Brendan Craig of St. Catharines, Ont., has been to the Rogers Centre hundreds of times to watch his favourite team. But nothing compares to what happened during Game 2 of the ALDS.
Sitting in the first row of Section 242, Craig watched as George Springer drew a walk from Yankees reliever Will Warren, loading the bases with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on deck. Moments later, Guerrero Jr. launched a grand slam that instantly became one of the biggest moments in Blue Jays playoff history. And the ball? Right in Craig’s hand.
“I’m still on cloud nine,” Craig said. “It’s the first ball I’ve ever caught during a game.”
Craig told Bluebird Talk that he hadn’t even considered the possibility of a ball coming his way when he took his front-row seat.
“I knew it was gone from the crack of the bat,” he said on Guerrero Jr’s hit. “I immediately tracked it and stuck my hand out to barehand it.”
Despite the ball leaving Guerrero Jr.’s bat at 111 mph, Craig said he didn’t feel any pain with his barehand catch. “One of two things happened: I either cradled it perfectly, or the adrenaline numbed the pain.”
For nearly ten minutes, Craig held the ball high, celebrating with fans around him. The 29-year-old said the moment ranks as one of the most unforgettable of his life — second only to José Bautista’s iconic bat flip against the Texas Rangers in Game 5 of the 2015 ALDS, another game he attended.
Craig grew up playing baseball in the Niagara Region but says his Blue Jays fandom truly began when he was gifted MLB 2K4 in 2004. He admits he doesn’t make it to as many games as he’d like, but he makes sure to be in attendance for the big ones.
When asked whether he’d consider selling the ball or returning it to the team, Craig said he’s open to it.
“I went to the fan services desk and left my phone number,” he laughed. “If they wanted it, it’d be cool to give it back.”
For now, though, the Guerrero Jr. grand slam ball is staying close. “It’s been right beside me,” Craig said with a grin. “I don’t know what to do with it quite yet.”
BluebirdTalk.com 