Even if you’re not a baseball fan, you’ve got to respect the skill and focus – not to mention lack of regard for his own well-being – displayed by the Kansas City Royals’ third baseman Tuesday night.
Known as “The Moose”, Mike Moustakas has been a dominant force for the Royals this post-season, having hit four playoff home runs so far.
But no highlight will be sweeter for Kansas City fans than this catch, mostly because Moustakas dove right into their laps in order to make it.
It happened at the top of the sixth inning of game three of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) vs. the Baltimore Orioles.
With the score tied at one, Moustaskas tracked an arching Adam Jones ball deep into foul territory on the third base line.
By all appearances, it looks like he doesn’t have a prayer of snagging it. Luckily for highlight reels everywhere, no one bothered to tell Moustakas.
He leans over the fence into the fan dugout suite, keeps leaning, and then goes headfirst into the fans while extending his arm like a baseball-playing Inspector Gadget.
One headfirst tumble into the fans later, and “The Moose” somehow comes up with the ball.
Then, like a conquering hero, he is helped to his feet and back into the game by the same fans upon whose laps and feet he just made the play of the series.
“You know, I’ve been playing at this field my entire career in the big leagues,” Moustaskas said during the post-game press conference. “So I’m pretty familiar with that little dugout suite over there. I’ve been in there once or twice maybe, but never anything like that.”
And in true sports hero fashion, he credited the fans for helping him make the improbable catch.
“It was pretty awesome.”
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