Infield Fly--National Level

[FUBLUE]

Worked a national last week (great ball, great location, would love to go back again) and had this situation.

Runners on 1st and 2nd. No outs. Infield playing "in" for them, which means F4 and F6 are about 2 feet behind baseline. BR hits pop-up that F4 is virtually camped out under it at the EDGE OF THE GRASS (about 15 feet back from baseline). Somehow, (I'll call it the sun, a bird dropping, etc) she misplayed the ball and the ball hits her glove and land on the grass.

Runners all advanced safely.

When I was sure that F4 had a relative "can of corn" I called Infield Fly. Once everyone got done screaming etc (large crowds) I informed BR that she was out for IF.

Coach came back with these classic lines:

But she dropped the ball---SORRY COACH, DOESN'T MATTER
But the ball hit the grass---SORRY COACH, DOESN't MATTER

Coach asked for an explanation. I give him...In my opinion F4 was, under normal effort, in position to catch the ball. She just dropped it. You yourself said the ball hit her glove.

Coach come back with "so if she's diving after it, and it hits the glove, then it's still an infield fly?" COACH STOP TRYING TO TWIST MY WORDS...She just dropped it, plain and simple.

"But you said it was because it hit her glove that you called infield fly."

NO COACH I DIDN'T. YOU SAID I SAID THAT. I SAID THAT SHE WAS UNDER THE BALL, WITH NORMAL EFFORT, AND JUST DROPPED IT.
YES IT HIT HER GLOVE...NO I DIDN'T CALL INFIELD FLY BECAUSE IT HIT HER GLOVE.

We continue playing...next two girls KO on 6 straight swings (only two of which would have actually been strikes).

First base coach thanks me for killing his rally (he's down 6-0 after first inning).

My question to you all:

1). Would you have launched coach for his comment? (I didn't).

2. How do we get it through the coaches heads that we are the only ones who can judge Infield Fly? They don't call it, I do! Further, how do NATIONAL LEVEL coaches, and this was late on Saturday night, get this far without knowing the rule?



[Edited by FUBLUE on Aug 9th, 2004 at 04:40 PM]