New NFHS DH rule

CoachDoug posted:

Here is the new DH rule from NFHS:

The change to Rule 3-1-4 now allows the starting designated hitter to also be a starting defensive player. Utilizing this option, the player has two positions: defensive player and designated hitter. The team would begin the game with nine starters -- nine defensive players -- one of whom also assumes the role of the designated hitter.

 

Myself and none of my coaches have ever had experience with the DH in this role.   We are still having a problem seeing how this works.   Anyone had experience with this??    I am a visual learner....can someone show me an example of a lineup where this would be used???

Thanks!

Simplest example I can see is that you have a pitcher who is also a top hitter.  He reaches pitch count limit or becomes ineffective, he can be replaced as pitcher while still being the DH.  Works the same at any other position.  

Whoever is designated as the DH (while also playing a defensive position, which is not required), can be replaced at either DH or defensive position by another player. 

Dinger Doug is your shortstop/dh for the night.  Makes 5 errors in first four innings but is killing it at the plate...can be replaced defensively and the new SS just wouldn't hit.  Same thing for Dinger Doug sucking at the plate but is playing like Ozzie Smith at SS.  New hitter becomes the DH, but Dinger gets to keep playing SS.

FL has a P/DH which is essentially what 2020TXCATCH describes.  The one caveat is once the P/DH comes out of the game as a P and assumes the DH role, he cannot reenter the game defensively.  You have to decide before the game that you want to use a P/DH and cannot use a DH for someone else.

https://www.fhsaa.org/sites/de...ode-3257/dh_rule.pdf

Unlike the scenario above where the SS is playing like Ozzie, but swinging like Harriet you cannot decide in the 6th inning you want that position to be SS/DH.

Gotta ask ... how does that impact the re-entry rules?  Using the previous example... If Dinger Doug is replaced at SS but remains the DH ...  then is substituted as the DH in the 5th... is he eligible to reenter as DH?  A case can be made that answer is NO since he was already substituted for once at SS.  That moving to DH was his reentry.   Will be interesting how this is presented at interp meetings.

Why would you designate a ?/DH and then at some point in time replace the DH? Is the replacement a better hitter? I think the answer becomes "just like" replacing a DH in the lineup normally, but you definitely have a point. Still the rule indicates a player has 2 positions at one time. The ? is a player/position to be named later, while the DH is the same. Normally, if you had DH for 4, then in the 3rd substituted using DH2, the DH still has eligibility to return (as would 4).  With the P/DH situation, once removed as a P to become the DH for someone else - that player cannot enter the game defensively. So if you have 10 players on your roster, P/DH is used, "player 10" enters the game using P/DH as the DH for that player - if any of the 9 defensive players cannot finish the game you cannot use the P/DH to fill that role defensively and unless it's the "player 10", you'd have to take an out somewhere in your lineup (harsh, but it's an easy out). Yes, it's ultra confusing and bound to be messed up many times with varying "interpretations".

So if one of your position players is the DH to start the game....would you only have 8 hitters in the line-up??

You have to designate the DH before the game starts and that can be any of the 9 fielding positions/DH.  The player can be replaced as a fielder but remain as a hitter as he is now a DH for the replacement.  It has been in place for several years in the summer and even some HS leagues recognized it.  mentally you have think about it as a player on the lineup is a hitter and a fielder.  If there is no DH designated, then all 9 fielders are hitting for themselves.  If there is a DH designated, then the DH is batting for that fielder, which can be the same person.  The re-entry rules are the same as for any starter for fielding or hitting in the ones I have seen.  The SS/DH can be replaced as SS or as DH and have the ability to come back one time in either position but not both. 

Ultimately, I think you will have multiple DH's and you could possibly have 9 fielders and 9 hitters.  Some will be the same and some will be different.  You could have 18 kids starting a single baseball game for one team.  The key will be someone will say this allows more kids to play and use their talent. 

You can see from the attached, I hope.  You can replace Jess as Pitcher or DH and he can stay at the other position under the rules I have played.  If he is pulled as a pitcher, he will still hit in the 9 hole but whoever comes in to pitch will not hit. 

Thanks!   Starting to make sense now.   Please check this to see if I've got it.....

So the DH in this new rule is not hitting for someone else at the beginning of the game.   They would only be hitting for someone else when they are removed from playing the field and they would then hit for their defensive sub.    

The initial line-up has 9 players in it, one of whom is going to be a DH later in the game.   

Is this correct?????

PitchingFan posted:

You can see from the attached, I hope.  You can replace Jess as Pitcher or DH and he can stay at the other position under the rules I have played.  If he is pulled as a pitcher, he will still hit in the 9 hole but whoever comes in to pitch will not hit. 

Thanks   Seeing it helps...

If Tommy comes in as a pitcher ... Tommy does not bat and Jess remains as the DH.

If Tommy comes in as a DH .... Jess can no longer bat but remains as a pitcher.

So in theory ... Jess can be substituted for twice.

Now say Jess pitches 1st and 2nd...then is replaces as P by Tommy.  Jess is now DH only.

In the 3rd after Jess bats... he is replaced by George.

Jess can reenter the game.  In the 6th he reenters.

He can come back as the P only and George remains DH... Tommy is out and cannot return

as the DH only... George is out and cannot return.

Both P/DH... Tommy and George are both out and cannot return.

Is that correct?

Close but if I read it right you are wrong in the end.  He can only re-enter for one position either fielding or hitting.  But you are right that if Tommy and George are subbed for then they are dead.  But Jess can only re-enter for one of them.  Jason could enter for the other. 

I hope this makes sense.