Infield fly not declared

[Guest Ray]

Bases loaded 1 out. Batter runner hits a fly ball just behind 3rd base. Plate umpire doesn't call infield fly.  2 defenders converge on ball and it drops between them as a fair ball.  Runner breaks from third and is thrown out at the plate on a close play.  Bases loaded 2 outs.  Offense appeals to the umpire that the runner from 3 rd was forced to go to home plate because the infield fly was not declared. They want the batter to be out and the runner returned to 3rd.  The question is that I've always been told that an infield fly is in effect even if not declared by the umpire.  If that's true, then the the runner from third advanced at her own risk and is liable to be put out with a tag at the plate and the batter runner is out because of the infield fly.  Double play, 3 outs, inning over,  Correct?

[Cav]

1 hour ago, Guest Ray said:

I've always been told that an infield fly is in effect even if not declared by the umpire.  If that's true...

It is with 2 or more runners forced with less than 2 outs and an infielder using ordinary effort could make the catch on a fair fly ball.

 

1 hour ago, Guest Ray said:

...then the the runner from third advanced at her own risk and is liable to be put out with a tag at the plate...

That is correct whether or not the IFR was invoked during a live ball..

 

1 hour ago, Guest Ray said:

... and the batter runner is out because of the infield fly.  Double play, 3 outs, inning over,  Correct?

Only if judged by an umpire that it was an infield fly, the purpose of which is to protect the offense by preventing the defense from getting any undeserved multiple outs.  

[noumpere]

FED:  It's the situation that matters, not the declaration -- in the OP both the BR and R3 are out.  There's a specific case play on this.

OBR: The rule is to protect the offense.  If the defense gets zero or one outs, the play stands (that's the OP).  If the defense gets two or three outs, then use judgment to determine what would have happened if the infield fly had been declared -- almost always, that's BR out and other runners return.

[beerguy55]

20 hours ago, noumpere said:

FED:  It's the situation that matters, not the declaration -- in the OP both the BR and R3 are out.  There's a specific case play on this.

God I hate this interpretation.  Whomever wrote this ruling never played the game and doesn't understand why the rule exists.

It's one thing to know the situation - yes, I'm a base runner on second base...another guy on first, nobody out, and it's an infield fly situation.  Check.

It's another to know the umpire's judgment.  And it's the umpire's judgment that matters here.   It's the only thing that matters...ever.

Sure, it looks to me like it's an infield fly (but it's not my call, and it's not my judgment that matters)...and I don't hear either ump say anything.   And I don't see either ump signalling anything.  So, I on second base, and my buddy R1 have a decision to make when the ball drops.    Trust that it is an infield fly and both umpires simply have laryngitis, and stay put, risking the defense getting a cheap DP...or, trusting that the umpires just don't think the ball was catchable with "ordinary effort", genuinely aren't calling an infield fly, and running, because I am now forced (or believe I am), risking running myself into an easy out when I didn't really have to.

Because, yeah, sure, it certainly looks like an infield fly.  And that ball that landed three feet foul looked foul until Blue called it fair.

All this ruling does is lets weak, indecisive umps off the hook.