The fan did NOT cost the cubs.

[Rooktoven]

I'll start by saying that I thought at the time it looked like sad destiny, BUT---

If Gonzales fields the ball it's a double play that ends the inning. Cubs up 3-1. We don't even know if Alou would have held on (probably, but who knows?). The point is, the Cubs let it rattle them. A team determined to win will shake that off. To blame a fan for one out and costing the pennant is strictly "bush"-league. Yeah, he was over exuberant and not thinking clearly, but a foul ball came his way. Do any of you mean to say you wouldn't have tried to catch it?

I don't tink he saw Alou, and he also wasn't the only one trying to catch it. I think to castigate a guy who probably feels worse than he should, is kind of stupid.

For god's sake, they have another game to play. You have to love the attitude of those who point fingers and quit while there is still a game to be played.

[Langis]

1. All I know is

I would not want to be that fan right now.

[7th_Sephiroth]

2. prolly got hailed to a security office

and beaten mercielessly, expect to hear he either disappeared, or he's suing cause of the beating

[E_Zapata]

3. I just watched the replay of that on the news,

and that little fan.....what a doofus.

He should be beat to a pulp.

He did too SEE the player and the mit coming up for it.

[VermontDem2004]

6. beat to a pulp?

Do you take sports that seriously that you would like to see someone who didn't commit no crime, didn't hurt anyone, or didn't kill anyone beat to a pulp? How the hell do you allow 8 runs an a inning, I can understand in regular season play but the NLCS?

[7th_Sephiroth]

9. remember the arizona/ny world series

arizona had something like 30 runs.

[VermontDem2004]

10. Yes I do

[Awsi Dooger]

4. Why not blame the Wrigley architect?

Design a lower seating area, and I'm sure the leftfielder could have outjumped the kid for the ball.

Gad, I'm actually contributing(?) to a thread about baseball, an activity I loathe. Not that I watched the game, but every sports and news show has insisted on showing that beer drenched kid for hours.

[Dookus]

7. I'm afraid I have to agree..

I'm not a big baseball fan, but I really AM rooting for the cubs.

I even watched the game tonight (and if you knew me, you'd know how rare that is!)

But the kid didn't cost them the game. The ball was foul, and it was in the stands. A LOT of people tried to catch it. It's possible that it could've been caught, but I think there were a few MUCH bigger factors that lost the game.

One foul ball doesn't equal 8 runs in one inning.

[VermontDem2004]

8. You HAVE to feel for the 26 year old man

He was escorted out of the stadium because other fans were hurling beers at him. I am ashamed and disappointed other DUers are calling him an idiot, a doofus, and many other names.

[underpants]

12. The Firefighter sitting next to him has gotten 50 hate calls already

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=231014116

Chicago fire fighter Pat Looney was seated next to the fan, whose identity was not released, and said there was no misconduct.


"It looked like it was out of play. Don't blame him," Looney said. "I should've pushed him out of the way. If I saw Alou coming, I would have.


"He wasn't leaning over. He was behind the rail, he didn't know Alou was coming," he said. "It looks like I touched the ball, but I didn't. I got 50 hate calls already. The firehouse where I work is being bombarded."

[NewYorkerfromMass]

14. If it had been Fenway the fans would have let the Sox player catch it

nt

[VermontDem2004]

5. I agree

The Kid did not score 8 runs in the inning, I am actually starting to believe in the curse.

[HuckleB]

16. Yes, but...

Alou catches that ball and Gonzales makes the play, and they score one run tops. A second out would have been huge at that point.

But, of course, it doesn't matter now, and the guy should not be the new goat. I hope Kerry Wood and the Cubs save him from eternal Chicago damnation today.

[IndianaGreen]

20. The media has already crowned the stupid fan as the new goat

and for years to come, particularly if the Cubs lose to day, we will be seen that replay over and over again.

[HuckleB]

21. It sells! It's a tabloid paper's wet dream!

I sure hope Wood and the Cubs come through today, for a number of reasons. But, now, one of them is to save that guy!

[VermontDem2004]

11. Count

How many fans are reaching for the foul ball?

[HuckleB]

18. One thing to note, however.

As my wife pointed out, they are behind him and off the field. Most people in these seats right next to the field know better. Cleary he just got too excited. It was a mistake. It's over. On to game seven.

[Spirochete]

13. Not that there's much similarity...

but that incident reminds me of a NLCS game in Philadelphia in 1983.
A Dodger player hit a pop foul to the left side. Mike Schmidt ran over to the fence, stuck his glove in, and came out with the ball. The umps ruled it a catch, and Tommy Lasorda went ballistic. I think he might have ended up getting tossed - I don't remember. But the replay showed a fan catching the ball, and putting it into Schmidt's glove. He wouldn't have been able to catch it otherwise. Dunno why I'm reminded of that play, but I am.

[HuckleB]

15. Clearly, there are no absolutes.

There's no way to know if Alou would have caught it. There's no way to know if it affected the way Prior pitched afterward, though it should not have. There's no way to know if it affected Gonzales on the field, though it should not have. And it doesn't matter anymore.

Today is game seven. THAT is what matters NOW!

[ArkDem]

17. I just can't IMAGINE a fan trying to catch a foul ball

at a baseball game. Perish the thought. The Cubs are meant to lose.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

19. Google News: "Cubs Fan" = 3,010 hits

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&edition=us&q=CUbs+fan&btnG=Search+News