Infield Fly/Intentionally Dropped Fly

Question
Can a fielder intentionally drop an infield fly rule ball (the ball is fair)?

Answer
Hi Randy,

Thank you for your question!  YES, (and I will repeat exactly your verbage here) a fielder CAN intentionally drop an infield fly rule ball (the ball is fair).  You see, if the umpire and/or umpires did their job, and the batter/runner had already been called out on the infield fly rule while the ball was still in the air, then the intentionally dropped fair fly ball rule goes right out the window, becomes moot, and automatically gets trumped by the infield fly rule.  But it could be a defensive gaffe to intentionally drop a ball that had already been called an out on the infield fly rule, because that LIVE ball could inadvertently bound away from the fielder, at which time the runners could freely advance at their own risk.  It would be more defensively intelligent to catch the infield fly rule ball, then glance at each of the two or three runners.  Any runner caught off base could be "doubled up" or "tripled up" on a live ball appeal play.

Now, if the umpires didn't do their job, and an infield fly rule ball (the ball is fair) didn't result in the batter/runner being called out on the infield fly rule, then, NO, the ball CANNOT be intentionally dropped.  It can be intentionally guided to the ground then retrieved, but it CANNOT be intentionally dropped.  The batter/runner is still out, though, but the two differences are that 1) the ball becomes DEAD and 2) all runners must return to the base occupied at the time of the pitch.

Whew!

Scott Kelly