High School Temporary Runner

[nohesitation]

You're mixing together two different rules.

Under 3-3-8 I would not allow a player who left the game to re-enter. She is, in essense, disqualified.

A player who has left the game under the "blood rule" 3-3-10 may re-enter (assuming that she has re-entry rights left) at any point in the game.

By the way, Thank you for taking the time to help me out.

The way I look at 3-3-8 is you have 9 players and the fed is granting the coach leniency by allowing a “temp runner” for a player “unable to continue”. It doesn’t specify “injured” or “blood rule” or “muscle cramp”. Then the penalty for that temp runner is one out. I think if that player is able to continue she should be allowed with one out penalty minimum, that’s fair. If she is unable to continue for the rest of the game then an out for each spot in the line up until a suitable replacement arrives.

That’s my take on the Fed’s intent. High School rules in general are more “ let the girls play”, where as ASA is more restrictive. The reason I say that is you mentioned that ASA doesn’t allow an injured player to continue, however, I don’t think we can just assume that since the Fed just left that part of the rule vague, we will use ASA thinking.

[ajaywill]

You are somewhat correct in your statement that NFHS rules are about participation or "let the girls play" as you put it. However, you can't use that logic to help interpret the rules.

The "blood rule" (3-3-10) is specific to one situation, as Bretman noted. Since there is a specific rule for that, it should not be included as part of another rule (3-3-8). I agree with Bret that I would not allow a player that had to be removed from the bases due to injury back into the game. If she is too injured to run the bases, she is too injured to continue in that game.

ASA is the national governing body of softball and those of us that umpire the game often compare rulesets to help in interpreting the rules of a particular organization. I'm not saying that we mix and match rules to our liking, but in situations such as this, where one ruleset (NFHS) is not entirely clear, it can be helpful to compare to a similar situation in ASA rules.

[nohesitation]

You are somewhat correct in your statement that NFHS rules are about participation or "let the girls play" as you put it. However, you can't use that logic to help interpret the rules.

The "blood rule" (3-3-10) is specific to one situation, as Bretman noted. Since there is a specific rule for that, it should not be included as part of another rule (3-3-8). I agree with Bret that I would not allow a player that had to be removed from the bases due to injury back into the game. If she is too injured to run the bases, she is too injured to continue in that game.

ASA is the national governing body of softball and those of us that umpire the game often compare rulesets to help in interpreting the rules of a particular organization. I'm not saying that we mix and match rules to our liking, but in situations such as this, where one ruleset (NFHS) is not entirely clear, it can be helpful to compare to a similar situation in ASA rules.

Thanks again, I do see your point. Both you and Bretman agree that a injured player should not be allowed to re-enter. Whether I agree or not is not the point. I will bring this up with the OCSOA, my local association, so we can be consistent with our calls. Or if you are connected with OCSOA maybe you could bring this up.

There are situations where a runner is “unable to continue”, then is able to come back later in the game. I mentioned two “ muscle cramp” and “blood rule”. Both of you have not addressed the “blood rule” issue. Here is a situation where both rules work together:

The team at bat has 9 players. #2 hits a double and as she is sliding into second and scrapes her leg and is bleeding all over. It can’t be clean up in a reasonable amount of time, so #2 is unable to continue and must be removed 3-3-10. Because of 3-3-8 the coach asks for a temporary runner. In the next half inn the blood is gone and the #2 player returns. The following inn we come to #2 spot in the line-up. Rule 3-3-8b says “an out shall be called” she is out. That is the only automatic out as I see it.

[ajaywill]

Your situation brings up an interesting quandry....

The blood rule (3-3-10) states that

"...The re-entry rule would apply to players taken out of the game for this rule."

This tells me that if 3-3-10 is used, substitution rules apply if the player affected by the blood rule has to be removed from the game.

Let me take your situation:

The team at bat has 9 players. #2 hits a double and as she is sliding into second and scrapes her leg and is bleeding all over. It can’t be clean up in a reasonable amount of time, so #2 is unable to continue and must be removed 3-3-10.

At this point, Umpire askes for a legal substitute.

This leads to the quandry...Since there are no legal substitutes available, what happens? 3-3-10 does not allow for a "temporary" runner as in 3-3-8. Do we remove #2 from the bases and declare an out? That doesn't seem right. Can we apply both rules (3-3-8 and 3-3-10) to this specific situation and use a temporary runner to finish #2's baserunning duties?

Interesting....