Out or not?

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

If there is an observable change of direction as a result of the contact, be it up, down, to a side, or any combination; if that ball is caught, it is an out. Fair or foul, it is a batted ball caught in flight that is NOT a foul tip.

I'd like to know how a change in direction can be observable in that short a distance between the bat and the catcher. The only way I can see that is if the ball doesn't go sharply and directly from the bat to the catcher.

Suppose the pitch is so low that, had the batter not contacted the ball, it might hit the dirt before the catcher fields it. But because the batter swung below the ball and nicked it such that the ball goes back up towards the catcher's mask, hits off her mask and goes up in the air, and is then eventually caught by the catcher, are you saying above that that is considered an observable change in direction, and this should be a batted ball caught in flight? I hope not, because there's nothing in the rule that says the direction the ball was going prior to being contacted by the bat has to be taken into account.

Or am I confused by your point?