ST. PETERSBURG — A foul ball off the bat of Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero turned the Tropicana Field press box into a comedy of errors during the Marlins-Rays series finale, as an MLB.com reporter’s improvised cap-glove attempt came up just short.
The reporter and El Extra Base’s Daniel Alvarez-Montes had discussed the unusual lack of foul-ball chances in the press box before the game and hatched a plan: Alvarez-Montes’ “Baseball Isn’t Boring” cap would serve as a makeshift glove. Catching barehanded was out of the question — a lesson learned after MLB.com colleague Mark Sheldon went viral years ago when a foul ball destroyed his laptop.
Caminero, who homered in the first inning, sent an Eury Pérez four-seamer toward the press box in the third. The reporter stood, grabbed the cap and reached — only for the ball to go in and out of the hat and bounce off the wall. Marlins director of team travel Sydney Ansley cowered in fear in the row above, while Alvarez-Montes threw his hands up at the near-miss. Marlins director of player and alumni relations Luis Dorante Jr., seated next to Ansley, later recreated his view of the botched play.
The failed catch echoed a previous press-box misadventure at a Marlins game, when then-coach Trey Hillman ribbed the reporter and Alvarez-Montes after a foul ball was dropped and fell into the stands below. The reporter’s defensive credentials made the moment sting more: one entire varsity softball season without an error at second base for Coral Gables High School, plus an MVP award at the media softball game at loanDepot park two years ago.
The ball now sits between the two reporters. They considered giving it to a young fan but reconsidered, figuring no child would want a souvenir tied to such a public blunder. The Marlins continue their road schedule against the Rays at Tropicana Field as the series wraps.