Infield Fly Question

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by mcrowder

The rule does NOT say "an ordinary infielder". It says by an infielder with ordinary effort. Level/ability/location on the field, etc DOES matter. If the ball is halfway up (nearing the apex), and it's obvious to me that no one is going to catch it, then it's not catchable with ordinary effort.

But how do you determine "ordinary effort"? There have to be criteria. To me it's what you would expect from an infielder at that level, not what you'd expect from any individual infielder. Ordinary effort is what is made by ordinary infielders.

If you look at it, and think "I'd expect that to be caught" and then Sluggo trips over his own feet or Bubba has a brain cramp and doesn't even go after it, I think it still qualifies.