The ball was found in Freel's glove by an umpire, who ruled Cota out on the play.

A woman would never understand ..
Get well soon you maniac ..

Replays reveal that Hopper placed the ball in the glove of unconscious Freel before signalling for medical help. This is very cool.

Replays reveal that Hopper placed the ball in the glove of unconscious Freel before signalling for medical help. This is very cool.

Some are born to scrappiness, others have scrappiness thrust upon them.

The video I've seen doesn't show how long he had it, and the ball obviously didn't roll far from his glove (Hopper didn't have to really reach far). Probably an out anyway, with Hopper doing what he did out of an abundance of caution, but I have complete confidence that the next Freel hagiography will contain a nugget about him being so dedicated and hard-nosed that he held on to the ball despite being knocked cold.

Bonus: On the video, Listen to Reds' announcer George Grande imply that the collision was Norris' fault. Maybe it was, but until he hears who was calling who off -- if at all -- how can Grande say that the collision wasn't the fault of the "little guy" who has been the "beating heart of the Reds since he put on the uniform"?

Meh. A glancing blow. Pales in comparison to Cameron/Beltran from two years ago. And don't get me started on George Theodore/Don Hahn. Now THAT was a collision!

The beating heart of a 19-33 team.

Hey, just imagine how dire the straits would be for Cincy if they didn't have all of that scrappiness oozing all over the clubhouse. Hell, they probably would have become a full time road team like the 1899 Cleveland Spiders or something.

The beating heart of a 19-33 team.

Does a 19-33 team have a beating heart? Maybe it it's the Astros of the last few years, I guess . . . .

The video I've seen doesn't show how long he had it, and the ball obviously didn't roll far from his glove (Hopper didn't have to really reach far). Probably an out anyway, with Hopper doing what he did out of an abundance of caution,

Under Rule 2.0, it doesn't matter how long Freel had it:

A CATCH is the act of a fielder in getting secure possession in his hand or glove of a ball in flight and firmly holding it; providing he does not use his cap, protector, pocket or any other part of his uniform in getting possession. It is not a catch, however, if simultaneously or immediately following his contact with the ball, he collides with a player, or with a wall, or if he falls down, and <u>as a result of such collision or falling, drops the ball.</u> It is not a catch if a fielder touches a fly ball which then hits a member of the offensive team or an umpire and then is caught by another defensive player. If the fielder has made the catch and drops the ball while in the act of making a throw following the catch, the ball shall be adjudged to have been caught. In establishing the validity of the catch, the fielder shall hold the ball long enough to prove that he has complete control of the ball and that his release of the ball is voluntary and intentional.

Holding the ball a long time would matter only if it could establish two things: that Freel had "complete control of the ball" (check), AND that "his relase of the ball [was] voluntary and intentional" -- which it wasn't. Since Freel's release of the ball was the "result of such collision," and was not "voluntary and intentional," it wasn't a catch.

Except, of course, the umpire said it was . . . so it was.

Ah. Thanks Sam. I'm cutting and pasting that into my blog entry on the subject. I will credit you of course, which will make you famous to literally tens of people.

no link?

Am I missing something? I don't see any evidence that the ball came out or that Norris placed it in his glove. The feed cuts away at the time indicated on Craig's blog.

Also, Craig, I'd guess they're "blaming" Norris in that it is generally the CFs ball unless he's called off. It would be more fair to say that it is no one's fault, just one of those things that happens, but all things being equal, it was Freel's ball (we have no way of knowing who said what or heard the call).

The feed cuts away at the time indicated on Craig's blog.

I just went back to it and it is different video there now than what was there this morning. Looking to YouTube, I noticed that MLB has taken down other video on copyright grounds. It's possible that the guy hosting the video I linked had to change clips. I will note this from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Freel lay motionless as Hopper knelt over him. Second base umpire Adam Dowdy -- a last-minute addition to the officiating crew because regular umpire Bob Davidson was sick -- ran over.

"(Dowdy) said, 'Where's the ball?' I opened his glove and it was in there," Hopper said.

So, Freel never dropped the ball? One replay indicated Hopper slipped the ball into Freel's glove as Freel was lying on the grass with his back to the infield.

"I don't know ... yeah, he caught it," Hopper said.

Sounds like the replay that I saw this morning.

Also, Craig, I'd guess they're "blaming" Norris in that it is generally the CFs ball unless he's called off.

Agreed on that if Freel called Hopper off it's his. Grande doesn't say anything about who may be calling who off, though. He basically says "Freel is there every day and he's used to Griffey or whoever in RF, while Hopper is a newbie and doesn't know any better." True, but if Hopper was calling him off, it was his ball. Honestly: they were both running so fast I'm guessing neither could hear the other that well anyway. More honesty: I'm a bit irrational when it comes to Freel-love.

Hopper not Norris (? where'd I get that ?). Anyway, I agree that it likely isn't anybody's fault. But if it is someone's fault, it is more likely the RF than the CF. FWIW.

I just went back to it and it is different video there now than what was there this morning. Looking to YouTube, I noticed that MLB has taken down other video on copyright grounds. It's possible that the guy hosting the video I linked had to change clips. I will note this from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Wow. That sucks. I mean, I don't really care if the ump missed the call and I think it is cool if the RF pulled that off. But MLB shutting down video evidence is...I dunno, creepy. Everyone should check: does their video of the 1985 Game 6 World Series still exist?

I'd say it's less a matter of conspiracy theory and more one of a lack of express written consent of MLB that led to the You Tube blackout. The Breitbart link still has a video, but the cutaway to the runner as Hopper leans over Freel wasn't there this morning. Weird.

And I called him Norris in my blog post. Not sure why.

Hopper not Norris (? where'd I get that ?).

Walker, Texas Ranger? Or perhaps because Norris is his first name ;).

And I called him Norris in my blog post. Not sure why.

I'm glad to learn that.

Or perhaps because Norris is his first name

That too. I thought i was losing it.

Here's the video that shows it more clearly:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2884908