With the Kansas City Royals in town for only three games earlier this month before the O’s hit the road, this third installment of Baltimore fan fielding will include that Royals series as well as the eight-game, nine-day home stand against the San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, and the New York Yankees.
Before the start of the Royals series, there had been 28 home runs hit at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in 2013. Of those 28, only four were deemed uncatchable. Thus, of the 24 catchable home runs hit at Camden Yards, six of them were caught on the fly, a 25% success rate.
With this long home stand combined with the short Royals series, there were bound to be some more catches. As always, click on the photo for video of the home run.
Home Run #29 – May 7th – Alex Gordon
Inning: 7th
Field: Right Field
Attendance: 12,921
Catch: Yes
It was a cold and rainy Baltimore night that translated to a poorly attended game against the Kansas City Royals. With Brian Matusz leaving one in the middle of the plate, Alex Gordon thumped it to right field, tying the game late, registering the first May home run at Camden Yards in 2013.
The shot sailed over the wall in right and descended towards the Flag Court before being corralled by a fan who used his baggy sweatshirt to cushion the impact of the hard-hit ball.
It certainly was not a textbook snag, but it counts for the 7th caught home run at Camden Yards on the season.
Home Run #30 – May 8th – J.J. Hardy
Inning: 2nd
Field: Left Field
Attendance: 12,344
Catch: No
This long-ball off the bat of J.J. Hardy had the makings of being another fan catch. With another poorly attended game at Camden Yards, Hardy yanked one down the left field line, directly towards a gloved fan in the first row. The fan looked like he had a good read on it, tracking the high fly towards the foul pole. However, his tracking was a bit off as the ball sailed just to his right and over his head. Luckily for him, the ball trickled down to his feet where he was able to pick it up.
Home Run #31 – May 8th – Alex Gordon
Inning: 5th
Field: Right-Center Field
Attendance: 12,344
Catch: No
Gordon delivered home runs in back-to-back games for the Royals to start the series as he sent this Chris Tillman offering into the empty seats in right-center field. From the fans, there was a futile attempt to catch the home run with a hat, and another pitiful attempt to even stand-up to prepare to catch the ball; poorly played all around. Judging by the video, it looks like the guy who could not stand up grabbed the ball off the ground.
Home Run #32 – May 8th – Mike Moustakas
Inning: 6th
Field: Right Field
Attendance: 12,344
Catch: Yes
The following inning, Mike Moustakas decided to trim the Orioles’ lead down to two as he rocketed a Tillman offering onto the Flag Court.
Coming to rescue the falling Camden Yards’ fan fielding success rate was Alex Kopp, an Orioles season ticket holder and ball hawk. Sprinting to his left, Kopp was able to keep his eyes on the ball as it soured between the flag poles. The catch was Kopp’s second career game home run and 357th ball of his ball hawking career. He celebrated accordingly.
And no, he was not ejected from the stadium as the Royals’ broadcast crew reported. Throwing a home run back on the field is allowed at Camden Yards.
Home Run #33 – May 9th – Alex Gordon
Inning: 4th
Field: Right Field
Attendance: 23,282
Catch: No
A bit more people showed up to watch the finale of the Orioles/Royals series, and the attendance jump was noticeable on the Flag Court when Alex Gordon planted his third home run in as many games to deep right field. Consequently, the ball sailed over everyone’s head and landed very close to Eutaw Street.
Home Run #34 – May 9th – Eric Hosmer
Inning: 4th
Field: Left-Center Field
Attendance: 23,282
Catch: No
A few batters after the Gordon blast, Freddy Garcia surrendered another to Eric Hosmer, his first of the season. Hosmer drove the low and away pitch over the wall in left-center field and just over the head of a fan trying to make the old hat-catch. Such as what often happens, the hat-catch was unsuccessful and the ball fell a row behind him where it was grabbed off the ground by a different fan. Ho-hum.
Home Run #35 – May 9th – Chris Davis
Inning: 4th
Field: Right-Center Field
Attendance: 23,282
Catch: No
Effortlessly, Chris Davis mashed this fourth inning offering from Jeremy Guthrie to deep right-center field for his longest home run thus far in 2013. Over in the right-center field bleachers, another fan tried to make a hat-catch and, once again, failed. The ball landed roughly twenty rows deep, but fell down another ten after fans were unable to make the grab.
