2-30

[DaveASA/FED]

Originally Posted by Manny A

If you take the FED rule literally, and consider that F7 is still the left fielder, No.

From the fed book:

Infield fly rule is, when declared by the umpire, a fair fly (not including a line drive or an attempted bunt) that can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort when runners are on first and second or all three bases are occupied and before there are two outs in the inning. Any defensive player positioned in the infield at the time of the pitch shall be considered an infielder for the purposes of this rule. The rule does not preclude outfielders from being permitted to make the catch. The ball is live, the batter is out, which removes the force, but runners may advance at their own risk. The runners may tag up and advance as soon as the batted ball is touched by a fielder. If a declared infield fly becomes foul, it is treated as a foul ball, not an infield fly.

Maybe I am just looking at this wrong, but to me the above bold underlined text says we could have 9 players we consider possible to have an IF on a given play.

Now if we are argueing what is the infield again the definition of that is:
The infield is that portion of the field in fair territory that is normally skinned and covered by the pitcher and infielders.

This is to give someone a guideline not a hard fast dividing line. If SS is playing back 1 step in the grass is she no longer in the infield? I say she is still in the infield, and we could still have an IF in the case that she could field a ball with ordinary effort. How many fields are made to exact book standards when it comes to how much of the infield is skinned? Not very many, I know the local high school in my area had to get 12 yards of sod for one side and take out about 8 on the other to make it per the book when they redid it and made it per the book last year. I guess what I am saying is I see enough "wiggle" room with the normally skinned wording to enforce NFHS and ASA the same.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by DaveASA/FED

From the fed book:

Infield fly rule is, when declared by the umpire, a fair fly (not including a line drive or an attempted bunt) that can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort when runners are on first and second or all three bases are occupied and before there are two outs in the inning. Any defensive player positioned in the infield at the time of the pitch shall be considered an infielder for the purposes of this rule. The rule does not preclude outfielders from being permitted to make the catch. The ball is live, the batter is out, which removes the force, but runners may advance at their own risk. The runners may tag up and advance as soon as the batted ball is touched by a fielder. If a declared infield fly becomes foul, it is treated as a foul ball, not an infield fly.

Maybe I am just looking at this wrong, but to me the above bold underlined text says we could have 9 players we consider possible to have an IF on a given play.

Now if we are argueing what is the infield again the definition of that is:
The infield is that portion of the field in fair territory that is normally skinned and covered by the pitcher and infielders.

This is to give someone a guideline not a hard fast dividing line. If SS is playing back 1 step in the grass is she no longer in the infield? I say she is still in the infield, and we could still have an IF in the case that she could field a ball with ordinary effort. How many fields are made to exact book standards when it comes to how much of the infield is skinned? Not very many, I know the local high school in my area had to get 12 yards of sod for one side and take out about 8 on the other to make it per the book when they redid it and made it per the book last year. I guess what I am saying is I see enough "wiggle" room with the normally skinned wording to enforce NFHS and ASA the same.

No disagreement. I was merely addressing Tom's scenario where F7 is still playing deep enough into the outfield that she may still be considered an outfielder at the time of the pitch, but then comes in to make the catch near the infield. The FED wording of the rule would not support making the IF call in this case.

But you won't see me not making that call.

[Insane Blue]

Originally Posted by Manny A

No disagreement. I was merely addressing Tom's scenario where F7 is still playing deep enough into the outfield that she may still be considered an outfielder at the time of the pitch, but then comes in to make the catch near the infield. The FED wording of the rule would not support making the IF call in this case.

But you won't see me not making that call.

2014 NFHS rulebook 2-30

Infield fly rule is, when declared by the umpire, a fair fly (not including a line drive or an attempted bunt) that can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort when runners are on first and second or all three bases are occupied and before there are two outs in the inning. Any defensive player positioned in the infield at the time of the pitch shall be considered an infielder for the purposes of this rule. The rule does not preclude outfielders from being permitted to make the catch. The ball is live, the batter is out, which removes the force, but runners may advance at their own risk. The runners may tag up and advance as soon as the batted ball is touched by a fielder. If a declared infield fly becomes foul, it is treated as a foul ball, not an infield fly.

But Manny it states it right there in 2-30 The rule does not preclude outfielders from being permitted to make the catch.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by Insane Blue

2014 NFHS rulebook 2-30

Infield fly rule is, when declared by the umpire, a fair fly (not including a line drive or an attempted bunt) that can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort when runners are on first and second or all three bases are occupied and before there are two outs in the inning. Any defensive player positioned in the infield at the time of the pitch shall be considered an infielder for the purposes of this rule. The rule does not preclude outfielders from being permitted to make the catch. The ball is live, the batter is out, which removes the force, but runners may advance at their own risk. The runners may tag up and advance as soon as the batted ball is touched by a fielder. If a declared infield fly becomes foul, it is treated as a foul ball, not an infield fly.

But Manny it states it right there in 2-30 The rule does not preclude outfielders from being permitted to make the catch.

All that is saying is that if an infielder could make the catch with ordinary effort, but an outfielder calls her off and ends up making the catch instead, that doesn't invalidate an infield fly call.

[youngump]

Originally Posted by Manny A

No disagreement. I was merely addressing Tom's scenario where F7 is still playing deep enough into the outfield that she may still be considered an outfielder at the time of the pitch, but then comes in to make the catch near the infield. The FED wording of the rule would not support making the IF call in this case.

But you won't see me not making that call.

If F7 can get into the infield in time to make this play, she was probably close enough to be considered an infielder. If not the ball was so high that F6 from the shift (or F1) could have made the catch, so call the infield fly for that.