The fan(s) definitely hit Mookie’s glove, the issue is whether his glove was past the fence or still in the field of play. If it is past the fence and out of the field of play, it is fair game for a fan to try to grab it, even if it interferes with the fielder. If the glove is over the field, it’s interference.
There isn’t a good enough replay to show definitively where his glove was, so they couldn’t overturn the call. Really tough break for the Astros, it could have gone either way.
^ exactly right. Kind of a strange rule as a fielder can (and have) made many a catch over the fence. They need to change that rule. I’ve seen guys reach over the fence and into (and actually fall into) the bullpen and make the catch. Difference being no fans involved.
It’s not so much late games as almost 5 hour games. So many pitching changes. Bases loaded several times a games. Reviews of plays. Last night’s game started at 6:30 here but didn’t end until almost 11:30
And of course then there is the 1 hour plus cooling off period before I can sleep.
One interesting note in the homer/no homer controversy is that it largely came down to the ruling made on the field. Because the video was not clear enough to offer conclusive evidence either way the ruling on the field stood. Had the ref made the opposite call in the moment-that it was a home run-it’s doubtful that that ruling would have been overturned either.
Are those the only two choices? What if Betts had jumped to make the catch, with his glove over the wall, and failed to make the catch without fan interference, but the ball hit his glove and landed in the field of play? Is that a home run, or a ball in play? My understanding of the rules is that’s a ball in play, not a home run. Would (lawful) fan interference causing the missed catch change the answer, i.e. convert a ball that would be a double or triple without fan interference into a home run? That would be bizarre.
So there were three possible calls:
– Fan interference in the field of play = an out.
– Fan interference outside the field of play, ball hits player and lands in field of play = ball in play called dead by the umpire, no out, everyone stays where they were (i.e., second and third).
– Fan interference outside the field of play, ball hits fan and lands in field of play = home run.
I’ve seen sooo many pics from several angles and it is pretty clear to me that his glove wasn’t even in the stands. The fans were reaching over into the field of play, or at the very least the vertical line of the fence. Mookie Betts wasn’t at the wall. He was very clearly two or three feet in front of it with his arm / glove reaching backwards. The fans (all three of them) had there bellies pressed up against their side of the fence and were reaching both forward and sideways. Of course the umpire doesn’t have the benefit of slowing it down like that but he immediately made the right call on the field.
Fans should have been ejected. That’s what’s supposed to happen when they interfere.
Very unfortunate when fans get involved in pivotal plays. An elite athlete will do whatever it takes to get to a ball.
Just like in the olden days, the play is called as it is happening, and stick with that. No need for that newfangled technology.
Another trip to the World Series!!! Go Red Sox!! David Price got it done in the post season.
Want to see a Red Sox-Dodgers World Series. Going the full 7 games with the Sox winning it all…
S was born in '99. He thinks Red Sox and World Series are synonymous. Used to think that of the Gators and football excellence with Tebow. He knows the history but he can’t really appreciate how excited his grandma and I am. Nothing will beat '04 but this is a special team and very cool.
He was only 5 in '04 but remembers every pitch. Didn’t know why Grandma was crying!
As we watched the Sox-Astros game last night my college-age daughter was reminiscing about how after the Sox’s 2004 midnight win over the Yankees our whole normally quiet suburban neighborhood partied in the streets. 
I don’t think she’d ever stayed up that late, nor had she ever seen a group of adults so unabashedly excited.
What a start to the game tonight! Lots of hits already.
And 5 rings for the Patriots, fairly good Celtics and Bruins. Oh, those kids have not suffered!
Weird stat of the day:
In the 12 World Series from 2006 to 2017, the losing team has averaged 2.25 more days of rest. Since 2006, the team with more rest has only won once.
From 1985 (when the LCS became a 7 game series) to 2005, the team with more rest went 15-2.
David Price is my favorite baseball player and he does so much for Vanderbilt and his hometown in the Nashville area. He’s a great person and athlete. I’m SO glad he finally had his “time” in the post-season.
^ He seems like a good person. He’s had a tough time in Boston. Players need a certain personality to succeed under that microscope. He’s just so laid back. Fans have been on him for a while. last game might changed that. If he continues to pitch well in high leverage situations, they’ll love him. Time for him to go on a run. Would love to see two quality starts in the WS.
MOWC—good to know that he’s a good guy. My Red Sox obsessed H goes nuts when Price’s pitching is off. H has unkind words for Price. This little tidbit of information may calm him down.
I agree with MOWC about David Price. In his short, and successful, time in Toronto with the Jays, he was beloved. A truly nice human being who did a lot in the community.
Just popping in to cheer for the Dodgers and wish them well. Also, you have to love that their starting pitcher, Walker Buehler was drafted by the Pirates out of high school, but said no thanks and went to Vanderbilt, where he went on to pitch in the College World Series. Win or lose, it has been a fun October! \m/