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[wadeintothem]

While I agree there could be an expectation that a defender go *poof - I guess the hang up would be a time frame as applied to a fielder being considered in the act of fielding a batted ball.

Once the ball is past the defender on the muff - are they still protected at all and/or for how long?

This is not a deflected ball scenario - so just in general.

.5 second? no seconds? 1 second?

The fielders body is immediately in the postion after the muff in this case correct?

So since they were unsucessful in fielding the ball they are considered to not be in the act of fielding it?

I'm not so sure.. but interesting discussion.