|
Just for grits and shins, let's assume the ruleswriters wanted us to take the literal interpretation of the IFF rule that the OP is using. He (I assume male) argues that runners have to retouch their bases after the infield fly ball is first touched.
Ok, so suppose the infield fly ball falls to the ground, completely untouched. By that narrowly-restricting language in the IFF rule--"or retouch and advance after the ball is touched"--you could argue that the runners have to stay anchored to their bases until a fielder finally goes over and physically touches the ball!
That's the problem you can get into by, as MD alludes, lawyerizing the rules. No way in hell are we going to make the runners maintain contact with their bases until a fielder picks up that ball, even though that's what the rule, by strict interpretation, tells us has to happen.
__________________
"Let's face it. Umpiring is not an easy or happy way to make a living. In the abuse they suffer, and the pay they get for it, you see an imbalance that can only be explained by their need to stay close to a game they can't resist." -- Bob Uecker
|