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....actually it's only 4 letters 
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If that was the case, then the defense has gained an advantage not intended by the rules. This is exactly what the Infield Fly Rule is designed to prevent!
There's another rule that could apply here- one that not too many people are familiar with. If an infielder intentionally drops the ball (which is different than intentionally allowing the ball to drop untouched) then the ball is immediately dead. Thus, no further outs could be gained by the defense and they cannot benefit by their deception.
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Bretman, How about Umps saying you cant courtesty run for your Pitcher or Catcher ?/
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Well, if the rules you're playing under say you can, and you're sure that you can, then I'd file a protest if that's what it takes. Maybe try to get the tournament director involved so that the umpire understands this is a legal use of the courtesy runner rule.
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There was a statement made that "the game wasn't that close." The score was 5-1. The bases were loaded with the third hitter in the lineup at-bat when the "IFF rule" play happened. If the play goes down like it should have, there are two outs, bases loaded with the cleanup hitter coming up. I would say that the team in question was still in the game given the tieing run was at the plate.
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I'm not sure what she did because I was focused on my batter. I think she stopped and restarted. Blue held out his fist and before I could get play stopped she had already pitched. Hard to say if it would have affected the outcome of the game as the result was scored a FC and the next batter stuck out to end the inning. Probably didn't affect the outcome, but you never know with slappers.
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Cshilt, when you first posted about this, I thought that the umpire told you it was "too late to do anything about it" because ANOTHER pitch had been thrown after the illegal pitch.
Do you mean that the pitch that was called illegal is the same pitch that was batted into the Fielder's Choice?
If that was the case, then there wouldn't be any reason for you, as the coach, to "get the umpire's attention" or "get play stopped"!
If an illegal pitch is batted into play, and ALL runners (including the batter-runner) do not safely advance at least one base, then the offensive team has the option of enforcing the illegal pitch penalty or accepting the results of the play.
If everybody advances one base, the illegal pitch is ignored.
So, let me see if I have this right: Pitcher does "something" that warrants an illegal pitch call, umpire sees and signals the illegal pitch, then the batter hits that SAME pitch, resulting in the Fielder's Choice...right?
Umpire could have- and should have!- called time at the end of the play and enforced the illegal pitch penalty. That can be enforced up until the NEXT pitch is thrown.
If I'm understanding this right, the umpire told you it was too late to enforce the penalty because the ILLEGAL PITCH had been thrown?
That is a total misinterpretation of the rules.
Do you mean that the pitch that was called illegal is the same pitch that was batted into the Fielder's Choice?
If that was the case, then there wouldn't be any reason for you, as the coach, to "get the umpire's attention" or "get play stopped"!
If an illegal pitch is batted into play, and ALL runners (including the batter-runner) do not safely advance at least one base, then the offensive team has the option of enforcing the illegal pitch penalty or accepting the results of the play.
If everybody advances one base, the illegal pitch is ignored.
So, let me see if I have this right: Pitcher does "something" that warrants an illegal pitch call, umpire sees and signals the illegal pitch, then the batter hits that SAME pitch, resulting in the Fielder's Choice...right?
Umpire could have- and should have!- called time at the end of the play and enforced the illegal pitch penalty. That can be enforced up until the NEXT pitch is thrown.
If I'm understanding this right, the umpire told you it was too late to enforce the penalty because the ILLEGAL PITCH had been thrown?
That is a total misinterpretation of the rules.
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You had it right the first time. She never actually threw the illegal pitch, as the umpire had stopped play (albeit, briefly) before the next pitch. He just failed to advance my baserunner. It might have played out differently had he announced an illegal pitch rather than just giving the hand signal.
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bretman: We have been playing on slow pitch fields, so the outfield are on the dirt. USSSA, infield fly was called when the pop up went over the short stops head. It is not a routine pop up and infield fly should not have been called, since it landed in front of the left fielder. Played this weekend on same type of fields and no infield flys were called! They are having a rough time on this rule.
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It sounds like what they're missing is that the "dirt" or skinned area of the field has absolutely no relevance on the Infield Fly call. There isn't any defined line where the infield ends and the outfield begins.
The only part of the rule that is umpire judgment is if an infielder can catch the ball with ordinary effort.
The ball could be caught shallow in the outfield and still be an Infield Fly, as long as the infielder caught it with "ordinary effort". The ball could even be caught by an outfielder, as long as it was caught in an area that an infielder could have caught it with "ordinary effort".
Generally, if the infielder has to turn their back to the infield and run out on the ball, unless they have time to then stop, turn around and get set under the ball their effort to make the catch should not be ruled as "ordinary". Pretty much any ball where the infielder has to make the catch on the run demonstrates effort above "ordinary".
Just because the skinned dirt portion of the infield is further out than on a regulation field, that really has nothing at all to do with the hit being an Infield Fly or not.
The only part of the rule that is umpire judgment is if an infielder can catch the ball with ordinary effort.
The ball could be caught shallow in the outfield and still be an Infield Fly, as long as the infielder caught it with "ordinary effort". The ball could even be caught by an outfielder, as long as it was caught in an area that an infielder could have caught it with "ordinary effort".
Generally, if the infielder has to turn their back to the infield and run out on the ball, unless they have time to then stop, turn around and get set under the ball their effort to make the catch should not be ruled as "ordinary". Pretty much any ball where the infielder has to make the catch on the run demonstrates effort above "ordinary".
Just because the skinned dirt portion of the infield is further out than on a regulation field, that really has nothing at all to do with the hit being an Infield Fly or not.
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I was taught the turn the back rule, and Ordinary effort. I think we agree the field has not bearing on the call.
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I thought overall the umpiring was pretty good for the weekend. The ladies named Blair and Lori did an excellent job in one of my games and I saw them work the 12u semi between the lasers and riptide. I did have to talk to the TD about one of the umpires who has worked 10u both years I have went there. He should not be allowed to do a travel game, in fact I wouldn't want him on a rec game.
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Yes, Lori and Blair are both pretty solid umpires. I've worked quite a few games with them in a Westerville rec league over the years and personally assigned them to games when I helped the league assigner. Never had any problems with either of them. Was hoping that they would come back again this season, but they seemed to have other committments.
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I'm glad to see more women umpiring actually. I have two out of Portsmouth that do a wonderful job. Need more.
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The LGSA in Lancaster went NSA a few years ago and brought in several young ladies. They all do a great job.
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I agree, I thought Lori and Blair did a good job. Effort and consistency goes a long way.
