Infield Fly Rule Question

[Huskerdu]

I'm not sure what you would do on a popup to the pitcher besides stay on the base. I was pretty much referring to the poster saying if they called it with 2nd and 3rd only there would have really protested. Now if was supposed to be called and not called and the player dropped the ball, I could see cause for argument.

I'm not trying to argue, just wondering if I am missing something.

On the IFR, the plate umpire signals to the base umpire by holding his arm out in a fist and his other to his chest to agree it is in place. As soon as the ball is hit in the air with runners on 1-2nd, it is called out with the extended fist, "INF Batter is out (if the ball is hit in foul territory, he should include, "IF FAIR"). If the ball is caught, runners can tag up like a normal fly ball, if it is not, obviously they can advance at will. Regardless, the batter is out whether it is caught or not.

We had a situation where the "...if fair" was left out and my batter was called out on the IFR. When the ball went foul, and it wasn't caught, the opposing coach (one of our rivals during a semi-final tourney game) wanted to hold the umpire to his call, that my batter was out. I called the UIC (USSSA) and he instructed the green blade of grass who made the call, he should have included, "...if fair" The other coach and his assistant lost his mind and totally flipped out yelling and screaming kicking dirt. They should have been ejected but the green blade of grass didn't know what to do. Unfortunately they won the game by one run, had the coaches been run, we probably would have won. It was an embarassing situation for the USSSA, their families and their girls, and he hasn't lived it down to this day...we just 10-runned them this past weekend, with smiles on our faces.

 

[Huskerdu]

Oh and another thing...I watch the umpires when I have kids on 1-2 with less than 2 outs to make sure they know the IFR is in effect and usually if there is a mistake one of the umpires catch it in their signal or no signal.

 

[eddieq]

The "hand to the chest" signal mechanic is nothing more than a reminder to your partner(s) that the IF is in effect. It's still in effect even if you don't signal it. It's a good habit to get into to use it, though. Even when working solo, when I get into an IF situation, I put my hand to my chest as a reminder to myself that it's in play and I wipe it off when it is no longer in effect.

 

[Huskerdu]

The "hand to the chest" signal mechanic is nothing more than a reminder to your partner(s) that the IF is in effect. It's still in effect even if you don't signal it. It's a good habit to get into to use it, though. Even when working solo, when I get into an IF situation, I put my hand to my chest as a reminder to myself that it's in play and I wipe it off when it is no longer in effect.

I gotta tell you eddieq, yours is probably a very good policy, but I had a solo umpire do that and it looked like he was talking to a phantom partner out there, needless to say the girls asked me who he was talking to.

 

[BretMan]

Saying, "If fair", on a ball close to the line doesn't affect the actual playing rule. This is simply a courtesy to the players, a bit of preventive umpiring intended to head off confusion. Truth be told, many people never even notice it, don't understand why it's said and still wind up just as confused whether the umpire says it or not.

By rule, if the ball becomes foul it's not an infield fly...no matter what the umpire did or didn't say.

 

[eddieq]

I gotta tell you eddieq, yours is probably a very good policy, but I had a solo umpire do that and it looked like he was talking to a phantom partner out there, needless to say the girls asked me who he was talking to.

Well, the voices in my head disagree that there is a phantom partner. We can see him plain as day.