too late to call infield fly?

[WestMichBlue]

Originally Posted by John Robertson

The infield fly rule is designed to protect the offensive from a cheap double play (or even a cheap triple play). In this scenario, it has benefitted the defensive team because of the late call.

Call me silly, but I'd say that is unfair.

I am not going to call you silly - in fact I may be the only umpire here that agrees with you. (At least in ASA play.)

ASA expects it's umpires to call the IF; if they don't they may be placing the runners in jepordy. Rule 1 Infield Fly states that "the umpire shall immediately declare infield fly. . . . . . ." It doesn't say "may" or "could" or "should'a" - it says shall.

So if the umpire fails to call a the IF, and if runners assume they have to advance, and get tagged out, then the umpire should call the batter out, and return the runners that he put in jepordy by failing to call the IF.

NFHS specifically states that the batter is out whether the IF is called or not. Still, failure to make the call could put runners in jepordy and I would be inclined to follow the ASA position and return any runners tagged out.

WMB

Oh, BTW - before any ASA umpires hurt their fingers pounding on the keyboard to refute my statement, please read your casebook (8.2.35).