Quote:
Originally posted by aepitaz
A playoff game has been protested, and I am looking for help to resolve it. Here is the situation:
Runners on First and Second with zero outs. A shallow pop fly is lifted to center (maybe infield fly, maybe not, didn't see it, it lands 13 steps into center field). The plate umpire for no reason shouts "The batter is Out!". He does not declare "Infield Fly", he does not raise his hands nor does he kill the play. The ball is ofcourse dropped. There is a play at 3rd, but runner beats the throw. So we have a bases loaded situation.
The Defensive umpire protests the game saying that the Infield Fly was called so the batter should be out and the runners left alone.
The game played on from the bases loaded (zero outs) point.
Is there anything interpretation, manual, or anything written that I can point to to either uphold or reject the protest?
Thanks.
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The plate umpire must have a reason to call the batter out, and the only one available is infield fly. He would not kill the play on infield fly, the ball is live and runners advance on their own risk.
I assume you mean "defensive coach" protests instead of "defensive umpire". If the umpire said he interpreted infield fly then his protest will be overturned as this is a judgement call. 13 steps into CF is irrelevant if the umpire judged that the ball was easily catchable, with ordinary effort, by an infielder. If he calls out the batter "for no reason" then the appeal will be upheld. The umpire should know why he called an out.