I see your points and agree that the call has caused undue consternation some legitimate and some not. I agree that a call that is rarely made - whether correct or not - will often create the perception of inequity.

On specifics:

I feel bad for Chipper and the Braves in that their very successful 162 game season ended in a one game elimination where they did not play like they did for most of the season. So I do understand them not looking to blame the call for their losing. Yet the call did prevent them from having a reasonable shot at getting themselves back into the game.

I disagree. The call was right, maybe Braves fans don't like it and for sure it doesn't get called out there very often but the idea that those fans have a legitimate gripe or that the Braves were somehow treated unfairly is nonsense.


As I have said the whole idea of the infield fly rule is to protect the baserunners, not to assist the fielders. This call did the opposite by giving a gift to the fielders and did not help the baserunners. If it can be interpreted the way it was then MLB needs to go back and revisit the rule.

This is different from my interpretation of the rule. I thought the rule was to prevent the fielder from allowing the ball to drop, picking it up and completing a double play. I submit that the Braves were actually helped by the call since either fielder could have picked up the ball, completed a double play and ended the inning. The call prevented that.