ASA Double Base - Purpose of 8.2.M.4.?

[bkbjones]

Originally Posted by jimpiano

The argument is simple.

OK, I'll smack my head again. Here is another wonderfully clear statement.

Why is there NOT an infield fly? Because no one declared an infield fly.

You can declare an infield fly at almost any time provided you have runners at 1b and 2B or 1B, 2B and 3B with less than two outs.

Am I correct (he asked rhetorically)?

So, Rudolph is the PU and Blitzen is the BU. They've got an infield fly situation. BUT... If no one declares an infield fly ... there is no infield fly. This happens every day somewhere. I would daresay many folks who participate in this forum (even if they are "just" readers) have NOT called an infield fly in an "obvious" infield fly situation. This may be due to any number of factors including brain lock, sun in the eyes of someone, a good looking person in the stands, blithering idiot game administrators, or whatever.

It mirrors the old saw: if a bear is flatulent in the woods but no one is there, how do we know the bear passed gas? We don't.

And if no one declares an infield fly, there is NO INFIELD FLY.

Now I shall go prepare to smack myself silly again. Thanks for playing and Jim, enjoy sniffing out that bear.