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Jul
29
2009
One of the most impressive fan catches of all-time
Posted by at 10:00 am ET 69 Comments

BabyCatch

If you weren’t watching the Phillies game last night like you should’ve been, you missed out on perhaps one of the greatest foul ball catches in the history of foul ball catches.

At the start of the Fightins 2-run fifth inning last night, Carlos Ruiz led off against D-back’s ace Dan Haren and fouled a 1-1 pitch back into the stands.  An attentive Arizona fan was in a great position to snag the ball, and threw up his left arm and picked it out of the air.

Now, I know what you’re thinking — what’s so impressive about that, meech? 

Fair enough.

But what if I told you he made the catch while HOLDING A FRICKIN LITTLE KID IN HIS RIGHT HAND?

I got your attention now, don’t I, you cynical prick?

Without exaggeration, his catch was a more impressive defensive play than anything the Arizona Diamondbacks have done over the past two games.  So much so, that a D-backs announcer approached Shane (that’s the guy’s name, Shane.  He coaches baseball for Mesquite High in Gilbert, AZ) and offered him a mock contract.  Actually, if you wanna get technical, I think the kid not dropping that 64 oz. bucket of soda with those tiny paws of his was more impressive than anything the Diamondbacks have done the past two days.

Good on ya, Shane.

If you wanna check it out, you’ll have to click the hyperlinked ‘Read more »’ directly below this sentence.

      
  • Air Gold-Super Agent

    Why is Scott Eyre in the stands?

  • Phatty

    That would be even more amazing if the girl at the end showed her tits.

  • Mattaleao

    I’m not sure if you guys have ever watched a D-Back broadcast before, but Mark Grace is literally the worst color commentator of all time, and the biggest homer ever. If you have mlb.tv I recommend catching a broadcast, it’s laughable.

  • theKrisheim

    that guy totally went home after the game and watched old UFC fights on his tivo

    i love when we play AZ, their announcers are insane, Grace is like a drunk sarge, 24/7

    last year’s pool broadcast, this year’s obsession with “red heads” (two games, still dont understand what they are talking about), the constant showing fans in the stands with custom signs made just for mark grace, and last night’s in depth conversation about spinal tap

  • http://www.sports-boards.net ill

    I will give you one thing, meech…

    You have a very horny following here at theFightins.

    Seriously, I don’t even know how this could somehow be tied to boobs, but then here’s Phatty delivering the goods. Incredible. Does that kinda thing happen to you often? Women just get the urge to let the girls breathe for a brief second when you are watching? If so, congrats.

  • crickwooder

    that’s awesome right there, I don’t care who you are. I can barely drink my own soda while juggling a baby.

  • http://kingsofwrestling.net/smf/index.php HummerX

    didnt this happen like, 2 days ago at some other game? i wanna say it was a cubs game…but idk

  • http://www.buyingachampionship.com Bronx Bomber

    One thing is for certain; that guy catches foul balls better than Brad Lidge closes games.

  • http://kingsofwrestling.net/smf/index.php HummerX

    not this specific incident, of course. but i swear this happened, thus making this guy a copycat. i bet its not even his child

  • Brandon

    @Hummer: They showed a guy on espn making a catch while holding his baby. Personally i think this was better. And that other guy’s baby started crying after he caught it.

  • http://www.thefightins.com meech.one

    I will give you one thing, meech…

    You have a very horny following here at theFightins.

    Uhhhh, thanks?

  • http://60and6.wordpress.com 85 (60and6.wordpress.com)

    @Hummer: Yeah it just happened somewhere else, but that guy caught the ball after it bounced off the steps. This was a sick grab, full extension and everything. Bad ass.

  • http://www.thefightins.com meech.one

    Hey, everyone. Clearly, I wrote ONE OF the most impressive catches whilst holding a baby. If you prefer the other catch with a baby being held, feel free to find a blog that posted about it and talk about how awesome it was on that site.

    I know how sensitive people are when it comes to hyperbole (some of us still enjoy exaggerating), but in this particular case I saved myself from ridicule by using the qualifier “one of”.

    Thank you.

  • http://60and6.wordpress.com 85 (60and6.wordpress.com)

    Carlos Carrasco scratched from his start today. EVERYBODY FREAK OUT!

  • scrapple joe

    Nice snag, love how the kid just keeps holding that jug of coke. Im still without a foul ball or home run ball in my life, and I have a 17 game plan in section 106 row 3, right field. Had a few next to me and couple rows in front and behind.

