Has anyone heard of a written rule that advances runners on an intentionally dropped ball? Situation: R1, no outs, ball lined to pitcher who does catch and drops. Blue (ASA) calls batter out and awards runner 2nd?????

When you find it, please share :)

ASA 8.2.J

Batter is OUT. Runners are returned to original bases.

Interesting to note that the rule states "...with fewer than two outs."

So obviously the rule was written in conjunction with the IFF - to prevent a "cheap" out.

Also interesting that the IFF is a LIVE ball, while the intentionally dropped ball (IDB?) call is a DEAD ball call. Probably because you have to place runners on the IDB, but not on IFF.

Question: Say you have 2 outs, and a runner on 1B, and you judge an IDB by F4. No call? Dead Ball? Whatcha think?

To intentionally drop the ball with two outs would be, well..stupid.

Make the catch, you're out of the inning.

Intentionally drop it and maybe get an out? Dumb move.

In this case, live ball, play on.

Obviously this rule was intended to prevent an easy DP, so with two outs that situation doesn't exist.

I've tried this, even with rookie slow pitch softball umps. Even they get the call right.

I recently happened across another rule quirk between two different sanctioning bodies...

For ASA, an "intentional drop" really needs to be dropped. That is, the fielder has to touch the ball somewhere along the line.

For this same rule, NSA book says "intentionally drops OR LETS DROP...".

So for NSA, an UNTOUCHED ball could get the same penalty as an intentionally dropped one.