Rules of the Game

In this past weekend's tournament, there were several instances where in my opinion, the umpires failed to make the correct call. The following discusses one such instance. 

The situation was as follows; with runners on 1st and 2nd base and one out, a line drive was hit right at the middle infielder who then dropped the ball (should have been an easy out), picked it up and then tossed to the shortstop at second, forcing the runner from first, and completing the double play by throwing to first to get the batter out.  All of the base runners had stopped when they saw the easy liner hit right at the middle infielder.  

I questioned the umpire and asked for an appeal but to no avail. The umps awarded the double play.  In my opinion, it should have been treated as an intentionally dropped ball, a call we saw made in a MLB video posted here recently.  I checked the ISA rule book and found the following excerpts. 


FLY BALL- A fly ball is any fair or foul ball batted into the air. 

LINE DRIVE- A line drive is a fly ball that is batted sharply and directly into the playing field. 

INTENTIONALLY DROPPED FLY BALL – A batted ball that is intentionally dropped, whether it be touched or untouched, for the purpose of deceiving the base runners.


Rule 10: Section 3 - The ball is dead and not in play 
A. When no pitch is declared.  

B. When a base runner is called out for leaving a base too soon on a pitched ball. 
C. When an illegal pitcher’s action is declared. 
D. When, in SP play, a batter swings at a pitched ball and fails to make contact. 
E. When a pitched ball touches any part of a batter’s person or clothing. 
F. When a batter bats illegally or hits with an illegal bat. 
G. When, in SP play, a batter bunts or intentionally chops downward on the ball. 
H. When the batter-runner is hit by the batted ball while outside of the batter’s box. 
I. When a foul ball is not caught on the fly. 
J. When a batter steps completely across the plate while the pitcher is in the pitching position. 
K. Intentionally dropped fair fly ball or line drive by an infielder. 
L- X deleted

Section 9; The batter is out: 

A. When the 3rd

 strike is struck at, missed and touches any part of the 

batter’s person. 

B. When a batter appears in the batter’s box with or is discovered 

using an altered or an illegal bat. The batter is also ejected from the 

game for using an altered bat. See Rule 2, Section 2, for penalty. 

C. When a fly ball is legally caught. 

D. Immediately when they hit an infield fly and the umpire has 

declared “Infield Fly”. 

E. If a fielder intentionally drops or lets drop a fair fly ball, including a line drive, which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort with;

1st, 1st & 2nd, 1st & 3rd, or 1st, 2nd, & 3rd  bases occupied with less than 2 outs. 

EFFECT: The ball is dead, the batter is out and base runners must 

return to the last base touched at the time of the pitch. This does not 

apply to an infield fly, the dropped ball remains alive on an infield fly. 

NOTE: A trapped ball shall not be considered as having been 

intentionally dropped.

I think I was right assuming a 65+ player could think that quick.

submitted by Ron Butler