Infield Fly question
 

situation:

R1 on 2B, R2 on 1B with noone out. . .Batter hits Infield fly and Infield Fly is called by the umpire. SS drops the ball unintentionally (sun) with BOTH runners 1/2 way to their next base. . . .after the drop, both runners safely advance to 3rd and 2nd respectively but they do not tag-up. . .

I was the pitcher in this game and I am also a new ump. I appealed both runners thinking they have to tag-up. Ump called both runners safe because Runners do not have to tag up on a DROPPED Infield Fly. . .is this correct???? Otherwise, I had my first triple play!!!

It is correct. If it's dropped, they don't have to tag up. Batter is still out.

And welcome to the blue crew. It can be a great avocation. I know it was for me.

The infield fly rule is simple.

The batter is out when first, second, or first, second and third are occupied with less than two outs and a fly ball on the infield can be handled routinely by an infielder.( Infield is not limited to the skin portion of a diamond...it is defined as being a catch by an infielder in normal play)

What happens after the rule is invoked has no bearing on the batter.
The batter is out.

If the ball is caught the runners are required to return to their bases before advancing.

If the ball is not caught, the runners can advance without re-touching and can only be put out on a tag, whether advancing or returning.

The infield fly only declares the batter out. It does not alter the rest of the play.

First off, welcome. Second, even as a player, what made you think that a runner would ever have to tag up on a ball not caught?

for some reason, I thought they had to tag. . .regardless. . .

Here is something for you to tuck away...

The only difference between an infield fly and any other fly ball is the BR is out, so there is no force play if the ball is not caught.

I don't know WHY people get all flummoxed over the infield fly rule, but they do. It is a very simple rule - the BR is out. That's it.

Another thing to remember is that an IFF ball does NOT have to be in the infield. All is has to be a ball that is easily caught by an infielder.. aka routine. Here are a few exaples where coaches have questioned me about the IFF:

1) F4 standing about 6 ft in front of the outfield grass. Pop is hit, F4 runs back 10 ft, camps under the ball, and makes the catch. I call IFF and declare the batter out. OC questions my call saying that the F4 was not in the "infield" so IFF fly rule can not be called. I inform him that IFF can be called on a routine pop fly and that was a routine pop fly. especially since she was camped under it prior to being caught.


2) Same Sit as above, but F9 is playing shallow and calls off F4. IFF fly rule still applies because its a ball that can be easily caught by an infielder even though it was caught by an outfielder.

Good points raised by Julio. Another thing that might come up is if there is a team playing shorthanded, and the "missing fielder" is in the infield, there is no "shadow player" in the IFF rule.

Say, for example, the defense plays without F4 (very common). Batter hits a high fly ball that would normally be easily caught by someone at F4. However, F4 is not there, and no other infielder can catch the ball with ordinary effort. This would not be an IFF.

My first year - working a LL game with a parent (lessons learned) and a ball is hit very high to F4. She's camped under it and I call infield fly - batter out if fair. Suddenly she starts drifting and now I see the RF moving back as the wind continues to blow the dang ball farther out. It lands well over the right fielder's head and I had to listen the rest of the game to "Hey blue - gonna call another OUTFIELD fly!" Well deserved and very funny!:D

Are you also saying that the Infield Fly Rule cannot be invoked if a ball, easily catchable by an infielder, is actually caught by an outfielder - For instance, a high popup just a few steps behind F4, is caught by F9 who calls F4 off?

David Emerling
Memphis, TN

That's crazy talk, and not the case at all. It doesn't matter who catches it, or whether it's caught at all. The rule is that the ball CAN be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort.

I remember this discussion several times when I was coaching my DD who was (and still is) exceptionally quick to the ball...but I don't remember the answer: is the "routineness" of the catch by the infielder judged by some "standard infielder" we have embedded in our minds or by the skill level demonstrated by the particular infielder in that particular situation?

I think it's a little of both, but more heavily upon the latter than the former. If I've got an infielder who simply can't move worth a crap, and they have to haul butt to get under the ball, then that's not "ordinary effort."

OK, justcallmeblue, now what should the call be if after the IFR is invoked, the fielder intentionally drops the fly ball and thus decoys the runners into attempting to advance, and one of them is put out?

Ooh! Ooh! Pick me! Pick me! :D