Home Run Derby

Last week, White Sox lefthander Mark Buehrle pitched only the eighteenth Perfect Game in the history of Major League Baseball.  As is the case in every perfect game – he had a little help from his defense.

Particularly outfielder Dewayne Wise, who took away a Home Run with a laping catch in the top of the ninth to preserve the Shutout, the No-Hitter, and the Perfect Game and vault Buehrle’s name into conversations about whether he’ll be a Hall of Famer.

No doubt – a catch like that is deserving of a gift from the pitcher to his Perfect-Game-Saving fielder. 

A big gift. 

Well, here it is.  Buehrle gave Wise (and his other teammates) a bottle of Crown Royal XR  … with a personalized bag no less.

I like the idea.  A perfect game is Extra Rare, so why not a bottle of Extra Rare booze?

But I would think that Dewayne Wise deserved bigger than a bottle of Canadian Whisky that you can get for $136 on the intarwebs – seems a little bit cheap as recognition for being the saver of an event that happens once every 17,000 games to me. 

A $200 gift (I’m including the embroidery on the bag) seems cheap for such a contribution – especially considering Buehrle is in the midst of a $56 Million contract.  I was thinking Buehrle would at least get him a cool ride – like Buehrle’s giant Ford F-650 Dominator truck.

You know, the booze could explain the White Sox’ 1-5 record and .214 batting average since the Perfect Game.

 H/T:  MPS

We just showed you some guy who could catch a baseball without dropping his video camera, but these guys have him beat for fans who can catch a ball.

Let’s go to the world of Cricket, where this Aussie bloke grabs a ball – which is even more impressive when you consider he did it one handed because he was talking on his cell phone.

Barehanding a Home Run at a Softball game is impressive enough … but while holding a baby in your other arm?

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One of the best things about going to a baseball game is that you can get yourself a souvenir – as in a baseball. 

Whether a player gives you one, you pick one up off the field, or you catch it – if it leaves the playing field, you can keep it. 

Let’s check on some video of fans catching baseballs (and other balls).

Here’s a first person view of how to grab a batting practice Home Run.  This one comes off the bat of the Phillies’ Jayson Werth before Game 4 of the 2008 NLCS at Dodger Stadium.  What makes it impressive is that the videographer is the one who catches the ball. 

H/T: The Fightins

Impressively, that guy seems to be the King of BP at Dodger Stadium – he’s caught a number of BP Homers - here he is catching a Torii Hunter Batting Practice Home Run.

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