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Even though we'd like to make the call when the ball is at its apex, I think that it can be called much later. If the fielder is having difficulty, why not wait until the ball is almost down before calling the IF.
If our job is to protect the runners, time is not an issue. On a fly ball, runners are going to be holding very close to their base. They are not going anywhere until the ball hits the ground. As long as we call the IF before that point, they know they do not have to run IF the ball drops.
And whats this about wind or sun or rising tides. When we talk of "ordinary effort," we are talking about the ability of an athlete on the field of play. If we have a towering fly ball over 3B and the wind blows it all the way to 1B, somebody on that infield damn well better catch that ball! If they don't, and you don't give an IF, then there is a ball laying on or near the infield and an easy DP is a couple throws away.
The only time I am going to allow for wind to effect my call is when the high fly is being blown to the outfield. If an infielder has to turn their back to chase the ball into the outfield, then I'll wave off the IF. Even if they haven't gone very deep into the OF, and let it drop, they are going away from any play, or the outfielder still has to come into make a play so the near automatic DP is not going to happen.
WMB
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