The Baseball

by Zack Hample

  Right-handed batters often hit foul balls in this direction.

  •Step 2—This is the trickiest part. You have to pick the optimal level of seating, and in order to do that, you’ll need to make a judgment call. Basically, you don’t want to be so high up that balls won’t reach you, or so far down that the protective screen behind the plate will be in your way. At Rogers Centre, for example, the screen is so short that foul balls often shoot back into the last few rows of the field-level seats.1 Wrigley Field, on the other hand, has a tall screen and a low upper deck, so your best bet in that ballpark is to head upstairs.

  •Step 3—Find the spot that gives you the most range. Sit at the end of a row so you can drift up and down the steps, or better yet, if the stadium has a cross-aisle, stay near it so you can run left and right. Remember, lateral mobility is key.

  Once you’re in the perfect seat (or as close to it as you can get), it’s quite possible that a foul ball will come right to you. If that happens, great. Stick your glove up and think of me when you catch it—but it’s more likely that balls will fly in your general vicinity. Here are three things you can do to increase your chances of snagging them:

  Deflections—Foul balls behind the plate sometimes shoot back so fast that they bounce off people’s bare hands and deflect deeper into the crowd. Therefore, if a ball appears to be falling several rows short, don’t give up on it. Try to get directly in line with it and be ready to pounce.

  Rebounds—Don’t give up on balls that fly well over your head. They might bounce off something (like the facade of the press box) and ricochet back toward you. In fact, you should try to sit where it’s possible to snag a ball on the rebound because it’ll double your chances. Protip: when you first get to the section, take a look around and consider how balls will bounce off various surfaces. For example, if a ball hits a concrete wall, it’ll shoot back toward the field, but if it strikes a Plexiglas window, it’ll probably drop straight down.

  Stand up—If you can get away with standing somewhere, do it. You’ll get a quicker jump on the ball, and you’ll be able to cover much more ground. Be advised: you won’t be able to stand unless the section has a tunnel or a cross-aisle, and even then, the ushers might tell you to take a seat—but it’s worth a try.

  Do you remember the strategy from chapter 10 (“Batting Practice”) about positioning yourself differently for right- and left-handed batters? Well, depending on the architectural layout of the stadium, you might be able to move back and forth behind home plate during the game. That’s the real way to double your chances—to be in the best possible section no matter who’s at bat.

  Don’t worry if you can’t get into the seats behind the plate. There are several other solid options, starting with the areas that are marked with an “X” in the diagram on the right. The best thing about these spots is that anyone can hit a ball there. Let’s say you’re sitting near the “X” down the right-field line. Not only will right-handed batters slice balls in your direction, but lefties will be able to pull them toward you as well. See the arrows in the diagram? Even though foul balls can go anywhere when they’re hit to the opposite field, a reasonably high percentage of them travel in these general directions. This isn’t a strict rule. It’s just a guide, so don’t get too hung up on finding the perfect spot. Just make sure you stay at least 20 or 30 rows back—these balls tend to fly deep into the stands—and leave yourself some room to run.

  Another great way to catch foul balls is to scoop them up when they roll into foul territory—that is, if you’re able to grab a front-row seat where the wall is low enough. Whatever you do, don’t reach out of the stands and touch a ball that’s in play. Doing so will result in an automatic ejection, and you could really mess up the game. Try not to sit too close to the ballboys or ballgirls; they catch everything near them and hand the balls to little kids. (Of course, if you are a little kid—or if you’re with one—you should try to get as close to them as possible.)

  Read the middle paragraph on this page to make sense of this diagram.

  When security is lax and the stadium is half-empty, you might be tempted to stay on the move—but don’t overdo it. Running all over the place often backfires. If you’re not careful (or if you’re just unlucky), you’ll end up maneuvering yourself out of position. An effective strategy, therefore, is to stick with one spot and play the law of averages. If you sit in the same seat all day, all week, all month, all season, all decade, someone will eventually hit a ball there.

  It should go without saying that you need to pay attention—as soon as you look down to read a text from your best friend, the batter will inevitably hit a ball in your direction—but if you focus extra hard and analyze the game, you’ll know when foul balls are likely to be hit and you’ll be able to pounce much quicker. Why does a ball shoot back into the seats behind the plate? Because the batter swings too late and too low. Which batters are likely to do that? Power hitters who uppercut, pitchers who have slow bat speed, and left-handed slap hitters who typically aim for the opposite field.

  When a batter has a two-strike count, he’s more likely to swing late on a fastball because he has to guard against an off-speed pitch. The result? More foul balls. When a pitcher tops out in the mid-90s, his fastballs reach the plate quicker and cross the plate a bit higher. The result? You guessed it, more foul balls. And finally, when the manager calls for the hit-and-run play, the batter tries to swing late and poke a ground ball to the opposite field. The result? You get the point. Study the game. Learn the strategies. Consider the physics. Think like a manager. When you sense that a foul ball might be coming, scoot up onto the edge of your seat. Lean forward. Shift your weight to the balls of your feet. It really makes a difference.

