That Time SF Scored On Barry Bonds' Infield Fly Rule Play

[Lindsay]

San Francisco scored a tying run on a pop fly in front of home plate when the defense seemingly forgot or didn't know the infield fly rule and tagged the base instead of the runner attempting to score in this throwback to Barry Bonds' oddest run-producing hit in 2003.

With one out and the bases loaded in the 5th inning on May 13, 2003, Giants batter Bonds hit a fair fly ball, which Montreal infielders failed to catch. HP Umpire Jim Joyce, however, had signaled "Infield Fly, If Fair" and when the ball dropped and was touched in fair territory, Giants baserunner R3 Neifi Perez slyly jogged home from third base, waiting for the Expos to clear the way and subtly stepping on home plate, scoring the tying run for San Francisco.

As soon as HP Umpire Joyce signaled R3 Perez safe, the Montreal infield turned to argue with the umpire as Giants trailing runners R2 Marquis Grissom and R1 Rich Aurilia advanced to third and second base, respectively.

When Expos Manager Frank Robinson emerged from his dugout and strode to home plate, he yelled not at Joyce, but at his players, for failing to know the infield fly rule.

To review, the infield fly rule's core criteria are:

> Less than two out;

> Runners on first and second or bases loaded;

and the call is effectuated when

> The batter hits a fair fly ball that can be caught by an infielder employing ordinary effort.

After Joyce signaled the infield fly (if fair), then pointed the ball fair when it was touched on the bounce, he signaled batter-runner Bonds out, thus removing the force play on all baserunners (with no batter-runner in the picture, the runners are no longer forced to advance and thus may remain at their original bases).

Montreal didn't appear to know the infield fly rule removes the force out, as fielders stepped on home plate, as if to try and force out R3 Perez. HP Umpire Joyce made no signal (as there was no call to make), only signaling "safe" when R3 Perez successfully ran to and touched home plate without Montreal trying to tag his person.

And that's the story of how Barry Bonds drove in a run (although it was technically not an RBI) on an infield fly ball.

Video as follows:

Alternate Link: How the Giants Scored a Run on Barry Bonds' Infield Fly Ball

View the full article

[Jimurray]

3 hours ago, Lindsay said:

San Francisco scored a tying run on a pop fly in front of home plate when the defense seemingly forgot or didn't know the infield fly rule and tagged the base instead of the runner attempting to score in this throwback to Barry Bonds' oddest run-producing hit in 2003.

 

With one out and the bases loaded in the 5th inning on May 13, 2003, Giants batter Bonds hit a fair fly ball, which Montreal infielders failed to catch. HP Umpire Jim Joyce, however, had signaled "Infield Fly, If Fair" and when the ball dropped and was touched in fair territory, Giants baserunner R3 Neifi Perez slyly jogged home from third base, waiting for the Expos to clear the way and subtly stepping on home plate, scoring the tying run for San Francisco.

 

As soon as HP Umpire Joyce signaled R3 Perez safe, the Montreal infield turned to argue with the umpire as Giants trailing runners R2 Marquis Grissom and R1 Rich Aurilia advanced to third and second base, respectively.

 

When Expos Manager Frank Robinson emerged from his dugout and strode to home plate, he yelled not at Joyce, but at his players, for failing to know the infield fly rule.

 

To review, the infield fly rule's core criteria are:

> Less than two out;

> Runners on first and second or bases loaded;

 

and the call is effectuated when

> The batter hits a fair fly ball that can be caught by an infielder employing ordinary effort.

 

After Joyce signaled the infield fly (if fair), then pointed the ball fair when it was touched on the bounce, he signaled batter-runner Bonds out, thus removing the force play on all baserunners (with no batter-runner in the picture, the runners are no longer forced to advance and thus may remain at their original bases).

 

Montreal didn't appear to know the infield fly rule removes the force out, as fielders stepped on home plate, as if to try and force out R3 Perez. HP Umpire Joyce made no signal (as there was no call to make), only signaling "safe" when R3 Perez successfully ran to and touched home plate without Montreal trying to tag his person.

 

And that's the story of how Barry Bonds drove in a run (although it was technically not an RBI) on an infield fly ball.

Video as follows:

Alternate Link: How the Giants Scored a Run on Barry Bonds' Infield Fly Ball

View the full article

I not a fan of calling runners safe when no play or tag is attempted. In this case I think it was the right signal to give and no signal was the correct action on the defense tag of HP. 

[beerguy55]

I love Frank Robinson - yes, yell at your damned players and tell them to get off the ump's back...he's right, you're wrong STFU.

Later that same year, when it was clear that Vlad Guerrero would not re-sign with the Expos he sat VG in a late season home game in front of one of the biggest crowds of the season (to play people who would be fighting for jobs next year)...when told the fans were coming to see VG play his final games his response was simply "well, they should have come to one of the earlier 80 games"...also knowing that the Expos wouldn't be in Montreal for much longer due to attendance.

Great man.

That's also next level play by Perez...he could have easily just stayed at third, but took the risk to induce the throw to home and hope the players messed up the rule.