Originally Posted by mbyron (Post 838525)

Others have correctly told you that the question to ask is whether an infielder can catch the ball with ordinary effort. The likelihood of a team at a given level turning a double play is not relevant.

I will add that, if F4 is catching the ball, BU should initiate the IFF call. He's got the best angle on whether this will be ordinary effort for the middle infielders.

In general, whoever has fly ball responsibility should be initiating the IFF call, with partner echoing it. And note that, should nobody announce it, the rule is still in force and can be applied retroactively: the announcement is a courtesy to the players, and is not necessary to cause the BR to be out.

Originally Posted by sandiegosteve (Post 838547)

i was trained in a similar fashion. This is how the pro school grads and pro umps in our association were teaching it:

• if the plate umpire calls "i've got the ball," or "i've got the line," he then will initiate the iff call, declaring "infield fly, if fair."

• if the ball is inside the "pie" from f5 on over to f3, and it turns the bu around, then it's the bu primary call.

• if it in front of the bu, as near the plate/mound areas, then it belongs to the pu, with the bu echoing the call.

as you say, it is just a courtesy to announce it.

Originally Posted by rbmartin (Post 838478)

Now for some (unknown to me) reason the defensive coach starts yelling at me asking me why I hadn't called the batter out via the infield fly rule.

Originally Posted by mbcrowder (Post 838774)

How's that moderator thing workin' out? Any progress or news?

Originally Posted by GROUPthink (Post 838779)

At least reporting SPAM won't get you banned from the forum now.

Originally Posted by Rich Ives (Post 838573)

The level of play and weather ARE considerations to use when declaring, or not declaring an IFF.

OBR 2.00 ORDINARY EFFORT is the effort that a fielder of average skill at a position in that league or classification of leagues should exhibit on a play, with due consideration given to the condition of the field and weather conditions.

So ordinary effort in LL and MLB are two different animals, with a sliding scale in between.

And if the wind is blowing the ball all over the place you may take that into consideration.

Originally Posted by ozzy6900 (Post 838906)

I do agree with the wind in that on a windy day, I would be inclined to be a little more careful on calling that infield fly if the fielder is moving around too much.

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve (Post 838933)

Now I miss Windy.:(

Originally Posted by ozzy6900 (Post 838906)

I disagree, a fielder camped under an infield fly is a fielder camped. Level of play has no bearing. It is not our job as umpires to determine if a camped fielder can or cannot make the catch.

Originally Posted by yawetag (Post 839063)

Originally Posted by DG (Post 838593)

Wind is a factor, sun is not. So if the wind is whipping around what might be ordinary when wind is not blowing is no longer ordinary.

But if he camped under it and caught it it was most likely IFF. If he could not get camped under it because wind was blowing around then no.