Infield Fly Rule fun

[Orange Socks]

Not really fun.

HS game last night. Bases loaded 1 out. Ball is hit towards SS. Not a pop fly. Not a line drive. More like a looping poorly hit ball that lands in front on SS. Runner on 2nd waits to see if the ball is caught. When she sees that the ball cannot be caught she runs to 3rd. SS field the and throws to 3rd base for the force out. Pretty simple play...right?

Opposing coach calls timeout. The umps meet in the field. The umpire now rules it as an Infield Fly the batter is out, the run scores and the inning is now over. What!?

First of all, can an umpire even do that? If the umpire called Infield fly immediately the Runners would have stayed on the base. The runner going to 3rd base would be safe since the force play would be eliminated due to the batter being called out. She should have been put back on the base because there was not tag.

Very frustrated and bewildered. PU called a great strike zone all night and applaud him for that. We lost 11-9.

 

[marriard]

Opposing coach calls timeout. The umps meet in the field. The umpire now rules it as an Infield Fly the batter is out, the run scores and the inning is now over. What!? First of all, can an umpire even do that?

Yes the umpire can do that: Rule 8.2.9

ART. 9 . . . She hits an infield fly. (2-30)
NOTE: When an infield fly is not initially called, the batter-runner is declared out if brought to the umpire's attention before the next pitch.

If the umpire called Infield fly immediately the Runners would have stayed on the base. The runner going to 3rd base would be safe since the force play would be eliminated due to the batter being called out. She should have been put back on the base because there was not tag.

... and this is the mess that happens when you don't call the infield fly and have to call it after the play has happened. I am looking for a case I know I saw before, but yes, the runner who advanced at their peril should be placed back on base and the inning continues with two outs. Basically the result of the play as it would have been if the infield fly was called during the play. More I think about it, I would probably decide to place the runner back on second.

Linking to a 2011 post for perhaps the best description of this exact play by Bretman (with Comp and MTR in the thread as well):

HeyBucket.com • View topic - retroactive infield fly rule

 

[Comp]

Infield fly can be ruled retroactively, but if it is then the umpires are suppose to correct other action that may have occurred as a result of the non call/reversal of call. And you are correct, of they did rule the iff, then the force at third was removed and required a tag of the runner.

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[Orange Socks]

I guess I didn't stress the fact that I don't believe the ball should have been called Infield Fly since it really wasn't a fly ball. It was hit directly to the SS but not a routine pop fly. It was hit low maybe 15 feet in the air.

 

[marriard]

I guess I didn't stress the fact that I don't believe the ball should have been called Infield Fly since it really wasn't a fly ball. It was hit directly to the SS but not a routine pop fly. It was hit low maybe 15 feet in the air.

Infield fly only requires it not be a bunt or a line drive and can be caught by an infielder with 'ordinary effort'. Height is not a stated requirement. All umpire judgement on this.

 

[Orange Socks]

Okay. Understood. In my opinion it was closer to a line drive that fell at the feet of the SS who is an excellent player and with her ordinary effort could not field it before it hit the ground. Based on what has been said from the responders to this post the umpires didn't fully fix the situation from the result of the Infield Fly call.

 

[mmeece]

It seems that the most fair/likely outcome should have been bases loaded with 2 outs (the batter called out).

 

[Orange Socks]

It seems that the most fair/likely outcome should have been bases loaded with 2 outs (the batter called out).

I could agree with this.

 

[Orange Socks]

Here is the video clip of the play. Iff or not?

 

[Comp]

No not an infield fly.

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