Tossed

So made it to my third game in new Nationals Park last night, accompanied by the missus and mystery guest. It was not much of a game--for the Nats, at least--as they were blown out 11-0 by the surprising Florida Marlins. That was my first loss in the new ballpark, although, not counting the exhibition game, I'm just 1-1.

The thing I wanted to comment on--no, not Uggla's grand slam into the visitors bullpen, although that was cool--was actually Hermida's home run earlier in the game. Hermida (I believe it was he) hit a homer into the left field corner, just inside the pole. The fan who caught the ball waved it at the crowd and then threw it back onto the field. No problem, right?

Wrong. Stadium security briskly escorted the gentleman from the stands, to the loud booing of the crowd.

I can understand a rule against throwing objects (e.g., D batteries, snow and/or ice balls, beer bottles, promotional giveaways) onto the field, even a zero tolerance policy. But no exception for throwing back home run balls hit by the visiting squad?

The worst part was that the Nats made sure that the ball made it into the visitors' dugout, so Hermida could have the ball. Does that mean, for example, that if I'm at the game where a player hts his first career home run, and I'm lucky enough to catch it, that I would be penalized for throwing it back so the player could have it?

Uneffingbelievable.

Any throwing-things-on-the-field story, of course, should end with Sam Wyche [edited]: "You don't live in Cleveland!" Link