Seattle Outfielder Gets Robbed by Texas Fan

[spacejamz]

Took these last night...AJ Pierzynski hits this home run in the bottom of the 4th inning...

 

[DrPizza]

He should have jumped a little higher.

 

[BrokenVisage]

AJP is the luckiest SOB in Baseball. I can't count the number of times he benefited by a close/questionable call.

 

[her209]

How can he rob something that didn't belong to the other person?

 

[Baked]

Well, isn't TX an open carry state? Why didn't the OF just pull out his piece and shoot the robber in the face?

 

[waggy]

what was the score? hope that 1 run didn't cost them the game.

reminds me when bartman did it in the cubs playoff game. heh

 

[HopJokey]

Texas 5, Seattle 0 - so it didn't affect the outcome.

 

[spacejamz]

In case anyone was wondering, from MLB rule 3.16:

No interference shall be allowed when a fielder reaches over a fence, railing, rope or into a stand to catch a ball. He does so at his own risk.


http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/game_preliminaries_3.jsp

 

[spacejamz]

AJP is the luckiest SOB in Baseball. I can't count the number of times he benefited by a close/questionable call.

There was no questions at all for this play...Once the ball was over the fence, the fan has every right to catch it...

 

[spacejamz]

Video of HR...

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=26444957&c_id=tex

 

[LikeLinus]

In case anyone was wondering, from MLB rule 3.16:

No interference shall be allowed when a fielder reaches over a fence, railing, rope or into a stand to catch a ball. He does so at his own risk.


http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/game_preliminaries_3.jsp

Why not post the full rule and the most important part?

However, should a spectator reach out on the playing field side of such fence, railing or rope, and plainly prevent the fielder from catching the ball, then the batsman should be called out for the spectator’s interference.

Example: Runner on third base, one out and a batter hits a fly ball deep to the outfield (fair or foul). Spectator clearly interferes with the outfielder attempting to catch the fly ball. Umpire calls the batter out for spectator interference. Ball is dead at the time of the call. Umpire decides that because of the distance the ball was hit, the runner on third base would have scored after the catch if the fielder had caught the ball which was interfered with, therefore, the runner is permitted to score. This might not be the case if such fly ball was interfered with a short distance from home plate.

 

[spacejamz]

Why not post the full rule and the most important part?

However, should a spectator reach out on the playing field side of such fence, railing or rope, and plainly prevent the fielder from catching the ball, then the batsman should be called out for the spectator’s interference.

Example: Runner on third base, one out and a batter hits a fly ball deep to the outfield (fair or foul). Spectator clearly interferes with the outfielder attempting to catch the fly ball. Umpire calls the batter out for spectator interference. Ball is dead at the time of the call. Umpire decides that because of the distance the ball was hit, the runner on third base would have scored after the catch if the fielder had caught the ball which was interfered with, therefore, the runner is permitted to score. This might not be the case if such fly ball was interfered with a short distance from home plate.

Because in this case, the spectator DID NOT REACH OUT on the playing field so that does not apply to this situation. The ball was clearly OVER the fence so there is NO interference which is the part of the rule I posted.

 

[Tweak155]

Because in this case, the spectator DID NOT REACH OUT on the playing field so that does not apply to this situation. The ball was clearly OVER the fence so there is NO interference which is the part of the rule I posted.

This.

 

[effowe]

You missed the best part

 

[rh71]

if you don't want people "interfering", don't put the gate/stands within reaching distance. Foul balls too. Otherwise, fair game for all.

 

[Schfifty Five]

Go Rangers!

Swept this series....with a lot of runs too.

 

[umbrella39]

Why not post the full rule and the most important part?

However, should a spectator reach out on the playing field side of such fence, railing or rope, and plainly prevent the fielder from catching the ball, then the batsman should be called out for the spectator’s interference.

Example: Runner on third base, one out and a batter hits a fly ball deep to the outfield (fair or foul). Spectator clearly interferes with the outfielder attempting to catch the fly ball. Umpire calls the batter out for spectator interference. Ball is dead at the time of the call. Umpire decides that because of the distance the ball was hit, the runner on third base would have scored after the catch if the fielder had caught the ball which was interfered with, therefore, the runner is permitted to score. This might not be the case if such fly ball was interfered with a short distance from home plate.

Exactly... must be a Rangers fan. This rule has been used repeatedly throughout my lifetime on similar plays and interference has been called on all of them if not mistaken. The double fence perhaps the issue. Are fans supposed to leave their seats and run onto the grass during live plays in Texas? Not sure about the rules at this ball park... I admit to seeing several times fans running out to grab HR's that have already landed on the grass there, I have never seen anyone reach over the fence. Up to the ump...

 

[Miramonti]

You missed the best part

Haha! He deserves season tickets to all Texas games.

 

[NFS4]

You missed the best part

LMFAO! That's awesome

 

[Phoenix86]

Why not post the full rule and the most important part?

However, should a spectator reach out on the playing field side of such fence, railing or rope, and plainly prevent the fielder from catching the ball, then the batsman should be called out for the spectator’s interference.

Lets say both the player and the spectator missed the ball completely and it fell exactly where the spectator caught it.

Would the ball be:
A. In the field of play, a live ball.
B. Out of the field of play, a home run.

Aside from that, the selected statement clearly states no interference when the player is going over the fence. The fact there's a double fence doesn't magically create a new rule or grey area. There's only one fence that matters, the one defining the field of play.

 

[Phoenix86]

Are fans supposed to leave their seats and run onto the grass during live plays in Texas?

Yes, generally young kids run out there and field home runs. Not sure what the "rules" regarding it are but it happens all the time.

 

[Wreckem]

Yes, generally young kids run out there and field home runs. Not sure what the "rules" regarding it are but it happens all the time.

There really are no rules for Greene's Hill other than you cannot be on it during a pitch or any live play that is not a home-run hit to the area. Anyone with tickets for the bleachers on either side of it can run onto it and collect a homerun or do what that kid did.

 

[TonyG]

That looks like the same kid who grabs a large majority, if not all of the home run balls hit to Greene's Hill, at least for every game he is at. I have also seen him return an opponents home run ball nearly back to the pitcher's mound.

 

[TallBill]

what was the score? hope that 1 run didn't cost them the game.

reminds me when bartman did it in the cubs playoff game. heh

You can break up a play that occurs past the wall.

 

[LTC8K6]

Looks like the outfielder was going to miss the ball anyway.