Another Infield Fly Rule Experience

[BaldNBeautiful]

After reading some interesting examples I thought I would put this out for consideration/conversation.
In a game last year we had this one happen:
We are batting, One out, runners on first and second base.
Batter popups up directly behind second base, SS tries to field it (not easy, but catchable) but drops it. She spots the runner on first off the bag, retrieves the ball and overthrows the firstbaseman.
The runner on second comes around and scores, the runner on first ends up at third.
As my next batter is coming to the plate, the PU calls time and confers with the BU.
The judgement is that IFR was in effect. The batter/Runner standing on first is now out.
The runner on third is sent back to first. The runner that scored will not be put back at second, she is out because "she went into the dugout."
This was in a Middle School Tournament game (7 & 8 grade teams) being played by NFHS rules.

 

[ctfastpitch]

Doesn't make sense to me. Not sure if they can call the IFR after the play is over, since the runners will react differently if it called during the play. But even if they can, all the IFR means is that the batter is out whether the catch is made or not. Since she did not make the catch, the ball is live and the other BR's can go as far as they can get. Seems to me that the B/R is out, but the run scores, other runner safe at 3B, two outs.

 

[nanotech14]

I have to ask this ,are you really bald and beautiful

 

[Comp]

After reading some interesting examples I thought I would put this out for consideration/conversation.
In a game last year we had this one happen:
We are batting, One out, runners on first and second base.
Batter popups up directly behind second base, SS tries to field it (not easy, but catchable) but drops it. She spots the runner on first off the bag, retrieves the ball and overthrows the firstbaseman.
The runner on second comes around and scores, the runner on first ends up at third.
As my next batter is coming to the plate, the PU calls time and confers with the BU.
The judgement is that IFR was in effect. The batter/Runner standing on first is now out.
The runner on third is sent back to first. The runner that scored will not be put back at second, she is out because "she went into the dugout."
This was in a Middle School Tournament game (7 & 8 grade teams) being played by NFHS rules.

Talk about a total cluster ***** of the entire rule. First, to be an infield fly, the ball must be catchable with normal effort. If as you stated, the ball was popped up behind 2nd base, there is nothing about normal effort in attempting to field the ball.

An infield fly is still a live ball and all runners may advance at their own risk. The ball was dropped, so even if the IF rule was in effect, the runners are free to advance without tagging up due to the ball not being caught. Any advance they made is completely legal.

The rest of their rules applications are equally as bad. Any call, or delay of call which puts either team in jeapardy the umpires should do what is necessary to correct the situation with the least damage to both teams. Ruling runners out for entering dugouts and putting runners back should not have happened in this situation. As stated, it most likely was not and IF to begin with, and even if it was, all play was live and legal. Even with declaring the IF, the only runner who should have been removed from base was the batter.

 

[Steve Huff]

Doesn't make sense to me. Not sure if they can call the IFR after the play is over, since the runners will react differently if it called during the play. But even if they can, all the IFR means is that the batter is out whether the catch is made or not. Since she did not make the catch, the ball is live and the other BR's can go as far as they can get. Seems to me that the B/R is out, but the run scores, other runner safe at 3B, two outs.

EXACTLY! ctFastpich and Comp should have been the PU and the BU in that game. They would have behaved more like real umpires.

And I don't care if you are bald and beautiful! Really, I don't!

 

[Comp]

The IFF can be ruled after the fact, but again, if the umpires delayed call put either team in jeapordy they should do what is necessary to try and correct the call. In the play as presented, the umpires damaged the offense in multiple ways. They declared an IFF which most likely was not, they returned a runner to 1st who had legally advanced and they took away a run that legally scored as well as declaring the runner out for entering the dugout.

 

[Greenmonsters]

The IFF can be ruled after the fact, but again, if the umpires delayed call put either team in jeapordy they should do what is necessary to try and correct the call. In the play as presented, the umpires damaged the offense in multiple ways. They declared an IFF which most likely was not, they returned a runner to 1st who had legally advanced and they took away a run that legally scored as well as declaring the runner out for entering the dugout.

In this unusual set of circumstances, the best thing they could have done is conferred in earnest, suspended the game, waited until competent umpires could be brought in to resume play, and then went back to the bar. On foot, not by car.

 

[BaldNBeautiful]

I have to ask this ,are you really bald and beautiful

To be totally honest, I'm only bald.

I could understand the IFR being called, "catchable with reasonable effort" still being a judgement call.

However I could not agree with the sending the runners back. Even if an umpire had called "IFR-the batter is out" loud enough to be heard during the play, once the SS threw the ball toward first, the runners were free to advance. To the best of my understanding, it is not a dead ball.

 

[nanotech14]

To be totally honest, I'm only bald.

I feel your pain my brother and by the way,where did they get the umps.Did they share the same brain and glasses

 

[Sweet Lou]

To be totally honest, I'm only bald.

I could understand the IFR being called, "catchable with reasonable effort" still being a judgement call.

However I could not agree with the sending the runners back. Even if an umpire had called "IFR-the batter is out" loud enough to be heard during the play, once the SS threw the ball toward first, the runners were free to advance. To the best of my understanding, it is not a dead ball.

Your understanding is correct.