Development of the set batting order Early forms of baseball or
rounders from the mid 19th century did not require a fixed batting order; any player who was not on base could be called upon to bat. The concept of a set batting order is said to have been invented by
Alexander Cartwright, who also instituted rules such as the
foul ball and tagging the runner (as opposed to pegging him with the ball), and devised the
shortstop position. However, in the 1880s, organized baseball began mandating that the batting order be disclosed before the first pitch.
Contrast with cricket In cricket, the batting order is generally fixed so that players are sure of their role within the team, but there is no obligation to submit a definitive batting order and stick to it. A
batsman can be "promoted" to a higher spot (or conversely, demoted to a lower one) in the
batting order according to the team's wishes. The idea of a "revolving" batting order is unique to baseball, in which the
on-deck batter at the time the final out is made in one inning becomes the lead-off batter (unless the current batter had not been struck-out or put a ball in play, in which case he returns as the lead-off batter with a 0-0 reset pitch count) in the next inning (unless his spot is taken by a
pinch-hitter). In the
shorter form of cricket, there is only one innings per side, while in the
longer form each side bats a maximum of two times. In a typical innings of this latter form, all eleven players on the team will have a chance to bat, and the innings finishes when 10 players are out. In the team's second innings, the batting order is usually maintained, but the team can make any changes it desires. As in baseball, many batting order configurations are possible, but a standard order might be: • Two opening batsmen - able players who can negotiate a typically difficult period of play. • Four middle order batsmen - specialist batsmen who may be more attacking. • A wicket-keeper - the equivalent of the catcher, who is also expected to contribute with the bat. • Four bowlers - the equivalent of pitchers; players who may or may not have any ability with the bat. The concept of a batting order in baseball is "profoundly democratic; no matter how good a hitter you are, you have to wait your turn." In that respect, although baseball, like cricket, "may have begun as a gentlemen's game," Americans gravitated toward baseball as a better embodiment of the country's egalitarian ideal, and as a symbol of cultural as well as political independence from the British colonial legacy. Finally, in cricket, there is no such thing as a designated hitter, so even if a bowler has no batting ability, he will still be required to bat, usually as the last man in the order. ==Positions in the lineup==