How high is a fly?

[SamNVa]

FED rules define a fly ball as a batted ball that rises an appreciable height above the ground, and a line drive as a batted ball which travels parallel or near to the ground through most of its flight.

So here is the situation: Runners on 1st and 2nd, 1 out. Batter hits an arcing line drive/fly ball toward F6. The ball rises to about 8 feet at the top of the arc. F6 is lined up on the ball for an easy catch, but at the last second, she takes a couple of quick steps backward and plays the ball on the short hop, and easily completes the 6-5-4 double play as the runners were holding. Offensive coach comes out and asks why the IFR was not called and my partner, the PU, says the hit was a line drive, not a fly ball.

Now I know that this is a HTBT play, but my question is: how high does a ball have to go to be considered a fly ball?

SamC




[Edited by SamNVa on Apr 2nd, 2002 at 09:39 AM]

[David Van Milligen]

The only time it matters is on an IFR, so go with a fielder has the opportunity to camp under the ball. If there is only enough time to get to the ball then it is not an IFR.

[David Van Milligen]

I see you posted this on other boards. I cannot get my response posted for some unknown reason.
No way this is an IFR. It was called correctly.
An IFR has to be a fly ball, not a line drive or a soft line drive hit at a fielder. A fielder has to have the opportunity to get under the ball and catch it with ordinary effort.

[IRISHMAFIA]

It only needs to be as high as I see fit to make such a call. No where does it state that an infielder MUST be camped under it to make a routine catch with ordinary effort.

Without a doubt, no one on this board can judge that particular play unless they were standing there watching the game.

[Just Curious]

Originally posted by SamNVa

Now I know that this is a HTBT play, but my question is: how high does a ball have to go to be considered a fly ball?

SamC

I'm sure Mr. Mark T. DeNucci Sr. could tie this in from an engineering point of view using laws of physics and probable trajectories... But consider this statement...
The IFR is in effect if the batted ball travels a greater distance vertically (Up) than it does horizontally (Out).... Or the ratio Up over Out must be equal to or greater than 1. There are probably alot of holes in this statement... But it seems like a possibilty... And it would fit your scenario.... 8 ft. up is less than the 80 or so feet it travel out toward F6... 8 over 80 would only give us 0.1 and by definition no IFR.... GREAT CALL!!!!!

[greymule]

Some formula might theoretically work, but not a 1 to 1 ratio. Fifty feet up and 65 out is an obvious fly ball. Vertical height is hard to judge, especially for a ball above an observer, but if each story of a building is 10 feet, I doubt if I've ever seen a 50-foot pop-up at any level of girls' FP. Can anybody tell us the height of typical light towers?

I think that the criteria for IFR should get stricter as the skill levels go down. A pop-up that looks as if it's going to fall 15 feet behind 2B qualifies in gorilla slow pitch, but how about in 10-and-under girls' rec, especially when nobody in the infield moves for the ball?

[Dakota]

Once the fly ball has enough of an arch to raise the question in your mind, the deciding factor is this "ordinary effort" thing, IMO.

ASA (I know this is a FED question, but it does add to understanding, IMO) says a line drive must be hit sharply and directly into the field.

If the ball is not hit sharply and directly, has enough of an arch to raise the question, and the fielder has enough time to line up the catch and then decide to step back a couple of steps and catch it on the bounce, it sounds to me like an IF. But, of course, HTBT.

[Gulf Coast Blue]

I personally would go with Mike's response..........

It's an "IF" if I call it one..........

A lazy "humpbacked" liner very well be may be an "IF".......but....

In your partners eye.........this WAS a line-drive........so, I am going to go with him..........grin

Joel

[SamNVa]

Personally, I could have gone either way on the call. I had no problem with my partner's decision to call it a line drive. IF the ball had risen a little higher I would have considered it an IF. The batter hit the ball off the end of the bat and it sort of fluttered out toward F6 like a dying quail. I actually thought it was pretty sharp of the girl to let the ball drop instead of just making the catch.

SamC

[kono]

It is not just height of the ball that we have to consider for IFR. We also need to determine "easily catchable by an infielder." To develop an equation for IFR, let's consider the following information:

A = Players age
P = Player height
H = Height of ball
D = Distance (player movement when ball is at apex)

We could the use the following formula to aid our IFR decisions.

IFR FACTOR = H/(A - P - D)

As this factor increases, it is less likely that the fielder will be able to catch the ball. For instance with a ball hit 20 feet high an 8y/o who is 4 feet tall and doesn't have to move has a good chance to catch the ball (factor = 5). This same player having to move 3 feet increases his factor to 20 and will probably have a difficult time catching the ball.

Remember - you will need to make this calculation whill the ball is at the top of its arc

-Kono

[Dakota]

kono... you must be an engineer

[kono]

Used to be an Engineering Technician - now I'm a programmer.

Good Guess