It is hard to blame those fans for not making a grab on that Davis bomb. As a person who has caught home runs off the bat of Crush during batting practice both with a glove and once without, I can tell you that it is not an easy task. The balls are mashed deep, hard, and on a line.
Home Run #36 – May 9th – Mike Moustakas
Inning: 7th
Field: Right Field
Attendance: 23,282
Catch: Uncatchable
Not much to say about this one. Mike Moustakas stayed hot by sending this pitch from T.J. McFarland to deep right field in a spot impossible for any fan to catch, doinking it off the foul pole.
Home Run #37 – May 14th – Carlos Quentin
Inning: 2nd
Field: Left-Center
Attendance: 19,096
Catch: Yes
What I am sure you can deduce from the above picture of a ball in a glove is that this Carlos Quentin home run was not just caught, but caught by me. It was a pretty simple play for me. With the ball off the bat, I drifted down the stairs and got to my right-hand side of the railing in the stairwell. I was able to slide into an empty row to make the grab, reaching over a leaping, bare-handed fan.
The home run was Quentin’s 141st in his career and 4th of the season. It was my 22nd career home run and 4th of the season. Also, with that catch, I now own two Carlos Quentin home runs – one from when he was with the White Sox in 2011 (part of my three-game streak) and now one with the Padres. Quentin joins Matt Wieters, Adam Jones, and J.J. Hardy as the only players I have caught multiple home runs from.
Now, as for the camera, my luck could not be any worse. With the threat of rain and the eventual steady sprinkling throughout the game, I left the camera at home no wanting it to be damaged. Oh well.
Home Run #38 – May 14th – Ryan Flaherty
Inning: 3rd
Field: Left-Center Field
Attendance: 19,096
Catch: No
Not really sure how this happened: Ryan Flaherty actually put enough wood on a pitch to put it into play (and deep). He must have had his eyes closed with this swing as he sent it deep to opposite field, barely squeaking it over the head of Carlos Quentin as well as the wall.
As for the fan fielding: there was an impressive attempt made as a first-row Orioles fan, with a beer in his left hand, stuck out his right hand to try for the clean catch. The ball hit him directly in the palm and fell to the ground where he promptly picked it up. If making a bare-hand catch, you always have to use two hands.
Home Run #39 – May 15th – J.J. Hardy
Inning: 2nd
Field: Left-Center Field
Attendance: 32,418
Catch: No
This one had the makings of a clean grab as a gloved-fan was perfectly lined-up with this Hardy blast. However, it looks like this guy’s vertical is severely lacking. The ball soared just over his glove. To add insult to injury, he had to watch as a random guy in his row picked the ball up off the ground. But, it does look like the guy two rows behind him took the ball off the face. So that’s good, I guess.
Home Run #40 – May 15th – Kyle Blanks
Inning: 4th
Field: Left-Center Field
Attendance: 32,418
Catch: No
With a sprinkle coming down at Oriole Park, Kyle Blanks sent this pitch deep to a crowded left-center field. With a group of hands going up for it, the ball glanced off one pair and landed a few rows behind.
I ran to my right through a section to get to the stairwell where the ball landed. However, I was a few seconds too late as I had to watch as a couple fans scrambled in the seats, trying to beat each other for this Blanks home run. Oh well.
Home Run #41 – May 15th – Matt Wieters
Inning: 4th
Field: Right-Center Field
Attendance: 32,418
Catch: No
Wieters was able to get a good piece of this pitch as he sent it deep to right-center field. However, the gloveless fans sitting out there were not able to get a good piece of it as many jumped and made attempts, but the ball hit off a bro in a tank top and fell to their feet.
Home Run #42 – May 15th – Alexi Amarista
Inning: 7th
Field: Center Field
Attendance: 32,418
Catch: Uncatchable
Amarista sent this one to center field where no one could catch it; just one of those series for the O’s.
