Definition: A can of corn is a slang term for a very high, easy fly ball that a fielder can catch without much effort. It is the kind of play where the outfielder can just stand still, look up, and wait for the ball to fall right into their glove. It is considered the easiest out a defensive player can make because the ball stays in the air for a long time and doesn’t have much “carry” or distance.
The phrase has a funny history that dates back to old grocery stores in the 1800s. Grocers used to keep cans of vegetables, like corn, on high shelves. To get them down, they would use a long stick to tip the can off the shelf, and it would fall perfectly into their outstretched apron or hands. Because catching the falling can was so simple and routine, baseball players started using the phrase to describe easy fly balls. When a hitter strikes the ball under the center, it goes high up but not very far, resulting in this “can of corn.” For an outfielder, these are a relief, but for a hitter, a can of corn is a frustrating waste of an at-bat.
Example: The batter hit a high fly ball to center field, but it was just a can of corn that the outfielder caught easily.
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