1. RULE 4
THE FORGOTTEN RULE

2. DIGGING INTO RULE 4 PRESENTED BY: Kevin Wallace – District #2
Greg Pohl – UIC

3. RULE 4 Players – Coaches -- Substitutes
WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE IN THIS PRESENTATION:
A WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF THE MAKE-UP OF RULE 4
Working knowledge - What is contained in this rule – 10 sections – player movement and responsibilities Disqualification vs Ejection
What do we have to know in order to present this rule: Basic Line-up card make up and philosophy – re-entry concept – Starting player and substitue
Develop an approach or method. Use of tools such as Case Plays, living line-up, quizes, etc.

4. TEACHING DP/FLEX

5. REVIEW FOR UMPIRES FLEX MUST PLAY DEFENSE DP MUST PLAY OFFENSE
BOTH CANNOT BE IN THE GAME OFFENSIVELY AT THE SAME TIME
MOVING FROM 10 TO 9, OR 9 TO 10 IS A SUBSTITUTION AND GOVERNED BY THE SUBSTITUTION RULE

6. COMMON TOOL
LINE UP CARD

7. THE LINEUP CARD
THE DP IS THE OFFENSIVE PLAYER AND MUST REMAIN IN SAME BATTING POSITION FOR THE ENTIRE GAME
THE NAME OF PLAYER FOR WHOM THE DP IS BATTING (FLEX) WILL BE PLACED IN 10TH POSITION IN THE LINEUP 7

8. SUBSTITUTING FOR THE DP
BAKER - PINCH-RUNS FOR COOPER
COOPER HAS LEFT THE GAME AND MAY RE-ENTER ONCE
WRITE BAKER IN THE CORRECT LINEUP POSITION AND ENTER THE PLAYER’S NUMBER
BAKER IS NOW THE DP
CIRCLE BAKER’S NUMBER
Baker 4 8

9. THE FLEX MAY PLAY OFFENSE
IF THE FLEX BATS OR RUNS FOR THE DP, THE DP HAS LEFT THE GAME
(THIS IS A SUBSTITUTION – 10 Players to 9)
X’ing OUT COOPER’S NUMBER INDICATES THEY HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE GAME.
THE FLEX (BROWN) IS NOW PLAYING OFFENSE IN THE 7TH POSITION
Any player may re-enter once.
THE LINEUP IS NOW DOWN TO 9 9

10. THE DP RE-ENTERS X
THE DP (COOPER) RE-ENTERS TO PLAY OFFENSE (BAT OR RUN)
CIRCLING THE “X” INDICATES YOU ARE RE-ENTERING COOPER INTO THE 7TH POSITION.
THE FLEX (BROWN) RETURNS TO #10 POSITION PLAYING DEFENSE ONLY
(THIS IS A RE-ENTRY – 9 Players to 10)
THE FLEX HAS NEVER LEFT THE GAME 10

11. THE DP MAY PLAY DEFENSE X
COOPER PLAYS SECOND BASE AND STILL BATS 7TH
ABLE (#17) IS NOW “HITTING ONLY – HO” HO F4
ABLE NO LONGER PLAYS DEFENSE BUT STILL BATS 2ND
ABLE HAS NOT LEFT THE GAME 11

12. THE DP MAY PLAY DEFENSE FOR THE FLEX
COOPER GOES IN TO PITCH
X’ing OUT BROWNS’S NUMBER INDICATES THEY HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE GAME. HO X
BROWN HAS LEFT THE GAME F4 X
THE LINEUP IS NOW DOWN TO 9
(THIS IS A SUBSTITUTION – 10 Players to 9)
BROWN MAY RE-ENTER ONCE 12

13. SAMPLE LINEUP CARD
ALL SAMPLES WILL USE THIS CARD AND PROGRESS THROUGH A SERIES OF SUBSTITUTIONS 13

14. Lineup Card Management

15. SAMPLE EXERCISE #1 “COOPER" (DP) BATS AND GETS ON BASE SAFELY
THE OFFENSIVE COACH ASKS FOR TIME TO MAKE A CHANGE
“BROWN WILL RUN FOR COOPER" 15

