I'll add this - an actual sitch where calling IFF early or not checking the fielders would have resulted in a mistaken IFF call.
12U game. Ball hit reasonably high, directly to where F4 was set up. Immediately I'm ready to call IFF - it's a no-brainer. But due to habit, my brain won't let me say it until I watch the ball near it's apex. As it does, I look down and the words are literally almost out of my mouth.
F4 had, for some reason, hustled to 2nd base, and was looking toward the shortstop, who was approaching 2nd base and looking back at her. Pitcher was pointing up and looking at 1st base. F3 was on first base.
Luckily, I had the wherewithal to NOT call IFF. R1 actually scored on the play, R2 made it to 3rd and scored when the ball was retrieved by a hustling F9 and then thrown over 2nd base as BR tried for 2nd.
And this was a NORMALLY decent team, who just had a brainfart on this play.
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"Many baseball fans look upon an umpire as a sort of necessary evil to the luxury of baseball, like the odor that follows an automobile." - Hall of Fame Pitcher Christy Mathewson
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