  You know how a hot hitter will sometimes talk about the game appearing to slow down, almost as if everything is moving in slow-motion while he’s able to operate at full speed? If you attend enough games and keep all these strategies in mind, that’s how it’ll feel when a foul ball starts flying your way. From the instant that the ball leaves the bat, you’ll know it’s yours. It’ll feel like other fans are frozen in place, paralyzed by slow reflexes, as you glide into position and prepare for the catch.

  GAME HOME RUNS

  Snagging any type of game-used ball is exciting, but catching a home run is monumental. In addition to the intense adrenaline rush that you’ll experience, there’s the guarantee of being seen on TV, the chance of walking away with an incredibly valuable collector’s item, and the satisfaction that comes with owning a piece of baseball history. For the rest of your life, whenever you see the name of the batter who hit it, you’ll be able to take pride in having caught a ball that contributed to his statistics—not just his home run total, but also his at-bats, runs scored, RBIs, hits, batting average, slugging percentage, and so on.

  The toughest thing about catching home runs is that there aren’t many of them. Of course, when you see your favorite team getting pounded on TV, it’ll feel like there’s a homer plague, but when you’re sitting in the bleachers day after day, you’ll realize how rare they are. That said, there are times when the batter is prone to go deep, and if you look for all the clues, you’ll be prepared. Is he a power hitter? Is he ahead in the count and sitting on a fastball? Is the wind blowing out? Is the ballpark smaller than average? Does the pitcher belong in Triple A? Try to keep these things in mind, but don’t let them drive you crazy.

  The most important factor is your location in the stands, and guess what? You already know most of the strategies. Everything you read about home runs in chapter 10 applies to the game itself. The main difference is that the stadium will be much more crowded, so in order to run left and right you’ll probably have to take advantage of the cross-aisles and standing-room-only sections. Camden Yards has a huge standing-room-only section down the right-field line, and Progressive Field has one in left. If you’re at either of those ballparks, those are the places to be, but there are less obvious areas in other s
tadiums that’ll give you room to maneuver. Wrigley Field? Hang out on the walkway behind the bleachers down the right-field line. Dodger Stadium? Although you never see it on TV, there’s lots of room to run behind the outfield walls. Safeco Field? Try to get a ticket for the party deck (officially known as the “Budweiser Landing”) in left-center. Busch Stadium? There’s a sliver of standing room at the back of the cross-aisle behind the right-field bullpen. The list goes on and on. PETCO Park, PNC Park, AT&T Park, and Kauffman Stadium all have great places to stand, and you’ll read about them in chapter 13. In the meantime, here are three more things to consider when deciding where to position yourself for game home runs:

  Competition versus probability—Is it better to sit in a crowded section where home runs are plentiful or an empty section that only sees occasional action? It’s a matter of personal preference. My rule is: if a crowded section has a cross-aisle, I’ll be there. I don’t care how much competition there is as long as I can get up out of my seat and move. But if you’re not good at catching fly balls, then you’ll do better with empty seats all around you.

  The cutoff line—At most stadiums, when the attendance is below capacity, fans aren’t allowed to sit beyond a certain point in the stands. That point is called the “cutoff line,” and it’s usually enforced in remote sections where you wouldn’t want to sit anyway. Every now and then, however, when the attendance is abnormally low, the cutoff line will take effect on the field level—and when that happens, you need to be there. As soon as a ball lands in the empty seats, the race is on.

  Hit Tracker—There’s a website you need to know about called Hit Tracker (www.hittrackeronline.com). Go there immediately. The site charts all the home runs in the majors. It shows you exactly where they landed. It tells you how far they traveled. Just click on the name of any player or stadium and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

  The best place to catch home run balls at some stadiums might actually be outside the stadium. We’ve all seen highlights of balls sailing onto Waveland Avenue and splashing into McCovey Cove, and you know that homers often fly completely over the Green Monster, right? Those are the three best options in the majors, but it’s possible to snag baseballs outside several other stadiums. Do you remember all those balls that bounced into the Allegheny River during the 2006 Home Run Derby at PNC Park? Did you know that Adam Dunn once hit a 473-foot bomb that flew completely out of Miller Park?2 It’s even possible to get balls outside of Progressive and Target Fields, where homers that land in the standing-room-only sections down the lines often bounce all the way back to the gates.

  No matter where you are or how slim the odds might seem, you need to pick the right seat and plan your route to the ball. Take a look at the diagram on the top of the next page—an aerial view of the outfield stands—and I’ll show you what I mean.

  See the dark square? Let’s say that represents your ticketed seat, located in the middle of the second row. Should you actually sit there? Hell no, you’ll never be able to move, so here’s what to do. Look around at all the empty seats—those are the white squares—and move to the one that’ll give you the most room to run. It’s marked with a circle in the following diagram:

  Your new, unofficial seat is great for two reasons. First, it’s at the end of the row, so you’ll be able to move up and down the steps, and second, if a ball gets hit to your right, you’ll be able to do this:

  But wait, that’s not it. If you really study the section, you’ll be able to cover even more ground. Check it out:

  Yes, it’s possible to climb over a row of seats (while the ball is in midair) and continue running. You need to be agile, and it helps to be tall, but the key factor is preparedness. As soon as the batter makes contact, you need to start moving.

