Softball America Rule Additions and Amendments for 2022

[sixofdiamonds]

In conjunction with our league rules committee, determinations with respect to off-season rule proposals are as follows:

DESIGNATED PITCHER
The use of a Designated Pitcher was NOT approved by the rules committee for use in Softball America. The largest deterrent to adopting this rule was the safety aspect. If a player is unfit to swing the bat or run to 1B, allowing that player to play the most dangerous position on the field just didn't make a lot of sense. To a lesser degree, the possibility of a manager employing the use of a designated pitcher to his/her advantage and not what it was designed for does exist.

COED BATTING LINE-UP RESTRICTION
Forcing coed batting line-ups to consist of at least 2 females (in any order) in the first 4 batting line-up positions was not approved by the rules committee for use in Softball America. The feeling is it will place the teams with weaker female eddies at a disadvantage. It worked for the 1-pitch draft tournament because the managers were given a choice of what and when to draft. That doesn't work for the regular season teams that have to 'dance with the girl they brung' so to speak.

COVID-19 LINE-UPS (COED 2022)
As previously announced, we will stay with the COVID-19 coed roster requirements for 2022 and the rule will read as follow:

Managers must specify on their line-up card which players are male eddies (me) and which players are female eddies (fe). All coed teams must adhere to the 4-3-2 rule. The 4-3-2 rule states 4 eddies must be in the batting line-up and 3 eddies must be in the field at all times. BATTING: At least 2 of the 3 batting eddies must be female. Failure to comply will result in a batting out for each infraction (maximum of 2). A team cannot pinch-hit for an eddie if doing so will put the line-up in default of eddie requirements. FIELDING: At least 2 of the 4 fielding eddies must be female. If a coed team fails to meet eddie fielding requirements, no eddie will be permitted to play the position of catcher (except in the case of a designated eddie). The team may play with not more than 9 fielders. A batting out should not be invoked for being in default of eddie fielding requirements unless the fielding default could have been avoided as outlined in our league ROSTER DEFAULT rule. A coed team cannot take the field with less than 1 female.

ALL-STAR/EDDIE RULE, ALL-STAR REQUIREMENTS (COED)
The all-star/eddie rule has been revised for 2022 and will read as follows:

A coed team playing with 4 or fewer all-stars will not be affected by the A/E rule and can bat and field as few as 4 eddies (minimum 2 females). A coed team playing 5 all-stars must bat 5 eddies, 4 of which must be female with not less than 2 females playing the field. A coed team playing 6 or more all-stars must bat 6 eddies, 5 of which must be female with not less than 2 females playing the field. All-stars are determined by the league and shall be adjusted yearly. A coed team cannot use a non-roster eddie sub to satisfy all-star/eddie requirements.

League rules for 2022 can be accessed here...
https://www.cuttingedgesports.net/misc/leaguerules.pdf

---

Last minute ASA Rule Book Additions and Amendments for 2022

(Rule 3, Section 1D)
GRIP: The Handle region of the bat must have a grip made of cork, grip tape, or other synthetic material. No bare metal, wood or composite material may be exposed in this area. The grip shall not be less than 6” and not more than 15” from the knob. Resin, pine tar or spray substances are permissible on the grip region only.

(Rule 3, Section 2B)
The knob shall have a diameter of at least 1.6 inches with no sharp edges. The knob will be permanently attached to the bat and may be covered with grip tape.

(Rule 4, Section 1, 3A)
10 players as follows: Pitcher (F1), catcher (F2), first base player (F3), second base player (F4), third base player (F5), shortstop (F6), left fielder (F7), left center fielder (F8), right center fielder (F9) and right fielder (F10).

As you may or may not have noticed, the names of the first baseman, second baseman, and third baseman have been changed to first base player, second base player, and third base player. I am all for equal rights across the board, but this politically correct stuff is getting way too petty for me. What's next? Change the word human to huperson or mankind to personkind? Ugh! Just my 2 cents.

[blouderback]

If I'm reading this correctly, a co-ed team may play with 8 core-players and just 1 female, as long as they take 2 outs in the batting lineup and play only 9 in the field? Or, a co-ed team may play with 5 core players, 3 male eddies, 1 female, take 1 batting out and play just 9 in the field?

[sixofdiamonds]

You are reading it correctly, Bob.