Umpires sure know their rules well

[ramfandan]

In yesterday's Brewers/ Cubs game , Wm. Contreras hit a high pop up on the infield between the pitchers mound and 1st base . (there were Brewer runers on 1st and 2nd ). 1st baseman Busch never caught sight of the ball and 2nd B Hoerner and C Kelly chased to catch it and could not reach it.
Brewer runners were all safe bases loaded with 0 outs yet.
TV announcers immediately questioned why there was no infield fly rule signaled by the umpires which would have meant Contreras was out and runners advance at their own risk .

Cubs manager Craig Counsel checked with the umpires and informed that no 'ordinary effort' was made by any player to catch the ball. No player was ever close to catching the baseball which is required to put that rule in effect.
Umps may get crticized a lot on ball/strike calls at home plate but they sure know their rulebook especially when certain plays occur that are quite infrequent. Nice job by the umpires !

[sikeston bulldog2]

I think the infield fly rule is there to protect the runners, particularly the double play. Runners can’t get big leads on infield flys, so they are susceptible to dropped balls.

You would think catchable or not, on the infield, it would be an out.

[ramfandan]

I think the infield fly rule is there to protect the runners, particularly the double play. Runners can’t get big leads on infield flys, so they are susceptible to dropped balls.

You would think catchable or not, on the infield, it would be an out.

Not really as the intent of the rule is to prevent the fielder from intentionally dropping a catchable fly ball in order to get a double play .
A ball like that one was never close to being caught by any infielder so no reason to rule it an automatic out and penalize the offense with an out IMO

[sikeston bulldog2]

I think the infield fly rule is there to protect the runners, particularly the double play. Runners can’t get big leads on infield flys, so they are susceptible to dropped balls.

You would think catchable or not, on the infield, it would be an out.

Not really as the intent of the rule is to prevent the fielder from intentionally dropping a catchable fly ball in order to get a double play .
A ball like that one was never close to being caught by any infielder so no reason to rule it an automatic out and penalize the offense with an out IMO

I hear ya. But the spirit of the rule still protects the runners. Having that ball drop could put doubt in the base runners thinking- should I run or not, or was that an infield fly. A rule should have no exceptions should it.

I would have liked it to have lead to a force out then see the reaction.

[Hazelwood72]

I didn’t see the game. Why did they have trouble catching it? Was it windy or did he just lose it in the sun? I don’t think I ever recall seeing an example of the Infield Fly Rule being waived this way, and I’ve watched baseball since 1963.

I’m old enough to remember the pre-1970 configuration of Candlestick Park (prior to enclosing it by adding seats for the 49’ers) when the wind always played havoc with fly balls in afternoon games out there.

[Lloyd Braun]

I didn’t see the game. Why did they have trouble catching it? Was it windy or did he just lose it in the sun? I don’t think I ever recall seeing an example of the Infield Fly Rule being waived this way, and I’ve watched baseball since 1963.

I’m old enough to remember the pre-1970 configuration of Candlestick Park (prior to enclosing it by adding seats for the 49’ers) when the wind always played havoc with fly balls in afternoon games out there.

The sun was right in their eyes... it looked like everyone was trying to find it. They were so lost, that nobody covered second base, even though they would have had ample time to pick the ball off the grass and throw out the runner that as on first base.

The infielders were looking at each other hoping someone else could see where it was. When it landed nobody was within 5 feet of it. The 2nd baseman and catcher started running to it once they picked up its trajectory but were still running full speed and didn't even have a glove extended to attempt a catch when it landed.

1 in a billion

[sikeston bulldog2]

I didn’t see the game. Why did they have trouble catching it? Was it windy or did he just lose it in the sun? I don’t think I ever recall seeing an example of the Infield Fly Rule being waived this way, and I’ve watched baseball since 1963.

I’m old enough to remember the pre-1970 configuration of Candlestick Park (prior to enclosing it by adding seats for the 49’ers) when the wind always played havoc with fly balls in afternoon games out there.

The sun was right in their eyes... it looked like everyone was trying to find it. They were so lost, that nobody covered second base, even though they would have had ample time to pick the ball off the grass and throw out the runner that as on first base.

The infielders were looking at each other hoping someone else could see where it was. When it landed nobody was within 5 feet of it. The 2nd baseman and catcher started running to it once they picked up its trajectory but were still running full speed and didn't even have a glove extended to attempt a catch when it landed.

1 in a billion

There was a chance they could make the play; albeit, as you described, toughest. The confusion would be with the runners, thinking it infield fly. Had a runner been forced out for not running, I bet it a bigger deal.

[Wattage]

I didn’t see the game. Why did they have trouble catching it? Was it windy or did he just lose it in the sun? I don’t think I ever recall seeing an example of the Infield Fly Rule being waived this way, and I’ve watched baseball since 1963.

I’m old enough to remember the pre-1970 configuration of Candlestick Park (prior to enclosing it by adding seats for the 49’ers) when the wind always played havoc with fly balls in afternoon games out there.

the infield was half covered in shadow/ shade and half not. it seemed clearly like a sun issue and they just could not figure out where the ball was or see it

[sp25]

I didn’t see the game. Why did they have trouble catching it? Was it windy or did he just lose it in the sun? I don’t think I ever recall seeing an example of the Infield Fly Rule being waived this way, and I’ve watched baseball since 1963.

I’m old enough to remember the pre-1970 configuration of Candlestick Park (prior to enclosing it by adding seats for the 49’ers) when the wind always played havoc with fly balls in afternoon games out there.

the infield was half covered in shadow/ shade and half not. it seemed clearly like a sun issue and they just could not figure out where the ball was or see it

The umpires probably couldn't see the ball either!

[hmoss859]

Umpires got the call right last night and they got the call right in Atlanta too

Dem the breaks

An infielder has to be able to demonstrate he is in position to catch the ball with a reasonable effort for an infield fly to occur

Cubs screwed up because Swanson didn’t cover second