clarification from the local league) and eventually drew a walk which forced across a crucial insurance run to give them a 2-run lead instead of being sat down with the final out of the inning.

Why does this no sub rule exist?

 

[Comp]

Under any rule set I know of any player can be substituted for at any time, including in the middle of an at bat. Not sure where the umpire you are speaking about got that rule from. And for that matter, if your batter fouled off 3 bunt attempts, they should have been out. Fouling a bunt attempt with 2 strikes is an automatic out.

 

[fastpitch]

Usually there are no subs in the lineup when your local rules allow you to bat the roster and you do bat the roster. Our local LL rules require batting the roster in non all star play however, if a player leaves the game due to injury before or after her AB or if they leave the game early for any reason that spot in the lineup is just skipped and no out recorded. In our LL I think if the batter could not continue an AB she started she would probably be out also as we have no sub for her since we bat the roster.

 

[quincy]

We have a continuous batting order in our Rec. League. Local rule is:

“If a player is injured during her at-bat and must leave the game, the player who made the last out will assume her count and finish the at-bat.”

 

[MTR]

Speaking ASA since you did not note the rule set under which you are playing

In today's game, I was informed by the umpire that the batter would be declared out if she was unable to continue her at-bat after being hit. It was one of those weird plays where the batter was hit,

I have absolutely no idea what that means or the relevance to the question.

I did not lobby for the base when the batter got hit, because by that moment, the umpire had already determined she was going to call a strike.

So the umpire ruled a swing or that the pitch was in the strike zone.

What I wanted, however, was to be allowed to substitute another player in to finish the at-bat.

Which is completely legitimate if you have a valid substitute.

After almost 2 minutes of pleading my case and trying to get another batter into the box, I conceded the argument and told my batter she had to get back up there and at least attempt to bunt.

She fouled off 3 bunt attempts (for which I'm also seeking clarification from the local league) and eventually drew a walk which forced across a crucial insurance run to give them a 2-run lead instead of being sat down with the final out of the inning.

Well, this is pretty much an indication you were not playing softball or have some really weird local rules. A fouled bunt attempt with 2 strikes on the batter is an out.

Why does this no sub rule exist?

Again, no idea what you are talking about since every stick, ball & base game, for that matter EVERY sport of which I am aware, substitutes are allowed.

Disclaimer: Local rules (and that seems obvious here) may supersede those of ASA or any other rule set.

 

[BretMan]

One local league where I call games uses the Continuous Batting Order (CBO, or "bat the entire roster"). Their "local" rule says that if a batter cannot continue an at-bat, then that batter is declared out. I've lobbied to get that changed, but no luck so far.

Since the CBO is NOT an option in most standard rule sets, if a local league adopts this rule they really need to think through all of the different scenarios that can be affected. Allowing everybody to bat effectively obsoletes entire sections of the rule book, from the rules on substitution and re-entry, to the use of courtesy runners (and probably a few more I'm not thinking of).

If your league rules haven't addressed all of these scenarios, you're bound to run into some confusion during your games. There won't be much chance of these rules being enforced consistently, from umpire-to-umpire or from game-to-game, simply because there will be no written rule covering them.

 

[Momo'sDad]

We have a continuous batting order in our Rec. League. Local rule is:

“If a player is injured during her at-bat and must leave the game, the player who made the last out will assume her count and finish the at-bat.”

Even though I did try to put someone else in the spot, I did feel putting in the batter who made the last out would've been the proper ruling. I went through our 10u rules of play last night and saw no provision covering this situation.

She's one of our very best hitters, so we weren't going to gain any advantage with a sub. Because of the clock situation, I was just trying to hurry things up so we could get that last run across as quickly as possible.

 

[Momo'sDad]

I have absolutely no idea what that means or the relevance to the question.

So the umpire ruled a swing or that the pitch was in the strike zone.

This is a local rec league playing under the regional ASA affiliate and we have a continuous batter order, which we can reset each game.

The batter is probably our most aggressive hitter and she was looking to hit anything that was near the strike zone. She was loaded and starting her swing when the ball hit her. That bat was still tilted upward at the time, but maybe the aggressive move tricked the ump into thinking she'd swung? I don't know what her observation was, but the umpire did rule a swing.

I did not get to speak with her after the game, as it was a great win for our girls and it was important for me to be with the team instead in those moments, but my speculation is that she realized she'd made a mistake on the swing ruling and somehow tried to make up for it by not calling the out on the 2-strike bunts that went foul.

With respect to local rules, some umpires automatically award 1B on hit batsmen, while others give the batter the choice to hit or take the base. This particular umpire was not giving the choice. This particular batter has never taken a free base before, but under the circumstances last night, she would've.

I thought she should've been given 1B on the pitch that hit her. She eventually drew a walk. So as I see it, we still ended up with the proper result.

 

[MTR]

With respect to local rules, some umpires automatically award 1B on hit batsmen, while others give the batter the choice to hit or take the base. This particular umpire was not giving the choice. This particular batter has never taken a free base before, but under the circumstances last night, she would've.

I thought she should've been given 1B on the pitch that hit her. She eventually drew a walk. So as I see it, we still ended up with the proper result.

If the batter swings, it is a strike. Cannot be anything else, especially a HBP. A batter could swing, hit the ball off his/her fist over a 200' fence and it is still nothing more than a dead ball strike.

 

[FPMark]

Welcome to the world of modified, local league rule rec ball softball. You'll probably never get a logical explination.