Is there a penalty for batting out of order?

If a pitch is thrown to a following batter, any previous batters are legalized and the batter who should be up is the one who follows the last legalized batter.

Is this rec ball or higher?

If rec, I'd generally overlook it b/c an umpire doesn't get an official copy and the idea is to get playing time usually. So, if a kid bats out of order to start the game, it gets overlooked to allow the one who missed his AB to get it still later in the game.

Other than rec, the lineup turned in to start the game is official. No accepting a new one on a whim idea. Just b/c they did not bat through means nothing. It was established the moment it was given to the umpire/HT scorekeeper. Umpire is suppose to have a copy but they don't generally do that outside of HS/NCAA/MLB. Only obviously avoidable errors are corrected.

Batter should have been out regardless unless HS or NCAA allow for this kind of error (and they may). But, OBR, batter is out and the next correct one should get in the box.

If it is caught prior to the pitch being thrown, is the legal batter called out? And if so, what happens to the runners? Do they go back to the base they previously occupied?

CF Dad

Sorry Mr. Ump., I only read your first post. This was 14 y/o Summer/select ball.

quote:

Originally posted by CF Dad:
If it is caught prior to the pitch being thrown, is the legal batter called out? And if so, what happens to the runners? Do they go back to the base they previously occupied?

CF Dad

The batter who should have batted is called out. The batter who follows the legal batter comes to bat now.

Runners cannot advance by something an illegal batter did such as a base hit. Then, runners have to go back. But, if a runner advances during the at bat on a steal or wild pitch or anything not done by the batter, runner stays at that base and cannot advance beyond it on anything done by the batter. It is assumed the runner would have advanced regardless of who was batting.

quote:

Originally posted by CF Dad:
Sorry Mr. Ump., I only read your first post. This was 14 y/o Summer/select ball.

Then, I would make the out stand unless it was an avoidable issue such as a player listed twice or only 8 listed when it should have been 9/10.

These are kids usually preparing for HS. They need to learn how to read a lineup.

Getting this right is one of those tricky things. The key is the timing of when the defensive coach protests the illegal batter. It is not the umpire or official scorers job to catch this. It is the Defensive Coach. Three scenarios:

1) If defensive coach protests batting order while the illegal batter is in the box but hasn't completed the At bat then the proper batter is put in the box and inherits the count - no penalty play on.

2) Illegal batter puts ball in play (base hit). Before next pitch Defensive Coach protests then the illegal batter is called out, any runners are returned to base TOP and the next correct batter is put in the batters box.

3) Illegal batter puts ball in play (base hit). Defensive coach does NOT protest before next pitch. The next proper batter is in the box and recieves a legitamate delivery. Play continues without penalty even if Defensive Coach now protests.

As far as Umpire being in control of line ups. In travel/rec ball it is usually the coaches responsibility. High School on up it's on the umpires.

quote:

Originally posted by luv baseball:
Getting this right is one of those tricky things.

Correct

quote:

2) Illegal batter puts ball in play (base hit). Before next pitch Defensive Coach protests then the illegal batter is called out...

Incorrect. The batter who should have batted is called out.

As you said, it's tricky.

quote:

As far as Umpire being in control of line ups. In travel/rec ball it is usually the coaches responsibility. High School on up it's on the umpires.

Calling BOO is never the umpires responsibility, at least in any of the codes I've worked.

quote:

Originally posted by luv baseball:
It is not the umpire or official scorers job to catch this. It is the Defensive Coach.

Not completely true. If the improper batter is still at bat (your situation #1), the offensive team can also notice it and replace the batter with the correct one.

Thanks guys!

CF Dad

So help me with this one.

It is B3's turn to bat but B4 bats instead. B4 gets a hit. B3 then comes to bat when it should have been B5 (next legal batter after B4) and gets a hit.

If no one protests, wouldn't B4 now be the next "legal" batter?

If B5 comes up and takes the first pitch and then some protests, what happens to B4?

Nothing he stays where he is. B5 batter up play ball.

quote:

Originally posted by dw8man:
So help me with this one.

It is B3's turn to bat but B4 bats instead. B4 gets a hit. B3 then comes to bat when it should have been B5 (next legal batter after B4) and gets a hit.

If no one protests, wouldn't B4 now be the next "legal" batter?

Yes.

quote:

If B5 comes up and takes the first pitch and then some protests, what happens to B4?

When a pitch is thrown to B5, B3 is legalized. On the appeal, B4 (the proper batter) assumes B5's count, but he's on base so he's skipped - B5 stays up.