Just now in the Yankees-Angels game:

Rivera enters in the bottom of the 10th for Hughes. Hairston was the current DH.

After Rivera has faced at least one batter, Hairston enters defensively, replacing Damon in LF.

Question:

Why didn't Rivera have to come out?

I thought the DH and the P shared a lineup slot. When the DH enters defensively, the DH is destroyed. Sure, he can take a defensive position, but don't you have to double switch there? Doesn't Rivera have to leave the game?

I'm sure Scocia knows the rules, so what am I missing here?

The announcers seemed to think it could be a double switch, with Rivera taking Damon's spot in the order. But Rivera entered BEFORE Damon left. He had to occupy a spot in the order before the DH was destroyed, i.e., sharing one with the DH. He can't then move from one slot in the order to another, can he?

See what happens when you try to play with 10? :-)

I guess the answer is that the pitcher didn't have a spot in the batting order, but did when Hairston went in. That is why P would then revert to Damon's. Hairston would stay at his number, LF lost its spot.

maybe?

Extracted from OBR 6.10 (b)
The Designated Hitter may be used defensively, continuing to bat in the same position in the batting order, but the pitcher must then bat in the place of the substituted defensive player, unless more than one substitution is made, and the manager then must designate their spots in the batting order.

So as 55mom says, the pitcher has to bat in Damon's spot, unless a double switch had been made.

Note that the DH role is not terminated when the DH substitutes into a defensive positions.

Folks, don't try this at home, or in any NFHS game. The DH role is very different in FED rules, because the DH can hit for any defensive player.

quote:

but the pitcher must then bat in the place of the substituted defensive player

I think if this had been a high school game, Rivera would've had to come out.

But if I'm reading this correctly, what it suggests is that the pitcher is not considered to be sharing the DH's spot in the order, the way the non-hitting defensive player does under NFHS. So the pitcher is just not in the batting order in any way until the DH player goes in for a defender. Is that it?

After all these years, nice to know you can still learn something new.

Not having Damon in left (or center) cost the Yankees; he catches that game ending hit if he's out there.

Pitcher goes o replaced player's spot and as noted, the Fed rule is very different.

quote:

But if I'm reading this correctly, what it suggests is that the pitcher is not considered to be sharing the DH's spot in the order, the way the non-hitting defensive player does under NFHS. So the pitcher is just not in the batting order in any way until the DH player goes in for a defender. Is that it?

That is correct.