Baseballs in the stands? To keep or give away

A lot has been made of the scene Wednesday night in Arlington where a couple caught a ball tossed into the stands by Mitch Moreland, seemingly stealing it from a little boy, who ended up in tears.

The couple has gone to the press to say that they didn’t see the little boy. Someone from the Rangers dugout saw the crying kid and tossed him a ball, which seems to mean that everyone left happy, but it does bring up an interesting question:

Is there etiquette for baseballs that enter the stands?

It seems to be a general consensus that there’s a difference between a ball tossed into the stands by a player and foul balls. Players usually target children when they soft-toss into the stands, meaning no adult should ever steal that away. Foul balls, however, are fair game.

But there are some that are saying any adult that catches any baseball in the stands should be handing it off to a child near them.

And frankly, that makes me a little angry.

I’ve never caught or been tossed a baseball and dammit, if I do, I’m keeping that sucker. Don’t boo me, don’t judge me – that ball means as much to me as it would to that kid. I’d put it in a place of honor in our (wo)man room. My parents didn’t introduce me to baseball as a kid – I never got the opportunity to get a ball as a child. I’d be frickin’ ecstatic over that ball and I’m not sure why I should have to give that up. Of course, that only accounts for the first ball. I’m not greedy. If I were ever lucky enough to get a second or third ball, those would, of course, go to kids around me.

Certainly I don’t mean taking a ball from a child, or pushing, shoving or trampling anyone in order to get said ball. But if I’m lucky enough to catch one of those suckers, I shouldn’t be shamed into giving it up.

The scene in Arlington is especially interesting because the child kind of had a tantrum both before and after he didn’t receive the ball. There’s an argument to be made that the kid shouldn’t have gotten a ball just because he was crying – that’s certainly not the type of behavior I’d want to reinforce in my children.

Is there also an argument to be made that at three years old, he’d never remember the incident and wouldn’t be interested in the ball in a few weeks, whereas the couple was clearly thrilled and catching the ball was a highlight for them – they immediately started taking pictures with the ball?

So clearly I’m a selfish, no-kid having bastard, but what do you all think?

I gave up watching “30 Rock” for this? The 2012 NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft

Phil Kessel, last year's whipping boy (Photo: Getty Images)

Last year’s NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft was new and fun to watch! This year’s draft was missing the charm of Ovi and his cell phone, and the embarrassment of watching Phil Kessel get drafted last. Oh, but that doesn’t mean Leafs fans didn’t get a few kicks in the crotch! Here’s a quick rundown of what you may have missed:

I Was There: Opening Day Edition

On a beautiful April day in Cleveland, Ohio I had the privilege and fortune of attending my very first opening day.   The fans in their new team gear, the smell of grilling flesh, the way the afternoon sun sparkles on the fresh outfield – I could not have been happier.  Apparently, this was the first time in years where the city of Cleveland wasn’t covered in snow for opening day, so I feel rather like a good luck charm!

Immediately I was reminded of a very simple truth – there is nowhere on the planet I’d rather be between the months of April and October – than a baseball stadium.

I was also reminded of a few not so beautiful things about baseball season, and that’s what I’ll be sharing here.

Confessions of a Frustrated Fan

Two Baltimore Heroes: Eddie & Cal

When it comes to being a sports fan, I have ridden the roller coaster of emotions. I have been privileged to experience the ultimate highs and humbled to have experienced the extreme lows.  Recently, I’ve been forced to take inventory of my sports emotions, so to speak.

As most of you already know, I was born and raised in Baltimore in the early 80s.  My first sports love was the Baltimore Orioles.  When I was a little over 1-year-old, my O’s won the World Series.  That was the last time my beloved franchise was blessed with a title.  Of course, I don’t remember the sweet taste of victory, but I did experience it.  My mom-mom packed up my little self, hopped on a bus and took me downtown for the victory parade.  I have a photo of me in my little stroller, waving my World Series pennant with the parade passing in the background.  What I wouldn’t give to recreate that moment.  Let’s just hope I don’t have to wait until that stroller turns into a wheelchair!

Let’s not forget that until I was a sophomore in college, I had never seen a baseball game that didn’t have Cal Ripken, Jr. playing in it.  I wouldn’t say that the Orioles spoiled me, though.  We were good during my formative sports fan years, but all good things must come to an end.  Personally, I don’t think we’ll ever win until someone finally exacts revenge on that Jeffrey Maier kid. Hate him. While I have come to expect disappointment from the Orioles, I’m having a harder time coming to terms with my other teams.

