A legal standard batting order is one that follows all of the standard SCMAF rules on batting orders, and additionally has sufficient slots for female batters distributed throughout the order in such a way that there are never more than three consecutive male batters (including wraparound from the bottom of the order to the top). If the requisite number of female batter slots in the order exceeds the number of available female batters, then the extra slots are filled by phantom females, who are automatically out on each turn at bat.

A legal female-circulating batting order has exactly the same form as a legal standard batting order. If the number of available female batters is at least three, the available female batters are allowed to rotate through the requisite number of female batter slots in the order, without automatic outs by phantom female batters. If the number of available female batters is less than three, phantom females making automatic outs must be added to bring the number of females in the rotation up to three.

A legal female-male interleaved batting order consists of a sequence of batters drawn from separate lineups of all available female batters and all available male batters, interleaved according to a periodically repeating pattern f:m, provided that the ratio f:m is at least 1:3 and the number of available female batters is at least three. If the number of available female batters is less than three, phantom females making automatic outs may be added to bring the number of females in the female lineup up to three.

C League rule: Both teams must use a legal standard batting order unless both managers agree that one or both teams may use a legal female-circulating batting order or a legal female-male interleaved batting order.

The Wild Turkeys’ manager believes strongly that defaulting to a female-male interleaved order with interleaving pattern 1:3 would have a seriously adverse long-term impact on the female:male composition of C League.

However, the Wild Turkeys’ manager also believes that there are many reasonable options for avoiding batting orders with phantom females making automatic outs, that are consistent with C League’s historical aim of recruiting and fielding teams with approximately 33% females. So, in the spirit of the vote at this year’s managers’ meeting, a number of acceptable options are listed on the reverse side.
Agreement by the Wild Turkeys’ manager on the use of non-standard batting orders by opponents of the Wild Turkeys:

1. A legal standard batting order is always an option.

2. A legal female-circulating batting order is always an option, provided that the number of female batter slots in the order is either:

a. at least half the number of male batters, rounded down if the number of male batters is odd; or

b. large enough that the ratio of female batter slots to male batter slots equals or exceeds the ratio of female batter slots to male batter slots in the opponent’s legal standard batting order batting order.

3. A legal female-male interleaved batting order with interleaving pattern 1:2 is always an option.

4. A legal female-male interleaved batting order with interleaving pattern 1:3 is an option if the ratio of available female batters to available male batters is less than 1:3 and the team has previously shown a good faith effort to bring approximately 33% females to past games with the Wild Turkeys, by either:

a. averaging at least 33% female batters in the three immediately preceding games against the Wild Turkeys; or

b. earning a credit for playing one game with less than a 1:3 ratio of available female batters to available male batters, by having exceeded a 2:3 ratio of female batters to male batters in some game against the Wild Turkeys in the past.

Further agreement by the Wild Turkeys’ manager on the occasional waiver of the requirements for phantom females making automatic outs:

1. A female batter slot occupied by a phantom female in a legal standard batting order may be temporarily filled by another turn at bat by an eligible female batter who batted at least once, but did not yet reach base, in her turn(s) at bat in the current cycle through the batting order. The automatic out must be taken if no female batter is eligible to pinch hit in the slot occupied by the phantom female. If more than one female batter is eligible, the pinch hitter shall be the eligible female batter who batted most recently. If the pinch hitter reaches base, she is entitled to a courtesy runner (selected by the rules governing courtesy runners) if she is still on base at her next regular turn at bat in the standard batting order.

2. Fewer than three female batters may be permitted in the female rotation of a female-circulating batting order or a female-male interleaved batting order, provided that the remaining females in the rotation are contributing, or are expected to contribute, to making outs at approximately the same frequency as the females in the opponent’s batting order. This is a judgment call, and this judgment may change during the course of the game.