STL-ATL Infield Fly (NL Wild Card): Why Call was Correct

Yes, LF Umpire Sam Holbrook's infield fly call was the correct ruling during Friday's NL Wild Card Game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves. But why?

The Play: With one out, R1 David Ross and R2 Dan Uggla (runners on first and second), Braves batter Andrelton Simmons hit a 3-2 sinker from Cardinals pitcher Mitchell Boggs for a fly ball into left field, Cardinals shortstop Pete Kozma tracking into the outfield as left fielder Matt Holliday moved into position for backup. As the ball fell to the ground untouched, R1 Ross and R2 Uggla both advanced safely to their next base while B1 Simmons arrived at first base.

The Ruling and Rationale: LF Umpire Holbrook ruled an infield fly, putting B1 Simmons out.

Recall Rule 2.00 Infield Fly and 6.05(e) and the three considerations for an infield fly: (1) First and second must be occupied with less than two out. Check. (2) The batter must hit a fair fly ball which is not a line drive nor bunt. Check. (3) In the umpire's judgment, the fly can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort. To the breakdown:

When Kozma settled into a position nearest to where the fly ball would eventually fall, he established, in the umpire's judgment, that he could catch the ball with ordinary effort. Ordinary effort is "the effort that a fielder of average skill at a position in [MLB] should exhibit on a play, with due consideration given to the condition of the field and weather conditions."

Video: Analyst Harold Reynolds breaks down the call and why it was correct, multiple replay angles (Studio)
Video: MLB Network's Harold Reynolds explains why Holbrook got infield fly call right (Diamond Demo)

Myths:
(1) The infield fly only applies to balls hit on the infield. False. The rule pertains to the fielder (infielder) rather than the location of the ball and explicitly states, "On the infield fly rule the umpire is to rule whether the ball could ordinarily have been handled by an infielder—not by some arbitrary limitation such as the grass, or the base lines. The umpire must rule also that a ball is an infield fly, even if handled by an outfielder, if, in the umpire’s judgment, the ball could have been as easily handled by an infielder."

(2) Because the ball was hit over 200 feet and the shortstop had to range significantly into the outfield, his effort was extraordinary. False. Ordinary effort pertains to the player, not the play. In other words, a shortstop tracking a fly ball into left field and preparing himself to make a play or attempt prior to the ball arriving, as in the STL-ATL play, constitutes ordinary effort. So too does a routine fly ball to the infield grass wherein an infielder may have handled the ball without ordinary effort, regardless of whether or not he actually handled the baseball. Recall the infield fly rule requires the umpire to rule on the infielder's ability to handle the ball employing ordinary effort; the rule does not concern itself with the infielder's actions once this consideration has been established (e.g., F6's movement away from the play as the ball hit the ground is irrelevant).

(3) The call was late so the infield fly rule cannot be enforced. False. Rule 2.00 (Infield Fly) specifies, "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." Concisely, an umpire shall immediately declare 'Infield Fly' only when it seems apparent that a batted ball will be an Infield Fly. Because the umpire must judge the fielder's position throughout the play and because the ordinary effort criteria was not satisfied until after the ball was already descending rapidly, this resulted in an immediate declaration of 'Infield Fly' that appeared to have been "late." Nonetheless, because both runners R1 and R2 advanced safely, no offensive player was put at risk by the timing of the call nor does the timing of the call make the call itself any less valid. Regardless of timing, B1 was out. There is no time limit to calling an infield fly.

(4) This is not the LF Umpire's call OR the call was wrong because no one else made it. False. Though in most infield fly situations, the call is so obvious that IFF can be declared by the home plate or other infield umpire upon the ball reaching its apex, during STL-ATL, the ordinary effort consideration was not satisfied until the ball had begun its descent and had already exited the infield umpires' calling area. The left field umpire correctly made this call as the ball was in his calling area at the time when all considerations had been satisfied.