The
infield fly rule is a
baseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
rule that is intended to prevent infielders from intentionally dropping pop-ups in order to turn
double playIn baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s (or
triple playA triple play is a baseball play in which three outs are made as a result of continuous action without any intervening errors between outs.Triple play may also refer to:...
s). Without this rule, a defense could easily turn a pop-up into a double play when there are runners at first and second base. If the runners stay near their bases to
tag upIn baseball, to tag up is to retouch or remain on the runner's time-of-pitch base until the ball either lands in fair territory or is first touched by a fielder. A runner must, by rule, tag up only when a batted ball is caught by a fielder . After a legal tag up, even if the ball was caught in...
, the defense could let the ball drop, throw to third base and then to second, for a
force-outIn baseball, a force is a situation when a baserunner is compelled to vacate his time-of-pitch base—and thus try to advance to the next base—because the batter became a runner. A runner at first base is always forced to attempt to advance to second base when the batter becomes a runner...
at each base. If any of the runners stray too far from their bases, the defense could catch the pop-up, and double-off any runner that failed to tag up.
When the rule is invoked, the batter will be out (and all force plays removed) regardless of whether the ball is caught, thus negating the possibility for multiple outs.
The rule
In
Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
, "Infield Fly" is explained by rule 2.00 (Definitions of terms), and rule 6.05e (Batter is out). Other leagues have similar rules.
Since the purpose is to prevent double plays, the rule applies only when there are fewer than two outs, and there is a
force playIn baseball, a force is a situation when a baserunner is compelled to vacate his time-of-pitch base—and thus try to advance to the next base—because the batter became a runner. A runner at first base is always forced to attempt to advance to second base when the batter becomes a runner...
at third base (
i.e., there are runners at first and second base, or the
bases are loadedIn the sport of baseball, the bases are loaded when there is a runner on each base . This presents a great scoring opportunity for the batting team, but it also presents an easy double play opportunity for the defense. Causing the bases to become loaded is called loading the bases...
). In these situations, if a fly ball is in
fair playIn baseball, a fair ball is a batted ball that entitles the batter to attempt to reach first base. In order for a batted ball to be fair, it must be hit in such a way that it:...
, and in the umpire's judgment it is catchable by an infielder with ordinary effort, the umpire shall call "infield fly", and the batter will be out regardless of whether the ball is actually caught in flight. Umpires typically raise one arm straight up to signal to everyone that the rule is in effect.
If "infield fly" is called and the fly ball is caught, it is treated exactly as an ordinary fly ball; the batter is out, there is no force, and the runners must tag up. On the other hand, if "infield fly" is called and the ball lands fair without being caught, the batter is still out, and there is no force, but the runners
are not required to tag up. In either case, the ball is live, and the runners may advance at the risk of being doubled-off if the ball is caught.
Foul balls
If the fly ball is near the foul lines, the umpire is to declare "infield fly, if fair." If the ball is not caught and ends up foul (including if it lands fair and then rolls foul), infield fly is cancelled, and the play is treated as an ordinary foul ball. In contrast, if the ball lands foul and then rolls fair, infield fly takes effect, and the batter is out.
"Ordinary effort"
Any fair fly ball that could have been caught by an infielder with ordinary effort is covered by the rule regardless of where the ball is caught. The ball need not be caught by an infielder, nor must it be caught in the infield. For example, if an infielder retreats to the outfield in an effort to catch a fly ball with ordinary effort, the infield Fly Rule may be invoked, even if an outfielder ultimately caught the ball, and even if no infielder attempted to make a play on the ball. Similarly, a fly ball within the infield that could have been caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, but is caught by an outfielder, would also be covered by the rule.
History
This rule was introduced in 1895 in response to infielders' intentionally dropping pop-ups to get multiple outs by forcing out the runners on base, who were pinned near their bases while the ball was in the air. For example, with runners on first and second and fewer than two outs, a pop fly is hit to the third baseman. He intentionally allows the fly ball to drop, picks it up, touches third and then throws to second for a double play. Without the Infield Fly Rule it would be an easy double play because both runners will stay near their bases while determining if the ball will be caught.
In the fifth game of the
2008 World SeriesThe 2008 World Series was the 104th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as champions of the National League and the Tampa Bay Rays, as American League champions, competed to win four games out of a possible...
,
Pedro FelizPedro Julio Feliz is a Dominican Republic minor league baseball third baseman for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball. Feliz has hit 20 or more home runs in four of his first five seasons as a starting third baseman and is an above average fielder at third base...
of the
Philadelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
hit a pop-up to the right side of the infield with runners on first and second and one out, in strong rain and swirling winds at
Citizens Bank ParkCitizens Bank Park is a 43,647-seat baseball park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, and home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Citizens Bank Park opened on April 3, 2004, and hosted its first regular season baseball game on April 12 of the same year, with the...
against the
Tampa Bay RaysThe Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
, and the infield fly rule was not invoked. Umpiring crew chief
Tim TschidaTimothy Joseph Tschida is an umpire in Major League Baseball. He joined the American League's full-time staff in 1986, and has worked in both major leagues since 2000....
explained that "The infield fly rule requires the umpires' judgment to determine whether or not a ball can be caught with ordinary effort, and that includes wind" and that the umpire's determination was that in this case there was no infielder who could make the play with "ordinary effort."
