Infield fly rule clarification

ureout

The Veteran
because it's been answered and he asked it in a very dumb way without all the facts. it was like pulling teeth to get all the info

Joker your TROLLING AGAIN .... so this was your supposed answer from EA ??? ( Now that we have the whole scenario, I will answer your original question. You do not have the authority to overturn a judgement call by another umpire. You can correct a call where there is a misapplication of the rules, but not a judgement call. If you threw me under the bus like that, I would finish the game but would never work with you again. If you and your partner get together and they agree that the IFF was called incorrectly, then there might be a recourse. But I don't't know what you would do to try and rectify it, you would catch hell from both coaches. I'd be inclined to eat the call, own up to it and move on.)

although EA gives a great description of how he would handle it, it still ends in . If you and your partner get together and they agree that the IFF was called incorrectly, then there might be a recourse. But I don't't know what you would do to try and rectify it, you would catch hell from both coaches. I'd be inclined to eat the call, own up to it and move on.

so I disagree there still is no definite answer with a cited rule or rules supplement telling the OP what they could have done... stating.. yes you can rectify here's what to do or no you can't eat the call and move on and hopefully learn from your mistake

and yes this has been discussed in the past but NONE of the better umpires who give many of the correct answers on this site and actually cite a rulle and not their opinion when giving an answer have stepped up to the plate and given a response....

oh BTW... IN NO WAY did i mean you when I stated better umpires
 

jbo911

Super Moderator
Staff member
Ok, I an a new ump and because of that I am seeing a lot of situations that I am not familiar with and would like to get clarification on. So sue me! Where do you get the complaining act from? If I don't think the question has been answered, I don't think that it is out of bounds to ask for more info or clarification. So, bottom line, if you can't help or add something positive then do me the favor of holding your acid tongue.
I asked on the other thread how the call was wrong and you ignored me. Either tell the story, or tell the story and explain how the call was made incorrectly and by whom. If you're a new ump looking for advice that's even more reason to just tell all the facts and take In everything you hear.
 

jbo911

Super Moderator
Staff member
Not only did they just completely make this not the INFIELD fly rule, but unless it's like 70+ (which is possible), I think most infielders would still be closer to a ball hit 20 feet behind them than an outfielder. Either way, I still wasn't sure which association he was referring to. He did say SSUSA three times in one post and USSA in every other post. USSA is a lot closer to either USSSA or USA than it is to SSUSA. I'm sure they had some scenario where an outfielder got to a routine ball that an infielder somehow couldn't get to that still put the runners in jeopardy of a double play but that sure seems like a Jupiter lined up with Venus during a solar eclipse kind of event more than a regular play.
If it's utrip, they just write their rules in the dumbest way possible and say "you know what we meant" if there's a question.
 

TexasTransplant

Addicted to Softballfans
"1.41 • INFIELD FLY A fair fly ball (not including a line drive) that can be caught by any fielder with ordinary effort when first and second bases or first, second and third bases are occupied with less than two outs. Any fielder can catch an infield fly."


"wait a second, this is nuts. does that rule state a location for where the fly ball can be caught with "ordinary effort"? So basically any fly ball hit fair anywhere on the field is IFF for SSUSA????"

This has been my contention ever since I learned that SSUSA changed the rule (realizing that there seems to be some animosity toward senior rules and senior in ball in general among some parties on this board). The way it reads now literally says that any fair fly ball that can be routinely caught by any fielder (assuming the other criteria are met) is an infield fly. A routine fly ball to deep left field could qualify under the current rule. I believe the impetus for the change may have been that the older senior age groups (I believe 65+ effective this year and all older age groups) use an 11th player. This player usually lines up somewhere behind second base as a fifth infielder, but may line up anywhere, including deep outfield, or more often somewhere in the shallow outfield. Under the previous rule, which I believe was something to this effect: "INFIELD FLY: A fair fly ball (not including a line drive) that can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort .....,,,," It still didn't have to be caught by an infielder as long as it COULD BE CAUGHT by an infielder. In my mind, this always raised the question as to when does the 11th player, who may move from one alignment to another depending on the situation, become something other than an infielder? I guess the same question might apply in a 9 or 10 player alignment if one of the infielders, say the 2B, moved to the deep outfield on an extreme power hitter.
 

