Define Intentionally Dropping the Ball?

Question
"Here is my question: can you please define intentionally dropping theball?...let me expand, further, if there is a runner on first, or runneron first and second, and a soft fly ball is hit and the infielder,ss,2b,3b,or 1b, let the ball drop without hitting the glove and there isno infield-fly rule called, can he, legally, make the double play?.or itwould be illegal for him to make the double play since, "He" let theball dropped "intentionally" to the ground?.. please expand on youranswer...and define intentionally dropping the ball..." Since the rule on MLB.com, does not define what "INTENTIONALLY DROPPING THE BALL IS"? can you please, once again elaborate on this question, forsomeone who does not follow baseball that much? I would really appreciate it, if you can explain this play in details,taking into account that the infield-fly rule IS NOT in effect. Manythanks.

Answer
Winston:  This is assuming the infield fly rule has not been called, or would not apply.

Intentionally dropping the ball is a judgement call from the umpire.  If in the umpires opinion the defensive player just let the ball drop out of his glove he can immediately call the batter out and the ball dead, then return the runner or runners to their respective bases.

The rule is to protect the batter and base runner from being tricked by the defense into not running, thus picking up the ball and starting the double play.

There is no penalty for intentionally, or not intentionally catching the ball and just letting it drop.  If the defense does this, the opportunity to make a double play is present.  If the batter chose not to run just because he thought the ball would be caught, the defense can let the ball drop, throw to second to erase the runner from first, then complete the DP by throwing back to first to get the batter who chose not to run.

The difference in the two is that, if the ball is intentionally dropped, the batter may stop running because he or she thought the ball was caught, thus being suseptable to being thrown out at first.

It all hinges on the judgement of the umpires as to whether the drop was intentional or not.  Once made, the call is not arguable nor reversible, unless another umpire over rules the call.

One of those intricate and quirky little situations that are prevalent throughout the game of baseball.  Makes for some great hot stove league discussions.

Yours in baseball,

Rick