in field fly rule

Question
if a ball is hit between the pitcher and a catcher with bases loaded and less than two outs, but the ball hits fair but rolls foul without being touched and not going past third or first base, is the infield fly in effect since infield fly is only if it is fair???

How do I explain this one?  Please help

Answer
Hi John,

Thank you for your question.  The stage is set for the infield fly rule with runners on first and second or first, second, and third with fewer than two outs.  Now all we need is a batted FAIR fly ball (not a line drive or bunt) that can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort.  I presume your batted ball was a routine popup, so you had all of the requirements for the infield fly EXCEPT for the FAIR fly ball, so the result of your batted ball was just a run-of-the-mill FOUL ball.  Now, if that untouched batted ball would have stayed fair, then the batter would have been out, the ball would have remained live, and the runners would have been entitled to advance at their own risk.

As an umpire, when I call the infield fly I always hope that an infielder will make an easy catch.  When I call the batter out on an untouched fair fly ball, or (especially) if the infielder drops the ball, then the batted ball tends to take on the appearance of one that couldn't have been caught with ordinary effort!

Scott Kelly