base mechanics

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by youngump

On number 6, the first play by an infielder. I'm not sure I've ever quite been certain about how to decide if something is the first play on the infield and based on a lot of pre-gaming, nobody else seems 100% confident either. For example, is an appeal after a catch the first play in the infield? The catch is a play, so it doesn't quite meet the definitions, but most people see it as a first play and it makes more sense that way. If you read it as the first throw by an infielder as above, then you have the situation where a ball is popped up right between the shortstop and the left fielder is dropped and who covers the runner moving from first to second depends on which person picks up the ball which doesn't make a ton of sense. I'm not sure how to make the coverage clearer but finding a better way to express this would alleviate confusion. I don't have my rule book with me, but doesn't the actual mechanic say it's based on whether the ball is hit to the outfield not who fields it?

It is the first throw in the infield. A catch is not a throw, nor is it a play if the ball isn't in flight.