[DJ's left nut]

And the IF fly rule is the simplest rule imaginable yet it ALWAYS gets screwed up somehow.

I got in an argument with a buddy on a slow-pitch team where he popped up a ball with a runner on 1b to SS and walked down the line. The umpire didn't call IFF, the ball hit the ground and the SS went ahead and turned the DP.

He was pissed that IFF fly wasn't called - it isn't supposed to be. He was wound up because the IFF is designed to keep the 'intentional drop, turn the DP' thing from happening. I had to explain to him that it doesn't consider a batter being lazy or throwing a temper tantrum and getting himself forced out at 1b for the DP.

There has to be 2 baserunners who are in a 'force out' position (i.e. 1st and 2nd or 1st, 2nd and 3rd) and less than 2 outs. If there are runners at 2nd and 3rd, no IFF. If there's just a runner at 1b, no IFF because the idea is that the runner at 1st still runs to 2b and the runner at the plate replaces him at first if the ball is dropped. If there are 2 outs there's no IFF because there is no utility in letting the ball drop.

It's really damn limited. And its impact is also super straightforward. It's really bizarre to me that fans, players and occasionally even umpires will mess this up. The best I can figure is that the confusion springs up when players just don't hear the call.

And yes, the Braves play was absolutely an IFF call even though it was in the OF grass because Kozma (an IFer) had settled under the ball and could've let it drop, then fired to 3rd for one and back over to 2b for two.