(A fly ball is a fly to the outfield, while a pop-up is hit to the infield.) Fly-ball rate can be used as a metric to evaluate both hitters and pitchers, although it’s more frequently used to evaluate pitchers. With pitchers, fly-ball rate can be very telling.
By rule, baserunners must tag up when a hit ball is caught before it bounces by a fielder, and in such situations, are out if any fielder with possession of the ball touches their starting base before they do. After a legal tag up, runners are free to attempt to advance, even if the ball was caught in foul territory.
Flyball is a dog sport in which teams of dogs race against each other from the start to the finish line, over a line of hurdles, to a box that releases a tennis ball to be caught when the dog presses the spring-loaded pad, then back to their handlers while carrying the ball.
The pop fly is one of the more common hits in baseball.Height of a Pop Fly.
Bibliographic Entry | Result (w/surrounding text) | Standardized Result |
---|---|---|
Israel, Robert. Pop Flies: The Sequel. University of British Columbia, 1998. | “The initial velocity turns out to be 39.7 m/s and the maximum height 59.3 m” | 59.3 m |
Ground balls go for hits more often than fly balls but fly balls go for extra bases much more often when they do drop in for hits. In other words, if you’re a fly ball pitcher, you can usually sustain a below average BABIP, but you might get tagged for a few extra doubles, triples, and homers as a result.
Roughly 10% of fly balls are home runs. Fly ball pitchers in large parks however, tend to allow less than 7%.
Under Official Baseball Rule 5.09(a)(12), the batter is out, the ball is dead, and runner(s) return to their original base(s) when an infielder intentionally drops a fair fly ball or line drive with runners on first, first and second, first and third, or bases loaded (with less than two out).
Runners are allowed to advance at their own jeopardy the same as any other fly ball. If caught, the runners must re-touch the base or risk being called out on appeal. If uncaught, the runners may run or choose to stay on their base, but if they run they have to be tagged out as they are no longer forced to run.
By definition, a ball hit at a launch angle below 10 degrees is a ground ball, 10-25 degrees is a line drive and anything 25+ is considered a flyball.
Origin. When 19th-century clerks at groceries and general stores were looking for an easier way to reach canned goods on high shelves, they started using long, hooked sticks to pull them down. After dropping the cans toward them, they would catch them in their aprons – just like a fly ball.
Can of corn is one of the more mysterious baseball phrases, with numerous theories behind its origin. One is that it comes from the action of grocery clerks using a stick to tip a can off a high shelf and then catch it (as to hand to a customer). In extended use, the phrase can refer to something easily accomplished.
Flyball was first seen in California in the early 70’s, when Herbert Wagner invented a ball launcher for demonstrations at his Canine Obedience Graduations. It was fun for the dogs, owners and onlookers alike and he was soon asked to go on US national TV… and Flyball grew from there!
Pop-up Rate (PO%)
(A fly ball is a fly to the outfield, while a pop-up is hit to the infield.) Pop-up rate can be used as a metric to evaluate both hitters and pitchers. Pitchers with high pop-up rates are generally successful because fly balls to the infield almost always result in outs.
Hit deep and high fly balls. Have the outfielders turn and run to the spot where they think the ball will land. Don’t look up until they get there; just turn and run to the spot. Teach your players shagging in the outfield during Batting Practice to “Break” on all fly balls.
“Ground ball pitchers” generally have grounder rates over 50%, while “fly ball pitchers” have fly ball rates above (or approaching) 40%.
Definition. An infield fly is any fair fly ball (not including a line drive or a bunt) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort when first and second or first, second and third base are occupied, before two men are out.
Pitchers do not catch pop flies. It’s one of the rules. This started innocently enough: the infield has its hierarchy, just like the center fielder outranks his comrades. And pop flies, depending on the amount of backspin, can offer a tricky fade for someone facing it head-on.
Ground ball pitchers rely on pitches that are likely to induce weak contact from the batter, thus resulting in a ground ball.