Ben Rortvedt, of the Tampa Bay Rays, tracks a fly ball that he has just hit, alongside players from the San Diego Padres.

A Ball is Hit in the Air to the Outfield

A ball in the air that makes it to the outfield generally comes in a few different flavors:

• A line drive
• A fly ball that carries over the outfield
• A pop-up that drifts far enough past the infield that an outfielder starts running in to make the catch

Each of these types of fly balls can resolve in slightly different ways...