ESPN doing a great job of piling on

[Abe Frohman]

I didn't watch "Catching Hell," but have it set to record tomorrow night.

 

Having said that, every time I watch the footage I come to the same conclusion - the ball looks like it never broke the plane into the stands. I think it should have been called fan interference, recorded as an out, and none of us would know the name Steve Bartman.

 

I think Alou had the ball tracked, enough room to catch it, and I like to think headsup fans would have given him the space he needed.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=3188917

[UMFan83]

I didn't watch "Catching Hell," but have it set to record tomorrow night.

 

Having said that, every time I watch the footage I come to the same conclusion - the ball looks like it never broke the plane into the stands. I think it should have been called fan interference, recorded as an out, and none of us would know the name Steve Bartman.

 

I think Alou had the ball tracked, enough room to catch it, and I like to think headsup fans would have given him the space he needed.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=3188917

 

At the time I thought it was, and even subsequent replays look like it could be fan interference, but at the same time I don't think you could conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that it was fan interference. Its close enough that I don't mind that it wasn't called that. I mean I would have loved for it to have been called fan interference, but I'm not angry at that call.

[SouthSideRyan]

Some writer for ESPN did a story a while back about trying to find Steve Bartman and confirm/deny all the crazy rumors and such. It was a long story about going to his neighborhood, following him to work, and approaching him in the parking lot trying his best not to come off as a complete creep/stalker while at the same time asking for an interview. (I'm too lazy to look it up, but I'm sure it's not hard to find.) The interaction was short, and it ended with Bartman politely telling him to feel free to speak with his Legal Team about it.

 

I remember that story being really [expletive] obnoxious.

 

I hope the Sun-Times was dragged through the mud in this movie for publishing his name and contact information. Disgraceful.

[javy knows my name]

Some writer for ESPN did a story a while back about trying to find Steve Bartman and confirm/deny all the crazy rumors and such. It was a long story about going to his neighborhood, following him to work, and approaching him in the parking lot trying his best not to come off as a complete creep/stalker while at the same time asking for an interview. (I'm too lazy to look it up, but I'm sure it's not hard to find.) The interaction was short, and it ended with Bartman politely telling him to feel free to speak with his Legal Team about it.

 

I remember that story being really [expletive] obnoxious.

 

I hope the Sun-Times was dragged through the mud in this movie for publishing his name and contact information. Disgraceful.

 

You will be disappointed.

[rocket]

their defense was "a lot of people in the newsroom thought the cubs would win game 7, so we thought it would all blow over and people wouldn't care we published his name".

[Old Style]

A picture of him in a strip club would probably make most bloggers' day.

You're not allowed to take pictures in those types of establishments. Or so I have been told.

[jersey cubs fan]

A picture of him in a strip club would probably make most bloggers' day.

You're not allowed to take pictures in those types of establishments. Or so I have been told.

 

That has not stopped many a person from taking said pictures.

[Rob]

A friend of mine works at the same company that Steve Bartman does. He sees him around the building occasionally. He doesn't know him personally, but everybody at that he's talked to at his work place says that he's a great guy.

 

I found out today that a guy in my fantasy league apparently works like 4 rows over from Bartman.

[OleMissCub]

screenshot from last night that will hopefully stop all of the people who say he wasn't going to catch it anyways. If his glove is open even Scottie Smalls catches that ball 99 times out of 100 in that position.

 

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/2794/alout.jpg

[Sammy Sofa]

The WGN radio delay was so long because it was televised on FOX. Probably wasn't that long during regular season WGN telecasts.

 

Yeah, I remember WGN making a big deal in 2007 that their radio broadcasts were going to be finally synced up with the national TV broadcast.

[Sammy Sofa]

screenshot from last night that will hopefully stop all of the people who say he wasn't going to catch it anyways. If his glove is open even Scottie Smalls catches that ball 99 times out of 100 in that position.

 

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/2794/alout.jpg

 

Wait, isn't this redundant? How many people are saying Alou definitely wouldn't have caught it if there were no people there? Of course he likely would have caught the ball if there were no fans; a batter is likely to get a hit if there are no defenders besides the pitcher, too. Seems like most of the debate is whether or not fan interference took place.

 

That said, even that screen grab doesn't settle anything. Unless the ball suddenly drops straight down or Alou is still rising up/back in that shot it looks like it easily could have hit off the top of the glove or popped out if he managed to get it in there.

[bcl412]

I seem to remember in other threads that have been on here, people have claimed that Alou wouldn't have caught it.

[Sammy Sofa]

I seem to remember in other threads that have been on here, people have claimed that Alou wouldn't have caught it.

