Tagging Up On Foul Fly Ball

[dbronstein]

The problem with that (with less than two outs) is that you're going to miss getting some base advances on caught foul fly balls.

I haven't coached at a level where you expect anyone to actually catch a foul fly ball, so trying to teach the difference between tagging on a foul ball and going halfway on a fair ball is totally pointless. I'm just happy when they don't take off running full speed on a ball in the air with less than two outs

 

[MTR]

Point one - Speaking ASA and the majority of rule sets, there is no such animal as a foul fly ball. Either it is a fly ball or a bounding/ground ball.

All fly balls should be handled the same by offense. IMO, that pretty much is the entire conversation.

 

[Mocoso]

I agree, but you often see in the coaching literature that if the ball is a foul fly ball, regardless of the outs, they tag up just so they are use to always tagging up on a foul fly ball. I don't agree with that thinking. With two outs and a fly ball I don't want them thinking, "Is it
fair or foul?" I think should should be sprinting forward. It's hard enough to get some of them to do that anyway.

I would argue that literature is wrong... 2 outs fly ball you are running doesnt matter if its foul or fair - if foul and dropped you get sent back, if foul and caught it doesnt matter - you have nothing to lose except missing chance to advance... I think the "fly balls are fly balls and they should be played the same regardless of fair/foul" is a better way to look at it as indicated above