Between Innings The Rat Said...

[UmpJM]

Originally Posted by AC Blue

Hey out here in California , last night I had a coach ask for the infield fly on a pop up in front of the dug out , clearly in foul territory. He had the situation right (Runners 1 & 2 with less than two outs) but the location wrong. I just shook my head and said "your just testing me, right coach?"

Steve

Sunny CA

Out here in the dismally overcast, chilly and damp Midwest, I had an umpire call an Infield Fly with runners (only) on 2nd & 3rd last week. Unfortunately, the fielder caught the pop-up & the runners stayed on their bases, so it wasn't nearly as much fun as it might have been.

JM

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by CoachJM

Out here in the dismally overcast, chilly and damp Midwest, I had an umpire call an Infield Fly with runners (only) on 2nd & 3rd last week. Unfortunately, the fielder caught the pop-up & the runners stayed on their bases, so it wasn't nearly as much fun as it might have been.

JM

Oh, God is that embarrassing. I did the same thing a few weeks ago, working alone, naturally. There was a passed ball the pitch before and the runners both moved up. Next pitch was popped up to shortstop, there I go with "Infield Fly, batter's out." As soon as it escaped my mouth, I realized what I had done, looked for the big hole to crawl into, and not finding one just stood there hoping for the best. Fortunately it was caught and the runners stayed on their bases, so it wasn't nearly as much fun for the local rats as JM would want it to be. Everyone still managed a little chuckle. I played it off and laughed with them.

[RPatrino]

Guys, the coach was right. It was an "infield fly", just not an out!!! Maybe we should be yelling.. "infield fly batter is not out until caught"???

Last season I had a coach ask me to get help from my partner after I called a strike on a check swing. And believe it or not, a coach actually tried to tell me that the hands were part of the bat... Can you believe it??

Bob P.

[mcrowder]

This is why we signal each other that IFF is in effect. I've made the occasional mistake of signaling IFF is on when it wasn't. Partner's quick swipe of the arm (IFF is off signal) told me I was in outer space, and prevented the possibility of the sitch above.

[RPatrino]

Mcrowder, poor Steve was working alone, by his lonesome. That happened a lot this season, with all our rain-out makeup games here in sunny California.

While working solo, signals are superflous. I have asked for help from my "partner" on occasion, just for giggles.

Bob P.

[SanDiegoSteve]

You do that too? I do it on check swings when they from reflex say "ask for help." I say to Harvey the Rabbitt, "did he go?......."no, he didn't go!"

I work with Harvey on all but tournament games, when we go to 2-man.

[RPatrino]

Steve,

The real fun is when I work a 4 man all by myself. "They're coming to take me away....haha...hehe"...

Bob (Straightjacket Blue) P

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

While working solo, signals are superflous. I have asked for help from my "partner" on occasion, just for giggles.

Bob P.

My favorite: in a solo game, catcher asks me to appeal the check swing. So I holler down: "Coach, did he go?"

Coach nearly always says "No." Had one ring him up, though.

[cbfoulds]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

Guys, the coach was right. It was an "infield fly", just not an out!!! Maybe we should be yelling.. "infield fly batter is not out until caught"???

Last season I had a coach ask me to get help from my partner after I called a strike on a check swing. And believe it or not, a coach actually tried to tell me that the hands were part of the bat... Can you believe it??

Bob P.

Yes, I can....
Varsity game a couple years back, we are getting continuous static from the visitors dugout. V'sB1 takes a mighty cut and cracks his knuckles on the ball; takes off running. I'm yelling TIME!, DEAD BALL! IT HIT HIM at the top of my lungs; and here comes the visitor's head rat: "Hands are part of the bat, Blue!" "You're kidding me, right, coach?" "NO- THE HANDS ARE PART OF THE BAT!" "Not this bat [holding up Exhibit A]. Count is 2-2."