What is the purpose of the baffle around the oil pump?

[Phil Brown]

I think that rotorwrench is most likely the line of thinking that Ford had. Lots of screened or filtering area with forcing the pump to draw oil from the bottom of the pan. The can or baffle around the pump may also help break up any whirlpool or cavitation that may try to start in the oil pan when the pump is pulling hard with a low oil level