Infield Fly in Wild Card Game

[Dakota]

Judgment call, so protest goes nowhere, but it was poor judgment IMO.

[tmagan]

Originally Posted by dash_riprock

U3 called it from 3rd base. I can easily see it both ends of the stick on this one. Take your pick. The protest is a no-brainer denial.

Only after the left field umpire called it. You and I know Nelson wouldn't have called it without Holbrook preceding it

[tmagan]

Here is how rule should be rewritten:

• Less than two outs.
• Ball is a pop-fly.
• Ball is fair.
• Runners at least on first and second.
• Fly ball is, at its zenith, not more than a foot behind the grass cutout beginning the outfield.
• If in doubt, do not call the 'infield fly rule.'

[Ump29]

Clearly not an infield fly. Bad call.

[dash_riprock]

Originally Posted by tmagan

Only after the left field umpire called it. You and I know Nelson wouldn't have called it without Holbrook preceding it

OK I didn't see that clip. If Nelson was just mirroring the outfield ump's call, then I agree he wasn't going to call it himself.

[DG]

Originally Posted by tmagan

Here is how rule should be rewritten:

• Less than two outs.
• Ball is a pop-fly.
• Ball is fair.
• Runners at least on first and second.
• Fly ball is, at its zenith, not more than a foot behind the grass cutout beginning the outfield.
• If in doubt, do not call the 'infield fly rule.'

The first 4 bullets are already rule. Ordinary effort is required and that can happen several feet behind the grass. At it's zenith you don't know where it will land, but you should know by then whether an infielder can catch with ordinary effort.

The last bullet can't be written into rule.

[dash_riprock]

Originally Posted by Ump29

Clearly not an infield fly. Bad call.

It's not clear at all. Maybe it wasn't a very wise call, but it was not, by rule, incorrect.

[Ump29]

Originally Posted by dash_riprock

It's not clear at all. Maybe it wasn't a very wise call, but it was not, by rule, incorrect.

IMO way too deep for IFF.

[JugglingReferee]

[APG]

Protest has been denied by MLB.

[rulesmaven]

Originally Posted by rbmartin

Baseball Mathmetics 101:

(Unusual play + Correct call) + Stupid Fans who do not know the rules = Mayhem

Where in the calculus does "poorly named rule" come in? Tough to blame fans and announcers for thinking the rule is what the rules drafters named it. I guess "ordinary infielder effort" rule isn't so catchy.

Or maybe the name of the rule is a good indicator of what the drafters intended in which case this call is a tough one.

[dash_riprock]

Originally Posted by Ump29

IMO way too deep for IFF.

But that's not how the rules define an infield fly.

Rule 2.00 (Infield Fly) Comment: On the infield fly rule the umpire is to rule whether the ball could ordinarily have been handled by an infielder—not by some arbitrary limitation such as the grass, or the base lines. The umpire must rule also that a ball is an infield fly, even if handled by an outfielder, if, in the umpire’s judgment, the ball could have been as easily handled by an infielder.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by dash_riprock

But that's not how the rules define an infield fly.

Rule 2.00 (Infield Fly) Comment: On the infield fly rule the umpire is to rule whether the ball could ordinarily have been handled by an infielder—not by some arbitrary limitation such as the grass, or the base lines. The umpire must rule also that a ball is an infield fly, even if handled by an outfielder, if, in the umpire’s judgment, the ball could have been as easily handled by an infielder.

From this definition, it looks like a good call.

[tmagan]

Give credit to MLB Network, they showed a play from May 16th in Wrigley where the 'infield fly rule' was called at nearly the exact point that it was in tonight's game.

[tmagan]

Originally Posted by DG

The first 4 bullets are already rule. Ordinary effort is required and that can happen several feet behind the grass. At it's zenith you don't know where it will land, but you should know by then whether an infielder can catch with ordinary effort.

The last bullet can't be written into rule.

Sure it can, in the NFL, referees are instructed that if they are in doubt, you can call roughing the passer.