16. SAMPLE EXERCISE #1 NOTE – COOPER HAS LEFT THE GAME
Team
XYZ Softball
BROWN (FLEX) RUNNING
FOR COOPER (DP)
NOTE – COOPER HAS LEFT THE GAME
Home Visitor
Manager
John Doe
No.
Pos
Player
Subs 1 19 6
Harris 2 17 4
Able 3 20 8
Thomas 4 24 7
Jones 5 15 3
Alexander 6 22 2
Moore x 7 25 DP
Cooper 8 7 5
Morris 9 3 9
Rodgers 10 18 1
Brown (FLEX) 11 12 13 14
Substitutes
No.
Howell 10
Baker 4
Smith 6
Green 55
Defensive Conferences
Home 1 2 3 4
Visitors 1 2 3 4
Pos.
Courtesy Runner
No. P C 16

17. SAMPLE EXERCISE #2 TWO INNINGS LATER, BROWN SINGLES TO LEFT
THE OFFENSIVE COACH ASKS FOR TIME TO MAKE A CHANGE
"SMITH RUNNING FOR BROWN AND
BROWN WILL STILL BE PITCHING”
*THE TEAM IS BACK TO 10 PLAYERS! 17

18. SAMPLE EXERCISE #2 BACK TO TEN PLAYERS!6
Team
Home Visitor
Manager
No.
Pos 1 19 2 17 4 3 20 8 24 7 5 15 22 25 DP 9 10 18 11 12 13 14
Home
Visitors
Pos. P C
Substitutes
XYZ Softball
John Doe
Player
Harris
Able
Thomas
Jones
Alexander
Moore
Cooper
Rodgers
Brown (FLEX)
Morris
Howell
Baker
Smith
Green
Defensive Conferences
Courtesy Runner 55
Subs x
SMITH (SUB) RUNNING FOR BROWN (FLEX)
SMITH - PINCH-RUNS FOR BROWN
WRITE SMITH’S NUMBER IN THE CORRECT LINEUP POSITION
SMITH IS NOW THE DP
CIRCLE SMITH’S NUMBER (BELOW)
BROWN REMAINS IN GAME – PITCHING.
THE “X” INDICATING COOPER HAD
LEFT THE GAME REMAINS. WRITING “6” IN
THE SEVENTH POSITION INDICATES SMITH IS
PLAYING OFFENSE AND BROWN HAS
RETURNED TO THE “FLEX” POSITION.
- COOPER MAY STILL RE-ENTER
BACK TO TEN PLAYERS! 18

19. SAMPLE EXERCISE #2 NOTE –
SMITH ENTERS THE GAME FOR THE FIRST TIME AND IS THE NEW DP
BROWN (FLEX) HAS NOT LEFT THE GAME – BACK TO DEFENSE ONLY
THE LINEUP IS NOW BACK TO 10 PLAYERS 19

20. SAMPLE EXERCISE #3
IN THE 4TH INNING, THE OFFENSIVE COACH ASKS FOR TIME TO MAKE ANOTHER CHANGE
“COOPER TO RE-ENTER AND BAT FOR SMITH” 20

21. SAMPLE EXERCISE #3 COOPER (DP) RE-ENTERS FOR SMITH
CIRCLE THE #6 INDICATING “SMITH” HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE BATTING ORDER.
THE LINE UP CARD IS NOW BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL START. 6
Team
Home Visitor
Manager
No.
Pos 1 19 2 17 4 3 20 8 24 7 5 15 22 25 DP 9 10 18 11 12 13 14
Home
Visitors
Pos. P C
Substitutes
XYZ Softball
John Doe
Player
Harris
Able
Thomas
Jones
Alexander
Moore
Cooper
Rodgers
Brown (FLEX)
Morris
Howell
Baker
Smith
Green
Defensive Conferences
Courtesy Runner 55
Subs x 21

