Running 2017 MLB regular season thread

Paying it forward. Someone picked me up on Manny Mota today.

 

I was at the game, sitting down the line behind third base. The batter hit a ball that went foul and ricocheted off the side wall to Hamilton, who picked it up and tossed it to the guy, who was hanging over the waist-high rail in the left field stands.

He fell over and behind the scoreboard, back in the area where workers go to change lightbulbs, etc. We couldn't see him, but could see the emergency personnel going back there to tend to him and eventually taking him out via stretcher.

It was early in the game when it happened; maybe the first or second inning. I remember later asking a security guard in our section if they had an update on him, and he said "they think he's going to be OK." But he had a heart attack in the ambulance and died. We didn't learn he'd died til we got back to the hotel and checked the internet (this was in 2011, when smartphone web-surfing/social media was still clunky).

Worst part was the guy was at the game alone with his young son, who was maybe about 6 or 7. Total strangers had to look after the kid until someone thought to go retrieve him (they were from a town a couple of hours away, if I recall correctly).

As for Hamilton, this happened in July of 2011. The following year he hit .285/.354/.577 with 43 homers and 128 RBIs, so I don't think you can say the incident ruined his career.

 

I specifically meant by batted balls, which was the topic of discussion. I should have been clearer. I'll edit the post.

 

Sigh ... I reallllllly hate to do this, but.....

You are responding to an imaginary post.

 

That's you telling MLB to tell people not to bring small kids to those seats.

 

I don't know ... I understand that strategy has been quite the hit among restaurants catering to the Millennial/Greater Brooklyn segment of the market.

 

No, it isn't.

 

MLB should put up a net. Reasonable risk:reward analysis should tell parents not to bring small children into those seats

 

I hate to say it, but I have to agree with LTL on this one. Your position is not a friendly one to people bringing small children to the games and that doesn't seem like a wise approach for MLB.

 

Spike Scioscia's Gatorade with truth serum and ask: If you had a No. 3-4 hitter with the same stats but was not named Pujols, would he still be your No. 3-4 hitter?
I'd say absolutely not.

 

Just spike his Gatorade with fentanyl.

 

JFC, that poor kid, scarred for life.