Dropped 3rd and infield fly questions??

[xplosion]

Sorry if this has been covered before or multiple times.

10u We are on defense. Offense has runner on 3rd with 1 out. 2 strikes are against the batter and she swings and misses on a low pitch which did in fact hit the ground but the umpire signaled out but did not verbalize "out". My questions here are should the umpire signal out on that play or given no signal other than strike and does he have to verbalize the out? We did not throw to 1st and she was safe at first.

What is the ruling when an umpire inadvertantly calls infield fly and the ball is dropped?

 

[MTR]

Sorry if this has been covered before or multiple times.

10u We are on defense. Offense has runner on 3rd with 1 out. 2 strikes are against the batter and she swings and misses on a low pitch which did in fact hit the ground but the umpire signaled out but did not verbalize "out". My questions here are should the umpire signal out on that play or given no signal other than strike and does he have to verbalize the out? We did not throw to 1st and she was safe at first.

Since there was no verbal, are you sure the umpire wasn't just calling a strike?

What is the ruling when an umpire inadvertantly calls infield fly and the ball is dropped?

Depends on what happens

 

[sluggers]

My questions here are should the umpire signal out on that play or given no signal other than strike and does he have to verbalize the out?

The signals for "strike" and "out" are very similar. The umpire signaled a "strike" (which was correct) and did not say "out" because the batter was not out. Sounds like the umpire used correct mechanics.

And, who cares what the umpire did or did not do? The 'dropped third' rule is certainly well known. The catcher and 1B should know the rule and should know to make the throw. If they don't, then it is coach's fault.

What is the ruling when an umpire inadvertently calls infield fly and the ball is dropped?

If an umpire reverses her call, she can rectify any problems created by the reversal. A lot depends upon what the players on both teams did after the ump's call.

 

[xplosion]

No, I cannot be sure but he closed his fist and raised it and I took it that way. I guess I made the mistake by telling my catcher to hold the ball as soon as I seen the call.

Here was the situation for the infield fly. Runner on third. Pop Fly in infield. Infield fly was called. Runner on third stays put. Umpire corrects himself and awards the runner on third home.

 

[xplosion]

and batter was awarded 1st.

 

[Comp]

Was the ball caught? If it was, have no idea why the batter would be awarded 1st. If it wasnt, then obviously the batter would have been safe regardless.

As for awarding the runner on 3rd home, have no idea why he would have done that, but wasnt there to see exactly what happened on the play. There may have been circumstances which led him to believe if he hadnt mistakenly called the IFF the runner at 3rd would have scored.

 

[xplosion]

No, ball was not caught. Sounds like they got it right on both accounts. Thanks for the input everyone.

 

[xplosion]

At least I didnt make an idiot out of myself by questioning either call. Thanks again.

 

[Sweet Lou]

No, I cannot be sure but he closed his fist and raised it and I took it that way. I guess I made the mistake by telling my catcher to hold the ball as soon as I seen the call.

Here was the situation for the infield fly. Runner on third. Pop Fly in infield. Infield fly was called. Runner on third stays put. Umpire corrects himself and awards the runner on third home.

Why was the runner awarded home? On IF fly the batter is out and runners advance at their own risk. If the popup was dropped the runner on 3rd could have advanced on her own regardless of whether or not the infield fly was called or not, is see no reason to give her a free base in this situation.

The batter, should be awarded 1st though if there was not an IF-rule situation which it sounds like there was not as there was only a runner on 3rd.

 

[Momo'sDad]

No, I cannot be sure but he closed his fist and raised it and I took it that way. I guess I made the mistake by telling my catcher to hold the ball as soon as I seen the call.

Coaching fail. No big deal, my friend, you're not supposed to be perfect. You learned more because the batter took 1st base than you would've if she'd merely accept the strikeout and returned to the dugout to complete the out.

We don't have dropped third until All-Stars (but rec league may introduce it for spring), but on a dropped third, I instruct my catchers to make a good throw to 1st anyway. If your catcher sees a player advancing towards 1st and *knows* it wasn't a base award from the umpire, she should be making that throw. I'm of the opinion that the best catchers have greater game awareness than anyone else on the field.