A NEW FORMAT

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Well we have gotten through the new playoff format with two Wild Card teams from each league in Major League Baseball. It didn’t take long for things to get interesting. The infield fly rule is invoked almost every day and the one time it is invoked in the new playoffs: controversy!

The bottom of the eight, the bases loaded and the Braves Brian McCann hits a pop fly, and the Cardinals Pete Kozma drops back backwards onto the outfield grass, back, back, back! Suddenly he breaks off the chase and the ball falls between Kozma and Matt Holliday, but before the ball hits the ground the ump invokes the ‘Infield Fly Rule”!

The call was correct, but it raised a question, if it wasn’t invoked, would the other side protest? The ball certainly was playable for the outfielder to catch the ball. The rule states:

An INFIELD FLY is a fair fly ball (not including a line drive nor an attempted bunt) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when first and second, or first, second and third bases are occupied, before two are out. The pitcher, catcher and any outfielder who stations himself in the infield on the play shall be considered infielders for the purpose of this rule.

When it seems apparent that a batted ball will be an Infield Fly, the umpire shall immediately declare "Infield Fly" for the benefit of the runners. If the ball is near the baselines, the umpire shall declare "Infield Fly, if Fair."

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Rule 2.00 (Infield Fly) Comment: On the infield fly rule the umpire is to rule whether the ball could ordinarily have been handled by an infielder – not by some arbitrary limitation such as the grass, or the base lines. The umpire must rule also that a ball is an infield fly, even if handled by an outfielder, if, in the umpire’s judgment, the ball could have been as easily handled by an infielder. The infield fly is in no sense to be considered an appeal play. The umpire’s judgment must govern, and the decision should be made immediately.

When an infield fly rule is called, runners may advance at their own risk. …

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ORDINARY EFFORT is the effort that a fielder of average skill at a position in that league or classification of leagues should exhibit on a play, with due consideration given to the condition of the field and weather conditions.

The ball was closer to the outfield wall than the infield dirt. The Home fans in Atlanta showed their dismay by tossing drink cups, wrappers and junk on the field that held up the game. If you look at what happened, it seems like the biggest injustice ever in baseball!

That’s all I will write, folks! The amount of readers is not worth the time to write this blog. Since I get no comments either for or against it, I decided that today is the last of it.

Thanks for reading, I appreciate it.