Foul or Fair?

[doublesteal]

So Sunday we are playing and the opposing team hits a deep ball down the right field line my right fielder turns to run after it and the Home plate umpire shouts Foul Ball, Foul Ball, Foul Ball, Let it Go, so my fielder lets it go. Apparently the field umpire pointed fair so the runner rounds the bases. After a conference its decided it was fair and the runner gets a HR out of it. An inning later there's a ball hit and the home plate umpire yells the same thing my fielder not taking a chance goes and gets it when she gets it in the umpire tells her she is wasting time and when he says let it go let it go. (yup this lead to a parent my team getting tossed not that I could blame him). Anybody have this issue ever happen to them? I feel like there has to be some sort of rule on this?

 

[Cannonball]

"Let it go?" Is this field enclosed? If so, the umpire wanted to leave a ball in potential play? If this is not an enclosed field, was the ball still in play or did it go past the HR fence or the line marking what is in play? If so, ground rule double. Who was to retrieve that ball?

 

[schwabach]

I don't understand. It had to have been a ground ball, right? Unless there is a potential for a tag up, why would a fielder ever let a foul ball go? And why would an umpire say "let it go"

 

[doublesteal]

It was not an enclosed field, it was a line drive that hit close to the foul line my fielder was playing in and got beat bad over her head rolled towards the dead ball area. We have umpires tell us all the time to let the foul balls rolling towards dead ball go when we are on open fields and just throw a new ball in play to speed up the game. Typically a parent or bench player grabs it.

My thoughts were ground rule double but the umpire said no.

 

[quincy]

This happened to us too.

I have never been ejected, close though.

Once they call it foul, the play is dead period. No chaning your mind.

 

[Comp]

There is actually no rule that states once a ball is declared foul it cannot be changed back to fair. That being said, it is generally instructed if you call a ball foul leave it foul because it will do nothing but cause more problems trying to fix the problems it is going to create by making it fair.

In the OP it appears you have 2 umpires making opposing calls. If the field umpire went out on the play to cover the fly ball, that is their call not the plate umpires. With the combination of not only calling it foul, but also yelling to let the ball go Im not sure how you not only change the call back to fair but then award a home run on a ball that apparently never left the field of play. Lots of bad decisions all around.

 

[quincy]

No, I do not not think ump is allowed to change thier mind.

 

[Ajaywill]

No, I do not not think ump is allowed to change thier mind.

I didn't see any type of emoji to indicate sarcasm, so I will address this as a serious statement.

Yes...an umpire can change their mind and their call if needed. Comp has already addressed this.

In this case, I agree with Comp that this was not handled well. Changing a foul ball to a fair ball is almost always going to be a very complicated issue.

 

[djcarter1966]

For my understanding what is the status of play "Live ball" or "Dead ball" when the ball hits the ground and the HP umpire holds up both hand and yells "Foul Ball".

I always thought it was a "Dead ball"? I thought runners could not advance on a "Dead ball"?

 

[Ajaywill]

For my understanding what is the status of play "Live ball" or "Dead ball" when the ball hits the ground and the HP umpire holds up both hand and yells "Foul Ball".

I always thought it was a "Dead ball"? I thought runners could not advance on a "Dead ball"?

You are correct....however, in the OP we have a situation where two umpires make conflicting calls. they need to get together and decide which call will stand. In this case, they decided that the fair ball call was correct. See Comp's post as he has a pretty good summary of the issue.