Guy Allows Home Run Ball to Hit (Presumably Now Ex-)Girlfriend in the Face

We've seen balls hit into the stands caught by beer cups, guys on their cell phones (check out who wrote that last article), and fathers holding their children.  Then we've seen balls that have caught unsuspecting girlfriends in the arm or now face when their chivalrous boyfriends move like guys from "The Matrix" to get out of the way.

Before we start to make fun of this loser for not being man enough to catch a ball with his bare hands, let me just say that this should in no way lend support to the argument for wearing a glove to a game at his age.  But seriously, if the odds of getting struck by lightning are more in your favor than catching a foul ball or home run, how could you just let one go without making an effort? 

Even the girlfriend has a hand in the vicinity, but the guy is practically at the concession stand by the time the baseball arrives.  Just a poor showing all around by this guy.  He takes a girl to a ballgame, gets some awesome seats right on the center field wall, and all she has to remember the night by is a bruised cheek bone.  Sweet.

Oh, and yes, I believe that's a blog record for most hyperlinks in one paragraph at the top, there.

Unfortunate Order Is Restored to MLB Postseason

The League Championship series have been set with the Tigers taking on the Yankees for the AL crown, and the Giants and Cardinals chasing the pennant in the NL.  All of the headlines entering the postseason have been erased with a very familiar four teams still remaining, taking away from what has been one of the best playoffs in recent years.

The four teams remaining are very capable of playing good baseball, so the games should prove to be just as entertaining.  But think about everything we had heading into October and how it has panned out so far.

The Atlanta Braves made the first Wild Card spot in the NL, hoping to go the distance for third baseman Chipper Jones, in his final season with the club.  Jones earned a World Series ring in 1995, but in a season where he was honored at nearly every park he went to, this would have been the ultimate icing on the cake for a first-ballot Hall of Fame career.  The Braves were bounced after a very questionable call in the Wild Card play-in game to the defending champion Cardinals.

The Oakland A's erased a 13-game deficit from July 1 to take the AL West crown.  A team that hasn't been relevant since 2006 was surging ahead of the Angels and right on the heels of the AL Champion Rangers.  Josh Reddick acting like Stone Cold Steve Austin, Grant Balfour "Ragefest," a pitching staff that impressed time and time again even though the average fan couldn't name more than two members.  They were the ultimate underdog story, the second-coming of Moneyball.  Coco Crisp, Brandon Moss, George Kottaras and Josh Reddick were all former Red Sox players, so that even gave them a little momentum back east.  After a stunning 3-run comeback in Game 4, they got crushed by ace Justin Verlander and the Tigers in Game 5, leaving the craziest fans in baseball sitting at home til next April.

The Baltimore Orioles went 69-93 last season.  In 2012 they flipped it around, coming out of nowhere to finish inches behind the Yankees in the AL East at 93-69.  Oriole Park at Camden Yards has been referred to as Fenway and Yankee Stadium South when those teams visited, with the hometown fans usually getting drowned out by the opposition.  For Game 1 of the Division Series, every seat was filled with an orange shirt waving an orange towel, chanting "Seven Nation Army" like they do across the street at M&T Bank Stadium.  The team hadn't made the postseason since 1997, and with a collection of young talent backed by veterans like Jim Thome you couldn't help but root for them against the Evil Empire.

Finally, the Nationals.  A team that received more criticism than congratulations.  General manager Mike Rizzo made the decision to shut down Stephen Strasburg because of a strict innings count he put on the starter to begin the season, which unnecessarily riled up competing GMs.  Other young stars like Jordan Zimmermann and Bryce Harper mixed with the veterans Jayson Werth and Adam LaRoche gave the Baltimore-Washington area more reason to gear up for the postseason.  The Nats had the best record in the league, and blew a 6-0 lead to fall 9-7 to the Cardinals Saturday night, cutting the franchise's first playoff appearance since 1981 short.

Now, baseball is right back where it always has been, where four of the bigger market teams remain.  With the except of 2008, the Yankees have been in the postseason every year since 1995.  The Tigers have a marketing machine in Miguel Cabrera after he won the Triple Crown, and have already finished off the Yankees' season twice since 2006.  The Cardinals have won two World Series since 2006, and are the least interesting team to watch.  As for the Giants, well they're the best of a bad situation in the NL West, and after losing Melky Cabrera to a steroids suspension, they have proved to everyone their offense is still a force to be reckoned with.

Best case scenario is Tigers and Giants in the World Series with the Tigers capturing glory.  The ALCS starts Saturday night at 8 p.m.

Infield Fly Rule Called By Outfield Umpire? Braves Fall to Cardinals, 6-3 After Controversial Call

This was the scene at Turner field on Friday night.  If you're familiar with sports, you have probably seen the replay of the controversial call during the one-game Wild Card playoff game between the Braves and the Cardinals more times than you can count.  And even if you're not that familiar with the rules of baseball, you still can't believe what you saw.

Don't even try to make sense of this, because it just defies everything you've ever learned in your entire life.  To make a call like this, an "infield fly" call, when the ball is very clearly past even shallow left left, is just plain absurdity.

This could have been a bases loaded situation for the Braves with one out and Brian McCann coming to the plate.  Instead, there were two outs, with the should-be runner on first sitting in the dugout, while McCann looked towards the field as beer bottles and trash reigned down from the entire stadium.  Its a disgusting sight to see, but I can understand the fans' frustrations.  But, come on, guys, Chipper Jones' last game and this is how you act?

Any way you slice it, the ridiculous call did account for some entertainment in the Twittersphere.