I love New York. I hate the Yankees.

It’s rivalry week here at Chez Sox. I’ve had the Sox v. Yanks games on, and have been alternately shouting and laughing at my TV. Everything that could possibly be picked up and thrown has been taken away from me, and the husband has been banished to his computer to listen to his big rivalry games, the Phils and the Mets. Suck it, New York, more or less.

I was going to write this big, magnanimous post about rivalries and how they’re good for the sport and good for the fanbase because a rivalry gives even the most casual fan something to talk about. I was going to be the bigger person and say that my mom is right (and not completely insane) when she says that she kind of likes the Yankees, because Sox/Yanks games are just bigger than the other 144 games for those of us who list our home address firmly in Red Sox Nation.

I was going to do all of that bigger person-type stuff, but the idea of saying anything nice about the Yankees fills me with utter, utter revulsion. I don’t have it in me. I can’t do it.

Take Us Out to the Ball Game: The Ladies…do New Yankee Stadium

New Yankee Stadium has been open for almost two months now, but I finally got to see it for myself this week. I was at the game Tuesday and Wednesday. I wasn’t happy when I first found out that they would closing down old Yankee Stadium and building a new one. But by this time I had pretty much come to terms with it. There was a new stadium whether I liked it or not. However, it was still really strange at first getting off the 4 train going to see the Yankees and it was at a different venue. I saw the Yankees play at the same place for the last 18 years. It was sad seeing the ballpark I ever saw my first game at looking like an empty, abandoned construction site. But enough about old Yankee Stadium. How about the new Stadium that cost a boat load of money to build

Don’t Be That Fan

So I went to a baseball game last weekend and I realized something. While the majority of fans are cool and well behaved, obnoxious fans are inescapable. And they come in all shapes and sizes. They are the people that make you wonder, why are they even here? Baseball tickets are not cheap. Why come if you’re not even going to be caring about the game?

So I decided to make a little compilation of some of the fans you want to avoid while at the game, and the fans that you definitely do not want to be.

Little note about the pic choice: I have nothing against the Rays or their fans. But come on, I don’t think anyone needs to be told that is not a good look. The cowbell is bad enough but if I got stuck behind that fro, I would flip.

Rivalry – Why Vie So Hard?

Team rivalry. Seemingly nothing wrong with it, and actually it’s abnormal to not have some friendly competition and strive a bit harder to win against a certain team more than others. Maybe it’s two cities that battle in more ways than sports, maybe it comes about from a trade that develops a grudge, or maybe it’s something rooted in history that carries itself over 100 years of one the most well known and deepest hates – the Yankees and the Red Sox. But why are some rivalries the way they are today, why carry on the tradition of hate throughout generations, and why hate so hard?

Down & Out-Douchebagged: The Whole Story

Last night was better. Obviously the onfield action wasn’t a high point, but the situation in the stands was much improved from the Disaster That Was Game Three. Texas Gal and I got what we expected as visiting fans, what we wanted all along–the right to root, root, root for the Red Sox without being cursed at, harassed, and treated like we’d committed some unforgivable, anti-Ohio sin like saying Drew Carey isn’t funny or that Bob Evans gives us diarrhea.

That said, I would like to thank everyone who let us just be Sox fans, who let us cheer and let us mourn without criticizing us for either one. Thank you to every Indians supporter who did nothing more than shout loudly for their team, a strong team that played another great game in what has been a magical season. That’s what we tried to do too.

Boston fans out-douchebagged. Film at 11.

Resident Boston Red Sox fans Texas Gal and GordonShumway were lucky enough to be at the game at The Jake last night where they were booed, heckled, had bottles thrown at them, and were almost removed by security when they attempted to defend themselves. Texas Gal’s quote of, “Fuck this town. Fuck their team. Fuck these people. I went BY MYSELF to Yankee Stadium and got disrespected a hell of a lot less”, does not reflect well of your fans.

The girls will fill you in on all the details later (with some new tales from tonight I suspect) but in the meanwhile, City of Cleveland, i.e. THE MISTAKE ON THE LAKE, you have now brought the wrath of all eight of us into focus in one location. You fuck with one of us, and we will defend her. You fuck with two of us, gals get twitchy and start looking at departing flights out of LAX and Mapquest routes from Philly and New Jersey.

I know it has been 10 years since you’ve last won the AL Pennant, but show some respect and act like you’ve been there before.

Or as SA wisely said, “Just because your team is in the playoffs doesn’t mean you can act like an asshole.”