Players battle fans for foul balls in the stands every so often — usually without incident. So it was a little bizarre when the Cardinals Matt Adams and a Reds fan got into a little tiff Thursday night.
The Cardinals first baseman and the first-row Reds fan both had a right to Chris Heisey's foul pop during
the third inning at Great American Ball Park but, ultimately, it was the fan made the grab despite Adams' all-out effort.
The
first baseman wasn't too pleased and gave the fan a little shove to which the fan responded with a few choice words and the proverbial finger salute as Adams headed back to the infield.
That's known as flipping the bird in more than one sense.
"I was just trying to stop from falling in there," said Adams after the game. "They had some pretty good fans on that side. He caught that one and then the other guy caught the hot shot behind the dugout."
"I heard the whole section was flipping me off," he added. " But I can't let that bother me."
Asked about the incident postgame, manager Mike Matheny said he was unaware of any incidental contact.
"Pushed the fan? He was going after the ball," Matheny said. "He was going into the stands. [He] probably [pushed] trying to keep from going tail over tea kettle into the first row. You don't want to be going into the stands. You have to do what you have to do."
FYI regarding fan interference,
Rule 3.16 in the Major League Baseball rulebook states:
No interference shall be allowed when a fielder reaches over a fence, railing, rope or into a stand to catch a ball. He does so at his own risk. However, should a spectator reach out on the playing field side of such fence, railing or rope, and plainly prevent the fielder from catching the ball, then the batsman should be called out for the spectators interference.
Apparently Adams did so at his own risk, but didn't deserve the fan's single-finger gesture.
