Switching batters

[Rulekeep]

Okay, so once a batter is on deck is he permitted to be switched out with another batter if there is a pitching change?

Huge rules nerd fight happening in my place of residence ATM.

[maven]

When does his time at bat begin, by rule?

[Rulekeep]

When does his time at bat begin, by rule?

When he steps into the batters box. But the argument is can he be switched BEFORE he steps in if there is a pitching change?

[maven]

It was kind of a trick question....3.03

[Rulekeep]

It was kind of a trick question....3.03

YES!!! BOOM!!! CALLED IT!!!

[Rulekeep]

My thought: You can not switch a pitcher in the middle of an atbat. You can only change a batter on-deck if he's a DH with somebody in the lineup, BUT that would be batting out of order and an out. So IMO the answer is no.

[ALStripes17]

Yes you can switch pitchers in the middle of an AB. The only requirement is that a pitcher must pitch to 1 hitter; however, it does not work the other way. A PH can enter the box, pitcher change happens, then offense can sub a new PH (original PH is burned though)

[Rich Ives]

Okay, so once a batter is on deck is he permitted to be switched out with another batter if there is a pitching change?

 

Yes.

 

He can be subbed if there is no pitching change.

 

He can be subbed mid AB.

 

The only exception is that the DH must bat once unless there is a pitching change. Perhaps this is where you are getting confused.

[ricka56]

My thought: You can not switch a pitcher in the middle of an atbat.  

 

This is only true if the batter at-bat is F1's first one, otherwise this is not true.  

 

You can only change a batter on-deck if he's a DH with somebody in the lineup, BUT that would be batting out of order and an out. So IMO the answer is no.

 

The rule requiring a new F1 has to pitch to one batter is to prevent a  tit-for-tat multiple/never-ending substitution game delay. There is no restrictions on substituting batters (or on-deck batters) with an eligible sub from the bench. You could burn 5 pitch-hitters with one at-bat if you wanted to (sub after each pitch). Not that it'd ever make sense to do this, but it isn't prohibited.

[afaber12]

 

My thought: You can not switch a pitcher in the middle of an atbat.  

 

This is only true if the batter at-bat is F1's first one, otherwise this is not true.  

 

You can only change a batter on-deck if he's a DH with somebody in the lineup, BUT that would be batting out of order and an out. So IMO the answer is no.

 

The rule requiring a new F1 has to pitch to one batter is to prevent a  tit-for-tat multiple/never-ending substitution game delay. There is no restrictions on substituting batters (or on-deck batters) with an eligible sub from the bench. You could burn 5 pitch-hitters with one at-bat if you wanted to (sub after each pitch). Not that it'd ever make sense to do this, but it isn't prohibited.

 

 

You can keep pinch hitting guys during an at bat until you run out of subs on the bench. And you can have every single guy on the bench take a moment on deck, and keep rotating endlessly through them without using up any of them too. It only counts as a substitution once they're announced, or if unannounced once they take their position at the plate in one of the batter's boxes (assuming they're still intact from the beginning of the game, or that they were drawn in the first place).

[noumpere]

Okay, so once a batter is on deck is he permitted to be switched out with another batter if there is a pitching change?

Huge rules nerd fight happening in my place of residence ATM.

3.03 "

A player, or players, may be substituted during a game at any time the ball is dead."

 

So, unless there's some other specific instruction against it (and there isn't, here) it's allowed.