Infield Fly in Wild Card Game

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by Lapopez

Is that Manny's point, Rita?

That was my point. The rule calls for the catch to be made using ordinary effort. It doesn't require an actual catch. The fielder may use more than ordinary effort to start out, but as the play progresses, he may get into position to make the catch easily.

And an easily caught ball could turn into an equally easy drop to turn the DP. Which is why the rule exists.

For those who continue to argue that the ball went too deep into the outfield, consider the Thome shift that more and more teams are using against him and other dead-pull hitters. Are you going to suggest that a can-of-corn fly ball to F4 playing in short right-center field can never be an IFF?