Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 03:47 pm
The “can of corn” in baseball refers to that style of catch with a fly ball. Essentially, the catch and the can of corn have the following in common:
- Catching something that’s almost coming “straight down”
- The style of catching—letting the can, or the ball, do most of the work of coming down to you
- The routine nature of the catch—for a grocer, it was an everyday thing, just as it can be for a player in the outfield
This is something a baseball announcer might use to announce how an at bat came to an end. For fans who are listening via radio, understanding what a “can of corn” is can help paint a visual picture of the play without having to see it. For this reason, it’s a favorite for the average broadcaster, and you might even hear it show up on places like ESPN.
Who Can Get “Cans of Corn” in Baseball?
If a ball looks like it’s going to threaten a home run and not be an easy catch, it’s likely not a can of corn. But let’s say a player hits a ball nearly straight up in the air—so high, in fact, that it just about reaches the short stop. The short stop can make the easy “can of corn” catch because the fly ball is coming straight down at them.
For an outfielder, catching a can of corn is certainly a routine thing. In fact, people may say that they’re out in the “corn field” as a reference to this fact. It simply means that there was an easy catch to be made. In MLB (Major League Baseball), just about any at bat could be considered a potential can of corn. Or, in other words, an easy catch.
It may sound like an old-time phrase, but you’ll hear just about anyone use it. For example, you may hear an announcer in New York or a fan at a Blue Jays game say it. Watch enough baseball, and chances are, you’ll start to call these fly balls “cans of corn” as well.
Conclusion on a Can of Corn in Baseball
Baseball has a rich history of memorable players, teams, and moments and has some of the strangest phrases. Take the phrase can of corn, for example. A phrase that basically came from stocking shelves at a grocery store is now part of the baseball game’s lingo. Since the cans would fall off the shelves, the grocery store worker had to make a relatively simple catch. The next time you hear someone say “Can of Corn” during a baseball game, you’ll think of grocery workers.
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Greg Kristan, owner of The Stadium Reviews, LLC and TM Blast, LLC, brings his extensive experience visiting over half of the MLB ballparks, along with numerous MLS, NHL, NBA, and NFL venues, to provide in-depth coverage on the bag policy, food options, and parking. He has also been interviewed about his experiences on several sports podcasts.