Monday, June 12 , 2006

Training Files

The EH, DH, no headache

by Mike Brancheau
Training Director

Many of our summer leagues, Koufax, Mantle, Connie Mack, and others, allow use of the EXTRA HITTER or EH. Here are some basics to aid your understanding of the Extra Hitter that will avoid that "Deer-In-Headlights" look at your plate meeting and any utterances of "What the hell is an EH?"

Simply put, the Extra Hitter is as described. It allows a team to bat a 10-man lineup, with a player serving the "position" of Extra Hitter, or EH. The EH can be in any batting position 1 through 10, and is essentially treated as a defensive position. The position however is located on the bench.

If you think of the EH as a defensive position, it becomes clear that the player, who starts as the EH, can move to any defensive position at any time. Conversely, any player in an on-field defensive position (including pitcher) can change to the position of EH at any time. Player Charlie, batting 3rd and starting as EH, can move to any defensive position at any time. Any player in the 10-man batting order can be "changed" to the EH position.

Note that none of this will ever affect the batting order. The 10 man lineup; Abel, Baker, Charlie, Dave, Evan, Frank, Greg, Hector, Ivan, Jack, (and their legal substitutes) does not change. And in any defensive inning, any 9 of these players will be on the field, and the other will be on the bench and in the EH position.

A team using the EH and deploying a 10-man batting order may not change to a 9-man batting order. There will always be 10 batting slots and a player assuming the EH role. Conversely, a team submitting a 9 man batting order may never "insert" an EH and change to a 10 man lineup.

Situation: The Bandits are playing with an EH and a 10-man lineup. During the game one of the players in the lineup has to leave the game, and the Bandits have no legal or eligible substitutes. What happens?

Answer: The batting order slot for the missing player becomes an "automatic out". The 10-man batting order is maintained this way. Obviously, now no player is in the role of EH, and all 9 remaining players have a defensive position.

Finally, may a team submit a lineup with an EH and a Designated Hitter (DH)? Of course!

Please contact me with any questions on this article or general training questions mbran2000@yahoo.com