Baseball Fan Keith Carmickle Nearly Falls From Stands at All-Star Game Home Run Derby

I don't see any video, but NBC's got some great pics, "Fan Nearly Falls From Stands During HR Derby."

Also at Fox News, "Fan Nearly Falls From Stands During Homer Derby."

My wife was watching the 11:00 o'clock news and she let out a yelp, saying, "It happened again. Somebody else is going to get killed. The man was standing on a table!"

Added: Here's the video:

Shannon Stone Death Prompts Questions on Baseball Stadium Safety

The Texas Rangers will establish a memorial fund for the family of Shannon Stone, the firefighter who died Thursday after trying to catch a souvenir baseball for his son. The Dallas Star-Tribune has the report (and additional updates there as well). Also, at CBS Sports, "Ryan: Stone's widow worried for son."

And see Los Angeles Times, "Baseball fan's death raises concerns about stadium safety":

Whenever he threw a baseball into the stands, Angels outfielder Vernon Wells said he tried to place it beyond the front row so it wouldn't fall back onto the field.

Now major leaguers are confronted with more grave fears than whether play will be disrupted.

A fan trying to catch a ball tossed by Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton fell over a railing and plunged 20 feet to his death Thursday at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, raising concerns about stadium safety regulations and the time-honored tradition of throwing balls to fans.

"You look around a ballpark like this and look at all the ledges and think about all the stuff you could possibly do," Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier said Friday before a game against the San Diego Padres. "It definitely makes you think twice."

In a statement, Major League Baseball said its "players are encouraged to be fan-friendly and we will carefully review this incident with our clubs to continue to ensure a safe environment for our fans."

The accident occurred when Hamilton picked up a foul ball and flipped it to Shannon Stone, a 39-year-old firefighter who was at the game with his 6-year-old son. To make the catch, Stone leaned over a railing that didn't come up to his waist, lost his footing and fell head first onto concrete.

Though he initially moved his arms and was able to talk to medical responders, Stone went into cardiac arrest while being transported to a hospital. He was pronounced dead less than an hour after he fell.

More at the link above,A and at New York Times, "Grief and Questions After Death at Ballpark." The Rangers have inspected the stadium and everything's apparently up to cold, but check the New York Times piece for some discussion, since the park's had a previous accidents and questions linger. At Minneapolis Star Tribune, for example, "Will tossing balls to fans get tossed?"

Texas Rangers Baseball Fan Dies While Trying to Catch Ball For Six-Year Old Son

This is unbelievably sad.

At London's Daily Mail, "'Please check on my son': Fireman's final words as he lay dying after falling in front of seven-year-old son as he tried to catch ball at baseball game."

UPDATE: I've taken the video down out of courtesy for the Stone family. And Donald Sensing comments on the tragedy.

The Boston Vs. New York Rivalry Extends To The Minor Leagues

LIVELEAK - A brawl broke out behind home plate early in Friday night's game between the Greenville Drive, Boston's affiliate, and the Charleston River Dogs, New York's affiliate. Drive pitcher Miguel Celestino nailed Charleston's Slade Heathcott in the head with just his second pitch of the game. Heathcott immediately attacked catcher Christian Vazquez and both dugouts cleared. The fight went on for nearly more than a minute before the teams were separated. Heathcott and Vazquez were ejected and the River Dogs went on to win 6-2.

Big Leagues, Minor Leagues - doesn't matter. New York and Boston are like oil and water. The Hatfields vs. The McCoys. It's amazing how we ever cooperated against the Brits. Football, baseball, basketball and hockey have all had some pretty heated moments. I'm just happy the River Dogs beat those asshats and won the game.

Has The Best Catch Of The Year Already Happened In MLB?

Just a boss move by my early candidate for "Father Of The Year." Papa got mad skills y'all. I would be showin' my kids this clip every freakin' night at dinnertime for eternity, just to reinforce what a bad-ass the old man is. This puppy would be on a loop inside the front door of the house so that everyone from the pizza delivery clown to the most obnoxious relatives got a taste of what kinda stud they're dealin' with once they enter "La Casa de la Catch." This is some epic shit we're lookin' at here people. Protect the kid and flash the mitt at the same time? Gold Glove. Big time players make big time plays at big time moments. Sign him up!

25 Days Until Pitchers And Catchers Report

Bob Feller Dead At 92

USAToday Bob Feller, an American folk hero and Hall of Famer whose life story consisted of baseball, patriotism, family and farming, died Wednesday night of acute leukemia in a hospice. He was 92.  Feller, a right-handed pitcher known as "Rapid Robert" and "Bullet Bob," was an eight-time All-Star who led the American League in strikeouts in seven different seasons and was the first pitcher to win 20 or more games in a season before the age of 21. He threw 279 complete games and pitched three no-hitters during an 18-year career, spent entirely with the Cleveland Indians.  He was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1962 and was the longest-tenured living Hall of Famer at the time of his death....

The ORIGINAL flame-thrower was once clocked at over 98mph, although it's said he routinely reached 100mph (radar guns weren't around back in the day) He pitched in the big leagues at the age of 17, making his MLB debut (where he struck out 15) before his senior year in high school.  Amazing.  RIP.

He Can Buy A Bazillion Cups Now...

Hey Carl, welcome to Boston! Remember this? Of course you do. Now run on down to the aptly named Dick's Sporting Goods nearest you and empty out the entire inventory of cups. Don't be a fuckin' bum - buy 'em all. You're welcome.

A-Gon Comes To The Hub

...And for a little more in-depth profile of the Sox' newest slugger, here's a background piece from Lee Jenkins in Sports Illustrated:

Adrian Gonzalez Story