Jeffrey Maier...Steve Bartman...Troy Caldwell.
There will be more, you can be sure of that. It's just human nature to try to catch a ball coming toward you.
Fan interference controversies in baseball could easily be prevented if they there was some sort of buffer zone between the walls and the first row of seats. There's no interference in other sports. Why doesn't MLB do something? Presumably because it would cost $$$
I'm sure money is a big part of why MLB hasn't done something about it.Originally Posted by Bellhorn04
That said, there's no interference in other sports because baseball is unique to fan interference, isn't it? For several reasons, IMO. You don't have players trying to hit, kick, etc. the ball out of the field of play in other sports, like batters hitting home runs. In other sports, I believe that once the ball is off the field of play, or out of bounds, it's a dead ball. Not the case with baseball.
That's true. But I think baseball is also the only major sport where fans can literally lean over the field of play. Which makes it a great experience for any fans sitting in those seats.
It's been clearly demonstrated over time that fans at major league parks are going to grab for balls that are within reach - they are going to interfere at times.
So controversies like last night's will happen again - you can count on it.
I have no argument here. Part of the fan experience is trying to grab a foul ball or a home run ball. Fans are going to grab for those balls.
I don't know if there's an easy solution with the way the stadiums are built.
They could also have netting or some such thing. Probably not Plexiglas like they use in hockey, though.
Some might say this would be all about making the game fairer and easier to officiate, but at the expense of the fans. To which I would say, tell that to Steve Bartman.
All I know is that my biggest takeaway from last night (and the night before) is that Joe West is one hell of an umpire.
I say - cover the ball with tacks so fans don't want to catch it.
Or spread some myth like "catching baseballs in the stands is the leading cause of HPV and divorce"...
How about making the top of the walls 4 feet thick, with a small plexi glass riser on the fan side of it to prevent any yahoos from climbing onto it?
This would not only prevent fan interference, but it would keep players from tumbling into the stands.
See, they could do things like this. It just seems lazy to me not to try to address it.
The other big head-scratcher for me for years has been the right-field bullpen wall in Fenway. It's a menace. If you run into that thing full speed you could be seriously injured.
You've got Mookie Betts playing out there, a superstar with a future value in the hundreds of millions. Maybe a little extra padding or something would be an idea.
They added CF padding after Lynn broke his back out there.
Is it going to take Betts breaking something to make a change there?
i am against plexi or netting. they got this call right. 100% Mook catches that ball and he proved it the very next night. in fact, i am against the new netting they put up along the base lines.
other names i have posted under: none
Some of that was for fan safety with those dangerous maple bats...
MLB should set up a task force to study this, lead by Zack Hample.
Priorities:
1. Yankees lose
2. Red Sox win
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