Friend of D4L Snags Foul Ball During Tigers/Royals Game as Dupree Looks/Laughs On

Catching a foul ball is a pretty good feeling.  I know — I’ve caught three (shrug).

The first one came when Comerica Park first opened.  There was a torrential downpour and it was so bad that the grounds crew actually asked the fans to come on the field and help with the tarp.  We just so happened to be sitting in the very last row in the upper deck, so by the time we sprinted to the first row and propped a leg over the railing, security stopped us and said they had all the help they needed.  We figured we weren’t going to do all that conditioning for nothing, so we decided to wait out the delay in the front row and stay there when the game continued.

Later that game, sitting in our new seats, Carlos Delgado caught a foul ball near our seats to end an inning. Naturally, I screamed “Carlos, you smell.”  He looked at me and, while still staring at me, threw the ball to my buddy next to me.  He totally got me good.  Embarrassed, I told my friend that if I didn’t get a ball that game I was going to fake hate him4lyfe.  Just his luck, in the bottom of the 9th inning, Darren Fletcher hits a grounder near the tarp and I lean over and snag it like I’m the Omar Vizquel of fans.  Chip Stevenson lives to see another day as my friend.

The second foul ball I retrieved, I practically had to punch my girlfriend at the time, now fiancee (so she wasn’t too mad), to grab it off the bounce in the aisle. Okay, I actually accidentally punched her. It was off the bat of Magglio and we were sitting about six rows behind home plate and my girlfriend HAD to have the aisle seat.  Ball bounces in the aisle, natural reaction is to stab for the ball and her nose got in the way a little bit. The foul ball I grabbed cost my girl a bruise and a slice of pizza. Still sorry, baby.

The third foul ball I snagged up off the ground amongst a bunch of scavenging old men with gloves on.  It was on TV and I remember the inning and exact time into the inning on MLB.TV if you want to see. I know you want to see it.  You don’t? Okay, it’s 1:59 into the 6th inning of that Tigers/Cardinals game from a couple of summers ago when there was a 2-hour rain delay and the game started up again around 11 PM. You know the one. Being the dedicated fans that we are, my dad and I waited out the delay like champs.  In the video you can see me picking the ball up and immediately handing it to my Dad.  Kodak moment.

Well, I bring this up because during tonight’s game, a good buddy of mine took my brother, and D4L writer Dupree, to the Tigers game and they had some gnarly seats — 1st row, 1st base line, behind the tarp.  In the top of the 8th inning, Mike Jacobs pulled a 2-1 pitch right, smack dab, in the middle of the tarp where they were sitting.  Sure enough, since all my friends are the greatest athletes alive, my buddy retrieved the ball — with a little bobble.  Like Chip, this gentleman will be standing up at my wedding next summer (and no, catching a foul ball was not a pre-requisite).  Good people.

Here is a play-by-play:

Ball is on its way, and my buddy (in the white Cabrera jersey) puts himself in a nice parallel position with the ground, perpendicular to the tarp.

Before the ball gets too close, he puts his hand out. He was always kind of a stabber with that glove hand, so I’m actually amazed he displays great mechanics here. The Fernando Rodney tilt of the hat might come back to bite him in the ass, though, as it’s probably tough to see left with the tilt going in the same direction.  Meanwhile, big guy sitting with his arms crossed has no interest in this foul ball.

And sure enough the tilted hat affects his ability to field it cleanly.  He bobbles it as Dupree comes into the picture clearly for the first time (blue and white hat, too lazy to make a solid effort over the tarp).

He recovers nicely and makes the play.  Ball is secure in his left hand. Dupree and old high school friend my buddy found at the concessions stand and laugh. Everybody’s having a good time.

Everyone back to their seats, Brandon Lyon has a jam to pitch out of.  There’s Dupree again, still laughing.  Big guy still has his arms crossed and uninterested in Happy Youngsters chasing foul balls.   THE END.