Infield Fly Rule

[MTR]

that certainly should not have been IFF because the ball could not be caught with "ordinary effort". The rule is ONLY in place to prevent defenses from trying to intentionally drop it and get a double play on two baserunners who were reasonably holding up and not advancing. bad umpiring.

And how many years have you been umpiring?

 

[softball50]

I agree
no iff was called it was a live play
looks like it could have dropped for a hit

 

[PlayPerfect]

And how many years have you been umpiring?

I've never umpired. Do you disagree with anything in my statement?

 

[chinamigarden]

I've never umpired. Do you disagree with anything in my statement?

Just a guess I think he is disagreeing with the 'bad umpiring' statement you made.

 

[PlayPerfect]

Just a guess I think he is disagreeing with the 'bad umpiring' statement you made.

Maybe. I guess I should have said "poor judgement by the umpire".

 

[MTR]

that certainly should not have been IFF because the ball could not be caught with "ordinary effort". The rule is ONLY in place to prevent defenses from trying to intentionally drop it and get a double play on two baserunners who were reasonably holding up and not advancing. bad umpiring.

I've never umpired. Do you disagree with anything in my statement?

Absolutely. To start, the judgment is based on what should/could have happened with ordinary effort. The fact that a player started late or didn't make the catch is irrelevant. Same difference if an IF is ruled and an infielder gets turned around or ball's direction is changed by a gust of wind, the ruling is accurate and stands.

You may question the judgment based on your disagreement with the call, but it is not bad umpiring.

Then again, you probably think this was bad umpiring when in fact, it was a correct call that was facilitated by the additional line umpire used in playoff games.

 

[PlayPerfect]

That was a clear IF and I stated it the moment I saw the SS relaxing underneath the ball as it happened live. It didn't take an additional line umpire to make that call. A one man crew doesn't miss that call, IMO. I based my statement that the umpire made a poor decision was only based on the level of players that are in this game. You will agree that "ordinary effort" is measured based on the talent on the field at that time, not whether it would be routine by the defending NCAA champions? right?

 

[MTR]

That was a clear IF and I stated it the moment I saw the SS relaxing underneath the ball as it happened live. It didn't take an additional line umpire to make that call. A one man crew doesn't miss that call, IMO.

Not a shot that call gets made without the additional umpire with nothing better to do than watch the SS. I don't know any umpire (and I know a lot) that would have made that call. Doesn't make it wrong, just a matter of priority and perspective.

I based my statement that the umpire made a poor decision was only based on the level of players that are in this game. You will agree that "ordinary effort" is measured based on the talent on the field at that time, not whether it would be routine by the defending NCAA champions? right?

Agree and that should be based on what the umpire has observed, not a given based on a label. IOW, one 12U team could play at a higher level than another. For that matter, I've seen 14U team play at a higher level than an 18U team. I've also worked a few games when a 16U team soundly outplayed a team of DI players. It is all relative