Designated Hitter

As long as all those defensive substitutions are in the same "spot" in the batting order, (new F5 comes in for old F8; old F5 moves to center, for example), it's legal.

The DH bats for a person, not the position.  The DH may bat for any of the defensive players or substitutes for that player.   Both the DH and the defensive player effectively occupy one slot in the batting order.  If the DH is batting for Joe and Bill replaces Joe the DH is now batting for Bill.  If Willy replace Bill, the DH is now batting for Willy. 

The DH cannot bat for Joe and later bat for anyone else if Joe is in the game on defense because the DH and Joe occupy the same spot in the lineup.

All do-able, just takes a little work on the lineup card. Versatile players and/or double switches.

To confuse things even more. When my son was on his summer team he was still one of the top hitters. So he hit when he pitched. He was only pitcher on his team that hit. Coach would designate him on lineup card as P/DH. So when he was done pitching for the game, he then became the DH for whomever was brought in. Clever little designation that met the rules. His HC would have that discussion (with rule book handy if necessary) with both the umpire and other team coach before game so there was no big fight during the game.

Was funny how many parents, who were not part of that pregame discussion, would get fired up when my son would come up to bat after being done pitching. Best part is then other coach had to explain to them, not our coach.

chefmike7777 posted:

To confuse things even more. When my son was on his summer team he was still one of the top hitters. So he hit when he pitched. He was only pitcher on his team that hit. Coach would designate him on lineup card as P/DH. So when he was done pitching for the game, he then became the DH for whomever was brought in. Clever little designation that met the rules. His HC would have that discussion (with rule book handy if necessary) with both the umpire and other team coach before game so there was no big fight during the game.

Was funny how many parents, who were not part of that pregame discussion, would get fired up when my son would come up to bat after being done pitching. Best part is then other coach had to explain to them, not our coach.

The P/DH is only legal in NCAA rules and some states that have adopted it for HS.

I know of no summer bodies that allow it--but I don't do them, so I may be mistaken.

I don't remember what rules we were playing under. I just know it happened every time my son was starting pitcher on his summer team his last 2 years of HS.

And, of course, you can always "lose" the DH for the game by entering the DH player into the lineup defensively.  At that point, your lineup no longer has a DH and normal substitution rules apply for that player who was previously the DH and now just a player in the lineup.