22. SAMPLE EXERCISE #3 NOTE – COOPER HAS USED THEIR RE-ENTRY
SMITH HAS LEFT THE GAME AND MAY RE-ENTRY ONCE *MUST BE IN SAME SPOT! 22

23. SAMPLE EXERCISE #4
IN THE NEXT HALF INNING, THE DEFENSIVE COACH ASKS FOR TIME TO MAKE ANOTHER CHANGE
“COOPER (DP) WILL PLAY DEFENSE IN CENTER FIELD FOR THOMAS” 23

24. SAMPLE EXERCISE #4
COOPER (DP) TO PLAY DEFENSE IN CENTER FIELD FOR THOMAS
THOMAS IS NOW “HITTING ONLY – HO”
COOPER CONTINUES TO HIT IN THE #7 SPOT OF THE LINE UP. 6
Team
Home Visitor
Manager
No.
Pos 1 19 2 17 4 3 20 8 24 7 5 15 22 25 DP 9 10 18 11 12 13 14
Home
Visitors
Pos. P C
Substitutes
XYZ Softball
John Doe
Player
Harris
Able
Thomas
Jones
Alexander
Moore
Cooper
Rodgers
Brown (FLEX)
Morris
Howell
Baker
Smith
Green
Defensive Conferences
Courtesy Runner 55
Subs x HO 24

25. SAMPLE EXERCISE #4 NOTE –
COOPER, THE DP IS NOW PLAYING OFFENSE AND DEFENSE
THOMAS STILL BATS IN THE 3RD POSITION IN THE LINEUP, IS HITTING ONLY (HO) AND HAS NOT LEFT THE GAME 25

26. SAMPLE EXERCISE #5
AN INNING LATER, THE DEFENSIVE COACH ASKS FOR TIME TO MAKE ANOTHER CHANGE
“COOPER WILL MOVE TO RIGHT FIELD AND PLAY DEFENSE FOR RODGERS; THOMAS WILL GO BACK TO CENTER FIELD.” 26

27. SAMPLE EXERCISE #5 THOMAS GOES BACK TO CENTER FIELD6
Team
Home Visitor
Manager
No.
Pos 1 19 2 17 4 3 20 8 24 7 5 15 22 25 DP 9 10 18 11 12 13 14
Home
Visitors
Pos. P C
Substitutes
XYZ Softball
John Doe
Player
Harris
Able
Thomas
Jones
Alexander
Moore
Cooper
Rodgers
Brown (FLEX)
Morris
Howell
Baker
Smith
Green
Defensive Conferences
Courtesy Runner 55
Subs x
COOPER (DP) TO PLAY DEFENSE IN RIGHT FIELD FOR RODGERS
COOPER STILL BATS IN THE 7TH POSITION
RODGERS IS NOW “HITTING ONLY – HO” HO
THOMAS GOES BACK TO CENTER FIELD 27

28. SAMPLE EXERCISE #5 NOTE –
COOPER (DP) IS STILL PLAYING OFFENSE AND DEFENSE 28

29. REPORTING SUBSTITUTES
MANAGER, COACH OR TEAM REPRESENTATIVE MUST NOTIFY PLATE UMPIRE.
PLATE UMPIRE NOTIFIES THE SCORER AND OPPOSING TEAM.
RECORD INFORMATION ON THE LINE-UP CARD.
HOW TO MANAGE YOUR LINE-UP CARD:
ADD SUB’S NUMBER IN THE CURRENT PLAYER’S SPOT
CIRCLE SUB’S NUMBER IN THE SUB SECTION OF THE LINEUP CARD

30. LINE UP CARD MANAGEMENT
GOOD LINE-UP MANAGEMENT KEEPS YOU OUT OF TROUBLE
PROPER PREVENTIVE UMPIRING KEEPS THE COACH OUT OF TROUBLE

31. RULE 4
THANKS FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION
QUESTIONS