Infield Fly Rule Called in Outfield... AFTER the ball falls in. Postseason. For real.

[GordonGecko]

Could MLB be any more embarrassed after this? I mean seriously, this is supposed to be the most exciting game of the season for a one game play in and they make an NFL replacemnt ref decision.

We're going to be hearing about this game for a while

[Black Sabbathia]

one of the worst calls I've ever seen. I'm struggling to think of a worse one.

[Soriambi]

I turned the game on mid debris delay. After seeing it, I'm baffled as to how that call was made. You can't have an infield fly when the infielder gives way to the outfielder. I'd imagine that that was the argument that they're making with the protest, that you can't have an infield fly on a ball hit to an outfielder. I doubt anything will come of it, but I'm not sure they don't have a half decent argument rules-wise.

By the way, while the thread title is close to being accurate, the call was technically made before it dropped in, but only barely, and when he signaled it there was no way the ball was going to be caught, as it was already dropping fast and clearly between the two,

[GordonGecko]

[Ram Man]

Here is the actual rule:

An INFIELD FLY is a fair fly ball (not including a line drive nor an attempted
bunt) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when first and second, or
first, second and third bases are occupied, before two are out. The pitcher, catcher and any
outfielder who stations himself in the infield on the play shall be considered infielders for
the purpose of this rule.

When it seems apparent that a batted ball will be an Infield Fly, the umpire shall
immediately declare “Infield Fly” for the benefit of the runners. If the ball is near the
baselines, the umpire shall declare “Infield Fly, if Fair.”

The ball is alive and runners may advance at the risk of the ball being caught, or
retouch and advance after the ball is touched, the same as on any fly ball. If the hit
becomes a foul ball, it is treated the same as any foul.

[Principessa21]

By the way, while the thread title is close to being accurate, the call was technically made before it dropped in, but only barely, and when he signaled it there was no way the ball was goiOoong to be caught, as it was already dropping fast and clearly between the two,

Yes, and I'm thinking he would verbalize the call as he was raising his arm so looking at it again I believe it was made before Kozma ran off.

Maybe he was waiting for the infield ump to make the call? Either way it was a judgment call and shouldn't have been made in a one game playoff, and then to make it late. It ask came down to timing. Just ridiculous that a 94 team gets sent home after one game. And not even because of that call!

Oh and I hate Cardinal fans, so go Nats.

[4trainEddie]

one of the worst calls I've ever seen. I'm struggling to think of a worse one.

this was worse
8th inning Game 1 1996 ALCS
an out that was ruled a homerun to tie the game

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=3345251

these days it gets reversed even in the regular season.

believe me, if people talk about today's game like people across the country were talking about the NFL replacement refs,
Bud Selig will be very very happy.
MLB is turning into the NHL with the layers of post season series and multiple locker room celebrations,
and if today's joke of a call gets people talking tomorrow at HOME DEPOT or STOP and SHOP about an extra post season game that he created,
then Selig is going to bed tonight with a huge smile on his face.

[JDPNYY]

this was worse

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=3345251

these days it gets reversed even in the regular season.

believe me, if people talk about today's game like people across the country were talking about the NFL replacement refs,
Bud Selig will be very very happy.
MLB is turning into the NHL with the layers of post season games and locker room celebrations,
and if today's joke of a call gets people talking about an extra post season game that he created,
then Selig is going to bed with a huge smile on his face.

Like when he finally unloaded that 1983 Ford Fairmont with the blown engine.

[YankeePride1967]

Just saw several posts on Twitter say the protest has already been denied.

[groovitude]

Just saw several posts on Twitter say the protest has already been denied.

Can't say I'm surprised. If Selig wouldn't even overturn the Galarraga call, why would he change something that actually affects the course of the season?

Absolute bull................. Selig's extra game was already a terrible idea; allowing the game to continue with the call upheld just makes it an absolute joke.

I hope the Nats sweep them.

[Young Steinbrenner]

terrible call

I don't blame the fans for throwing crap on the field, imagine that call being made against the Yankees?

[Pasco08]

such a horse................ call i mean it was horrible.

