A’s @ Astros - April 29, 2018

[hostros7]

Because the game zone doesn’t take off days.

The Astros are up 3-2 heading to the bottom of the 6th. Cole has fanned 11.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[austro]

This just has the feel of a game that we should be winning handily, but somehow we're tied..

[MusicMan]

Brian McCann scored from first on a double. Nothing is real any more.

5-3 Astros, still bottom 7.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[MRaup]

This just has the feel of a game that we should be winning handily, but somehow we're tied..

What an absolutely bananas series of events to score runs 4 and 5.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Loved the shot of Springer directing McCann to the inside, then the patented Springer jump spin celebration.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Statcast on McCann's mad dash:

23.6 feet/s
12.39 seconds 1st to third

Meanwhile Altuve blasts one between short and 3rd allowing Jake to trot home at a leisurely pace.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

The Rocket are doing pretty good. 64-39 at the half.

[austro]

Joe Smith is not giving me a lot of confidence.

[Texifornia]

Joe Smith is not giving me a lot of confidence.

None at all.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Joe Smith is not giving me a lot of confidence.

Well, he didn't give up but one hit.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Some retro GZ talking points:

-1 walk surrendered by Astros pitching in 3 games
- the Stassi out by fan interference: tough luck on the ejection.  The dude stood up elbows by his body and didn't lean toward the playing field.  Clearly interference,  but hopefully they just moved him
-Cole is off to an acceptable start as an Astro
- good to see McCann continue the pop up as offensive weapon strategy
-nice safety squeeze executed by Altuve
- Marwin had a sweet 4-3 dp with runners on the corners/no out.  Snared the ball on a short hop,  stepped on the bag,  looked the runner back to third,  and fired to 1st.
- finally, McCann 1st to home

FTY

[Aussie Astro]

The Rocket are doing pretty good. 64-39 at the half.

I thought I would wake up in time to see the last bit of the baseball and the Rockets but the Astros game was a quick one.

[homer]

They let the fan back in a couple of innings later.

[The Spleen]

They let the fan back in a couple of innings later.

He stood up straight, didn't lean forward and caught the ball against his chest. I suppose the "legal" action for him was to keep his hands at his sides and hope the outfielder saves him from getting hit in the nuts. If a play like that is fan interference, it means the seating area is poorly designed.

[HudsonHawk]

He stood up straight, didn't lean forward and caught the ball against his chest. I suppose the "legal" action for him was to keep his hands at his sides and hope the outfielder saves him from getting hit in the nuts. If a play like that is fan interference, it means the seating area is poorly designed.

I missed it, but unless the fan reaches into the field of play, it's not interference.  What exactly happened?

[The Spleen]

Stassi hit a mile high fly ball to deep right. The A's right fielder was waiting for it at the fence, but a fan in the front row made a basket catch. His hands may have been a foot or two inside the top of the fence (hard to tell from the video). The fielder immediately called for interference and the umpire gave it to him. HR waved off, out.

If somebody in the front row, reacting naturally to a ball that appears to be coming right at him, can interfere without leaning in or even fully extending his arms, those seats are too close to the field.

EDIT: The second angle in the video below shows his hands a foot or more over the top of the fence. But he could literally touch the top of the fence from his seat, which seems silly.

[homer]

https://www.mlb.com/astros/video/stassi-out-on-fan-interference/c-1989158783

[HudsonHawk]

Stassi hit a mile high fly ball to deep right. The A's right fielder was waiting for it at the fence, but a fan in the front row made a basket catch. His hands may have been a foot or two inside the top of the fence (hard to tell from the video). The fielder immediately called for interference and the umpire gave it to him. HR waved off, out.

If somebody in the front row, reacting naturally to a ball that appears to be coming right at him, can interfere without leaning in or even fully extending his arms, those seats are too close to the field.

So the rule is the spectator cannot reach over into the field of play.  There's an imaginary wall that extends from the top of the fence upward, and if the spectator breaks that plane and interferes with a fielder or touches a ball, it's interference.  If the fielder breaks that plane and reaches into the stands, he does so at his own risk and no interference, even if he could otherwise easily make a catch.

After watching the replay, the fan clearly leaned out (he even leaned in front of the guy sitting next to him) and I think it's pretty clear he reached over breaking that imaginary wall.  I don't think the ball would have even been over the fence.  I think it was the right call.   

[MRaup]

https://www.mlb.com/astros/video/stassi-out-on-fan-interference/c-1989158783

Wow, the A's commentators are cocksuckers. That was some really bitchy, shitty commentary.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Wow, the A's commentators are cocksuckers. That was some really bitchy, shitty commentary.

"Anything that's close in the Astros favor they show the replay, but in this case they're not. "

I believe that's Ray Fosse enlightening us with that but if douchebaggery.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

I think everyone agrees the umps got the call right.

To me the fans actions weren't egregious.  Glad he got to come back to his seat. 

Wonder if the ushers counsel fans there about breaking the plane/principle of verticality.

[Aussie Astro]

I think everyone agrees the umps got the call right.

To me the fans actions weren't egregious.  Glad he got to come back to his seat. 

Wonder if the ushers counsel fans there about breaking the plane/principle of verticality.

I wouldn't have let him back in unless he promised to keep his fuckin' pants hitched up.

[JimR]

So the rule is the spectator cannot reach over into the field of play.  There's an imaginary wall that extends from the top of the fence upward, and if the spectator breaks that plane and interferes with a fielder or touches a ball, it's interference.  If the fielder breaks that plane and reaches into the stands, he does so at his own risk and no interference, even if he could otherwise easily make a catch.

After watching the replay, the fan clearly leaned out (he even leaned in front of the guy sitting next to him) and I think it's pretty clear he reached over breaking that imaginary wall.  I don't think the ball would have even been over the fence.  I think it was the right call.

Whether he or the OFer broke the plane was hard to tell, but the fan clearly touched the OFer’s glove.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Another fun moment:

Blummer stumbled over the phrase "shift situation" to comedic effect

[WVastro]

Another fun moment:

Blummer stumbled over the phrase "shift situation" to comedic effect

Trailer Park Boys?

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Trailer Park Boys?

You just opened Pandora's shit-box.