Dead ball or live ball?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Umpires in my area have been dealing with this for 20+ years.

The standard is if the fielder cannot reach down and pick up the ball, it is considered out of play and dead. This is a ground rule and is purely the umpire's judgment, so it is beyond debate.

Just as a fallen fence can extend playable territory, a fence drawn in over a part of the field should be considered to have shortened it.