  Everything becomes much more intense when a player is on the verge of a major milestone. The chance to catch a million-dollar baseball brings out the worst in people. That’s the only way to describe it, but there are some specific things you can do to survive the chaos:

  Buy the right ticket—If the milestone is truly significant (and if the people who run the stadium know what they’re doing), security will clamp down and prohibit anyone from entering the bleachers who doesn’t belong there—so don’t be cheap. Spend a little extra money and buy a seat in the outfield.

  Practice during practice—Use your time wisely during BP to prepare for the big moment. Instead of running all over the place and trying to get the players to throw balls to you, stay in the outfield and focus on catching homers. Take extra care not to get hurt. Watch out for aggressive fans and don’t attempt any circus catches. You need to save yourself for the game.

  Look both ways—This is something you should always do, but it’s even more important when trying to catch a milestone home run: look around before every pitch to make sure your path is clear. If you’re sitting at the end of a row, turn around and make sure there’s not a vendor crouching behind you on the steps. If you’re sitting near a cross-aisle, glance left and right in case the ushers are standing nearby.

  Raise your hand—If you’re trapped with lots of other fans in a standing-room-only section, don’t keep your arms at your sides. You won’t be able to lift them if you get pinned against people in the crowd. Cross your arms in front of your chest and rest your glove on your shoulder. That way, no matter how packed it gets, you’ll at least be able to reach for the ball.

  Think positively—Don’t assume that you’re not going to get the ball. The odds might seem impossible, but you need to stay focused and truly believe that you’re going to catch it. I’m not talking about fate. I’m just telling you to jump up instinctively and start moving toward the ball as if the whole thing were scripted.

  Move with urgency—As soon as the batter makes contact, other fans are going to jump out of their seats in anticipation, even on a pop-up to the shortstop or a foul ball behind the plate. Everyone’s gonna be so geeked up that they’ll be flinching at the first sign of action—so you can imagine how they’ll react once they realize that the ball is actually flying in their direction. Other than running at full speed, the best thing you can do is to take nothing for granted. Fans will be closing in on the ball from all sides; even if it looks like you have a clear path, someone might appear out of nowhere and try to cut you off.

  Prepare for impact—As you’re getting ready to make the catch, expect other fans to be physical. Don’t wear a floppy glove. The ball might get knocked loose. Brace yourself and try to make the catch with both hands, but don’t reach up too soon or your arm might get yanked down.

  When you catch a milestone home run ball, don’t hold it up and celebrate because it might get ripped out of your hand. Keep the ball in your glove, squeeze it shut, pull it tight against your chest, and wrap your bare hand around it. Don’t let anyone else hold it or touch it. Other fans will ask. They’ll want to take pics. They’ll be persistent. Tell them no. Be rude if you have to. Keep your death-grip on the ball until you’re surrounded by stadium security.

  NICE CATCH! NOW WHAT?

  On average, roughly one of every 15 home runs is so important that the player or team will try to get the ball back. There’s not an official stat for this. It just seems to work out that way, and the ball might be meaningful for any number of reasons. It might be the batter’s first major league homer, or the 100th, 200th, or 250th of his career. It could be his first long ball with a new team or in a new league or in a new stadium. It might represent his 500th career hit or his 1,000th lifetime RBI. It could be the team’s 10th grand slam of the season or the 10,000th home run in franchise history. You never know—and sometimes the significance is totally personal. When Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks hit a seemingly ordinary homer on April 15, 2009, he sent a team representative into the stands to retrieve it. Why? Because Weeks is African American, and Major League Baseball was celebrating Jackie Robinson Day.

  If you catch a significant baseball, the first thing you should know is that MLB does
not have an official policy for getting it back from you. That task is left to the individual teams, and some handle it better than others. In most cases, the representative will start by offering you another piece of memorabilia for it—usually a ball signed by the player. If you think that’s fair (as many fans do), then go ahead and make the trade. The player will appreciate it, and you’ll have a special item to add to your collection. If, however, you feel that your home run ball is worth more—emotionally or financially—than what’s being offered in exchange, you have every right to ask for something else or to simply say no. That’s what happened with the Weeks homer. The rep made a lousy offer, and the fan decided to keep it. That’s how these things work. Nobody owes anybody anything, so go with your gut.

  What’s the “right thing” to do? It depends on who you ask, and sometimes there’s just not an answer. When Mark McGwire hit his 62nd home run in 1998 to break Roger Maris’s single-season record, the ball was grabbed by Tim Forneris, a Cardinals groundskeeper, who returned it. No questions asked. Just like that. One week later, when McGwire connected on number 63, a fan named John Grass made the catch and requested the following: three signed bats, three signed caps, three signed gloves, three signed balls, three signed photographs, five signed jerseys (including two from Stan Musial), two signed jackets, four season tickets, four round-trip plane tickets to the Cardinals’ Spring Training home in Jupiter, Florida, along with hotel accommodations for a week, the honor of throwing out a ceremonial first pitch with his son at Busch Stadium, and an additional signed ball and bat for every member of his family.