If the official scorekeeper informs the plate umpire that the batter is an illegal substitute, what is the umpire's duty?

• A. The umpire shall ignore the information until the defense tells him.
• B. The umpire shall ignore the information until the offense tells him.
• C. The umpire, being aware of the infraction, must enforce the penalty.
• D. The umpire shall consult the official book kept by the home team.

Answer: (C)

The on-field official must enforce any rule violation once they are aware of it. When the scorekeeper informs the plate umpire that a batter is an illegal substitute, the umpire is responsible for applying the correct penalty right away. This keeps the game in proper order and prevents delays or disputes. There’s no need to wait for either team to claim it or to consult the home team’s book for this call—the information from the scorekeeper, handled by the umpire, is sufficient to enforce the rule. The specific consequence will be the penalty for illegal substitution as defined by the rules.