Play from Iraq

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Please, give me a break. Maybe we need a definition for "is".

The manner in which the ball left the field of play is relevant, the method used is not. I don't care if it was kicked with a foot, knee, bumped with an elbow, shoulder or hip or headed, if the defense MISPLAYED the ball and provided the impetus which placed it into position to leave playable territory, I'm going with the clarification until told otherwise.

As I stated before, not my clarification, but as noted in another thread, you cannot worry about fairness and obviously, it isn't the umpires' rules or clarifications

Give you a break? For what? Please refer me to a rule that states that the provider of impetus has anything at all to do with this. I've said it, and heard it, many times... a batted ball is a batted ball until it's not. This - despite all of the pinballing around ... is a batted ball. There is no rule to tell us differently.

I'm not stating my belief about the kick requiring intent because I'm looking for fairness - I agree with you that you can't worry about fairness - that's the rulesmakers' jobs, and too many officials (in all sports) choose to not see things due to their own idea of fairness. What I'm looking for is consistency. The clarification you mention puts a kicked ball on par with a thrown ball. Throwing a ball is intentional. Kicking a ball, in any other context, is also intentional - so assuming the clarification is referring to an intentional act is consistent, in every way.

If the clarification meant to include something unintentional (like the OP), would it not have said, "deflected" or at least "given new impetus" or something along those lines? If it meant to say what you're assuming it says, where do you draw the line? Fielder charging a hard grounder misses the play, it deflects off her ankle 10 degrees and rolls into a dugout beyond 3rd base? What about 30 degrees and a dugout in front of 3rd base? Or 90 degrees and a dugout by the ODC? Where is the line between deflected and your unintentional kick providing new impetus?