New Pitcher/DH Rule Set For Florida In 2010-11 Season

If a coach was frustrated in past years about having to take their starting pitcher out of the game when they pull him from the mound, there is now an option. A new rule put in place this year will allow pitchers to be listed as a P/DH on the lineup card.

In past years, coaches have had to make the decision with strong hitting pitchers whether to leave them in at another position after pulling them from the mound, or losing their bats in the lineup. It often caused other players to be pulled from games in favor of a defensive liability with a strong bat.

The new rule allows coaches to mark the starting pitcher as their DH. This will be advantageous to teams that have a solid defense, and relief pitchers who have no business seeing the batters box.

One of the key components to the new rule is that the starting pitcher may not play another position after pitching during that game. This stipulation hurts teams with pitchers who can help them defensively once they are finished on the mound.

The starting pitcher also may not come back to the mound after they have been pulled and relegated to DH duty. It has been a strategy used before that a pitcher leave the mound, play another position for a batter or two, and then come back to pitch. That option will not be available under the new rule.

To read the full rule and several examples of how it could affect a game being played, follow this link to the FHSAA.

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