Infield fly rule?!?!

[Dabears17]

One guideline I was taught is that if I can look up and see the ball before or at it's apex and then look down and see an infielder who should easily have it, then 'infield fly'.

If I can, I want to make the call at the apex or just at the ball starts to descend.

Bunt's can't be infield flys even if they pop up. Line drives can't be either.

And lastly, the rule doesn't mean the ball has to be within the diamond whne it lands - it is just that an infielder can catch it easily. For example if a SS can easily catch a fly ball just in the grass that is an infield fly... and also on the same play, if an outfielder calls the SS off, it is still an infield fly because the SS could have taken it. Had a fun time explaining that one once in a high school game.

Good description of how to judge an infield fly. A couple years ago my DD had a game where it dropped 5-10 feet into the grass behind the SS and her coaches were very unhappy it was called an infield fly. In my opinion it was definitely an infield fly.... the pop up was high enough an aggressive catcher would of had a chance to get to the ball to catch it.

One of my joys as President of a rec league was when the plate umpire got mad at the UIC (who was the base umpire that game) for calling a foul bunt pop-up an infield fly.

 

[MTR]

Love posting this video. In spite of the idiot announcers, this is a correct call

 

[eddieq]

Love posting this video. In spite of the idiot announcers, this is a correct call

Thanks for the reminder. I remember watching this game on TV and as soon as I saw the shortstop drifting under it I said, "Infield Fly" and then all hell broke loose in the game. I also remember arguing with other people in the room on whether it was an IF or not.

The thing I forgot was the whole "under protest" thing. I googled it and saw that it was denied as it was a judgement call (glad to see that)

2012 National League Wild Card Game - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[quincy]

Younger ages this is my favorite play, chaos always insuses.

 

[Dadumpcoach]

How about the umpires that don't say a word out loud, just hold up the signal? The runners are watching to see if ball is caught. They need to hear "infield fly" so they know how to behave if it is dropped. We had that this weekend. Nobody heard the guy call it, and our runner was only safe by pure luck. Even our base coaches weren't aware of it until the play was over and everyone was confused as to why the batter was out.

Umpire making the call absolutely needs to verbalize "infield fly, batter is out". All other umpires, whether there's one, two or three, should then verbally echo the call. This is to make sure all players & coaches are aware of the situation, as the ball is still live. It's amazing how many experienced players/coaches don't understand the call and/or think it is an immediate dead ball.

 

[Dadumpcoach]

Love posting this video. In spite of the idiot announcers, this is a correct call

This is a fun play to discuss. My thought has always been... while the player was about to plant both feet and make what many would consider a routine catch, I don't think a SS running that far into the outfield with his chest squared to the foul line can be considered "ordinary effort". I know how far the ball goes doesn't matter, but what the player had to do to get there does. He made a great play that in my judgement exceeded ordinary effort, so I don't agree with the call. That being said, I have no problem with the call either, as it was the judgement of another umpire. Opinions are easy to have after watching a play 10 times in slow motion.

 

[CHSUmp97]

This is a fun play to discuss. My thought has always been... while the player was about to plant both feet and make what many would consider a routine catch, I don't think a SS running that far into the outfield with his chest squared to the foul line can be considered "ordinary effort". I know how far the ball goes doesn't matter, but what the player had to do to get there does. He made a great play that in my judgement exceeded ordinary effort, so I don't agree with the call. That being said, I have no problem with the call either, as it was the judgement of another umpire. Opinions are easy to have after watching a play 10 times in slow motion.

What we have to judge is whether or not the catch itself can be made with ordinary effort. In this play, as you mentioned, F6 had settled under the ball to make that catch. The fact that he took a long route to get to the ball isn’t a criterion. If he was still backpedaling hard or stumbling while making the catch would’ve rendered it more than ordinary effort.


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[MTR]

All other umpires, whether there's one, two or three, should then verbally echo the call. This is to make sure all players & coaches are aware of the situation, as the ball is still live

No, that would just create more confusion. These teams have coaches and it is their job to know the rules, observe the situation and direct their players.

I started playing baseball/softball in the early 60's. Began umpiring in 66 and the rule which has been in softball since, at least, 1936 and is relatively the same as it is today. Throughout those years is hasn't seem to be an issue.

 

[CHSUmp97]

No, that would just create more confusion. These teams have coaches and it is their job to know the rules, observe the situation and direct their players.

I started playing baseball/softball in the early 60's. Began umpiring in 66 and the rule which has been in softball since, at least, 1936 and is relatively the same as it is today. Throughout those years is hasn't seem to be an issue.

Just to add, base umpires echoing the Infield Fly call is a baseball mechanic. This should NOT happen in softball except in organizations that continue to treat softball and baseball umpire mechanics the same (e.g., Little League).

 

[marriard]

Umpire making the call absolutely needs to verbalize "infield fly, batter is out". All other umpires, whether there's one, two or three, should then verbally echo the call.

No they shouldn't. This an incorrect umpiring mechanic in softball.

This is to make sure all players & coaches are aware of the situation, as the ball is still live. It's amazing how many experienced players/coaches don't understand the call and/or think it is an immediate dead ball.

That is not the umpires problem. The coaches should know the rule - it isn't exactly new - and as @MTR says, that is part of the coaches job.