Pitcher Re-Enter - NFHS 3.1.2

[Ump760]

Team A only has 9 players.

The coach has his starter pitch to the first three batters.  Then he calls time and walks out to the mound to switch pitchers.  F1 and F3 are switching positions.  
 

The catcher says we have different pitchers that are pitching to these specific  batters.

 

For Example:  the starting pitcher is pitching to the batters 1,2,3.  The first baseman then will come in and face batters 4 and 5.  Then the short stop will finish and pitch to batters 6,7,8, and 9.  Then the original starter will come back to face batters 1,2,3.  The idea was to do this through out the 5 inning game.
 

It’s all just position changes as there are no substitutions.  I have several questions here as I could be wrong but I thought the only person that could come back to pitch after being removed as pitcher was the starting pitcher?  Why is it not a charged conference if the coach walks out to the mound?  I understand he’s switching pitchers but I thought it only was not a charged conference if he removed his pitcher but if his intentions are to put his player back to pitch how are they not violating this rule.  Also, is this not a projected substitution?  I am pretty confused.

To me it doesn’t make sense that someone can pitch three players in the first inning.  Then come back and pitch the same three the next inning, and repeat.  Can somebody with more knowledge explain this to me?

[maven]

11 minutes ago, Ump760 said:

I have several questions here as I could be wrong but I thought the only person that could come back to pitch after being removed as pitcher was the starting pitcher?

You're confusing 'substitution' with 'switching positions'. If the starting F1 is replaced by a sub, then as a starter he may re-enter the game once (to pitch or in another position). But that's not what happened: they just moved the 9 fielders around. That's legal (provided F1 has pitched to the minimum and is otherwise legal).

11 minutes ago, Ump760 said:

Why is it not a charged conference if the coach walks out to the mound?  I understand he’s switching pitchers but I thought it only was not a charged conference if he removed his pitcher but if his intentions are to put his player back to pitch how are they not violating this rule.

No conference charged to change pitchers, whether or not doing so involves a substitution. In your case, there was no substitution. And it sounds as if coach didn't really need a conference—just request time and tell your players to switch positions.

11 minutes ago, Ump760 said:

Also, is this not a projected substitution?

It's not a substitution of any kind: as you point out, the team has only 9, so there are no subs available.

I suspect that you're not appreciating the "subtleties" of HS pitching, and keep thinking of the pro rule, where if F1 leaves the mound he's done pitching for the game. The scenario you describe is rare (I've never seen it), but legal for FED as far as you've described.

[Ump760]

I would not say I am not appreciating it as much as I’m ignorant to it.  I’ve called maybe 10 games so I’m fairly new and this is something that is rare.

also the coach called time and made a mound visit to do a simple position change while calling other infielders to speak with them. Were we going to call time and do a mound visit every time he wanted to switch positions?  

[noumpere]

I would add that there's a limit on how often (and the penalty) a pitcher can be removed the the mound and then return from another defensive position *in  the same inning.*  The specifics vary by code.

[Ump760]

20 minutes ago, noumpere said:

I would add that there's a limit on how often (and the penalty) a pitcher can be removed the the mound and then return from another defensive position *in  the same inning.*  The specifics vary by code.

Once per inning from what I understand.

[noumpere]

54 minutes ago, Ump760 said:

Once per inning from what I understand.

Correct, but not complete.

 

Fed:  "REMOVED AND RETURNED only once per inning"

OBR: "A pitcher may change to another
position only once during the same inning; e.g. the pitcher will
not be allowed to assume a position other than a pitcher more
than once in the same inning."  Plus, the new pither must pitch to three batters (or retire the side).

 

Note the difference.

[Ump760]

12 minutes ago, noumpere said:

Correct, but not complete.

 

Fed:  "REMOVED AND RETURNED only once per inning"

OBR: "A pitcher may change to another
position only once during the same inning; e.g. the pitcher will
not be allowed to assume a position other than a pitcher more
than once in the same inning."  Plus, the new pither must pitch to three batters (or retire the side).

 

Note the difference.

Fed: once per inning.  Meaning the same pitchers that pitched in the 1st inning can again pitch in the second inning and in the third.

ex.  1st inning 

        RHP, LHP, RHP, LHP

        2nd inning

        RHP, LHP, RHP, LHP

        *repeat for the next 3 innings.

The only thing they do is switch positions.