[snapple]

I'm shocked

[Soriambi]

theDurk posted a rule clause in the other thread that indicated that an infield fly call is under no circumstances a play that can be appealed, so they probably didn't have a choice, even if they wanted to accept the appeal. Even if that wasn't part of the rule, though, there's no chance they were overturning this, and really based on appeals needing to be on a misapplied rule, they shouldn't have. While I think it was a very bad call, I don't think the ump misinterpreted the rule, as I'd imagine when he made the call he thought it was a play requiring ordinary effort by the SS. I think it was just bad judgment to call it in that situation.

[theDurk]

theDurk posted a rule clause in the other thread that indicated that an infield fly call is under no circumstances a play that can be appealed, so they probably didn't have a choice, even if they wanted to accept the appeal. Even if that wasn't part of the rule, though, there's no chance they were overturning this, and really based on appeals needing to be on a misapplied rule, they shouldn't have. While I think it was a very bad call, I don't think the ump misinterpreted the rule, as I'd imagine when he made the call he thought it was a play requiring ordinary effort by the SS. I think it was just bad judgment to call it in that situation.

That's it, Kevin. The call was within the letter of the rule when read closely. It was late, but the rule says 'should' be called immediately, not must. It would also appear to be against the intent of the rule, which is to prevent duplicity by the fielder being rewarded with an extra out. There was no way they could make a DP by dropping it; they didn't even get one. I can never remember an IFR being called that far back.

I honestly believe fewer than one in one hundred umps would have made the call in these circumstances. But, given that it WAS within the rules, and could not be appealed by rule, and was clearly a judgment call, once made, the call will stand and that's all she wrote. It's like an ump calling a strike at the letters in the bottom of the ninth to end a game...within the rules, but not something you ever see.(CB Buckner and Angel excepted.)

[NYSITH]

Can't believe that call could stand in such a crucial game. Such bs"

[NerfBall55]

MLB network just showed examples of this happening all the time.

[GordonGecko]

MLB network just showed examples of this happening all the time.

Well MLBN is a good objective television network independent owned by.... hrrm, never mind.

[Black Sabbathia]

when was the last time a game played under protest was ruled in favor of the protest?

I vaguely remember it happening once in the last 5-10 years, but I might be imagining things

[Ram Man]

when was the last time a game played under protest was ruled in favor of the protest?

From the Bleacher Report:

The last time that a protest was upheld was in 1986, when the Pittsburgh Pirates protested that umpires called a game due to rain too soon. The league agreed and the game was resumed, although the Pirates eventually lost the game to—coincidentally—the St Louis Cardinals.
Perhaps the most notable protested game to be upheld was the famous "Pine Tar Incident" in 1983, when George Brett's bat was deemed to have pine tar too far up the handle, and Brett had a home run taken off the board and given an out instead. The iconic image of Brett running from the dugout and being ejected is etched in the mind's of baseball fans everywhere.

[Pasco08]

Well MLBN is a good objective television network independent owned by.... hrrm, never mind.

[TheGameEpisode2]

MLBN would have had an argument if Kozma (the SS) wasn't already retreating back and looking at Matt Holliday before the ump made the call. The example they showed Castro clearly had a control of the situation, and when that call was made late he was standing under it.

The SS never looked like he prepared to catch the ball, and even quit on it before the umpire even made the call. At that point the umpire could have easily stopped himself from calling it a infield fly.

[YankeeGalSC]

I didn't know they had replacement umpires...LOL

[rajah]

terrible call

I don't blame the fans for throwing crap on the field, imagine that call being made against the Yankees?

Well, you certainly should "blame" fans for throwing cans and bottles filled with liquid on to the field and risking injury to those there. Such acts are criminal and actually should be prosecuted regardless of how "terrible" was an umpire's apparently good faith call in a game that hardly should be treated as life and death.

[corsari42]

Well, you certainly should "blame" fans for throwing cans and bottles filled with liquid on to the field and risking injury to those there. Such acts are criminal and actually should be prosecuted regardless of how "terrible" was an umpire's apparently good faith call in a game that hardly should be treated as life and death.

People throw home run balls back on the field all the time (which I hate btw). How exactly is this different?