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Infield Bloop
The IFR excludes line drives (and bunts).
1) What is your criteria on an infield bloop for deciding line drive or fly? 2) Has anyone considered that a maybe-line-drive, aka infield bloop, presents more need to protect the runners as they have less time to return?
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Officiating takes more than OJT. It's not our jobs to invent rulings to fit our personal idea of what should and should not be. |
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1. My criteria: An infield fly needs to be an obvious fly ball that an infielder can field with ordinary effort. Height doesn't matter, but it can't be a driven ball. The IFR (and intentional drop) rule exists to prevent cheap double plays...if I see a little bloop hit that sends fielders sprinting and may or may not be caught, no way is that an infield fly. A bloop hit directly at a fielder, now maybe that IS an infield fly, as it could be dropped to earn a cheap double play on the forced runners.
2. While they may have less time to return on a bloop, they have even less time to return on a line drive, and almost none on a perceptible-arc foul out caught by F2! They deserve no protection. They took a risk when they left their base before a batted ball was touches or hit the ground. They are at their own jeopardy. Pick 'em off.
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Powder blue since 1998. Longtime forum lurker. Umpiring Goals: Call the knee strike accurately (getting the low pitch since 2017)/NCAA D1 postseason/ISF-WBSC Certification/Nat'l Indicator Fraternity(completed) "I'm gonna call it ASA for the foreseeable future. You all know what I mean." Last edited by teebob21; Thu Jul 14, 2016 at 03:41pm. |
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No. The infield fly rule doesn't protect runners that have to return. It protects them from being forced to go FORWARD if the ball is not caught.
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I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, 'I drank what?'” West Houston Mike |
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Of course, didn't say that. Not being forced to go forward means returning if they started to run.
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Officiating takes more than OJT. It's not our jobs to invent rulings to fit our personal idea of what should and should not be. |
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Then I'm confused by what you're asking.
If the ball is caught (regardless of whether it's a bloop or a high fly), the runner is in exactly the same jeopardy if IFF is called as they would be if IFF was not called. Calling IFF on a liner that's caught doesn't get them back any quicker.
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I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, 'I drank what?'” West Houston Mike |
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Quote:
IOW, differentiating, what makes you decide a batted ball in the air to/near an infielder is a line drive (not an IF) or a fly ball (an IF and call it)? Not a question about runners, just about the flight of the ball.
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Officiating takes more than OJT. It's not our jobs to invent rulings to fit our personal idea of what should and should not be. |
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Quote:
![]() Edit to add: I think I get what you are asking on the runner's "protection". A bloop hit may be called an IFF, meaning the runners are not forced, and on a bloop there is less time for us to read, process, react and communicate with the game participants. I say no, it needs no consideration. The players should just play...run if it's dropped, tag up if it's caught, and keep an ear open for the umpire to make a call.
__________________
Powder blue since 1998. Longtime forum lurker. Umpiring Goals: Call the knee strike accurately (getting the low pitch since 2017)/NCAA D1 postseason/ISF-WBSC Certification/Nat'l Indicator Fraternity(completed) "I'm gonna call it ASA for the foreseeable future. You all know what I mean." Last edited by teebob21; Thu Jul 14, 2016 at 06:19pm. |
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