Fair? or foul

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

Why even bother calling it foul in the first place? Too many people feel they have to call it SOMETHING. On a foul ball, 90% of the time, I'm merely putting a ball in the catcher's hand.

I agree with you. (Except that I'd say more than half of the foul balls don't leave the field, so we don't need to bring that new ball into play!) I don't call most fouls foul - most of them call themselves. Screamer over the bag, or an outfield pop that lands JUST foul, or perhaps a dribbler that stops very close to the line in foul ground - I'll call those foul. Most of the rest call themselves foul - everyone knows already.