Re-Entry as a pitcher

[BravesWin!]

I have been thinking(no wonder im getting those brain cramps)....I am someone who knows the Major League Rules pretty much inside and out, especially rules pertaining to rule 10, the official scorer. I buy a copy of the rule book every year, and would like to think that I am one of the more knowledgable fans when it comes to rule interpretations....

However, there is one rule that I am unclear on for the main reason that I cannot find anything against it. As we all know, if I (as for instance, were managing the Atlanta Braves) wanted to switch Sheffield and Chipper in the middle of an at bat, or inning, or whatever- doesnt really matter for my argument, and put chipper in right and sheffield in left, i could do so whenever i wished.

Imagine, though John Smoltz is pitching for me, and the next batter is a 19-22 lifetime against smoltz. can i put smoltz in right field, bring someone else in the face the one hitter, after he faces him, bring smoltz back onto the mound and put in a new right fielder?

In otherwords can I freely substitute pitchers as long as they stay in the game? Like I said, i typically am pretty good with the rules, but this one has me very perplexed, mostly for the reason that I cannot find anything against it, which I figured I would......

HELP!!!!!!!
-Andrew


MLB Rule Book (http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/baseball_basics/mlb_basics_foreward.jsp)

[Wolf Hopper]

Pretty sure the Mets did this once with Orosco and McDowell? Or somebody?

Shifting them between P and the OF in one inning.

[GGC]

The Mets did that in the 80's. I also think that the Whitey Herzog Cardinals did this same maneuver around that time as well.

[poorme]

we have a thread on this somewhere. i think a pitcher can only take the mound once per inning, though i may just be making that up.

[SmedIndy]

You can do that stunt once. There is a thread on it, or it was part of a thread. At home, I can consult the rule book unless someone (ohhhh...Gustavo) can find the thread.

[KCBOOMER]

I've always been surprised that some of the more controlling managers (i.e. the ones who think their team wins on account of the brilliance) don't do this on a somewhat regular basis.

I have heard that there is a limit on doing this in a given inning but am not quite sure what it is.

[gyb13]

what will you guys do when I'm gone?
http://www.netshrine.com/vbulletin2/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5643

FWIW, here's how i ran this not-so-obvious search:

pitcher rule substitut*

that yielded only 6 threads, of which this is one...:)

[JamesI]

I recall the Mariners sticking Randy in Left Field for a batter, then pulling him back to the mound.

[gyb13]

here's the Orosco/McDowell game, a 14-inning thrilla:
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B07220CIN1986.htm

[gyb13]

here's one of Todd Worrell's, on 6/24/86
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B06240SLN1986.htm
the game log at the bottom describes what happened in the top of the 9th

and on his next game, three days later, this time in the 12th inn:
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B06270SLN1986.htm


9/22/87 - Worrell switches to the outfield and then back to P
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B09220SLN1987.htm

[Skip]

Originally posted by gyb13
what will you guys do when I'm gone? Find another sucker? ;)

[gyb13]

Originally posted by Skip
Find another sucker? ;) nah, we have you. we just need to teach you how to use the search function :p

for the games listed above, only in two did the pitcher move to the outfield then return to the mound (the orosco/mcdowell game, in which both of them did it, and the 3rd worrell game)

[Luis]

I watched the Met/Cinn. game where McDowell and Orosco switched from the outfield to the mound. I don't remember it clearly but I would have sworn that the two switched to and from the mound more than once. It must have just seemed that way.

The Mets were forced to use pitchers in the outfield because of players being thrown out of the game. I think that Orosco and McDowell were switched to and from the mound and from left to right field based upon the batter and the situation.

[gyb13]

yeah, there's a game summary at the bottom of the retrosheet link above...

Orosco came in to pitch the bottom of the 10th. With one out and a runner on third, a brawl broke out, and 4 players were ejected. Orosco moved to RF (for Kevin Mitchell) and McDowell came in to pitch.

In the 11th, with two outs, Orosco and McDowell switched around, and Orosco struck out the lefty Max Venable.

In the 12th, Buddy Bell singled to leadoff the inning. With Dave Parker up, McDowell was shifted from RF to LF with Mookie Wilson.

In the 13th, Orosco moved to RF and McDowell back to the mound, as Wilson returned to LF. McD would retire the last six batters and get the win.

[SmedIndy]

Luis - the key line is "more than once an inning". So Orosco could have gone from P to OF to P in an inning, just not P to OF to P to OF.

[Skip]

Smed - your statement doesnt jibe with the game summary quoted by Gyb.

[SmedIndy]

HOW? I am speaking of theoreticals, not the actual game in question Skip. The key in the rule is INNING, not GAME.

[gyb13]

well, forget theoretical, here's Worrell's game, 9/22/87:

PHILLIES 9TH:

Worrell started off the inning pitching.
After giving up a HR to Schmidt, lefty Ken Dayley was brought to the mound, Worrell moved to RF, and Lance Johnson was taken out.
Dayley struck out Von Hayes.
Worrell moved back to the mound, and John Morris took over RF, ending Dayley's day.
Worrell then got Rick Schu to groundout and Daulton to lineout.

[SmedIndy]

Yep - that's proper. You couldn't move Worrell again that inning, except to remove him from the game.

[Skip]

My bad Smed ... I read the thing several times and missed the "inning" part every darn one of 'em.

[SmedIndy]

Wanna borrow my glasses, Skip?

[Skip]

Nah ... but I am warming up my Pinky avatar. I guess this thread is done.

[gyb13]

i won't let it die! :D

Randy Johnson and Jeff Nelson both appeared in the OF in 93, but I don't think either of them returned to the mound in the same inning...i couldn't find the relevant boxscores