Other NFHS: Baseball Rule Book (Infield fly)

[kaerey]

Does anyone have a copy of this book, I can't seem to find a current or old pdf of the book since it's a for purchase thing from their website.

Looking to clear up a rule debate among my softball team regarding the Infield Fly. They claim that in High School Baseball, an infield fly can be called with less than 2 outs and a runner on first, first and second, first second and third, or first and third (so basically at least first).

I've never seen the rule worded like that and I can't find the book they are talking about to correct them. We had an infield fly in a game Sunday and it was called correctly by the ump when the runner never tagged up and we tagged him out, but it sparked a debate among my team about the conditions, which ended when I showed them the USSSA Rule Book PDF I had on my phone, but they just said, Ahh well in High School Baseball it's different.

So now I need to correct them or myself depending on what is right.

 

[Fin09]

The infield fly is the same across every sanction, and for baseball as well as softball. You need either runners on first and second, or bases loaded and less than two outs. It is never in effect without a runner on second.

 

[hotcorner42]

The infield fly is the same across every sanction, and for baseball as well as softball. You need either runners on first and second, or bases loaded and less than two outs. It is never in effect without a runner on second.

this. infield fly isn't in effect with runners on first and third...i've umped baseball under NFHS rules. it's only in effect when their are runners on 1st and 2nd, or bases loaded. because it's assumed that the batter should always run out a fly ball, but baserunners are at risk. ie an infield fly that falls with a runner on first should still only result in one out, because the batter should be running.

i'm amazed how umps continually get this wrong. i had an ump call a triple play on us after an infield fly was called, but it was clear that the 2nd baseman wouldn't catch the ball, so both runners advanced at their own risk. it was said that neither of the runners tagged after the infield fly was called. wtf?

edit: yeah, the NFHS rule book isn't available, but you can get the NCAA rulebook here: http://www.ncaapublications.com/p-3929-2009-2010-baseball-rule-book.aspx. I'll echo that the infield fly rule is exactly the same across all formats, baseball or softball.

 

[BretMan]

Yes, I have an NFHS Baseball Rule Book. Have them back to about 1998, in fact.

But I don't even need to crack one to look this up. Your friends are flat out wrong.

Apparently, they are thinking of the rule about an intentionally dropped batted ball. That is the only rule that describes the bases being occupied the way they are stating.

The infield fly in baseball and softball is identical for both sports, for all levels and for all sanctions.

i'm amazed how umps continually get this wrong...

And yet...the OP was about even more players getting this wrong...

 

[MrEye]

Why can people not understand this? I had two guys from opposite teams agreeing incorrectly about IF the other night:

Runner on 1st, 1 out. Pop out to 2B. 1B Coach says something to him, he says something back (Just idle chitchat). 1B coach says, "Should have been infield fly rule, though." 2B replies, "Yeah, no kidding." I didn't even bother.

 

[Gulf Coast Blue]

Does anyone have a copy of this book, I can't seem to find a current or old pdf of the book since it's a for purchase thing from their website.

Looking to clear up a rule debate among my softball team regarding the Infield Fly. They claim that in High School Baseball, an infield fly can be called with less than 2 outs and a runner on first, first and second, first second and third, or first and third (so basically at least first).

I've never seen the rule worded like that and I can't find the book they are talking about to correct them. We had an infield fly in a game Sunday and it was called correctly by the ump when the runner never tagged up and we tagged him out, but it sparked a debate among my team about the conditions, which ended when I showed them the USSSA Rule Book PDF I had on my phone, but they just said, Ahh well in High School Baseball it's different.

So now I need to correct them or myself depending on what is right.

Fedlandia has had some stupid rules over the years......but this is not one of them.

i.e. - Your friends are idiots.

Joel

 

[kaerey]

Thanks everyone, and a special thanks to those who had the Rule Book in question.

I did find this in our local Manager's Manual (overrides USSSA Rules)
A. **Infield Fly Rule: A batter who hits a fly ball in the infield is automatically out, time is called and the ball is dead
when there are runners on first and second, or first, second and third bases with less than two outs. NOTE: The ball
remains live and in play, with runners in jeopardy.

 

[BretMan]

Huh?

Your league rule says "time is called and the ball is dead" on an Infield Fly, then in the next sentence is says "the ball remains live and in play".

Well...it can't be both!

 

[kaerey]

Huh?

Your league rule says "time is called and the ball is dead" on an Infield Fly, then in the next sentence is says "the ball remains live and in play".

Well...it can't be both!

Yeah that's a special rule. I'm assuming it means that if all runners are safe on their base at the time of the catch it's an immediate dead ball. If any runners are liable to be put out "in jeopardy" then the ball remains live.

It fits with the mentality of our umps. They are VERY quick to call the time at the end of a play. There could be a runner 5 steps off a bag, ball in the infield with someone about to gun the ball to the base and the very instant that the runner gives any indication of not trying to advance it's "TIME!"

 

[hotcorner42]

Yeah that's a special rule. I'm assuming it means that if all runners are safe on their base at the time of the catch it's an immediate dead ball. If any runners are liable to be put out "in jeopardy" then the ball remains live.

It fits with the mentality of our umps. They are VERY quick to call the time at the end of a play. There could be a runner 5 steps off a bag, ball in the infield with someone about to gun the ball to the base and the very instant that the runner gives any indication of not trying to advance it's "TIME!"

well, Fort Collins umps are a special breed, as are the people who run our league. i can count on one hand the number of umps here who actually know the rules. i've had umps call time when the ball is IN THE AIR on the way from an outfielder. bad throw, ball skips away into the dugout. "sorry, i already called time." this has happened MORE than once.

 

[kaerey]

well, Fort Collins umps are a special breed, as are the people who run our league. i can count on one hand the number of umps here who actually know the rules. i've had umps call time when the ball is IN THE AIR on the way from an outfielder. bad throw, ball skips away into the dugout. "sorry, i already called time." this has happened MORE than once.

I actually don't have a problem with it 95% of the time, or 100% of the time when it happens in Co-Ed. We are just out there to have fun, and some D-Bag trying to leg a triple out of a single is just going to hurt someone eventually.

 

[hotcorner42]

I actually don't have a problem with it 95% of the time, or 100% of the time when it happens in Co-Ed. We are just out there to have fun, and some D-Bag trying to leg a triple out of a single is just going to hurt someone eventually.

i never do that. i leg doubles out of triples.

also, i hope your teammates didn't play at Rocky Mountain HS, because we were taught the rules better than that.

 

[ArkGuy]

i never do that. i leg doubles out of triples.

....

You and me, too, brother.

Here's an IF question not worthy of its own thread:

The ump properly calls "infield fly if fair." But, no one steps up and catches the ball. It hits fair (short of the base) but rolls foul, then stops.

Foul ball, no outs recorded, right?

 

[Gulf Coast Blue]

You and me, too, brother.

Here's an IF question not worthy of its own thread:

The ump properly calls "infield fly if fair." But, no one steps up and catches the ball. It hits fair (short of the base) but rolls foul, then stops.

Foul ball, no outs recorded, right?

You are correct.

Joel

 

[BretMan]

By rule, an infield fly MUST be a fair batted ball. If the ball becomes foul for any reason...then it is not an infield fly. It's just a plain old foul ball.

 

[kaerey]

i never do that. i leg doubles out of triples.

also, i hope your teammates didn't play at Rocky Mountain HS, because we were taught the rules better than that.

Nahh, I think their kids will be at Rocky soon though.