 

Well, it's not a stretch given that he wasn't a very good fielder. Hell, the more I look at that picture I'm wondering why OMC thinks it's such a trump card. His glove isn't open and he's leaping against an oddly angled wall; it's not a stretch at all to say that Moises Alou doesn't make that catch.

[Productive Outs]

screenshot from last night that will hopefully stop all of the people who say he wasn't going to catch it anyways. If his glove is open even Scottie Smalls catches that ball 99 times out of 100 in that position.

 

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/2794/alout.jpg

 

Wait, isn't this redundant? How many people are saying Alou definitely wouldn't have caught it if there were no people there? Of course he likely would have caught the ball if there were no fans; a batter is likely to get a hit if there are no defenders besides the pitcher, too. Seems like most of the debate is whether or not fan interference took place.

 

That said, even that screen grab doesn't settle anything. Unless the ball suddenly drops straight down or Alou is still rising up/back in that shot it looks like it easily could have hit off the top of the glove or popped out if he managed to get it in there.

 

if Alou catches the ball in the presence of no fans, but does not catch it in the presence of fans, isn't that by definition fan interference?

[Sammy Sofa]

screenshot from last night that will hopefully stop all of the people who say he wasn't going to catch it anyways. If his glove is open even Scottie Smalls catches that ball 99 times out of 100 in that position.

 

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/2794/alout.jpg

 

Wait, isn't this redundant? How many people are saying Alou definitely wouldn't have caught it if there were no people there? Of course he likely would have caught the ball if there were no fans; a batter is likely to get a hit if there are no defenders besides the pitcher, too. Seems like most of the debate is whether or not fan interference took place.

 

That said, even that screen grab doesn't settle anything. Unless the ball suddenly drops straight down or Alou is still rising up/back in that shot it looks like it easily could have hit off the top of the glove or popped out if he managed to get it in there.

 

if Alou catches the ball in the presence of no fans, but does not catch it in the presence of fans, isn't that by definition fan interference?

 

Not if he's reaching into the stands. That was always the debate before, was when the fan interference occurred and if it obstructed a ball in play or in the stands.

[bcl412]

I seem to remember in other threads that have been on here, people have claimed that Alou wouldn't have caught it.

 

Well, it's not a stretch given that he wasn't a very good fielder. Hell, the more I look at that picture I'm wondering why OMC thinks it's such a trump card. His glove isn't open and he's leaping against an oddly angled wall; it's not a stretch at all to say that Moises Alou doesn't make that catch.

 

I think he would have caught it but it would have been a great catch. This may be a dumb question but if he does, is that catch itself any where near as memorable as the whole Bartman incident was.

 

Probably not because it would have been the second out of the inning and there was still plenty of time for Florida to come back but I thought Florida had 2 men on at the time and if he makes the grab the rally is thwarted and it probably would have been the best defensive play in the game that sends the Cubs to the World Series. Dumb hypothetical but it crossed my mind.

[Sammy Sofa]

I seem to remember in other threads that have been on here, people have claimed that Alou wouldn't have caught it.

 

Well, it's not a stretch given that he wasn't a very good fielder. Hell, the more I look at that picture I'm wondering why OMC thinks it's such a trump card. His glove isn't open and he's leaping against an oddly angled wall; it's not a stretch at all to say that Moises Alou doesn't make that catch.

 

I think he would have caught it but it would have been a great catch. This may be a dumb question but if he does, is that catch itself any where near as memorable as the whole Bartman incident was.

 

Probably not because it would have been the second out of the inning and there was still plenty of time for Florida to come back but I thought Florida had 2 men on at the time and if he makes the grab the rally is thwarted and it probably would have been the best defensive play in the game that sends the Cubs to the World Series. Dumb hypothetical but it crossed my mind.

 

1 guy on base (Pierre at 2nd).

[J.R.]

Lost in all of this is the fact that Alou would be getting fitted for a statue long about now had he pulled off the catch and the Cubs won the pennant. He was an absolute beast in those playoffs, and I never understood why so many wanted to run him out of town. He was a huge factor in us getting to Game 6 in the first place.

 

abuck, I freely admit that I care way, way too much about this team. It is what it is.

[OleMissCub]

Well, it's not a stretch given that he wasn't a very good fielder. Hell, the more I look at that picture I'm wondering why OMC thinks it's such a trump card. His glove isn't open and he's leaping against an oddly angled wall; it's not a stretch at all to say that Moises Alou doesn't make that catch.

 

You can't tell if his glove is open or not in that picture. Bad fielder or not, it's a pretty safe assumption that a fielder's glove is going to be open mere milliseconds before the ball is supposed to land.

