03/15/2003
MLB.com
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Shea Hillenbrand knows about the hidden ball trick. But he doesn't know a thing about the one he inadvertently pulled Saturday against the Devil Rays, except for the fact that it was a play he might never see again.
It was the bottom of the third inning when Toby Hall of the Devil Rays hit a crisp grounder to Hillenbrand at third base. After the ball glanced off the heel of Hillenbrand's glove, he looked down at the ground, hoping he could scoop the ball up and still throw Hall out. But he couldn't find it.
It was then that Hillenbrand suddenly realized where the missing ball was. Turns out it was lodged inside of his uniform and resting on his stomach.
He was charged with an error and Hall was awarded second base, due to a rule that the ball can't be lodged inside of any equipment besides a glove.
How did the ball get inside of Hillenbrand's jersey? It turns out that after the ball hit his glove, it knocked one of the buttons right off of his shirt.
Asked later by reporters what happened, Hillenbrand laughed and then explained it.
"The ball hit off of my glove and then opened my shirt," Hillenbrand said. "It blew the button open. I thought it went off my glove and went onto the ground but it fell in my shirt. That's the story. I came back in the clubhouse after, it was kind of funny, I was listening to the [radio] commentary in here and they were saying I was penalized for sloppy dressing and not wearing my uniform right."
Hillenbrand could sit back and laugh about the play because it was only an exhibition game. The play ended up leading to three unearned runs off Pedro Martinez -- the only runs the Devil Rays scored in a 3-2 victory.
Martinez, who went three innings and registered four strikeouts, also was humored by the play.
"I've never seen anything like that," Martinez said. "That's the way the game is, you never know what is going to happen. It was declared a dead ball. The rule doesn't really talk about a player getting it inside the jersey. But let's say the ball gets down in the catcher's equipment, it's normally a dead ball and one base."
Even Sox manager Grady Little, who managed 16 years in the minor leagues and has seen a variety of bizarre things occur on a baseball diamond, had never seen anything like this one.
"No, I haven't seen that particular play but I guess they got the call right," said Little. "There is a lodging rule in baseball. When it gets lodged between a catcher's chest protector, there's a rule that covers that. I thought [Hillenbrand] was going to grab the ball and throw him out, but he couldn't find it. It was kind of extraordinary."
Hillenbrand conducted an informal survey in the dugout and couldn't find anyone who had seen such a play before.
"Maybe I should put some tape on my jersey, but I doubt that will ever happen again," Hillenbrand said. "It's a funny story. I'm glad it happened here and not in the regular season. Especially with Pedro pitching. "
Martinez joked with Hillenbrand later that he was "cuddling with the ball."
"I was looking at him and I kept wondering, where's the ball, where's the ball," said Martinez. "All of a sudden he hits himself on the belly and he found the ball there."
Hot Hillenbrand:
While it was no ordinary day for Hillenbrand defensively, he continues to pound the ball with his bat. He smashed a two-run homer to center in the top of the fourth.
Hillenbrand's 2-for-3 performance brought his average up to .500. He has 16 hits in 32 at-bats, including five doubles, two homers and eight RBIs.
Still, he is continually asked if he thinks the Red Sox will trade him before Opening Day.
"I just want to be here," Hillenbrand said. "I want to keep reiterating that, to everybody. I want to be here. I want to help this team, I want to be a part of this team. This is my life. This is [where I've been] my whole baseball career, with Boston. I don't want to go anywhere else. But that's beside the point, those things are out my control. I can't control it, so how can I worry about it."
The Red Sox signed third baseman Bill Mueller during the offseason. Mueller can also play second, while Hillenbrand will see action at first base when he isn't at third. Little plans on getting everyone enough at-bats to stay fresh.
Hillenbrand was unconcerned that Kevin Millar will start a game at third base in the next day or two.
"Should I be [concerned]?" Hillenbrand said to the questioner. "It gives Grady another resource. It's like putting me at first. It gives him options. When a manager has more options, it's good for him."
"As long as he's swinging that bat, he'll be playing a lot, just like everyone else," said Little.