[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Thank God for Harold Reynolds.

If anyone is still losing their minds over this call, try to find his explanation of it on MLB network where he shows that exact call being made in a very similar situation in a regular season game. Starlin Castro floated out that far into the OF and as soon as he settled under it, the umpire put the hand up. Castro caught it so it was no big deal, but it was a virtual carbon copy of yesterday all the way up to the out being called.

The rule reads simply: If an infielder can make the play with ordinary effort, as soon as it's apparent, the umpire makes the immediate infield fly call. He has no discretion not to make the call as the rule clearly reads shall make the infield fly call.

The only question was the ordinary effort and when Kozma camped under it and put his hand out (a universal 'got it' call by a camped IFer), it became an ordinary effort play and the umpire immediately put his hand up. Ordinary effort doesn't mean 'routine', it means he could do what a SS would do under ordinary circumstances and make the catch. When someone says "just because it should be made doesn't mean it's routine', they're exactly right...and that's why the rule reads the way it does. "Should be made" is the standard as written, not 'routine'.

The timing gripe is wrong - it has to be immediate upon the OFer getting camped, not immediate upon impact.

I understand Braves fans frustration and I'd probably be there with them, but I don't see any other way to read that rule folks. Reynolds agreed.

This was a 'tuck rule' situation - it was the right call of a flawed rule.

Spot on.