Since I'm not a baseball fan, could someone please explain to me why the batter was out on that particular play tonight? No one caught the ball, so I don't understand why the batter would be out.

I don't watch baseball anymore so don't know the specifics of this particular incident.

The IFR is called so the infielder doesn't intentionally drop the ball and then create a double or triple play (i,e. throw the runner on 1st out at 2nd base and the batter at 1st base.

Didn't see the play so I can't explain it using the particulars of the situation but here's the general idea explained with an imagined situation.

There's a runner on first base and not very high and not deep fly ball is hit.

If the runner tries to advance to second base and the ball is caught in the air then he can be doubled up if does not return to first base before the ball can be thrown to first base.

But if he does not try to advance to second base the fielder can let the ball drop in front of himself then throw the ball to second base, forcing the runner out and then thrown to first base getting the batter out.

Either way it's a double play.

Early on in the development of the game this was recognized that it is an unfair situation so the infield fly rule was instituted, declaring the batter out and relieving the runner of the unattractive dilemma.

Here's a better explanation

Thanks guys, but I guess you'd have to see the play to see why I'm so perplexed. The ball dropped, nobody threw it anywhere, but the batter was ruled out, and I can't understand why.

I was at the game Doug - terrible call, and a terrible way to end the Braves season.

The reasoning behind the call was that the STL shortstop used "ordinary effort" to try to catch the ball. The fact was, he ran a long way to get to it, and miscommunicated with Holliday as to who was making the catch.

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my guess is that the ball dropped because the last person to change the globe did not screw it back correctly

Edited by Franco on 10/05/2012 22:02:23 MDT.

Ah, I finally followed Jim's link, and it says: When the rule is invoked, the batter is out (and all force plays removed) regardless of whether the ball is caught, thus negating the possibility for multiple outs.

So whether or not anyone catches the ball, the batter is out. What a dumb rule.

What are you doing at home watching baseball? Shouldn't you be at the bar? Hey Ladies.....

Idster, the first rule here is that you never actually have baseball going on the tube, unless you are taking a nap on the couch and want some soft, boring background sounds. And even then, tennis, or especially golf, are better choices. But you never, ever want to tune into a Spanish language soccer game with the sound up loud while you're napping. Trust me on this...I'm a professional couch napper guy.

Now Doug, I would like you to come up with some poetic reference to Infield Fly Rule applied to Romney and Obama

The rule has a purpose. If you'd ever played baseball you'd get it. But as people said the short answer is it keeps people from getting easy double plays by intentionally screwing up.

You'll note it only comes into play only with less than 2 outs and a force at third.

Okay, now I'm searching even harder for a Romney/Obama analogy. And now I know I'm supposed to be against it : )

Like Obama intentionally muffed the debate so he could put Romney out.

And I disagree with the infield fly rule - Obama should be allowed to do this.

That would work...

"terrible call, and a terrible way to end the Braves season."

@ Ben - agreed.

I know there are exceptions and subjectivities to every rule, but a shot to the middle of left field seems a bit of a stretch for an IFR to be called.

Admittedly, Cards probably deserved to win--Braves didn't really show up to that game-- but def a terrible way to end it.

That had to be one of the worst calls I have ever seen. The ball was hit to shallow LF. I have seen many balls fall in like that and not get called. BAD!

That said, GO GIANTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry Gary, baseball is not boring....it's a chess match. Love baseball!

It's OK, Ken. I've learned to be comfortable with my inner baseball apathy.

".it's a chess match"

Which are boring....; )

So Jerry wanted a poem kinda mixing baseball and politics.

Okay. But remember, I was asked. With appropriate appreciation for Casey At The Bat:

Romney and Obama At The Bat

The outlook wasn't brilliant for the first debate that night.
As the two combatants shook hands 'neath the TV's glaring lights.
Johnson wasn't present. Nor Stein allowed in this 'game'.
A sickly silence fell on those who felt this was so lame.

An independent few got up to go with much disdain.
The rest clung to the hope that this wouldn't be more of the same.
They thought, if only one of these guys could just be straight tonight,
We might actually hear some truth! They might actually shed some light!

But all that hoping was for naught, and the crowd, now in despair,
Suffered through the candidates' empty promises, their lies, their standard fare.
My plan is the best one!, cried one to the crowd.
But the other quickly disagreed, and he disagreed quite loud.

Am not! Are too! Am not! Are too! was the order of the night.
They lied and fibbed in a trashy attempt to cast themselves as right.
And when the dust had settled, and people saw what had occurred,
They began to argue amongst themselves in this theater of the absurd.

I wish from 50 million votes and more there'd rise a lusty yell;
That it would rumble through the valley, and rattle in the dell;
That it would knock upon the mountain and recoil upon the flat,
That America, mighty America, would simply have no more of that.

But with Maddow on the left, and Bill O'Reilly on the right,
And the lemmings who listen to them, we're sadly sure to keep the fight.
So the rest of us are saddened, we feel we're running out of luck.
For us there is no joy in America since both the two main choices suck...

Boring.

I have yet to ever sit through an entire sporting event that I was forcibly taken to watch. No sports on TV or radio for me either.

I'm 45 and have not played chess in 30 years.

Very nice Doug!