Misconceptions
The infield fly rule is not in effect if there is a runner on first only, as the rule-makers assumed fielders would not gain any significant advantage by forcing out the runner rather than the batter; in either case, the net result would be one more out and a runner on first base. Also, an infield fly
does not affect baserunners other than the batter, with the exception that a runner hit by an infield fly while standing on a base is not out for interference. Just like any other fly ball, if an infield fly is caught, runners must retouch (or "tag up") their time-of-pitch base before attempting to advance; if an infield fly is not properly caught, no tag up is required and the runners may try to advance.
The infield fly rule cannot be invoked on
line driveIn baseball, a line drive is a type of batted ball, sharply hit, and on a level trajectory. The threshold between a line drive and a fly ball can be subjective....
s or bunts; also, the infield fly rule is not intended to cover all situations where the defense may wish to allow a fly ball to drop uncaught. For example, with just a runner on first, an alert infielder might intentionally allow a pop-up to drop to the ground and get the force at second, if it happens that the runner on first is faster afoot than the batter-runner is, or if the batter is loafing on his way to first base. This is only legal if the fielder lets the ball hit the ground untouched, which carries some risk to the fielder as it might bounce away from him. However, in all situations where the infield fly rule does not apply, a different rule (6.05l) prevents fielders from touching a catchable ball and dropping it intentionally in an attempt to turn a double or triple play.
Batter passing another runner
Interestingly, even without the Infield Fly rule, it is occasionally possible that clever play by a batting team with a runner on first base (and possibly second or third) can avoid a double or triple play and in fact ensure that the result is exactly the same as if the Infield Fly rule were in effect. This is true under any circumstance whereby the batter is able to overtake a baserunner before a force play is executed, even when the bases are loaded. The batter can run to first base and stand there while all other baserunners stay where they are (including the one at first base, so that both the first base runner
and the batter are standing on first base). If the fielder allows the ball to drop, then the moment the ball touches the ground, the batter can advance toward second base, passing the first base runner and causing himself, the batter, to be called out according to rule 7.08H. According to rule 7.08C, this nullifies the force so that all the baserunners can stay where they are, and will leave the bases loaded if they were already loaded when the batter came to the plate.
In practice, however, in professional baseball and other adult and teen leagues infield flies are usually caught (or occasionally dropped) before the batter can reach first base. In children's leagues, with a shorter distance between home plate and first base, a fast running batter can sometimes reach first base before a high infield fly is playable by the infield. Also, in some little leagues the infield fly rule is not in effect, allowing them to take advantage of the batting team by making a double or triple play.
The Infield Fly Rule and legal theory
The infield fly rule was the subject of one of the most clever and widely cited articles in U.S. legal history.
William S. StevensWilliam Stanley Stevens was an American lawyer best known for his June 1975 law review article The Common Law Origins of the Infield Fly Rule, which treated the development of one of baseball's most-misunderstood rules as if it were a legal matter.-Early life and Education:Stevens was born in...
was a law student in 1975 when he anonymously published “The Common Law Origins of the Infield Fly Rule” in the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. The article was humorous but also insightful on how common law related to codified regulation of behavior. It has been cited in numerous legal decisions and in subsequent literature.
Potential unassisted, untouched, triple play
Among the many unlikely and bizarre scenarios that involve the Infield Fly Rule, in the April 6, 2009 issue of
NewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
,
George WillGeorge Frederick Will is an American newspaper columnist, journalist, and author. He is a Pulitzer Prize-winner best known for his conservative commentary on politics...
has postulated an "Unassisted, Untouched" Triple Play. In this scenario, there are runners on first and second. The Infield Fly Rule is invoked so the batter is out. The runner on first base advances to second and continues, passing the runner on second, making him automatically out. Finally, the pop-up drops and hits the runner who was on second base after he leaves the base (if he is standing on the base during an infield fly rule call and the ball hits him he is not out, but the ball becomes dead and the play is over), making this the third out. All of this happens without a single defensive player touching the ball.
The bizarre twist to this is how it would be scored. In the case of an infield fly rule, the official scorer decides which fielder was most likely to have caught the ball, and assigns the first out to that player. The out for passing a runner is assigned to the closest fielder, as is the third out for being hit by the ball. It is quite possible in such a scenario that the same fielder would be given credit for all three outs, most likely the
shortstopShortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
or
second basemanSecond base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
.
An unassisted triple play occurred during an NCAA game between the
BYU CougarsBYU Cougars is an American soccer team based in Provo, Utah, United States. The team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference....
and the
SDSU AztecsThe San Diego State Aztecs are the collegiate athletics and sports teams for San Diego State University .San Diego State has organized programs for baseball, basketball, football, soccer, golf, gymnastics, rowing , softball, tennis, track, swimming, diving, women's volleyball, and water polo.The...
in May 2011. Runners on first and second advanced without noting the infield fly call and were tagged out by BYU shortstop Andrew Law.
A "judgment call"
In the official Major League Baseball rulebook, the infield fly rule is considered a judgment call, which means that the judgment of the umpire must govern. It also states that the rule is to be called immediately and is solely based on the umpire’s discretion and there is no option for an appeal. Since different umpires may have different definitions of “ordinary effort,” the rule may be implemented differently depending on the umpire.