Infield Fly Rule Clarification

[dnadavis]

Here is the Scenario:

Infield fly rule is in effect
Batter pop's up to the infield
Umpire calls "infield fly, batter's out"
It is windy and the fielder misses the ball, ball falls to dirt with no one touching it and rolls foul in front of the bag

What is the call...batter out or foul ball?

[abevillarreal]

foul ball, normal call on an IFF close to the line is "in field fly if fair"

[shickenbottom]

Here is the Scenario:

Infield fly rule is in effect
Batter pop's up to the infield
Umpire calls "infield fly, batter's out"
It is windy and the fielder misses the ball, ball falls to dirt with no one touching it and rolls foul in front of the bag

What is the call...batter out or foul ball?

The call should be foul.

However, be aware that a ball that crosses the imaginary line between 1st & 2nd or 2nd & 3rd then bounces back (with backspin english) and goes foul, is still a fair ball and the batter is still out.

[Dragon29]

I don't know guys - The OP said the umpire ruled it an IFF and called the batter out. It sounds as if the verbalization by the umpire should have been, "Infield fly if Fair!" so that the ruling could be made properly, but that's not what was said or (I'm guessing) done.

I think it comes down to, once you call it an IFF and call the batter out, can you then un-ring that bell if the ball remains untouched and rolls foul?

I would say, "No" if the pop-up didn't come down particularly close to the line and the ball rolled a good distance because of impetus and/or spin, and "Yes" if the umpire screwed the pooch on the original call in the first place. (though I would hate to have to try and explain that to the DM!)

I don't have any interp books here at work, but without seeing the play, that's what I've got. Anyone else?

[Pete_Booth]

I

I think it comes down to, once you call it an IFF and call the batter out, can you then un-ring that bell if the ball remains untouched and rolls foul?


Yes you can and you MUST because if you as an umpire do not reverse it, the OM would have a valid protest.

[QUOTE]OBR 2.00 An INFIELD FLY is a fair fly ball

If the ball is FOUL = No IFR

Pete Booth

[CoachJM]

Dragon,

I'm with Pete. If the ball, even though "declared" an IFF, ends up being a foul ball, there is no IFF to be had.

JM

[Dragon29]

Pete/CoachJM,

Concur - I guess as I was writing my response above, I was just trying to envision a scenario in which I wouldn't 'un-ring' that bell.

Closest I could come to it is a ball (IFF, called that way incl. "Batter's out") that falls on the infield nowhere near a baseline (say, on or near the mound where it could take an angled kick toward a line) and rolls quite a distance before going foul.

Of course, in most cases a fielder is going to pick that ball up before it reaches a line in order to stop any runners who may be thinking about going once the ball hits - totally a TWP, I know; the likelihood of it happening is extremely low for a variety of reasons. But, a fielder who takes the chance that the ball will roll all the way foul while a runner is going deserves what gets anyway . . .

OK, now I'm just rambling . . . My head hurts when I start thinking about TWPs! :D

[heyblue26]

It is a foul ball. Umpire should point vertically and shout" Infield fly, the batter's out" (or "infield fly if fair" if the ball will fall near a foul line).