Double switch
What is double switch in baseball?
How do the managers spend the double switch?
What the peculiarities of the double switch with the pinch hitter?
The double switch is the player substitution used by the defensive team. It requires 4 players and is helpful when the substitution changes the batting order. That’s a signal that the poor-hitting pitcher will be the last performer in the batting order. The reverse of this situation is that the position player must go out of the play while its substitute may be inferior and reduce the defensive power.
The procedure has the following stages. Any outgoing pitcher A (who is the next in batting order) concedes it to player B. The pitcher D takes the place of player C in the batting order, who bats later than A. D comes to the pitching mound and B takes the place of player C.
The National League teams have an advantage of that double switch due to the designated hitter rule in games against AL teams. Its role is to bat in the pitcher’s place. Now it’s rarely used as the MLB rules prohibit multiple substitutions with the participation of the designated hitter.
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If the team is up at bat, the manager can use the double switch with the participation of the pinch hitter. Stage 2 supposes that player C makes the last out in the inning and goes to the dugout. The player D takes the C’s turn in the batting order. On the final stage, D is pitching instead of A on the mound and the pinch hitter B is fielding in place of C. A comes to bat inside the batter’s box.
These double switches contain a part of the surprise. Most communication is verbal. The players can’t hear the right instructions because of the loudness at the venue. Team managers haven’t enough time to inform umpires about the changes. It causes the risk of penalty for batting out of turn.