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Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Ryan Raburn of Detroit Tigers becomes first to hit retractable roof of Safeco Field

Welcome to Hatch Game ‘11! (cue Kaempfert’s “Swingin’ Safari”)

They’ve been playing baseball at Safeco Field since July 15, 1999, and Ryan Raburn of the Detroit Tigers did something in the first inning Monday night that had never been done before. He fouled a pitch from Seattle Mariners starter Jason Vargas off a roof truss just to the left of home plate.

Catcher Miguel Olivo was drifting toward the Detroit dugout in pursuit of the ball, but sprinted back toward the field once its descent was re-directed. He couldn’t reach it before it hit the ground foul, and neither could Mariners third baseman Chone Figgins.

And so a ground rule that has been in the books nearly 12 years finally got to be applied.

...The Mariners estimated that the ball hit the girder on the truss, which supports the retractable roof, at about 175 feet above the field.

Repoz Posted: April 19, 2011 at 03:53 AM | 10 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: mariners, tigers

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1. smileyy Posted: April 19, 2011 at 04:49 AM (#3801652)

I got a view of (the end result of) that play from the 100-level concourse, as we were waiting (until after the at bat) to take our seats down the 3B line. I was really wondering how two players can misplay a popup that badly that spent that much time in the air.

2. Walt Davis Posted: April 19, 2011 at 05:51 AM (#3801665)

Well, to say the ground rule was applied is a bit of a stretch.

The ground rule says that if a ball hits the roof in foul territory, it remains a foul ball even if it lands in fair territory or is touched by a player in fair territory -- which this one did not. The ground rule also says that the batter is out if the ball is caught -- which this one did not. So the ground rule "applied" in this case is the rather obvious one of "if it hit the roof in foul territory and it landed in foul territory then -- guess what genius? -- it's a foul ball."

3. Willie Mayspedes Posted: April 19, 2011 at 05:54 AM (#3801666)

Raburn apologized and agreed to a truss with the stadium after the game was over.

4. Dave Spiwak Posted: April 19, 2011 at 07:14 AM (#3801688)

I was really wondering how two players can misplay a popup that badly that spent that much time in the air.

You must not watch that many Mariners games.

5. Crosseyed and Painless Posted: April 19, 2011 at 01:20 PM (#3801737)

Most amazing part of the play was Raburn made contact with the ball.

How many more times can I talk Raburn up to my friends and then get repaid with a month of awful baseball?

6. Famous Original Joe C Posted: April 19, 2011 at 01:30 PM (#3801744)

Icihro could have done it by now, if he wanted to.

7. zack Posted: April 19, 2011 at 01:48 PM (#3801757)

TRUSS GIRDER POWER

8. Lassus Posted: April 19, 2011 at 02:47 PM (#3801820)

How many more times can I talk Raburn up to my friends and then get repaid with a month of awful baseball?

My fantasy team would like the answer to this question.

9. SoSH U at work Posted: April 19, 2011 at 02:58 PM (#3801830)

So the ground rule "applied" in this case is the rather obvious one of "if it hit the roof in foul territory and it landed in foul territory then -- guess what genius? -- it's a foul ball."

Could the ground rule consider it a foul, and dead, ball? If so, the ground rule was applied.

10. RMc and His Roster of Rubbish Posted: April 20, 2011 at 12:16 AM (#3802444)

Can't truss it! No no no no!

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Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Ryan Raburn of Detroit Tigers becomes first to hit retractable roof of Safeco Field

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