Here is a great one!

[Humble Master]

Infield fly! Not foul! From Umpire.

Umpire here. I also coach two of my daughters high level teams. The reason it was ruled a infield fly is that it must be an easily caught routine fly ball. It should have been caught. The reason for the rule is to prevent the fielder from purposely dropping the ball and creating an easy double play. It does not matter whether the ball was one inch from the line or in the middle of the pitchers circle and still rolled foul. I do not call "Infield fly if caught".

"Infield fly if foul" is used in case the ball is in foul territory, then if ball is dropped the batter is not out. Fielder can not create a double play if they let it drop. It is foul if it touches foul territory first whether touching ground or glove. If it touches fair territory first whether it rolls out or not it is fair. The infield fly call supersedes the ball rolling foul because it should have been caught.

The only two things you can question is whether, since you said it was a shallow hit, is should it have been called an infield fly, was it high enough to be an easily caught routine fly ball? And should he have yelled "if foul." Since it landed fair it was the right call. But you can still question it being easily caught.

Regardless, once called, and landing fair..... LIVE BALL. Runners may advance at risk of being put out. Always field an infield fly ball call.

 

[Ajaywill]

One important piece that hasn't been said is that the purpose of the Infield Fly Rule is to protect the OFFENSE...not give a cheap out to the defense.

Without the rule in place, it would be possible for the defense to let the ball drop, and since runners on base would be staying very close to their base, at least two easy force outs are available. The infield fly removes all forces by declaring the batter-runner out.

The rule also states that one of the criteria is that the ball CAN be caught with ordinary effort (umpire judgement), not that it WILL be caught. If the play in the OP allowed that F1 and F3 had time to just stare at each other and watch the ball drop between them, they probably could have made the catch with ordinary effort.

Umpires are instructed to add "if fair" to the infield fly call if the ball is in the air and is coming down near a foul line. It is not something that is to be said if, like in this case, the ball will come down in the middle of the infield.

The other part about this that I find amusing is that usually coaches are complaining that umpires don't call the infield fly when they should leading to confusion amongst the players...in this case, the observation is that it was called correctly and that it affected the players actions.

 

[Comp]

Umpire here. I also coach two of my daughters high level teams. The reason it was ruled a infield fly is that it must be an easily caught routine fly ball. It should have been caught. The reason for the rule is to prevent the fielder from purposely dropping the ball and creating an easy double play. It does not matter whether the ball was one inch from the line or in the middle of the pitchers circle and still rolled foul. I do not call "Infield fly if caught".

"Infield fly if foul" is used in case the ball is in foul territory, then if ball is dropped the batter is not out. Fielder can not create a double play if they let it drop. It is foul if it touches foul territory first whether touching ground or glove. If it touches fair territory first whether it rolls out or not it is fair. The infield fly call supersedes the ball rolling foul because it should have been caught.

The only two things you can question is whether, since you said it was a shallow hit, is should it have been called an infield fly, was it high enough to be an easily caught routine fly ball? And should he have yelled "if foul." Since it landed fair it was the right call. But you can still question it being easily caught.

Regardless, once called, and landing fair..... LIVE BALL. Runners may advance at risk of being put out. Always field an infield fly ball call.

I would suggest if you are an umpire that you go back and study the rules some more.

 

[CycloneSoftball22]

Umpire here. I also coach two of my daughters high level teams. The reason it was ruled a infield fly is that it must be an easily caught routine fly ball. It should have been caught. The reason for the rule is to prevent the fielder from purposely dropping the ball and creating an easy double play. It does not matter whether the ball was one inch from the line or in the middle of the pitchers circle and still rolled foul. I do not call "Infield fly if caught".

"Infield fly if foul" is used in case the ball is in foul territory, then if ball is dropped the batter is not out. Fielder can not create a double play if they let it drop. It is foul if it touches foul territory first whether touching ground or glove. If it touches fair territory first whether it rolls out or not it is fair. The infield fly call supersedes the ball rolling foul because it should have been caught.

