Fair or Foul

[Linknblue]

There are times when we all cannot tell if a ball was actually fair or foul because of a variety of reasons. Dark in that corner of ball park, high fly ball to deep outfield near foul pole with bad background, someone gets in the way at the last second and obscures your view, etc., etc. When that happens what do we call it? Fair or foul?

Please don't give all the reasons it shouldn't happen, it just does once in a while.

Thanks,

[CecilOne]

I'm in the "never guess an out or a strike" camp.

Yes, I always remember a fly ball down the line above the lights, that had to be a guess.

[Manny A]

Best thing to do is leave it Fair, and then if the defense complains, get together with your partner(s) and see if he/she/they had a better look at it. If you rule it Foul, it stays Foul even if you find out you were wrong.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

I'm in the "never guess an out or a strike" camp.

Yes, I always remember a fly ball down the line above the lights, that had to be a guess.

I've never been in that camp. Why should the offense get the benefit of any doubt?

[chuck chopper]

I'm in the FAIR camp as well.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by Rich

I've never been in that camp. Why should the offense get the benefit of any doubt?

General principle of umpiring and see Manny's post.

Also, why should the defense?

[MD Longhorn]

I think his point was not that the defense should get the benefit of the doubt, but rather that no one should. Make the best call you can, based on whatever information you have - don't necessarily default to either fair or foul if you're not sure.

I don't believe calling it fair and hoping partners had more information later is good strategy either... 99% of the time, they are going to have no help for you on this call - their either have no angle at all or other responsibilities.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

There are two ways you can approach the problem:


1) If you did not see the Ball hit in Fair territory then rule the Ball to be Foul; or


2) If you did not see the Ball hit in Foul territory then rule the Ball to be Fair.


MTD, Sr.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

I think his point was not that the defense should get the benefit of the doubt, but rather that no one should.

Of course, but no smilies in the edit function.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

General principle of umpiring and see Manny's post.

Also, why should the defense?

It's not a general principle of umpiring. For example: If you're not sure if the defense pulled a foot at first base, he/she didn't.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Linknblue

There are times when we all cannot tell if a ball was actually fair or foul because of a variety of reasons. Dark in that corner of ball park, high fly ball to deep outfield near foul pole with bad background, someone gets in the way at the last second and obscures your view, etc., etc. When that happens what do we call it? Fair or foul?

Please don't give all the reasons it shouldn't happen, it just does once in a while.

Thanks,

The ball is what it was the last I saw it unless there is subsequent evidence to the opposite.

For being blocked out, the team that isn't blocking my view will get the benefit of the best call I can make with the information I have.

I've been known to holler "give me the line" or "let me see the line" to a defender or coach who thinks it is more important for them to see the ball than the umpire.