Watch the Rangers' infield pull off a trick play-esque ricochet catch on a line drive

Rangers infielders pull off impressive ricochet catch

By Ben Cosman

March 25, 2015

Occasionally during the normal course of a baseball game there comes a moment that makes fans ask, "Do you think he meant to do that?" The ninth inning of Tuesday's Rangers-Angels Spring Training game featured such a moment, courtesy of Adam Rosales and Evan Van Hoosier.

With a man on first base, the Angels' Daniel Robertson smacked a line drive in between first and second. The ball ricocheted off of Rosales' outstretched glove and into the safe possession of Van Hoosier. It was so seamless that it almost looks like they meant to do it.

But it doesn't really matter if Rosales intended to deflect the ball to Van Hoosier in their own impression of a set-spike volleyball play or it was just a brilliant stroke of good timing. It only matters that they got the out and looked really dang cool doing it.

Rosales got the assist, too.

If you're curious about the specific ruling of this play, here's how it's defined by the MLB Official Rules:

"A CATCH is the act of a fielder in getting secure possession in his hand or glove of a ball in flight and firmly holding it … A catch is legal if the ball is finally held by any fielder, even though juggled, or held by another fielder before it touches the ground."

But, the rulebook also includes this wrinkle: "It is not a catch if a fielder touches a fly ball which then hits a member of the offensive team or an umpire and then is caught by another defensive player." So, if the ball had come into contact with any Angels player or umpire in between Rosales' glove and Van Hoosier, it would not have been a catch. Lucky for them, it didn't.

Hey, this just proves there are nine men on the diamond for a reason.