[Sammy Sofa]

Well, it's not a stretch given that he wasn't a very good fielder. Hell, the more I look at that picture I'm wondering why OMC thinks it's such a trump card. His glove isn't open and he's leaping against an oddly angled wall; it's not a stretch at all to say that Moises Alou doesn't make that catch.

 

You can't tell if his glove is open or not in that picture. Bad fielder or not, it's a pretty safe assumption that a fielder's glove is going to be open mere milliseconds before the ball is supposed to land.

 

Not when it's a bad fielder trying to make a tremendous catch.

[Productive Outs]

screenshot from last night that will hopefully stop all of the people who say he wasn't going to catch it anyways. If his glove is open even Scottie Smalls catches that ball 99 times out of 100 in that position.

 

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/2794/alout.jpg

 

Wait, isn't this redundant? How many people are saying Alou definitely wouldn't have caught it if there were no people there? Of course he likely would have caught the ball if there were no fans; a batter is likely to get a hit if there are no defenders besides the pitcher, too. Seems like most of the debate is whether or not fan interference took place.

 

That said, even that screen grab doesn't settle anything. Unless the ball suddenly drops straight down or Alou is still rising up/back in that shot it looks like it easily could have hit off the top of the glove or popped out if he managed to get it in there.

 

if Alou catches the ball in the presence of no fans, but does not catch it in the presence of fans, isn't that by definition fan interference?

 

Not if he's reaching into the stands. That was always the debate before, was when the fan interference occurred and if it obstructed a ball in play or in the stands.

 

right. i didn't think about that.

[Sammy Sofa]

Lost in all of this is the fact that Alou would be getting fitted for a statue long about now had he pulled off the catch and the Cubs won the pennant. He was an absolute beast in those playoffs, and I never understood why so many wanted to run him out of town. He was a huge factor in us getting to Game 6 in the first place.

 

I was a huge fan of Alou's but a lot of people's perception of him was tainted by how bad he was that first year with the Cubs and he had been touted as such a big signing. 2003 was also well below those numbers he was putting up in his peaks years of 1997-2001, plus he was always so dicey in the field and was a monster on the basepaths.

[TruffleShuffle]

Lost in all of this is the fact that Alou would be getting fitted for a statue long about now had he pulled off the catch and the Cubs won the pennant. He was an absolute beast in those playoffs, and I never understood why so many wanted to run him out of town. He was a huge factor in us getting to Game 6 in the first place.

 

I was a huge fan of Alou's but a lot of people's perception of him was tainted by how bad he was that first year with the Cubs and he had been touted as such a big signing. 2003 was also well below those numbers he was putting up in his peaks years of 1997-2001, plus he was always so dicey in the field and was a monster on the basepaths.

 

he really wasn't very good in 2003 either. from age 31 to age 40, his three worst OPS+ years were the three years he played for the cubs. that [expletive] pisses me off.

[questionmarkgrace]

Well, it's not a stretch given that he wasn't a very good fielder. Hell, the more I look at that picture I'm wondering why OMC thinks it's such a trump card. His glove isn't open and he's leaping against an oddly angled wall; it's not a stretch at all to say that Moises Alou doesn't make that catch.

 

You can't tell if his glove is open or not in that picture. Bad fielder or not, it's a pretty safe assumption that a fielder's glove is going to be open mere milliseconds before the ball is supposed to land.

 

Not when it's a bad fielder trying to make a tremendous catch.

 

For what its worth I always thought that he would have made the catch. But to add fuel to the fire Alou maintained he would have had it many times while he played in chicago. but when he went to play for the mets he said he wouldnt have made the catch.

 

The thing that perplexed me the most though is that he was listening to the radio. I was doing the same after I walked into parents house from a late night class and had my head phones on. Paranoid as I was, I left them on while watching the game. Now if my memory serves me right when the ball was popped in the air and on its way toward the bullpen wall area Ronny shouted something to the effect of "get back, give him room." My mind could have completely fabricated that part but that is how I recall it. You would think that even in the heat of the moment that he would have reconsidered in mid lunge hearing ronny say? Or maybe he was jamming out to some B96. :D At any rate it really doesnt matter because if it wasnt him one of the other 16 hands grabbing for the ball would have done the same.

[Soul]

I'm pretty sure I would have taken the headphones off, immediately. Not because I would have been aware of how it looked, but just because if I'm listening to the game and I hear discussion around the play that occurred close to me, I would want to know what is going on in my immediate vicinity.

 

I can't really blame him for something like that though. It's just unfortunate how it came across to some people.

 

But I do think for some people that is part of the weirdness. He kept his posture, kept the phones on, didn't seem to react. And all of Cubdom was pretty much collapsing down around him.