When it rains, it pours.
At least that seems to be the case for the 2017 San Francisco Giants season, so much to the point that a home run hit by Brandon Crawford to the right field bleachers was overturned by replay review because…
Well…we don’t really know.
Neither does Bruce Bochy, neither does anyone in the Giants clubhouse, and neither does Crawford himself.
“I would love to see that camera angle, because every single person that was physically at the park tonight felt that was a homer,” Crawford said following the game. “There’s no way there would’ve been conclusive evidence that it wouldn’t have been a home run.”
With no outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Buster Posey on first base, and the Giants trailing 5-1, Crawford tucked a ball just inside the foul pole for what was ruled on the field to be his 13th home run of the season.
Not so fast. The Cardinals requested a replay review, and to the surprise of many, the league offices in New York ruled it to be fan interference. Crawford was sent back to second base, would not score, and the Giants ended up losing 5-2 in Thursday’s series opener versus St. Louis.
“They’re wrong,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of the overturned call. “It shocked all of us. That’s a home run taken away from Crawford.”
Fan interference can be a common occurrence and is nothing new across any major league ballpark. However, it’s a sight that’s never seen at the 25-foot high “Levi’s Landing” wall at AT&T Park.
At AT&T Park, a ball doesn’t have to go into the right-field stands for it to be ruled a home run; it just has to hit the green metal atop the wall. From all angles, Crawford’s batted ball appeared to be clearly over the metal.
A fan reached across and caught Crawford’s ball just as it was about to hit the metal or the foul pole. The width of the green metal atop the right field doesn’t allow fans to have access to reach into the field of play to catch a home run ball, which the fan was nowhere close to being.
Dear @MLB,
This is a home run. You owe @bcraw35 and this young fan an apology.
Be better,
Sean pic.twitter.com/nDoe25I31Y— Sean Jordan (@BaySean) September 1, 2017
“For somebody to reach into play in right field, they would have to lay down flat and have somebody hold their feet to make that catch” Crawford said. “The guy’s glove was easily over the green roof.”
The call of fan interference shocked Crawford, with his thought process being that the only aspect the league offices in New York were observing was whether or not the ball was fair.
“The only reason why I thought they were taking so long was if they were deciding it was a foul ball,” Crawford said.
Add Thursday’s starting pitcher, Matt Cain, to the list of those in the clubhouse that were still befuddled after the game on how Crawford’s ninth inning home run was overturned to a double. Cain has pitched his entire 13-year career at AT&T Park. Through his experience, he knows what is and isn’t a home run at basically every corner of the ballpark.
“I’ve had a lot of them that have gone off the tin that are homers,” Cain said.
When you have a 2017 season like the Giants are currently in the midst of, there are many things that don’t seem to bounce your way. However, the manner in which Crawford’s home run was overturned make this one a little bit more frustrating than many of the others.
Crawford added: “It’s crazy that someone 3000 miles away can make that call”