Baseball lineup cards are an essential part of preparing for and playing each game in professional baseball. The lineup card lists the batting order and defensive positioning for each player on the team for a given game. It is submitted to the home plate umpire before each game by the manager of the team batting first.
There are a few key pieces of information that must be included on a lineup card. First, it lists each player’s name and uniform number. Since there are only 25 players allowed on a Major League roster at one time, every player dressed and eligible to play that day must be included. Next to each player’s name is their defensive position or pitcher designation for that game. This provides the umpires and opposing team with where each player will be playing defensively for each half-inning.
After the defensive positions come the batting order numbers from 1-9. These designate the order in which the players will come to the plate during their time at-bat. It is important to balance offensive production and defensive alignment when setting the batting order. The manager’s goal is to optimize run scoring opportunities by placing better hitters higher in the order while still maintaining strong defenders at each position. Batting order is a key strategic decision that can impact the outcome of the game.
In addition to starters, lineup cards must also include reserve players who may enter the game as substitutes. At least seven reserve players are designated and used for pitching changes or defensive substitutions throughout the game. Their names and numbers are listed at the bottom of the card along with their primary defensive positions even if not starting. This allows umpires to easily verify that any reserves entering the game are eligible to play.
There are also lines provided to denote starters who may be pinch hit or run for later in the game. Simply writing their name with “PH” or “PR” next to it signals to officials that a reserve is eligible to take their place. The manager can fluidly make pinch hitting or running moves later based on matchups or strategic needs without having to submit an altered card each time.
Once reviewed and signed by the manager and delivered to the home plate umpire before the start of the game, the lineup card formally establishes the eligible players and their defensive alignment for that specific contest. No substitutions or batting order changes can be made without notifying the umpire and having the change announced first. The umpires and opposing teams strictly follow what is written on the official lineup card throughout regulation play.
The cards can be adjusted in certain injury or ejection situations per the official rules of Major League Baseball. If a player is hurt or ejected from the game, their spot in the batting order and field is simply bypassed, though the change still must be reported to the umpires. In extra inning games, Managers can modify the cards to reset defensive positions and batting orders as the game extends past nine innings. Otherwise, the lineup card provides the locked-in framework for the standard baseball game.
Beyond just tracking defensive positions and batting order, lineup cards also hold historical significance as souvenirs. After games end, the home plate umpire will sign and distribute the original lineup cards to both teams as keepsakes. They can provide a snapshot of the key strategic decisions and exact roster deployment for any given baseball game played throughout history. Especially for noteworthy accomplishments or milestones, lineup cards become prized memorabilia for players, managers, and teams.
Baseball’s formal lineup card tradition establishes transparency and structure for umpires, opponents, and fans regarding exactly which eligible players will be participating in a game and in what capacity. Serving important competitive and record-keeping purposes, properly submitting the official lineup card remains an essential pre-game responsibility of managers at all levels of baseball to this day. Their impact, while sometimes overlooked, remains deeply engrained in both the gameplay and heritage of America’s pastime.
