The shift and the infield fly rule

[knuckleballer]

During a local HS game a tiny lefty slapper who obviously has zero upper body strength is up to bat in the first inning with no outs and bases loaded. The opposing coach pulls all three outfielders into shallow outfield. The slapper flicks her wrists on an inside pitch and flies out to the right fielder.

Her teammate, a lefty big bopper, is up next inning and she drives one over the right fielder's head. Fast forward to a later inning and big bopper puts it over the right field fence just inside the foul pole.

FF again. big bopper is up with no outs and runners on 1st and 2nd. The opposing coach puts on a shift with 2b in shallow right field. Big bopper takes a scary swing but gets under it and chips it to the 2b in shallow right field exactly where the RF caught the lefty slapper's fly ball earlier in the game. Umpire immediately calls IF fly - batter out.

How deep in RF does 2b have to catch the ball before it's no longer an IF fly?

 

[Strike2]

The infield fly rule is intended to protect the offense by preventing a double-play from an intentional misplay by the defense. The ball doesn't necessarily have to be over the dirt for an infield fly to be called. If the 2B in shallow RF could camp under it, intentionally let the ball fall, and then get a double play, that would meet the intent of the rule.

I once had an IF called on a ball hit to short RF near the line. Three different players sprinting to it, nobody had any chance of a play, but the umpire called it. I nearly stroked.

 

[SoulFY]

Atleast in NFHS rules, the outfield doesn't matter at all. All it has to be is an infielder who can catch it. See the rule in which it tells you what counts as an infielder.

Makes it a point in saying they have to start in the infield at the time of the pitch

 

[eddieq]

I called a fairly routine IF once in an adult SP game. The 2nd baseman was camped under it and it was one of those mile high ones. Suddenly the left fielder comes sprinting across, calls off F4 and makes a diving attempt at it dropping it. They wanted me to cancel the IF because Mikey Meathead the Slowpitch Warrior tried to get on ESPN. Still an IF because it was routine and an infielder could have fought it with ordinary effort. But then again, slowpitch players will argue about anything.

 

[EdLovrich]

It doesnt matter where the fielder who ultimately makes the play started. The question is, can the ball be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort. The definition (NFHS) states "Any defensive player positioned in the infield at the time of the pitch shall be considered an infielder for the purpose of this rule." So, now we have to go to definition of infield: "that portion of the field in fair territory that is normally skinned and covered by the pitcher and infielders."

Boy talk about circular definitions, the infield is that part of the field that is covered by the infielders, who is any defensive player positioned in the infield at the time of the pitch."

Most of us recognize a shift when we see it, an OF moves in to the dirt area or an IF moves well out into the grass. But what about when the IF shades just a couple of steps into the grass routinely? Are they suddenly not an IF? The answer to the OP, How deep? How long is a piece of string? It will be umpire judgement on when that player changes from an IF to an OF depending on position at the time of pitch.