The only two things you can question is whether, since you said it was a shallow hit, is should it have been called an infield fly, was it high enough to be an easily caught routine fly ball? And should he have yelled "if foul." Since it landed fair it was the right call. But you can still question it being easily caught.

Regardless, once called, and landing fair..... LIVE BALL. Runners may advance at risk of being put out. Always field an infield fly ball call.

So very wrong. Might want to check the rule book again ump. Here is the rule from the NSA rulebook:

An infield fly is a fair ball (not including a line drive or an attempted bunt), which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort when 1st and 2nd or 1st, 2nd and 3rd bases are occupied before two are out. Any fielder can catch an infield fly.
NOTE: All divisions play with an infield fly rule.
*NOTE: When it seems apparent that a batted ball will be an infield fly, the umpire(s) shall immediately declare, "infield fly, the batter is out" to aid the runners. If the ball is near the foul lines, the umpire(s) shall declare "infield fly, the batter is out if fair". The ball is alive and runners may advance at the risk of the ball being caught or retouch and advance after the ball is touched by a fielder. If the hit ball becomes a foul ball, it is treated the same as any other foul ball. SECTION 36*NOTE: When it seems apparent that a batted ball will be an infield fly, the umpire(s) shall immediately declare, "infield fly, the batter is out" to aid the
runners. If the ball is near the foul lines, the umpire(s) shall declare "infield fly, the batter is out if fair". The ball is alive and runners may advance at the risk of the ball being caught or retouch and advance after the ball is touched by a fielder. If the hit ball becomes a foul ball, it is treated the same as any other foul ball.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

But, what about the Look Back rule? Haha. I would like to clean up this thread but I don't know where to start.

 

[mjhickm]

Wow, that is why is started this post because the ball rolled foul after landing fair in front of 1st base the balled could have been caught with little or no effort by the pitcher or 1st base. When it did go foul the Ump said nothing a coach from the dugout sent the runner from 3rd not the base coach, and when I said rather loudly "you can't score on a dead ball" the parents on my team got after me big time. This was a really good game probably the best of the season and I didn't want to win that way, on a bad call, I am glad it didn't effect the outcome. The umpire should have called foul and set the runner back to 3rd and strike on the batter.

This isn't the 1st time the parents on our team have gotten after me I have been a umpire for for 8 yrs and have studied the rules and tried to learn from veterns umpires and when I see bad calls like these it really upset me, if you are going to put on a mask learn the rules and learn how to call and manage a game, it not fair to the girls you are putting the all into the game, the umpire should also.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Mjhickm, See you are still being practical. People don't want to learn anything. They don't care if they are wrong. Look at how many people are wrong in this thread.

But, it is sad commentary that 2 umpires and an official got the call wrong. And it is sad that the parents on your side want to win at all costs, even when wrong.

 

[MTR]

Infield fly is any FAIR fly ball that can be caught by an infielder, pitcher or catcher with ordinary effort when 1st & 2nd base are occupied at the time of the pitch. The player does not need to make the catch, touch the ball or even try to catch it, as long as the umpire deems that the player could have made the play with ordinary effort, the infield fly is in effect. The dirt, the grass, the base lines, NOTHING about the ground or field or location on the field have any weight in the umpire's judgment or application of the rule. Right there, that is it, the batter-runner is out. There is no what ifs or how abouts.

The ONLY other rule affected by this call is that the "intentional dropped ball" rule does not apply. All other rules apply, no what ifs or how abouts.

This rule is enforced even if the umpire doesn't call it right away, or at all, until after the play is complete. In that case, the umpire must place every runner his/her delay placed in jeopardy back on the base where s/he would have been had the umpire error not occurred.

A foul ball is a foul ball. Nothing else, just a foul ball. Everything above doesn't exist, it is a foul ball.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I changed my signature line.

 

[MTR]

I changed my signature line.

Well, what can I say. It just seems some people need to be reminded of such a simple thing every now and then