Home Run #43 – May 17th – J.J. Hardy
Inning: 2nd
Field: Left-Center Field
Attendance: 38,061
Catch: Yes
Hardy stayed red-hot by sending this Jeremy Hellickson pitch to deep left-center field. Orioles fans got off the schneid with this accidental catch as one fan in the first few rows was unable to make a grab. His attempt, instead, created something like a volleyball set for the fans rows behind him. One fan was able to make an easy grab. Teamwork!
Home Run #44 – May 17th – Kelly Johnson
Inning: 3rd
Field: Right-Center Field
Attendance: 38,061
Catch: No
To begin what for many innings would be a blowout, Kelly Johnson barely got this ball out of the park as he knocked this home run off the roof of the groundskeeper tunnel in right-center field. Since it hit off the concrete roof, the ball landed up near the top row of the section.
Home Run #45 – May 17th – Chris Dickerson
Inning: 8th
Field: Right Field
Attendance: 38,061
Catch: No
Chris Dickerson, in the 8th, decided to give the Orioles a big hand in their comeback efforts, rocketing a ball to the Flag Court in right field.
Both Alex Kopp (mentioned previously) and I were on the Flag Court for this entire game, waiting for our opportunity. For left-handed batters, Alex would stand at the end of the Flag Court closest to the right-center field bleachers. I would stand near the opposite end to maximize our opportunities. This Dickerson home run was almost perfectly between us. Off the bat, I thought I made a good read on it. Basically, there is an initial step you have to take on the Flag Court in judging home runs: the high ones have a chance to go on Eutaw Street while the line drives do not. With the high ones, running out the gates onto Eutaw may be your best bet. With the line drives, just hold your ground. Feeling this line drive was going to sink, I took a step in so I could make a catch in front of any passerby that wanted to try to take home a home run. However, this Dickerson home run was a rocket that was practically weaving its way through the flag poles on its path over my head. I tried to recover, but it was a little too late. I made a desperation leap, but the ball glanced off the very tip of my glove and rolled into Dempsey’s restaurant inside the Warehouse. As for Alex, he was directly behind me and jumped for it, too. We were both disappointed, but eventually decided that we are lucky that we did not run into each other.
Home Run #46 – May 18th – Adam Jones
Inning: 1st
Field: Left-Center Field
Attendance: 34,685
Catch: No
This one was very close to a catch (and was hard to judge because of Fox’s poor video quality). It looks like a gloveless fan tried to make a catch on this Jones bomb, but ultimately decided that it would probably hurt. Moving out of the way, the ball fell to an empty seat where it then bounced up to a fan a row behind who caught it in the air. Bat to seat to hands = not a catch.
Home Run #47 – May 18th – Chris Davis
Inning: 1st
Field: Center
Attendance: 34,685
Catch: Uncatchable
Crush got a chance to show his power on national television, going back to back with Adam Jones in the first inning. Davis sent this one to deep center field and into the Orioles’ bullpen where reliever Tommy Hunter tried to catch it with his hat. For fans, this ball was uncatchable.
Home Run #48 – May 18th – Matt Joyce
Inning: 3rd
Field: Right Field
Attendance: 34,685
Catch: No
This ball was another rocket to the flag court that was not caught. When it landed, a few fans dove onto it. One drunk, who dropped it twice when trying to stand up, came up with the ball.
Home Run #49 – May 18th – Kelly Johnson
Inning: 9th
Field: Left-Center Field
Attendance: 34,685
Catch: No
Let’s be quick with this one, okay? A lot of fans, a lot of hands, no gloves, no catch.
Home Run #50 – May 19th – Luke Scott
Inning: 5th
Field: Right-Center Field
Attendance: 37,704
Catch: Yes
Here’s something we have not seen in a while: a beautiful fan catch. This guy did not have a glove, but he did everything perfectly to make the grab: he lined it up and he used both hands. He made it look easy! Great grab, guy!
Home Run #51 – May 19th – Matt Joyce
Inning: 6th
Field: Right Field
Attendance: 37,704
Catch: Uncatchable
This is the one that was originally called a double that Buck wanted called foul that was eventually called a home run. And it was the right call. This picture (taken by Alex Kopp) shows the mark that the ball left on the foul pole; pretty hard for a fan to catch that one.
