First Throw By An Infielder When Ball Goes Out of Play

[timelydew 0]

My question is simple - I know that when the first throw by an infielder goes out of play, the award is two bases from the time of pitch (assuming the B.R. and other runners didn't advance one base when the throw was made), but what if the throw is made by a shifted second baseman in short right field? Does it matter that he's not stationed on or really near the infield (he's well beyond the dirt)? I'd guess no, since the rule does not specify where the infielder need be standing, but I'm just curious since we see so much shifting these days. OBR please.

 

[maven 4,070]

57 minutes ago, timelydew said:

Does it matter that he's not stationed on or really near the infield (he's well beyond the dirt)? I'd guess no, since the rule does not specify where the infielder need be standing, but I'm just curious since we see so much shifting these days

Good guess.

57 minutes ago, timelydew said:

And while I'm here, does anything about the rules change if the ball is caught, rather than grounded?

Yes, the BR is out on the catch, which does not count as the "first play by an infielder."

[timelydew 0]

6 minutes ago, maven said:

Good guess.

Just as I thought, but I had this pointed out to me elsewhere (on Reddit):

"An INFIELDER is a fielder who occupies a position in the infield" so obviously that answers this question"

Is that applicable since the "infielder" is set up in the outfield prior to the pitch? Or was I right in my original post? It seemed a valid enough point to share.

[timelydew 0]

13 minutes ago, maven said:

Good guess.

 

I found something to back it up:

http://www.baseball-excellence.com/sbaseballforums/printthread.cfm?Forum=2&Topic=14308

So yeah, I'll accept your answer. I mean, throwing it out to Reddit, the rabble doesn't know more than you would. I'm sorry to have doubted you, O Wise One.

[Aging_Arbiter 718]

Man, I'd hate to see what this person is like on Military forums when the new version of Call of Duty drops.

[noumpere 2,520]

15 hours ago, timelydew said:

Just as I thought, but I had this pointed out to me elsewhere (on Reddit):

"An INFIELDER is a fielder who occupies a position in the infield" so obviously that answers this question"

Is that applicable since the "infielder" is set up in the outfield prior to the pitch? Or was I right in my original post? It seemed a valid enough point to share.

If that was taken literally, we'd almost never have a TOP award.  The infield is defined as the 90' square -- and almost all "infielders' play behind it.

 

Someone has a definition to the effect of "if the player could reasonably make an out at first base, he's an infielder."  That's about as good as we're going to get on these types of defintions -- at least until something blows up in the playoffs in MLB and they are forced to come up with a better definition (or formalize that one).

[beerguy55 218]

3 hours ago, noumpere said:

If that was taken literally, we'd almost never have a TOP award.  The infield is defined as the 90' square -- and almost all "infielders' play behind it.

 

Someone has a definition to the effect of "if the player could reasonably make an out at first base, he's an infielder."  That's about as good as we're going to get on these types of defintions -- at least until something blows up in the playoffs in MLB and they are forced to come up with a better definition (or formalize that one).

 

19 hours ago, timelydew said:

Just as I thought, but I had this pointed out to me elsewhere (on Reddit):

"An INFIELDER is a fielder who occupies a position in the infield" so obviously that answers this question"

Is that applicable since the "infielder" is set up in the outfield prior to the pitch? Or was I right in my original post? It seemed a valid enough point to share.

Nor would we ever have an infield fly unless it was ruled F1 could catch with ordinary effort.

Typically speaking F1 is the only infielder, literally.   Only other times you see people in the square is when F3 is holding R1, or F5 is expecting a bunt.  That is certainly not the spirit of the rule.

I do like the "reasonably make an out at first base" guide...or "within a few paces of the infield dirt".  Last thing we want to see is having to chalk a new line somewhere in shallow outfield, like a three point line.