  • Ray

    cliff lee is about to be a phillie

  • http://www.twitter.com/underthebridge1 Walklett

    If only Michael Jackson did something cool, like catch a baseball, while dangling his kid over the balcony railing there would’ve been zero controversy.

    BEST CATCH EVER IN THE HISTORY OF PEOPLE CATCHING THINGS!

  • Beebs

    I’m not trying to nitpick b/c I love the site, but that catch was shown on the CSN broadcast, and the kid isn’t a baby.

  • SJ

    Even if it isn’t a baby, more points for difficulty with the heavier kid, and deduction for less of a risk factor.

  • http://www.thefightins.com meech.one

    Beebs, that is an EGREGIOUS error on my part. I don’t know how I missed it on Comcast, but I’m about to cut it and switch videos. And I guess when I edit the post to fix my mistake, I’ll call Gunner (that’s the kid’s name, Gunner) a kid.

    And I appreciate nit-picking.

  • WB-Tony

    @85 (60and6.wordpress.com)
    Yeah, and according to Zolecki so have Donald and Marson… is something going down?

  • Brandon

    Something is definitely going down.
    http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4363553.
    If they can keep Taylor, Brown and Drabek and get Lee I’d be pretty happy.

  • Swift aka PhiPhan5648

    @Brandon: If that’s indeed the case, I’d be happy as well.

  • http://rooftopbleachers.blogspot.com Stock

    Something major is going down with Lee. For what they are saying we would have to give up I say go for it. Only Carrasco, Marsen, Donald. Maybe Knapp too.

  • will.H

    check out pat gillick in the red shirt pointing

  • Smitty

    How about Lee and Victor Martinez in a package deal? Any shot? Put up Carasco and company and an add on.

  • http://reeltyme.blogspot.com/ Jai

    Should have let the video run a little longer to show Cole’s double.

  • Brandon
  • Gaze

    Cliff Lee without giving up Drabek, Brown, or Happ… I’m getting wood.

    Sincerely,
    A Horny Follower of meech

  • bigmyc

    Yawnnnnnn. Slow news day, eh? Another game, another win for the Fightin’ Phils.
    That ball was hit right to the guy. It was hit to his left side…the one that DIDN’T have the kid in it.

    Ho hum.

  • bigmyc

    Mattelaeo, Say what you will about Grace but know this; the Dbacks broadcast did a nice little tribute to Harry the K. and when the video clip was over, it was Grace’s turn to say something and he had a hard time gathering himself through the audible tears. He had very nice things to say about Harry (not surprising) and how much more sincere could he have been while trying to choke back his emotions?

  • http://www.thefightins.com meech.one

    “Yawnnnnnn. Slow news day, eh?

    Yeah, because most days we cover all the relevant, hard-hitting baseball news.

    Who wants to see a mistake made by the CSN graphics team last night?

  • bigmyc

    I also wrote that B4 this ground shaking news regarding Cliff Lee or Jarrod Washburn but certainly not Roy Halladay.

  • marps

    I DO!! I DO!!!! I VANT VONE!!!

  • bigmyc

    Either way, that catch by that guy with the baby bundle is over hyped.

    It’s like he called everyone else off. It was hit right to ‘em…no one else around.

  • Gaze

    Lee and Ben Francisco to the Phils! Nice haul!

  • Harry

    We got Lee. That trade is amazing, I am shocked. So much better than the Halladay trade.

  • Watrick

    I love when Comcast messes up. I tried to remember the other day at what point in the game, but there was a n add coming back from a commercial that said something about Herr’s and it ended with “do”, but there was a hickup with the feed, and it said “do-do.” That was awesome. And yes, my sense of humor is the same as a 12 year old. I teach them, so I know.

  • Sean

    Wow! Great trade! I just heard the Phils traded the Brunt to the Nationals for a case of PBR, what a steal!

  • Watrick

    I don’t care about Lee. I think we’re over paying for him. He had one decent (ok, really good) season last year. Before this, they were talking about dropping him from their rotation-and it’s a last place team, isn’t it? Great, we got another 3rd of the rotation pitcher… whoo hoo! At least Carassco is no longer untouchable…

  • bigmyc

    Watrick, why would a team drop a guy with a 3.14 ERA in the A.L. from their roster?

    Maybe that’s one reason that they are last place.

