>I just watched the play. That was the right call. The infield fly rule doesn't require the ball to be in the infield. It only requires that an infielder can make the play with ordinary effort. It doesn't matter where the ball is as long as it's in fair territory. That was an easy play for Holliday. Hardly even took 'ordinary' effort on his part. The fact that he skittered off at the last second doesn't change anything. I agree with the ump on this one.

Alan and Rich,

I stand corrected. From the Wikipedia:

Contrary to popular belief, the infield fly rule does not only apply to balls hit on the infield, with the rules specifically stating that no arbitrary limitation such as the grass or base line shall prohibit an umpire from declaring an infield fly away from the infield. The rule pertains to the fielder, not to the location of the ball and may be more accurately described as, "The infielder fly rule". [11] Specifically the rule states: "On the infield fly rule the umpire is to rule whether the ball could ordinarily have been handled by an infielder, —not by some arbitrary limitation such as the grass, or the base lines. The umpire must rule also that a ball is an infield fly, even if handled by an outfielder, if, in the umpire’s judgment, the ball could have been as easily handled by an infielder." [12]

And here I was pompous enough to think I knew everything about baseball.

I am vaguely remembering that you played some baseball yourself, didn't you? An infielder, in fact?