Old friend Jeff Samardzija is in the house, pitching against his old mates. You’d think they would treat him kindly, but, hey, Kris Bryant was in the minors when Samardzija was traded.
So Bryant greeted Samardzija as he would any other pitcher: rudely, with a first inning homer to left.
The best part is where the homer ends up (full video here at Cubs.com):
Kris Bryant homer https://t.co/kGd9XdOpBY
— Matt Clapp (@TheBlogfines) May 25, 2017
Did you see the nice catch there by the fan? It’s been my experience in the bleachers that the basket is out far enough that it’s very difficult to lean out and reach over the edge of the basket (which is, of course, by design). So, at Wrigley, you virtually never have the issue of fan interference on a homer, because the ball would have to be at just the perfect spot, and you’d have to have a fan with a glove, and he’d have to time things so well that … um … actually:
Giants fans will now have something else to be irked about. pic.twitter.com/zDBiUAcQ55
— Brett Taylor (@BleacherNation) May 25, 2017
That guy is committed to that ball. On several replays, I would call this one “unclear,” but it’s definitely possible that the ball would have hit off the yellow rim of the basket and stayed in play. We will never know, as the Giants decided not to ask for replay review. It goes, and stays, in the books as a homer.
It’s actually pretty incredible that ball got out considering it was not crushed, and the wind is blowing in from left field:
Bryant's homer just barely made it out, and wasn't all that well struck (for him) when you consider it was into the wind. pic.twitter.com/2vNNgZlLrB
— Brett Taylor (@BleacherNation) May 25, 2017
That was Bryant’s 11th of the year, tying a streaking Anthony Rizzo for the team lead. Since Rizzo homered in his first two at bats last night, both into the wind, I can only assume Bryant will do the same, and send out another dinger in his next at bat.