IFF on a Windy Day

[sthomas13100]

I had an umpire tell me at the plate meeting that he was going to be calling IFF late.  He stated with this 40 mph wind that his definition of "caught with reasonable effort" will change due to the conditions.  I understand this is a judgement call and we had no issues regarding his interpretation.  However, for sake a better understanding this rule in the future, I would really like to hear some feedback from you guys.

 

JV game plus Oklahoma winds!

 

Thank you

 

[PGOLDEN88]

@conbo61 Marlins and Phillies are both in the NL East. Do you mean Rays and Phillies?

[conbo61]

@conbo61 Marlins and Phillies are both in the NL East. Do you mean Rays and Phillies?

My bad. You are correct. RAYS and Phillies.

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[Mark Pepper]

 

 

 

_{Calling this too late could put the runners in jeopardy, which is the intent of the rule.  I always thought that reasonable effort had more to do with a sawed-off flare that an infielder would have little or no chance of catching it.  Never really thought of weather conditions to play a part in "reasonable effort".  Agree it is more difficult to catch a towering IFF on a windy day.  Just doesn't seem to be relevant in protecting runners, IMHO.}

 

Why would it put runners in jeopardy?  They're waiting on the base to see it it's caught. Are you suggesting that they're going to start advancing assuming it won't be caught? Not on my team.

 

It puts the runners at risk of being doubled up.  Without the IFF call, they have to either risk a partway advance, or stay on base and presume a catch. If it's not caught they're dead meat.  In the wind, a decent player could convincingly drop that ball if he didn't hear IFF.  Agree that wind can impact "ordinary effort" but we should err on the side of protecting runners as the rule intends.

 

 

They had better stay on the base and presume a catch.

 

And then the fielder drops it and they get doubled up easily--the very scenario the rule was written to prevent.

[MooseLoop]

OBR (and LL) 2.00: "A fly ball is a batted ball that goes high in the air in flight."

FED 2-6-2: "A fly ball is a batted ball which rises an appreciable height above the ground."

 

For an infield fly call, my judgment of "high" is guided by whether the ball, if allowed to drop untouched, would remain close enough to enable the infielder to pick it up and still get a cheap double-play.