A Similar Situation
 

At a game where I was a spectator, the wind was blowing strongly from home toward center field. IF situation; batter hits a pop "foul" directly behind the plate. It appeared that it would be well foul, but the wind blew it back toward the plate. The catcher over-ran his attempt to catch the ball. The ball fell several feet behind the plate in foul territory, and bounded untouched back into fair territory. The pitcher walked over and picked it up and got ready to throw the next pitch.

This is clearly a fair ball and an Infield Fly!! Would you have called it, or just let play continue?

Yes.

Not IFF, but is FAIR ball so play continues. Since pitcher has a live fair batted ball I am not going to let a pitch be thrown just yet. Wind is a factor in determining whether a fly ball is easily catchable with ordinary effort.

Although I agree in principle that wind is a factor in determining whether a fly ball is catchable with ordinary effort, IMO a fly ball that lands on or near the plate is catchable with ordinary effort.

So F2's mistake in overrunning it on this play is NOT a factor, and I'm getting the out for IFF.

Probably as I say "IFF, the batter's out," and point fair, F1 will figure out that he's holding a live, batted ball.

We will just have to disagree. If he overran a ball that first appeared to be well foul but landed near the plate that ball can't be caught with ordinary effort and thus not IFF.

Now a bunch of Chit is going to happen if the pitcher realizes he has a live ball and starts the front end of a triple play because none of the base runners advanced.

Which is exactly why you need to call the IFF.

I don't make up rules, or interpretations. A fly ball that is blown around by the wind, such that ordinary effort is not possible is not interpreted to be an IFF situation. The fact that Chit might happen afterward has no bearing.

I would agree with this. I disagree with your judgment, though.

How do you agree with "this" and disagree with my judgement? What is "this" in your mind and what is judgement you disagree with?

I disagree with your assertion that this is a ball not catchable with ordinary effort.

I agree that we do not call IFF based solely on the consequences of the play--but read on.

I feel in this case, a delayed IFF call is going to happen (after all, who's going to call it in the air on a foul pop behind the plate?) This is where the consequences come in--if there is a double or triple play, one is going to have to fix it. Absent those, there is no IFF fix necessary.

I called it last weekend on a similar play (with the "if fair" caveat) in an NCAA D-2 game. Coach was (gently) busting me over it, until I explained what could have happened had F2 not caught (or touched in foul territory) the ball.

The rule is to protect the offense. Go ahead and protect them.

Well, if the batter reaches first, you're going to have to fix that.

In Illinois I'd fill out a SAWA report - it's a special incident report that can be filled out online or in hard copy - and explain what happened. It gets sent to the Illinois High School Association, and the baseball guy there will contact the umpire and the school(s) involved and explain the correct ruling.
There is no formal "protest" in Illinois, but this is a way to make sure that same ruling does not happen again by that umpire crew as well as letting the schools involved know that there was a misapplication of a rule.

JJ