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Originally Posted by Tim C
Correct. Under NFHS Rules the only way a fielder could be in non-confromance with the rule would be to have both feet in foul territory. If the player was in foul ground then the umpire could not legally put a ball into play.
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I'll go you one better, Tim. Under OBR, because all 9 fielders (well, the catcher excepted, technically) must be on the field of play--meaning within fair territory for everyone other than the catcher--in order to make the ball live again, there can be no "balk" if a fielder is in foul territory because the ball could not have legally become live again. If the umpire inadvertently makes it live, this is disregarded because he cannot by rule put the ball back into play until the fielders are within fair territory.
Example: To start the inning the plate umpire signals "Play!" The pitch is thrown for a ball when suddenly it is noticed that the right fielder is running toward right fielder. Apparently he had been asleep at the wheel when the inning started and someone told him to get his arse out onto the field.
Ruling: Negate the pitch of a ball and start the inning over; F9 wasn't in fair territory to properly begin the inning.