Force or Tag Play

Question
Dear Larry,

Situation: Runners on first and second bases with 0 out.

Batter: Hits a pop fly near second base -- Umpire calls, "Infield Fly Rule, batter is out."

Second Baseman: Drops the pop fly, unintentionally.

Runner on Second: After the ball is touched by the second baseman, the runner on second advances toward third.

The Play in Question: Standing on third base, the third baseman catches the throw before the runner reaches third base. The runner, however, continues to third, reaching the base without being tagged.

The defense claims that the runner is out because it is a force play. The offense claims that the runner is safe because it is a tag-up/tag play. How should the umpire rule?

Thank you!


Answer
Hello Ken

Thank you for the question.

1) There are no force plays on an "infield fly rule"
2) No tag-up is needed if the fly ball was dropped (like any fly ball)
3) The umpire should rule the runner safe (she wasn't tagged off the base)

Advancing to the next base is not a force play. An Infield-fly is no different than any other fly ball for the base runners. The only difference is that the base runners are never forced to advance because the batter is out whether the ball is caught or not.

Base runners are often confused when an infielder drops the ball after the umpire calls the infield fly rule into play. In short, base runners are under no obligation to advance and they cannot be forced out.

If the ball is caught in the infield area after the rule has been called into effect, the base runners can attempt to advance should they so desire, but they must first tag up, as with any other regulation fly ball.

If the infielder drops the ball, the base runners can advance at their own risk. Should they choose to advance, they do not need to tag up because the ball was not caught. Any attempt to tag out a runner is like any non force out play, the base runner would need to be tagged off the base to be out.