Numbers entered incorrectly in line up

Question
QUESTION: So if it doesn't matter which number is entered for the player in the line up, why wear them?  I have now come across 4 instances in Kansas high school softball where a player was wearing a number different than what was entered in the line up. One time the player was called out and ejected from the game, the next time the player was just out and the base runners returned to their position, the next time it was corrected with no penalty and the last time it the player was called out and the players returned to their original positions which in this case took two runs off the board.  Now as a scorekeeper, its a lot easier to keep track of numbers than names, but if the name is the only thing that matters do we have the players show their drivers license ID every time they enter the line up?  If the intent is to not penalize the player because of a coaches mistake then do we also not call them out if the base coach touches them during the course of play?

ANSWER: Doug,

I guess it matters because, as you state, it its much easier to track players by number.  The fact that you have d haso many different things happen when the numbers were wrong is an indicator for better umpire education.  In eight years of coaching I can only remember one time when a player was listed with the wrong number.  When coaching in a travel tournament where we don't know the other team, I just put numbers in the book because I don't really care who is attached to them.

Obviously we are not going to ask for ID at the plate meeting.  We just correct the correctable.

To your last questions, we don't penalize a player if a coach touches them, only if the coach assists them is there a penalty applied.  For example, there is nothing wrong with a "high five" on the way by the coach for a home run.

I hope this helps.

Tom

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: So if the player over runs third base and runs into the coach in the box and then gets back to base there is no penalty unless the coach assists them in some way?

I only use numbers too when I enter the opposing team in my scorebook.  I could care less what their names are.  That's why it is important that the numbers be listed correctly.  How do I know if the person coming to bat is batting out of order or just has the wrong number on?  My coach wants me to see the result of the play before giving any indication that the batting order may be incorrect.  It is my understanding that in basketball if the number is incorrectly listed in the line up by the coach it results in a technical foul.  I don't have access to a rule book, so if you say there is no penalty in softball, then I'll have to accept that, but I wonder why in the first two instances when my team came up on the short end did the umpire make the wrong call to start with?  In the third instance the supposedly correct call also went against my team. It was only the fourth instance that my team benefitted.  Now my question is what happens if an umpire makes an incorrect ruling, in this case by calling a player out for not having the correct number recorded in the line up but still batting in order by names on the card, and that incorrect ruling has an obvious effect on the outcome of the game?  Taking two runs off the scoreboard off the opposition in a game that was ultimately won in extra innings by my team.  I suppose it all depends on the governing association of the games in question.

Answer
Even though you have only recored numbers in your book, the line up your coach receives at the plate meeting should list the first initial, last name and number of the player.  If something wrong is suspected it is pretty easy to figure out.  I understand why your coach wants to wait to see what happens, if there is a double play, you likely no longer care about the batting out of order.

If there is an incorrect ruling in Michigan, you have to live with it.  The MHSAA doesn't allow protests.  Also, we rate umpires here.  If they don't know the rules, then they get a bad rating.  At most travel tournaments, the game can be delayed and the UIC can be summoned to fix things if possible.  Make sure your coach talks to your AD.  He/she needs to know what is going on.

It does stink when a bad call or mis-interpreted rule goes against your team!  I tell my daughters that umpires are human and they make mistakes.  I don't allow my girls to blame a loss on an umpire.  They are simply part of the game.  Sometimes the ball takes a bad bounce, sometimes the umpire misses a call.  The only remedy is to score more runs.