Home Run #52 – May 20th – Robinson Cano
Inning: 1st
Field: Left-Center Field
Attendance: 24,133
Catch: No
For the most part, the O’s were able to control Robinson Cano in this series. In the first inning of the first game, however, he was able to squeeze one over the left-center field wall.
It is hard to tell with 100% certainty, but this looks like yet another non-catch.
Home Run #53 – May 20th – David Adams
Inning: 2nd
Field: Left Field
Attendance: 24,133
Catch: No
This would have been a nice one to catch: David Adams’ first career home run. Instead, no one ended up catching it, but a father-son duo grabbed it off the ground and later negotiated the return of the ball to Adams. I hope they got something good for it.
Home Run #54 – May 20th – Chris Davis
Inning: 2nd
Field: Right-Center Field
Attendance: 24,133
Catch: No
Davis was able to get a good piece off of CC Sabathia, but no fan was able to get a good piece of this home run. It appears to bounce off a railing and fall to rest at the feet of some fans in the first row.
Home Run #55 – May 20th – Lyle Overbay
Inning: 7th
Field: Right-Center Field
Attendance: 24,133
Catch: No
Once again, many hands went up for this one but no one made a clean catch. They all had to scramble for it on the ground.
Home Run #56 – May 20th – Travis Hafner
Inning: 9th
Field: Left-Center Field
Attendance: 24,133
Catch: No
Here’s another one we should never speak about. In short: no catch.
Home Run #57 – May 21st – Chris Dickerson
Inning: 3rd
Field: Right-Center Field
Attendance: 29,040
Catch: No
It looked like two Yankee fans were holding hands while this ball was soaring right at them. Of course, no one caught it. Why would anyone catch a home run?
Home Run #58 – May 21st – Chris Dickerson
Inning: 5th
Field: Right Field
Attendance: 29,040
Catch: No
Dickerson sent this one to the Flag Court again. And, again, Alex Kopp was out there. Again, it went over his head. No one caught this one, either. Chris Dickerson has surprising pop, folks.
Home Run #59 – May 21st – Nate McLouth
Inning: 10th
Field: Right-Center Field
Attendance: 29,040
Catch: No
Many tried to catch this game-winning home run off the bat of Nate McLouth, but none succeeded. They all had to try to grab it off the ground.
Home Run #60 – May 22nd – Nick Markakis
Inning: 1st
Field: Right-Center Field
Attendance: 26,725
Catch: No
The friend of the guy who it was hit right to had the right reaction. With a glove, that is an easy catch. More from these guys later.
Home Run #61 – May 22nd – Chris Davis
Inning: 1st
Field: Right-Center Field
Attendance: 26,725
Catch: No
For once, please, can someone just bring a glove and make a catch? This is embarrassing, guys.
Home Run #62 – May 22nd – Matt Wieters
Inning: 3rd
Field: Right-Center Field
Attendance: 26,725
Catch: No
Again, just watch the friend reaction. If there was one glove in that group, they would have two home runs.
Home Run #63 – May 22nd – Curtis Granderson
Inning: 5th
Field: Right-Center Field
Attendance: 26,725
Catch: No
The right-center field bleachers were packed that night, but apparently packed with people who do not know how to catch a baseball. This one falls to the ground, as well.
Home Run #64 – May 22nd – David Adams
Inning: 9th
Field: Left-Center Field
Attendance: 26,725
Catch: No
In the ninth inning of the series finale, it really started to rain (almost to the point that one would think the game could be stopped). With this rain, people were making their way up the stairs and towards the exits. And this is where this Adams home run landed: in a group of people making their way towards the exits. And, of course, no one caught it.
And, by the way, to the lady who says I spilled her beer when trying to jump over a row to track this ball down: my bad. I was just trying to raise the fan fielding percentage.
Season Stats:
64 Total Home Runs
8/64 Uncatchable (12.5%)
11/56 Catchable Home Runs Caught (19.64%)
26/64 Home Runs Hit to Left-Center Field (40.63%)
18/64 Home Runs Hit to Right-Center Field (28.13%)
10/64 Home Runs Hit to Right Field (15.63%)
6/64 Home Runs Hit to Center Field (9.38%)
4/64 Home Runs Hit to Left Field (6.25%)
