Some fans are criticizing Fox Sports’ coverage of the play involving interference by two New York Yankees fans in the first inning of World Series Game 4.
In the bottom of the first inning, Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres hit a fly ball into foul territory near the wall in right field. Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts reached over the wall to make the catch, but as he secured the ball, one Yankees fan began prying at his glove. The fan beside him grabbed and held Betts’ other arm.
The ball popped out onto the field, but right-field umpire Mark Carlson ruled the play an out due to fan interference.
“Fly to right by Torres, Betts in the corner, does he have room … fights with a fan — and they’re going to say it’s an out and fan interference!” MLB on Fox play-by-play announcer Joe Davis called.
Hard to argue with that call of the bizarre incident. It’s when Fox Sports went to replay that things got questionable.
“Betts has that ball in his glove and that fan literally tries to take his glove off,” Davis observed. “Pries the ball out of there. ‘A’ for effort.”
A Yankees fan interferes with Dodgers star Mookie Betts on a flyball.
The Fox replays show the fan ripping the ball out of Betts’ glove after he makes the catch.
Joe Davis and John Smoltz provide the commentary. ⚾️🎙️ #WorldSeries #MLB pic.twitter.com/Tmg0ioz65V
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 30, 2024
Many fans thought Davis treated the incident too casually with his “A for effort” remark. It didn’t help that the Fox Sports MLB X account led with that comment when it posted a replay.
“Well, A for effort.”
Fan interference was called on this play where a Yankee fan tried to take the ball out of Mookie Betts’ glove after an out. pic.twitter.com/iZ6taImncd
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 30, 2024
The two fans were ejected.
More viewers were baffled when Fox Sports ran its FanCam in the eighth inning, and the first fans shown were the two Yankees fans who were later ejected.
Fox’s FanCam leads with the two Yankees fans who got ejected for interfering with Mookie Betts. 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/Y9mbu83gQG
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 30, 2024
Some fans checking in on X thought Davis, and Fox Sports, were too cavalier in their reaction to the play.
“‘A’ for effort” is such a bad line from a good announcer. Dude is ripping at the arm of a player…one of the biggest stars in the game is either important to you or not…& you give even joking praise? When that guy gets over the hangover, he will forever be A for effort guy
— DeeEye (@dougman23) October 30, 2024
A for effort? That guy coulda injured Mookie with that bullshit
— Brian Dally (@brian_dally) October 30, 2024
Why is Joe Davis seemingly making a joke of it?
— Jason Grefer (@JasonGrefer) October 30, 2024
I noticed that too. What the hell? What a stupid call by somebody in the truck…
— Chris Kazmerzak (@CKazmerzak) October 30, 2024
Davis wasn’t the only one in sports media called out for his reaction to the incident. ESPN’s Jesse Rogers later interviewed one of the fans involved in the interference, and some criticized the reporter for “glorifying” the fan.
[Fox Sports]
