Bush Leaguee Baltimore Orioles fans hit Blue Jays OF

[welch]

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jesús Sánchez exited Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles after he was seemingly struck with a ball thrown from the outfield seats.

Sánchez, during a mound visit in the sixth inning with Toronto down 6-0, appeared to engage with fans and wave his glove before an object sailed from the outfield and hit his right arm. Sánchez was removed, the Blue Jays said, with a right wrist contusion. X-rays returned negative for a fracture.

Fans who said they witnessed the event, The Baltimore Sun’s Jacob Calvin Meyer wrote on X, described the incident as an accident. A young fan, they reportedly said, “saw Sánchez flapping his glove as if to indicate to play catch.”

The outfielder, through an interpreter after the game, said it was a misunderstanding, according to Sportsnet.

“I wasn’t trying to play catch right there with them,” Sánchez said. “I just looked at them and they thought maybe that I wanted them to throw the ball back to me.”

Blue Jays manager John Schneider and Toronto’s training staff jogged out to check on Sánchez in right field. Schneider waved back to the Jays’ dugout, signaling for an outfielder to replace Sánchez.

As Sánchez exited the game, outfielder Daulton Varsho appeared to pick up a ball from near where Sánchez was struck and tossed it into foul territory. Sánchez walked off holding his right wrist.

They were ALWAYS known as "Bush-league Baltimore Orioles fans". They used to wave "crying towels" when an opposing pitcher was taken out.

[blue911]

They were ALWAYS known as "Bush-league Baltimore Orioles fans". They used to wave "crying towels" when an opposing pitcher was taken out.

I don’t think you read the story.

[welch]

I read the story. And I used to watch Bryce Harper play catch with kids in the stands. I was even at CitiField, sitting near the rail along the 3B / LF line when an adult with a glove waved at Bryce for a toss. Bryce saw that the guy had a little girl on his lap, so, instead, he walked over to the stands and handed a baseball to the fan.

The story suggests that the bush league Baltimore fan was not paying attention when he threw. Typical of Baltimore, which claimed that The District was Orioles territory.

In fact, I met CALSGR8 on an old Washington Senators listserv. She organized a protest against the Baltimore team when the ownership demanded that MLB never take "their" territory for a team in Washington. That's Baltimore.

[varoadking]

Royce was great with the kids...likely still is...among the very best I've ever seen...

[blue911]

Royce was great with the kids...likely still is...among the very best I've ever seen...

Jeff Francoeur once bought pizza for Oakland’s right field section. He never played for the A’s

[imref]

I read the story. And I used to watch Bryce Harper play catch with kids in the stands. I was even at CitiField, sitting near the rail along the 3B / LF line when an adult with a glove waved at Bryce for a toss. Bryce saw that the guy had a little girl on his lap, so, instead, he walked over to the stands and handed a baseball to the fan.

We saw Harper in a rehab start at Potomac many years ago. After he came out of the game, a group of about 50-100 fans gathered by the clubhouse exit to try and see him leave. He walked from the clubhouse to his dad's truck (his dad was driving him home). They had set up a rope line to give him some room to exit. Once he reached his dad's truck he came back to the crowd with an armful of his bobbleheads and gave them out to the kids. Unfortunately he didn't stay and sign autographs.

[welch]

We saw Harper in a rehab start at Potomac many years ago. After he came out of the game, a group of about 50-100 fans gathered by the clubhouse exit to try and see him leave. He walked from the clubhouse to his dad's truck (his dad was driving him home). They had set up a rope line to give him some room to exit. Once he reached his dad's truck he came back to the crowd with an armful of his bobbleheads and gave them out to the kids. Unfortunately he didn't stay and sign autographs.

Once at CitiField, I was just down the line from where Bryce signed autographs for kids who were lined up from the rail to the concourse. He signed all he could until the game started.

Years ago, I took my daughter to Harrisburg to see him. That was just after he had torn his belt sliding headfirst at home. He had pulled a hamstring, so he didn't play, but as I bought a couple hats from the team store, I asked the store manager about Bryce. Memory: "Bryce plays so hard we worry that he will hurt himself banging into the walls. But off the field, he is the nicest young man you'll ever meet".

[Slateman]

I don't think it was intentional

[welch]

I don't think it was intentional

No, it was careless. Typical bush league Baltimore Orioles fan.

[Slateman]

No, it was careless. Typical bush league Baltimore Orioles fan.

I don't even think it was that. Sánchez appeared to make gesture towards the fans in the stands that he wanted to play catch. Even Sanchez admitted it was a misunderstanding.