EAJuggalo

Addicted to Softballfans
Absent any direction from the UIC, I would consider an infielder any player that I believe is going to cover a base. If the MI is 50 feet behind 2B, to me he's not an infielder.
 

ureout

The Veteran
Absent any direction from the UIC, I would consider an infielder any player that I believe is going to cover a base. If the MI is 50 feet behind 2B, to me he's not an infielder.


in SSUSA I believe the rule was changed to "any fielder" because for most players as they age the power dwindles and also the speed of the runners... the sole purpose of the IF rule is to protect the runners.. so an OF that was playing shallow couldn't turn a dropped shallow fly ball into a possible double play
 

AH23

Addicted to Softballfans
Regarding players not being able to hear the call, that's why you are supposed to use your mechanics and put the arm up on the call, so the players, base coaches, and your partner (if applicable) know that the call has been made.
 

AH23

Addicted to Softballfans
in SSUSA I believe the rule was changed to "any fielder" because for most players as they age the power dwindles and also the speed of the runners... the sole purpose of the IF rule is to protect the runners.. so an OF that was playing shallow couldn't turn a dropped shallow fly ball into a possible double play

Yep, spirit and reason for the rule.
 

MaverickAH

Well-Known Member
I have a question with those more expreince umpires, Have you ever work on field that was hard to judge infield fly and what did you do?

Absolutely!

Once you have the situational requirements for an Infield Fly, 2 core requirements have to be met:
  1. Can the ball be caught with ordinary effort?
  2. Will the runners be put in jeopardy if the ball is not caught?
You really don't need a clearly delineated infield/outfield in order to make the determination. The other important thing is to not rush the call. Read the play first.
 

EAJuggalo

Addicted to Softballfans
I have a question with those more expreince umpires, Have you ever work on field that was hard to judge infield fly and what did you do?
If you are working two man it's really easy, as plate if it's questionable I look to my partner in the field and see if he let's me know he thinks it is an infield fly by pointing up in the air. As the field guy, if I think I could get there without a problem, I'm putting my hand up to let me partner know I think it's an infield fly. If you're working by yourself and you aren't sure, watch the fielders, and know the level of your league. What I'm going to call IFF at a Major tournament is different that what I'm going to call IFF at a Tuesday night co-ed league.

IFF is a call you can fix after if you think you screwed it up by not calling it, you can't fix it if you call it and then you realize you shouldn't have.
 
If you are working two man it's really easy, as plate if it's questionable I look to my partner in the field and see if he let's me know he thinks it is an infield fly by pointing up in the air. As the field guy, if I think I could get there without a problem, I'm putting my hand up to let me partner know I think it's an infield fly. If you're working by yourself and you aren't sure, watch the fielders, and know the level of your league. What I'm going to call IFF at a Major tournament is different that what I'm going to call IFF at a Tuesday night co-ed league.

IFF is a call you can fix after if you think you screwed it up by not calling it, you can't fix it if you call it and then you realize you shouldn't have.
Absolutely!

It was two parnter system and i had hard time calling it i miss it from all the teams. I called one eariler where team thought it was to far i still stuck with it. However Sunday i did ask my Partner to point up. It surely did help though

Once you have the situational requirements for an Infield Fly, 2 core requirements have to be met:
  1. Can the ball be caught with ordinary effort?
  2. Will the runners be put in jeopardy if the ball is not caught?
You really don't need a clearly delineated infield/outfield in order to make the determination. The other important thing is to not rush the call. Read the play first.

While that true the field was made for 14 you and up level having 12u level, Live in Learn thanks guys
 
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