Infield Fly

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

Not exactly true.

The rule requires that the ball CAN BE routinely handled by an infielder. Should that be true - and an outfielder comes in, calls him off, and flubs the catch --- it's still an infield fly.

Mike, my point was that the older rule did not require any handling, routine or otherwise, by any fielder.

Originally Posted by Andy

The ASA rule book (Rule 1) defines infielder as a fielder that defends the area of the fielder near first base, second base, third base, or shortstop. An outfielder is a fielder that plays where the left fielder, left-center fielder, right-center fielder, and right fielders normally play.

That definition leaves it to the umpire to determine who is an infielder and who is an outfielder. If you have a shortstop playing so deep that you would consider him an outfielder, than he is an outfielder for purposes of the infield fly rule.

Andy, it depends on the relative location of all the players. An infielder playing deep is still an infielder if there is another layer of defense behind him/her. I've worked the bases on some games where staying behind the infield, I could easily have a conversation with the closest outfield at a speaking voice level.