  • Watrick

    I’m getting more interested in this trade, but it is true, and that was before last year. Before he somehow magically turned it around.

  • http://thefightins.com/ Tug Haines

    @marps

    I spy a Super Troopers reference.

  • Matt

    Damn Meech, they’re being extra hard on you today. You know my love for you will never die, though. I still thought it was impressive.

  • cookiemonster

    that wuz my cuzinz with my baby cuzin

  • CASTRO

    That reminded me of a guy earlier in the year at the Phillies game catching a home run in left field at CBP hit by Chris Coste……..Oh wait no it doesn’t!!!! :)

  • http://www.thefightins.com meech.one

    DAMN YOU, CASTRO!!!

  • ChildrensServices

    A Ranger fan did it vs. the Tigers just a couple of days ago. I would never attempt to catch a foul ball with a baby/kid in my hands. Stupid Fathers. I can understand being forced to catch it, but an actual attempt is just ridiculous. One plunk on the noggin’ and it’s good bye baby. These guys should hang out with the late Michael Jackson.

  • Kruks left nut

    i had a lot of “plunks” on the noggin when i was a kid,look how well i turned…..oh i get it

  • Swift

    @ChildrensServices: What’s it like up there on your High Horse?

  • Kruks left nut

    to me,if he drops the kid the kid bleeds then he heals,,if he had dropped a beer that would of been a fuck’n shame cause the beer is ruined,but anyhow this guy held on,happy story!

  • ChildrensServices

    Not bad. High Horses get a lot of flack for nuttin’. I am a bit of High Horse Whisperer.
    Isn’t anyone going to comment on my grammar or how I used an already plural word (children) and made it double the fun? Seriously though, this Father is a moron. $10 crap ball vs. serious injury to your child?

  • Kruks left nut

    @childrens BLOW ME,i could fist fuck you and not crack one egg in an egg carton!

  • Swift

    @Kruk: LOL! Nicely put.

  • ChildrensServices

    Kruk..I thought you were only allowed one hour on the library prison computer? Nut, Blow Me, Fist,…???? Sounds like someone has some built up gay rage.

  • Kruks left nut

    hell i’m a swith hitter with power to all fields

  • Kruks left nut

    ps i love gay guy’s,that way their is more pussy for me,@least if i get out of GRATERFORD

  • JOE MOMMA

    Nice catch, but the guy broke 3 of his kid’s ribs, and what kind of an idiot buys a two year old a half gallon bucket of soda???

  • JOE MOMMA

    …and what’s this bullshit with a friggin’ ad running before the video??? Shove it!!!

  • AaRON

    He is not a idiot jerk, he is my brother-in-law and that was my nephew!!!! He is just fine and was never hurt

  • AaRON

    By the way phatty, that is my sister you are talking about, why don’t you stop being so jealous, and start being a gentlemen. You need to grow-up!!!!!

  • Harvey

    Hey just to let you guys know that is my cousin Shane and his kid (yes HIS kid) gunner. And the girl at the end of the video is shanes wife robin and then shanes dad.

  • Harvey

    Oh hey Aaron diddnt see your comment also gunner is fine and in no danger cuz Shane is a baseball coach and a great dad

  • Swift

    @Harvey &AaRON: Let Shane know that most of us Phils fans were thoroughly impressed by his catch, and give him mad kudos on it.

  • JOE MOMMA

    Gunner??? He named his child “Gunner”?????
    Why weren’t they wearing camo?
    Does Shane also have kids named Magnum, Glock, and Smith & Wesson??
    Little Gunner has a great future….. shooting up his high school some day!
    They won’t be able to identify him from his dental records, his teeth will have rotted away from a lifetime of drinking buckets of sodas!
    Hey hey kids!!!

  • Brandon

    Not sure if anyone saw this, but someone at asylum.com must be a fan of thefightins.com.

    The video is the first one posted from the arizona broadcast.

  • http://www.thefightins.com meech.one

    Thanks, Brandon. A little hat-tip would’ve been appreciated, but hey — crediting someone is pretty difficult. With all the HTML work involved and shit.

  • http://www.pickingpros.com NFL predictions

    Baby lived, beer survived, ball was caught. 3 for 3, great catch.

  • .

    “beer survived”? WTF? was that kid holding a beer? let’s hope so, because ANY good father at a baseball game would recruit his children to hold his beer for him!

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R.I.P Harry Kalas