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From: ogre@mhuxl.UUCP (LO COCO)
Newsgroups: net.sport.baseball
Subject: Exchanging runners
Message-ID: <238@mhuxl.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 31-May-85 07:37:08 EDT
Article-I.D.: mhuxl.238
Posted: Fri May 31 07:37:08 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Jun-85 01:37:50 EDT
References: <293@petfe.UUCP> <33400008@ISM780.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 28

> 	In the same vein, I've never seen the following play, although
> 	it could happen once or twice in every game as far as I can tell:
> 	A man on first, less than two outs.  Batter hits an infield popup.
> 	The man on first must stay on first, the batter must run to first
> 	so that the fielder won't intentionally drop the ball and get a
> 	double play (infield fly rule is only called when there are >1
> 	men on base).  However, why wouldn't the fielder intentionally
> 	drop the ball and make the force at second any time the runner
> 	on first is a faster/better runner than the batter?  I've never
> 	seen this done, but it seems perfectly safe and reasonable to me.
> 	The probability of the ball getting away and the play at 2nd
> 	being lost is very remote indeed, while wiping out a speedster
> 	at 1st can be quite important.
> 
> 					-- Abe Ellenberg
> 					   cca!ima!abe

	It does happen once in a while, but maybe like you say it should
	be seen more often. The problem is that you don't always get a
	situation where it is easily done without the possibility of error.
	Here's hoping we see more headsup manuevering offensively and
	defensively in 'America's Pastime'.
-- 

				John B. Lo Coco
				(...mhuxl!ogre)
				(...szuxn!ogre)
				1-201-467-7436